ChatGPT – Install of Newest Freeplane

Posted on by Tim Brownlaw

Another day chatting with Alex. Alex is the name of my chatGPT AI. We are always talking about something so I thought I’d share our chats so you get an idea of what you can do with your chatGPT.

As you might know, I am using a program called Freeplane, which I use everyday both at home and at work. So on Linux there are a few ways you can install it. As it happens, over time, I’ve used them all from using SNAP to the old school installing the .deb package…

Either way, after a lot of too and froing we finally got there…

The Converstation with Alex

You said: ( The PROMPT)

So Alex, I have kubuntu 24.04 and I am running Freeplane. I recently upgraded from 1.10 to 1.12 BUT when I right click or open from a link associated with Freeplane, it is running the old 1.10 and not the new 1.12.. How can I fix it

ChatGPT said:

Ah yes, the classic “old version still launching” issue. On Kubuntu 24.04, this typically happens because:

  • Multiple versions of Freeplane are installed (e.g., via APT and also manually or via Flatpak/Snap).
  • System file associations or default launcher are still pointing to the older version.

Here’s how you can fix it:

🔍 Step 1: Check Which Version is Default

Open a terminal and type:
bashCopyEditwhich freeplane<br>Then:
bashCopyEditfreeplane --version<br>If it shows the older version (1.10), that’s the one still set as default in your PATH.

🧹 Step 2: Remove Old Version (Optional but Recommended)

If you installed the old one via APT:
bashCopyEditsudo apt remove freeplane<br>If you’re unsure how you installed it, we can check further. But if you manually unpacked it into a directory or installed it via Flatpak/Snap, this may need a different approach.

🛠️ Step 3: Update Default File Association

  1. Right-click on a .mm file (Freeplane map file)
  2. Click Properties → File Type Options
  3. Click the Application Preference Order
  4. If Freeplane 1.12 is not listed or is lower down:
    • Click Add
    • Browse to your 1.12 freeplane.sh (or executable)
    • Move it to the top
  5. Click Apply

You can also do this via System Settings → File Associations → application/x-freeplane.

🧩 Step 4: Update Menu/Launcher Icon

If the menu is still launching 1.10:

  1. Open the app launcher menu.
  2. Right-click Freeplane → Edit Application
  3. Update the Command to point to the 1.12 version’s freeplane.sh or executable.
  4. Optionally, update the icon or name to reflect the version.
  5. Save.

Or manually:
bashCopyEditkmenuedit<br>

📌 Step 5: Make a Symlink (if you want freeplane to always run 1.12)

Let’s say you extracted Freeplane 1.12 to ~/apps/Freeplane-1.12.0/, do:

bashCopyEditsudo ln -sf ~/apps/Freeplane-1.12.0/freeplane.sh /usr/local/bin/freeplane

Now running freeplane in the terminal should launch the new version.

✅ To Summarize

  • Check what’s launching by default
  • Remove the old version
  • Fix file associations and menu entries
  • Make a symlink to control CLI behavior

Want help confirming which version is installed where? Just paste the output of:

bashCopyEditwhich freeplane && freeplane --version

And I can guide you line-by-line.

You said:

ok I manage to install the newer 1.12.11 from the deb package online from the 1.12.9 APP image and updated the associations and other icons I have kickong about…

ChatGPT said:

Awesome work, Tim — sounds like you wrestled it into place like a pro! 💪

So just to recap and future-proof things a bit:

✅ You’ve Done:

  • Installed Freeplane 1.12.11 via the .deb package (great choice — much cleaner than the AppImage in this case).
  • Updated file associations so .mm files now launch with the correct version.
  • Fixed menu entries and any pinned icons (that’s often the sneaky culprit).

🔁 Bonus Tip (Optional):

If you still have remnants from the AppImage or the older 1.10 version lurking about, you could clean up by checking:

bashCopyEditwhereis freeplane

Or even:

bashCopyEditfind ~ -name '*freeplane*'

That can help locate:

  • Old .AppImage files
  • Extra launchers in ~/.local/share/applications/
  • Any leftover settings you might want to back up or clean.

💡 Backup Config Tip:

Freeplane config is usually in:

bashCopyEdit~/.freeplane

If you’ve spent time customizing themes, keybindings, or extensions, back this folder up somewhere just in case.

Let me know if you want to create a custom launcher script, desktop shortcut, or even roll a backup plan for your mind maps!

You said:

I got: oska@oska:~$ whereis freeplane freeplane: /usr/bin/freeplane /usr/share/freeplane

ChatGPT said:

Perfect! That means your system-wide Freeplane is now correctly installed and running from:

  • Executable: /usr/bin/freeplane
  • Shared resources (icons, scripts, etc.): /usr/share/freeplane

This is typical for .deb package installs, so you’re now running Freeplane in a clean, integrated way — no AppImage quirks, no rogue versions.

