Can't Make an *.AppImage file Executable

Question

I right clicked on a .AppImage file. I chose "Properties" and then "Permission" tab.

I'd like to check the checkbox that is next to "Allow executing file as program".

It shows that the checkbox is checked while clicking. When I release the left mouse button, the checkbox is unchecked automatically.

What am I missing?

Edit: Here are the terminal output:

m@m-HP-Compaq-dc7800-Small-Form-Factor /media/m/02A8B7D8A8B7C905/Programs/Open Source & Freeware $ chmod +x OpenShot-v2.4.3-x86_64.AppImage
m@m-HP-Compaq-dc7800-Small-Form-Factor /media/m/02A8B7D8A8B7C905/Programs/Open Source & Freeware $ id
uid=1000(m) gid=1000(m) groups=1000(m),4(adm),24(cdrom),27(sudo),30(dip),46(plugdev),108(lpadmin),110(sambashare)
m@m-HP-Compaq-dc7800-Small-Form-Factor /media/m/02A8B7D8A8B7C905/Programs/Open Source & Freeware $ stat OpenShot-v2.4.3-x86_64.AppImage
  File: ‘OpenShot-v2.4.3-x86_64.AppImage’
  Size: 158859264   Blocks: 307088     IO Block: 4096   regular file
Device: 806h/2054d  Inode: 58041       Links: 1
Access: (0600/-rw-------)  Uid: ( 1000/       m)   Gid: ( 1000/       m)
Access: 2018-10-17 18:33:54.250031700 +0200
Modify: 2018-10-17 17:44:52.500366000 +0200
Change: 2018-10-17 17:44:52.680737100 +0200
 Birth: -
m@m-HP-Compaq-dc7800-Small-Form-Factor /media/m/02A8B7D8A8B7C905/Programs/Open Source & Freeware $

Edit 2: This is what happens after running the second code:

m@m-HP-Compaq-dc7800-Small-Form-Factor /media/m/02A8B7D8A8B7C905/Programs/Open Source & Freeware $ mount | grep 02A8B7D8A8B7C905
/dev/sda6 on /media/m/02A8B7D8A8B7C905 type fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,default_permissions,blksize=4096)

Referring to "Linux" isn't enough to know what you're dealing with. What distribution of Linux are you running (Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, etc)? What Desktop Environment are you running (Xfce, Gnome3, KDE, etc)? — virullius, Oct 17 '18 at 16:50
Do you own the file? Which Linux distribution? Why do you want to do this? — AFH, Oct 17 '18 at 16:50
Have you tried `chmod` on the command line? What error does it give? — Attie, Oct 17 '18 at 16:51
@AFH The files are Openshot and Kdenlive software. Whenever I double click them and choose "Make executable and run", nothing happens! Sorry, I'm new to linux. — user2824371, Oct 17 '18 at 16:59
Please open a terminal, and use `cd` to locate the `*.AppImage` file. Then type `chmod +x ${NAME_OF_APPIMAGE}` and tell us what it says (edit your question). Please also include the output of these commands: `id` and `stat ${NAME_OF_APPIMAGE}`. — Attie, Oct 17 '18 at 17:03
@Attie It does nothing as well: chmod +x kdenlive-18.08.2-x86_64.AppImage. I'll try to include the output. Just a moment — user2824371, Oct 17 '18 at 17:05
@Attie okay just a moment please. Thank you for your support — user2824371, Oct 17 '18 at 17:06
Double-click from within which application? I have not seen **Make executable and run** in `kdenlive`, nor any of the normal Ubuntu GUI applications. If you want a specific program to open a particular file type, you need to use the **Open With** tab. The file need not be executable. — AFH, Oct 17 '18 at 17:10
Oh... what filesystem are you on? (Run `mount | grep 02A8B7D8A8B7C905`) — Attie, Oct 17 '18 at 17:16
@AFH These [AppImage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppImage) files are like containerised-applications... so the "_make executable and run_" is from Gnome / whatever... — Attie, Oct 17 '18 at 17:16
@I did run mount | grep 02A8B7D8A8B7C905. Please, see the second edit. — user2824371, Oct 17 '18 at 17:19
Thanks... this file is on a `fuse` filesystem (probably NTFS? usable in Windows?) - NTFS doesn't support unix file permissions, so please move the file to another filesystem (e.g: your home directory) and try again. — Attie, Oct 17 '18 at 17:21
@Attie I downloaded the files from the website for Linux. I don't think they are usable in Windows. Yes, the partition is formatted as NTFS. I'll try to use it in home directory. Just a moment please. — user2824371, Oct 17 '18 at 17:22
@Attie - Thanks. I've not come across this format before: I had assumed it was some sort of graphics format imported from a Mac! We live and learn... — AFH, Oct 17 '18 at 17:24

Attie · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-17T17:29:44.783

4

This file is on an NTFS partition / filesystem (Windows-specific), which cannot support Unix-like permissions. This is why you are unable to set the execute-bit, which is specific to Unix.

The best solution here is to move the *.AppImage file onto another filesystem - perhaps your home directory. You will then be able to chmod and run it as expected.

edited Oct 17 '18 at 17:29

answered Oct 17 '18 at 17:24

Attie

19,231
5
58
73

1

Wow.. Thank you sir for your efforts and useful information. I spend much time trying different versions of the software because I thought the files might be corrupted. That was a very helpful answer. – user2824371 Oct 17 '18 at 17:29
1

No problem, I'm glad it worked :-) – Attie Oct 17 '18 at 17:30

Can't Make an *.AppImage file Executable

1 Answers1