Update FreeCAD snap to core24

[furgo16]

Update to latest platform and build snap versions as described on https://snapcraft.io/docs/kde-neon-extension

Ultimately, I'd like to:

1. Update external dependencies (mainly OCCT)
2. Explore an upgrade to core24.  snapcraft extensions lists the supported base snap to be up to core22 for both the kde-neon and kde-neon-6 snaps
3. Provide a Qt 6 build => explore kde-neon-6 extension

Research

1. Snapcraft extensions documentation
2. kde-neon extension usage documentation
3. kde-neon extension source code see also its Python file.
4. kde-neon-6 extension comments
5. Snapcraft: Qt 5 KDE applications documentation
6. KDE 5 Frameworks platform/content snap source code
7. KF5 launcher source code
8. KDE 5 Frameworks snap source code (yet another location?)

[luzpaz]

What's delaying this ? (1.0 release?)

[furgo16]

Last time I tried a build with these changes, it failed. The kde-neon extension has no documentation that I could find that explained that (I read https://snapcraft.io/docs/kde-neon-extension), or even how we use it in snapcraft.yaml. I could not find where the source code is, either. That, and lack of time are the reasons.

[furgo16]

The build error: https://github.com/furgo16/FreeCAD-snap/actions/runs/11372445768/job/31636779466#step:4:1215

:: CMake Error at /snap/kf5-5-113-qt-5-15-11-core22-sdk/current/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt5UiTools/Qt5UiToolsConfig.cmake:26 (message):
::   The imported target "Qt5::UiTools" references the file
::
::      "/snap/kf5-5-113-qt-5-15-11-core22-sdk/current/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5UiTools.a"
::
::   but this file does not exist.  Possible reasons include:
::
::   * The file was deleted, renamed, or moved to another location.
::
::   * An install or uninstall procedure did not complete successfully.
::
::   * The installation package was faulty and contained
::
::      "/snap/kf5-5-113-qt-5-15-11-core22-sdk/current/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt5UiTools/Qt5UiToolsConfig.cmake"
::
::   but not all the files it references.
::
:: Call Stack (most recent call first):
::   /snap/kf5-5-113-qt-5-15-11-core22-sdk/current/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt5UiTools/Qt5UiToolsConfig.cmake:130 (_qt5_UiTools_check_file_exists)
::   /snap/kf5-5-113-qt-5-15-11-core22-sdk/current/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt5UiTools/Qt5UiToolsConfig.cmake:342 (_populate_UiTools_target_properties)
::   /snap/kf5-5-113-qt-5-15-11-core22-sdk/current/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt5/Qt5Config.cmake:28 (find_package)
::   cMake/FreeCAD_Helpers/SetupQt.cmake:30 (find_package)
::   CMakeLists.txt:81 (include)

@ScarlettGatelyMoore I see that you've helped with the FreeCAD snap in the past. Would you happen to know why this build error is happening when upgrading the kde-neon extension? Thanks!

[luzpaz]

Why KDE Neon and not Plasma ? or are you making a separate option for Neon ?

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

So sorry, Our ability to update qt5 content packs was removed for awhile. I am however making new ones as we speak. Are you still qt5 or qt6? I can help, but not til Monday I am afraid.

[furgo16]

So sorry, Our ability to update qt5 content packs was removed for awhile. I am however making new ones as we speak. Are you still qt5 or qt6? I can help, but not til Monday I am afraid.

@ScarlettGatelyMoore thank you! Monday, or in your own time, would be fine. We're just glad to get any help or advice at all! The upcoming FreeCAD 1.0 release will still be on Qt5, which is the priority for this snap, and what we want to have in shape for now. However, FreeCAD builds with Qt6, and at some point we'd like to have an additional Qt6 snap build for testers.

Given that FreeCAD is a Qt, but not KDE app, is it worth keeping going the kde-neon way for our snap, or is there a better way in terms of maintenance? The main issue right now for us documentation. Whenever there is an issue like the present one, generally we're generally at a loss to know how to fix it.

Why KDE Neon and not Plasma ? or are you making a separate option for Neon ?

@luzpaz check out https://snapcraft.io/docs/supported-extensions and the links in the issue description. If I understand it correctly, kde-neon is a snapcraft extension that was developed KDE Neon. However, since it has dependencies on Qt snaps, it is often used by non-KDE snaps as a convenience method of pulling the Qt libraries. While it includes KDE libraries too, which would generally not be needed by non-KDE snaps, it also sets up desktop-related functionality at build and run time. In summary, it's a convenience tradeoff.

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

I maintain both the kde-neon and kde-neon-6 extension as well as qt snaps. The problem is the lack of qt5 snaps due to reason out of my control. This is now fixed and I am working on them. Will be here tomorrow to get this sorted.

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

Still working on the content snaps, I will then need to update snapcraft to use them.

[furgo16]

@ScarlettGatelyMoore thanks! Is there anything we can do to help? Could you point us to the source code of the content/platform and SDK snaps?

