alvr_launcher is unable to detect SteamVR installed via flatpak-installed Steam

[mardab]

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Description

It is exact problem as reported before in #904 , only that some people, myself included, have no option not to use flatpak-based installation. As far as I know the main difference is location of directories, which I'd like to help patch into next version of ALVR

General Troubleshooting

• [:white_check_mark:] I carefully followed the instructions in the README and successfully completed the setup wizard
• [:white_check_mark:] I read the ALVR Wikis here and here

Environment

Hardware

results from hw-probe (also exclusively available in flatpak format for me): https://linux-hardware.org/?probe=f203fe95e5 CPU: AMD Ryzen 2500U GPU: AMD Polaris 11 Audio: Pulse/Pipewire+JACK2

Installation

ALVR Version: v18.2.1 SteamVR Version: v1.21.12 (1647034158) Install Type: [:white_check_mark:] Packaged (exe, deb, rpm, etc) OS Name and Version : Funtoo Linux (@funtoo) Feature Requests: Perhaps this could be fixed by enabling manual specification of path to required SteamVR components?

[jmaris]

I also have this issue, I want to create a soft link in the correct place but creating a soft link for the steam directory did not seem to work, unfortunately...

perhaps there is a way to address this ?

[ColdIce1605]

The flatpak version will not work as it needs to be a native app.

Edit: There's no possible way of fixing it it's just how flatpaks work.

[jmaris]

I have been able to get ALVR running inside of steam's flatpak, by moving it to the steam directory within the flatpak, entering the flatpak with the command flatpak enter com.valvesoftware.Steam bash, navigating to that folder and running it with steam open.

Steam then detects ALVR, and ALVR can connect to the headset, but flatpak doesn't have the necessary ffmpeg encoders to get it working.

[stale[bot]]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[zoeleu]

please reopen, still an issue

[ColdIce1605]

I have been able to get ALVR running inside of steam's flatpak, by moving it to the steam directory within the flatpak, entering the flatpak with the command flatpak enter com.valvesoftware.Steam bash, navigating to that folder and running it with steam open.

Steam then detects ALVR, and ALVR can connect to the headset, but flatpak doesn't have the necessary ffmpeg encoders to get it working.

Wdym, flatpak doesn't have the necessary ffmpeg encoders explain it better.

[xDShot]

Install Flatseal and provide Filesystem accesses for Steam flatpak app.

[famellad]

Wdym, flatpak doesn't have the necessary ffmpeg encoders explain it better.

I'm no expert in this, but basically flatpaks work by running inside sandboxed containers, they have their own libraries and directory structures they use to operate without having access to most of your OS, there are several reasons for this but in practice it means that flatpaks will only be able to see things installed in their own environment, the most notable example of this is flatpak apps not recognizing your system theme (unless, of course, the theme is also installed in the flatpak environment).

[stale[bot]]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[zoeleu]

still an issue

[jmaris]

I have been able to get ALVR running inside of steam's flatpak, by moving it to the steam directory within the flatpak, entering the flatpak with the command flatpak enter com.valvesoftware.Steam bash, navigating to that folder and running it with steam open. Steam then detects ALVR, and ALVR can connect to the headset, but flatpak doesn't have the necessary ffmpeg encoders to get it working.

Wdym, flatpak doesn't have the necessary ffmpeg encoders explain it better.

flatpak ships a copy of FFMPEG, which is the software used to encode the video and audio streams from games. The issue is that this copy of FFMPEG does not have the codecs used by ALVR so ALVR cannot encode content. At least that is what I understood from the output.

Concerning accessing data inside a flatpak, it isn't as impossible as one might expect, I've put some pointers in #1095