trying to install anki in linux mint 22.3
fails becasue I dont have permission to run it,
if I start it with sudo - it fails because it wants a sandbox…
no link in my menu bar
so far, I have been unable to get it to start
is there any way to get this installed easily so that it works?
Thank you
linux mint 22.3
For starters, make sure you’re installing the latest released version – Anki - powerful, intelligent flashcards – not an old version from a package manager. Then make sure you’re following the install instructions, and search here for recent posts about solving install issues on your OS – Search results for 'linux mint' - Anki Forums .
I am using the most up to date anki - just downloaded this morning for linux. followed the instruction exactly. Followed the readme instructions, followed the online instructions and tried some of the options for gettting into the protected area of my OS /usr/local/share/ ect… and changing the file permissions (as per the forums for other people who cannot get it to work.
its on my iphone - I’d just like to have it on my computer because its easier to enter new vocabulary using a keyboard.
thanks for your reply -
maybe I’ll just wait for a new version to come out
What is the specific command that you are running that is failing? Please also post the error messages that are printed when you run the command.
Yes, I see that you’ve now connected from a much more recent version than the one you were using before.
If you’re just having general Linux-library-related install problems, you shouldn’t expect those will get better with another release.
If you’ve been trying things that aren’t working, you should explain what you’re trying and what errors you are getting. That’s the only way anyone will be able to help you.
Thank you for your reply
I did explain what I tried - and I did include what the messages I got were. and I worked on installing adn uninstalling it for about 3 hours this morning.
I downloaded the file
I unzipped it
I went to the file as root and I ran the install
it installed (apparently it installed into my OS file system)
when it said it was installed I typed anki and it came back with an error that says I do not have permission to run this file
so I tried to run it using sudo
and it came back and said it cannot run because in (needs?) (is in?) a sandbox…
so I uninstalled it
it should not have to run with sudo
I ran it from the download directory - it started - I logged in, I synched it.. but then I couldnt make a launcher to it - cant remember why… that was around 6:00am
and I kind of wanted it to be installed
so I installed it again
again it went into the OS file system
again it said I do not have permissions to run this file
I uninstalled
I reinstalled
you do not have permission
I uninstalled
I reinstalled
you do not have permission to run this file
I ran it from in the folder where it was installed - I spend a couple hours on the anki forums reading what problems other people have had - since 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, and I found 4 or 5 form 2026 - but while there were resolutions - I could not See the resolution - I could not see how it was fixed - or if it was fixed.
I uninstalled it
I reinstalled it - I changed the file permissions
it did not fix it
I created an account with the forums and I asked the question
You’ve been very kind - but I will be honest I do not think it works
I think this installation program is wrong (which is why other people are experiencing this same thing… where they cannot run it without sudo.
I’m not a programmer, I’m just a user. I’ve been using linux for many many years - adn I’ve been using anki for many years… and in fact I have anki installed on my other computer -and its fine - it doesnt tell me I dont have permission - I just installed it and the clicked on the entry in the menu…
something has happened since I installed this one… and whatever happened I think broke it.
I dont know what else to tell you. I’ll be on that computer again tomorrow morning around 5:00am… (or I’ll just stay on my iphone - cuz at least I know it works there)
its weird and frustrating
Thanks for listening
From what you wrote, it sounds as if you might have changed into the root user and then ran commands as the root user. However, the installation instructions instead say to run the sudo ./install.sh command. I don’t know enough about Linux or how your system is configured to know if this sudo/root difference might be significant.
You might want to re-try the installation, this time following the instructions closely, to see if anything changes.
You might want to try locating the anki file (which anki, for example), and then look at the file and the directory in which it is located to see what the ownership and permissions look like (ls -l anki; ls -ld ., for example). Doing so could give you more insight into why the permissions errors occurred. Perhaps the fix might be as simple as changing ownership or permissions of some files or directories?
So, this appears to be evidence that Anki is capable of being installed on your system and run successfully. It seems that issues occur only when installing into and running Anki from that different location. It is unclear what the reasons are for the permissions issues. (My guess is possibly the way you are performing the installation or the file permissions of the location you are installing into.)
If you would prefer to try a workaround instead:
Thank you. I followed the instructions EXPLICITLY. I went into root only to be able to access the /usr/local/bin/anki to check the file permissions (but I am the only person on this computer, and I am the admin)… I just tried it again - I got exactly the same thing .
it installs flawlessly -
it just doesnt let me run it - and the menu item shows where it is in the file system - so it cannot be run from the menu either…
the permissions set to the anki file in /usr/local/bin/anki is root. so - any ideas how I can get it to set the permissions to me instead? please?
Thank you
just tried the old version and it installed flawlessly.
Thank you
Still wouldnt mind trying to figure out the problem with the new launcher however - or I’m just going to be faced with the same problem when I try to upgrade in the future…
Any user should be able to simply look at the file permissions of /usr/local/bin/anki, not just the root user. The fact that you seem to need to be root to do this suggests that your system might be misconfigured somewhere.
Did you check to see what the exact owner/permissions are set to? That’s normally the first step in troubleshooting permissions issues. Are you familiar with the ls command?
I would start with:
% ls -l /usr/local/bin/anki
% ls -ld /usr/local/bin