Downgrade lua 5.4>5.3

Support Software & Applications
1

It’s been suggested that a fix for a problem I’m having with darktable on Manjaro XFCE is to downgrade the lua package. I’ve never done this before, and wonder what risks it presents, and if there is anything I should do before attempting this (other than a Timeshift snapshot).

Thanks for any insights you can offer.

2

If you installed darktable from repo, then you already have lua53 - it’s darktable’s dependency.

3

Although I did install darktable from the repro, my system has 5.4 installed:

pamac info lua
Name                  : lua
Version               : 5.4.3-1
Description           : Powerful lightweight programming language designed for
                        extending applications
URL                   : https://www.lua.org/
Licenses              : MIT
Repository            : extra
Installed Size        : 1.2 MB
Depends On            : readline
Required By           : gnuplot gpick
Optional For          : graphviz hexchat
Packager              : Anatol Pomozov <anatol.pomozov@gmail.com>
Build Date            : 03/29/2021
Install Date          : 04/24/2021
Install Reason        : Installed as a dependency for another package
Signatures            : Yes

I see in the Pamac GUI that darktable has a dependancy on lua 5.3, and offers the option to reinstall it. Is this a possible fix?
Thanks

4

It doesn’t have a dependency on lua=5.3, it has a dependency on lua53. It’s a standalone package. And you already have it, so reinstalling won’t do you much. Whatever problem you are having this is not the fix you are looking for.

5

You have lua5.3 but lua is linked to lua5.4. I don’t know darktable but you can call lua5.3 or change lua to call lua5.3 instead of lua5.4 (which is the default).

6

Thanks for the clarification.

The problem is that the lightable module crashes when scrolling.
If started from the terminal, I get an error message:
PANIC: unprotected error in call to Lua API (error in __gc metamethod (Destroying a widget which is still parented, this should never happen (check_button at 0x5637ecc43760)
))
Aborted (core dumped)

One of the guys on PIXL.US suggested it might be because of the lua 5.4 I have installed.

“DT requires lua 5.3, perhaps you can try with that”

7