"couldn't import. The file does not contain audio or subtitles" - error

[ilippert]

On version 4.8.3 since a few weeks, on multiple Fedora 42 machines, I cannot open any audio files, ogg, wav, mp3. Even if I "repair" – re-encode – the audio files, they cannot be read anymore.
The listening still works.
if you ask me questions, I am happy to do my best to provide answers (as a non programmer).

however, on various devices I can listen to the audio.

[mkiol]

Hi. Thanks for reporting.

To view more logs, run in the terminal with --verbose option and try to reproduce the problem.

flatpak run net.mkiol.SpeechNote --verbose

[ilippert]

I can easily reproduce the problem.

D] 16:45:46.603278785.603 0x7f0f67752d00 () - opening file: "/home/x/2025-6/2025_10_21_09_02_24.ogg" -1
[D] 16:45:46.603308522.603 0x7f0f67752d00 init_av_in_format:594 - opening file: /home/x/2025_10_21_09_02_24.ogg
[E] 16:45:46.604202152.604 0x7f0f67752d00 init_av_in_format:599 - avformat_open_input error: No such file or directory
[D] 16:45:46.604223091.604 0x7f0f67752d00 media_info:1285 - can't get media info: avformat_open_input error
[W] 16:45:46.604241339.604 0x7f0f67752d00 () - failed to open file for read: "/home/x/2025_10_21_09_02_24.ogg"
[W] 16:45:46.604706543.604 0x7f0f67752d00 () - can't open text file
[D] 16:45:46.604715562.604 0x7f0f67752d00 () - import file result: error-no-supported-streams
[D] 16:45:51.172119944.172 0x7f0f67752d00 exit_program:59 - exiting

Does this help to guide me towards a next step?

[mkiol]

How are you trying to open this file?

• "File->Import from a file"
• drag&drop,
• click on file?

Most likely, Speech Note does not have permissions for the directory. Without extra permissions, only "File->Import from a file" should work correctly because the file is exposed to "Flatpak sandbox" via so called Portal. For other methods, you need to grand permissions, for instance using FlatSeal app.

[ilippert]

I was able to find a key difference in behaviour: if the file to be opened is at /home/user I can easily open and process it. If, however, the file sits in a location that is symlinked, than speechnote cannot access it.

yes, it was "File->Import from a file"

[mkiol]

Yes, it looks like a permissions issue. Is the symlink's target file also located somewhere under /home/user? I'm not entirely sure how Flatpak handles symlinks, but I suspect that Flatpak sandbox must also have permission to symlink's target file (or target directory), not just symlink.

Have you tried granting more broad permissions with FlatSeal?

[ilippert]

Thanks a lot!

Have you tried granting more broad permissions with FlatSeal?

yes, like shown in #335 (comment) I allowed home access. The error still happens in case of accessing files under /home/user/symlink/.../targetfile

Cheers