I have a Python-package that calls Inkscape as part of a conversion process. I have it installed, but through Flatpak. This means that calling inkscape does not work in the terminal, but rather flatpak run org.inkscape.Inkscape. I need the package to be able to call it as inkscape.

What is the best way to go about this?

  • Flatpak already creates executable wrappers for all applications as part of regular installs, though they’re by default named as the full package name.

    For when inkscape has been installed into the system-wide Flatpak installation, you could simply symlink it like; ln -s /var/lib/flatpak/exports/bin/org.inkscape.Inkscape /usr/local/bin/inkscape

    For the user-local installation, the exported runnable is in ~/.local/share/flatpak/exports/bin instead.

    • I handle it more like ln -s /var/lib/flatpak/exports/bin/org.inkscape.Inkscape ~/.local/bin/inkscape

      .local/bin is a directory that you may have to make, but your shell’s startup scripts should automatically add it to the PATH after that.

      • I personally use ~/.bin for my own symlinks, though I also use the user-specific installation instead of the system-wide one.
        I wouldn’t guarantee that any automation handles ~/.local/bin or ~/.bin either, that would depend entirely on the distribution. In my case I’ve added both to PATH manually.

  • Put a shell script in your PATH named inkscape with the following content:

    #!/bin/sh
    
    flatpak run org.inkscape.Inkscape
    

    Note that you can use a local folder in your home directory to house small executables and scripts like this, so you don’t have to touch your system config. I generally recommend using something like ~/.local/bin and add it to your PATH via your Shell’s RC file.

  • Two utilities that may be handy for you here:

    Pakrat: Automates and simplifies the process of creating alliases for flatpaks, good if you just need to make a few programs be simplified

    Fuzzpak: Lets you do fuzzy searches for flatpaks(as in you just write fuzzpak inkscape and it auto looks for something with inkscape in the flatpak folder and launches it), good for when you want to simplify launching flatpaks in general without doing the process of configuring stuff manually

  • You can do an alias for the shell you use or make a symlink to /usr/local/bin/ for the entire system.

    There are importany reasons why this is not the default, but you can do it as long as you are away you have done it. Like when programs installed via package manager and flatpak starts conflicting, you’ll know why.