🔧 If You’re Curious…

Run this to double-check the version of the one in /usr/bin:

bashCopyEdit/usr/bin/freeplane --version

(Or just launch it and check Help → About inside Freeplane.)

If that matches 1.12.11, then you are 100% set.

✅ Final Cleanup Suggestions (if needed)

If you had the AppImage still somewhere (maybe in ~/Downloads or a ~/apps/ folder):

bashCopyEditrm ~/Downloads/Freeplane-1.12.9.AppImage

Or wherever it is. Same for any old .desktop launchers in:

bashCopyEdit~/.local/share/applications/

Just to make sure nothing accidental reverts or confuses later launches.

You’re good to go, Tim! Mind mapping at 1.12.11 speeds now 😄
Let me know if you want to add templates, export shortcuts, or sync maps with cloud tools like Dropbox or GotBackup.

You said:

oska@oska:~$ /usr/bin/freeplane –version WARNING: package com.apple.eawt not in java.desktop WARNING: A terminally deprecated method in java.lang.System has been called WARNING: System::setSecurityManager has been called by org.freeplane.launcher.Launcher (file:/usr/share/freeplane/freeplanelauncher.jar) WARNING: Please consider reporting this to the maintainers of org.freeplane.launcher.Launcher WARNING: System::setSecurityManager will be removed in a future release Knopflerfish OSGi framework launcher, version <unknown> Copyright 2003-2020 Knopflerfish. All Rights Reserved. See http://www.knopflerfish.org for more information. Created Framework: org.knopflerfish.framework, version=8.0.11. Background mode. July 09, 2025 9:25:22 AM org.freeplane.core.util.LogUtils info INFO: Loaded properties from bundle://1:1/freeplane.properties July 09, 2025 9:25:22 AM org.freeplane.core.util.LogUtils info INFO: Loaded properties from bundle://1:2/org/freeplane/main/application/ July 09, 2025 9:25:22 AM org.freeplane.core.util.LogUtils info INFO: Successfully notified first instance. July 09, 2025 9:25:22 AM org.freeplane.core.util.LogUtils info INFO: opened files in master – exiting now

ChatGPT said:

Thanks, Tim — great diagnostic info!

Here’s the key thing:
That output shows Freeplane is launching properly, but it’s not printing the version number directly via --version (typical for Java-based apps — they often skip standard CLI flags).

Instead, it confirms you’re launching Freeplane from:

bashCopyEdit/usr/bin/freeplane

And the log entries indicate it’s properly invoking the launcher JAR located at:

bashCopyEdit/usr/share/freeplane/freeplanelauncher.jar

✅ So What Does That Mean?

  • You are running the installed .deb version (not the AppImage, not the old one).
  • The launcher is working fine — those warnings are from Java’s internal system security changes and can be ignored unless you’re a developer debugging the launcher itself.
  • The version 1.12.11 should now show correctly when you open Freeplane and go to:
    • Help → About

⚠️ About the Warnings

You’re seeing:

plaintextCopyEditWARNING: System::setSecurityManager will be removed in a future release

That’s coming from the Java runtime. Freeplane is using a method that’s been deprecated and will break in a future Java version — but not yet.

📌 No action needed right now. The Freeplane devs are aware and are gradually updating their launcher compatibility.

🧼 Optional Cleanliness Pass

If you want, you can suppress the noise when launching from the terminal by creating a wrapper script like this:

bashCopyEditnano ~/bin/freeplane-clean

Paste in:

bashCopyEdit#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/freeplane "$@" 2>/dev/null

Then:

bashCopyEditchmod +x ~/bin/freeplane-clean

Now run:

bashCopyEditfreeplane-clean

To launch without the Java warnings.

Let me know if you want:

  • Auto-backups of .mm files
  • Git versioning for maps
  • Cloud sync tips
  • Or help building a template system

You’re all set — no more 1.10 ghosts haunting your shortcuts 👻

You said:

All good Alex… see you are teaching me good stuff 🙂 and I remembered 🙂

ChatGPT said:

👏 That’s brilliant, Tim — love hearing that! You’re not just fixing things, you’re locking in the know-how. That’s the sweet spot. 🧠💾

Any time you can say “Hey, I remembered how to sort that” — that’s a win.

So now, Freeplane’s running the right version, you’ve cleaned up the cruft, and you’re in full control. If your maps start taking over the world now… well, you’ve only got yourself to blame 😄

Catch you next time, mate — and as always…

Have a Grand Day!

So another success story.