kikit backend fails on Ubuntu Mate 24.10

[wburchard]

Prerequisites

• [x] I have read FAQ
• [x] I have searched existing issues (including closed ones)
• [x] I use KiKit at least version 1.7.2 (older version are not supported)

KiKit version

Unable to install

KiCAD version (only KiCAD 8 and 9 are supported)

9.0.2

Operating system

Ubuntu Mate 24.10

Description

I’m running Ubuntu Mate 24.10 and have run into an issue with the kikit Linux installation instructions. Since I installed Kicad using the package manager, I attempted to install the kikit bacusing pip, with the following results:

I then tried pipx, which was successful. However, Kicad stall could not find the kikit back-end. After a bit a searching on the web, I found kibot, which after installation, allowed Kicad to find the kikit backend. However, when attempting to use kikit from the terminal, the following error occurred:

More searching on the web led me to add the following line at the end of my .profile file:

export PYTHONPATH="$PYTHONPATH:./.local/share/pipx/venvs/kikit/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pcbnewTransition"

This resulted in the following error:

After installation of kibot, kikit UI runs without errors, but does not produce a usable panel – as far as I can tell:

I did try the suggestions in issue #733, but without success. At this point I don't have any way to use kikit -- I recently reimaged my Windows laptop to Ubuntu. Suggestions -- other than reverting to Windows?

Steps to Reproduce

Attempt to install kikit backend on Ubuntu Mate 24.10.

[yaqwsx]

At the moment, this is the recommended way of using KiKit: https://github.com/yaqwsx/KiKit/discussions/701#discussioncomment-9801784

Until the new IPC API matures enough and we migrate KiKit to it, there is no other (easy) way.

If you struggle with KiBot installation, please, reach out to KiBot maintainers for assistance.

[wburchard]

Thanks. I discovered it works on another of my Linux machines. There's probably a way to get is working my laptop, but I'm sure it will require some digging.

On Mon, Jun 9, 2025 at 3:24 PM Jan Mrázek @.***> wrote:

yaqwsx left a comment (yaqwsx/KiKit#833) https://github.com/yaqwsx/KiKit/issues/833#issuecomment-2956754217

At the moment, this is the recommended way of using KiKit: #701 (comment) https://github.com/yaqwsx/KiKit/discussions/701#discussioncomment-9801784

Until the new IPC API matures enough and we migrate KiKit to it, there is no other (easy) way.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/yaqwsx/KiKit/issues/833#issuecomment-2956754217, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAUQ2UFQ5ETOKF5IWNSEMCT3CXNPHAVCNFSM6AAAAAB62BBMESVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDSNJWG42TIMRRG4 . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.***>

[wburchard]

In the event this helps anyone else, I stumbled upon a simple change that got kikit working for me. Adding the following statement at the end of the .profile file fixed it:

export PATH="/usr/bin:$PATH"

What was interesting is that '/usr/bin:' was already in the middle of the existing PATH value -- now it is in the PATH value twice. Someone that understands Linux better than I do may be able to shed light on why this change fixed the problem, or if I've set the stage for mysterious behavior down the road.