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

Hi, the documentation is here https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Snap
Currently only for qt6 as we removed qt5 support. That is however changing. kf5-core22-sdk is here: https://invent.kde.org/neon/snap-packaging/kf5-core-sdk no runtime until sdk succeeds. I also want to note I am a bit on the slow side due to complications with a broken arm. Thanks for your patience.

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

Core24 support awaits canonical/snapcraft#5092

I will also have to do similiar with kde-neon for qt5.

But for now we can do core22 as it will be a much smaller PR and merged quicker.

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

Content packs are done. I have added qt5 support to canonical/snapcraft#5092 now I just need them to merge. Thanks for your patience.

[furgo16]

@ScarlettGatelyMoore thank you. I've subscribed to the snapcraft PR, but I must admit I'm a bit lost as to how this will affect us.

We would appreciate some guidance for our use case (the upcoming FreeCAD 1.0 release, Qt5-based)? I.e.:

• Is the kde-neon extension still a good fit for packaging the FreeCAD snap?
• Should we be updating it? If yes, to core24, core22?
• Will we be able to easily upgrade the snap to Qt6 after our 1.0 release? Note: this question is about snap packaging, not the sources, as there are already FreeCAD Qt6 builds available

Thanks!

[furgo16]

@ScarlettGatelyMoore have you had the chance of looking at the questions in the previous comment? Thanks!

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

Gosh sorry I missed the question. I am in the hospital with on going issues and infection of broken arm.

Once that pr is merged and snapcraft is released, you can move to core24. You can move to qt6 now by using kde-neon-6 extension. I honestly don't know why canonical/snapcraft#5092 is taking so long. Sorry.

[furgo16]

canonical/snapcraft#5092 has now been merged 🎉. I'll be watching https://github.com/canonical/snapcraft/releases to see when the changes will be available. Hopefully soon in a future Snapcraft 8.5.2.

@ScarlettGatelyMoore I hope you're doing well and thanks for the help so far! In the meantime, would you be able to guide us through the changes needed in this PR to first update our FreeCAD Qt5 snap to core24? FreeCAD Qt6 builds are still WIP and we can look at packaging them later.

Thanks!

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

canonical/snapcraft#5092 has now been merged 🎉. I'll be watching https://github.com/canonical/snapcraft/releases to see when the changes will be available. Hopefully soon in a future Snapcraft 8.5.2.

@ScarlettGatelyMoore I hope you're doing well and thanks for the help so far! In the meantime, would you be able to guide us through the changes needed in this PR to first update our FreeCAD Qt5 snap to core24? FreeCAD Qt6 builds are still WIP and we can look at packaging them later.

Thanks!

I am doing better thank you! I am also watching for the release and will absolutely help get this to core24 :)

[luzpaz]

I am doing better thank you! I am also watching for the release and will absolutely help get this to core24 :)

Glad to hear @ScarlettGatelyMoore !

[luzpaz]

re: kde-neon

[furgo16]

@ScarlettGatelyMoore I see that Snapcraft 8.6 has been released 🎉

What are the next steps to update our FreeCAD Qt5 snap to core24? Your guidance here would be really valuable. Thanks!

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

I will do a PR for this. Is https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad-deps-core22-snap/tree/master Still used?

[furgo16]

I've not dealt with the dependencies code before. There are two repos:

1. https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad-deps-snap/tree/core22 (has branches for different coreNN, seems to be the most up-to-date)
2. https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad-deps-core22-snap/tree/master (has only one master branch)

Creating a core24 branch on repo 1 based on the core22 branch would seem to me like the best candidate, but @chennes or @luzpaz would know best. In any case, I think one of the two repos should be archived to remove confusion.

[luzpaz]

I'd be happy to create a core24 branch.

Edit: done 👉 https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad-deps-snap/tree/core24

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

FreeCAD/freecad-deps-snap#3

[furgo16]

@ScarlettGatelyMoore excellent, thanks! Now that we have your PR with the dependencies, would you mind reviewing this PR as well? I'd be interested to know if the kde-neon-specific bits are correct.

Previously the core22-based kf5-* snaps were versioned in the name. For core24 it seems the versioning is no longer in the name: https://snapcraft.io/store?q=kf5&page=2

[chennes]

(FYI I merged that PR for core24 -- thanks again, @ScarlettGatelyMoore)

[furgo16]

@chennes thanks! Do I see it correctly that https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad-deps-snap/commits/core24/ is missing some commits from https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad-deps-snap/commits/core22? Do those commits need to be ported to the core24 branch? @luzpaz

[ScarlettGatelyMoore]

@furgo16 there are several changes that will need to be made. Content snaps are not versioned, env vars changed and newer dependencies. I was going to do a pr. As far as the dependencies snap, it is good, I have built it locally and updated the above changes for core24. Please don't bring back changes from that core22 repo. Thanks. If you commit this I can do a pr for the remaining changes.

[chennes]

OK, sounds like the current PR (#123) is ready to go in then, @furgo16?

[furgo16]

@chennes thinking about it, since the daily builds are built from master, if we merge this PR to master, they're going to be broken until the new core24-based freecad-deps-snap` is uploaded to the store.

Could you perhaps create a core24 branch and I'll retarget this PR's changes to that one? Thanks!