Can't run snap apps from EncFS working dir

snapd
1

I have most of my Ubuntu home directory within an EncFS filesystem folder. If I cd to a folder on this filesystem and try to run ffmpeg installed via snap from this location, I get a permission error. Keep in mind, ffmpeg is NOT in the EncFS filesystem, the current working directory is set there. Also, I’m not even trying to access a file in the folder, just trying to run the app. This is the error.

me@themachine:~/Encfs/Private$ ffmpeg 
cannot open path of the current working directory: Permission denied

I had the same problem when running from an SMB mounted share and also from a mounted hard drive that was not the same as my root system drive. I couldn’t find any connections (like removable media) that would fix any of this but installing my app in devmode at least allowed me to run from SMB or second hard drive.
I’m hoping I’m just doing something wrong.
Thanks!

2

what is the output of SNAP_CONFINE_DEBUG=1 snap run ffmpeg ?

3 
DEBUG: umask reset, old umask was  022
cannot open path of the current working directory: Permission denied
4

I believe this is because encfs prevents root (actually any other user) from accessing the decrypted mount point, no matter what the file or directory permissions are. Because root cannot access the mount point snap-confine throws an error.

5

Good point. You are right. I cannot access the encrypted folder when sudoed to root at all. Guess I’m done using snaps or EncFS :frowning:

Thanks for the point in the right direction!