Download of app fails "Missing Executable"

[JonathanGerlach]

Downloading a previously purchased app, Braid in this example, finishes immediately but fails to run with a "Missing executable" error.

[frankc-valve]

The list of games available for the Steam for Linux client is here.
You can also choose the Linux tab from the Store page to see the supported games list.

[Tercus]

sadly the client also lists games in your library (and that you bought already) that simply aren't available for steam yet and thus don't HAVE a working executable. Downloading and trying to run them will give you that problem.

[JonathanGerlach]

I think apps which are unavailable for download shouldn't show up in the list of apps.

[vitamin7]

Well both of these games (Braid and Psychonauts) are available for Linux. I've purchased them both in humble bundle a while ago. And they both do work under Linux just fine. So not sure why they are missing from that list.

[Cheeseness]

From what I understand, this occurs when a developer has selected that they'd like to publish content for Linux, but haven't organised with Valve to make it available. I think it's an administrative issue rather than a bug with the client.

[davidshepherd7]

DEFCON is on the list of supported games but fails to install in this way for me (Linux Mint 64bit, MATE version).

[Arxcis]

The only reason that Steam should fix this is that it is crowding the forums 👍 for fix

[dhaines]

This appears to be an issue where you purchase the game and soundtrack together. On my box, the browse local files shows the soundtrack alone for both FTL and Defcon.

[frankc-valve]

Dup of #16.

[bespokebob]

Issue #16 is specifically about the "Activate a Product" workflow, which guides the user through installing a new game (regardless of its availability on Linux). However, there are several games that show up in the Library view as Linux games which cannot actually be downloaded and run, which is what this issue (and duplicates) is about.

[frankc-valve]

FYI: FTL was just added to the official supported game list. Please delete local content and download again.

[ghost]

This should be reopened. FTL, DEFCON, and Multiwinia are on the official supported list (https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8495-OKZC-0159), but I get this error.

[JonathanGerlach]

I deleted FTL and redownloaded it. Works for me.

[ghost]

Yeah, I figured out I had to restart steam. It had been open while FTL was added.

[L4D15]

I'm getting the same error with Waking Mars, wich is at the compatible games list.

[MichaelJCole]

#748

[MrSchism]

Just noticed: CaveStory+ Downloads 180 MB of files (compared to the 85 from Humble Bundle).

Any reason why this title goes and downloads a bunch of files when others download absolutely nothing?

[frankc-valve]

Here's the whole sordid story. :-)
A developer can mark parts of their game as available on specific platforms or available on all platforms. In the cases where games that aren't currently offered in the Steam Linux store have been activated using Steam, any content marked as available on all platforms will be downloaded by the Steam for Linux client. Hence, your soundtracks, art books, etc.
Since that game doesn't have any bits marked as available on Linux nothing (Linux-specific) downloads and you get the errors people have been seeing (e.g. missing executable).

Does that make sense? On a related note, we are working on a fix for that issue (#28) also.

[MrSchism]

Ah. I always thought it was just whole application packages marked and not individual files.

[kiwec]

BIT.TRIP RUNNER is showing on the ubuntu software center but still not on steam linux. Why ? Is it only not released because of DRM issues ?

[johndrinkwater]

@keywc you would have to contact the games’ developer to ask them why; I imagine they have been busy developing the sequel that launched yesterday.

[Lord-Avallon]

Little Inferno is appearing on Steam Store page but when I hit Install the missing executable issue continue.

[danielmmy]

Same here

[johndrinkwater]

Appears Little Inferno still has its contents tagged on a beta branch, i’ll see if I can contact the devs

[Lord-Avallon]

The "missing executable" problem with Little Inferno is gone for me, I could install and play it normally, everything is ok.

[MrSchism]

Because this keeps popping up, is there a way to include a key in each game's db entry that declares to the clients if the game is available for a platform? That way, if there's files labelled as linux, but otherwise inaccessible, people can't attempt to download.

[Krophil]

I have the same problem with GunPoint and The Way of Life on Steam Linux :

• GunPoint Stays locked at the first screen
• The Way of Life gives an issue like this : "Failed to start the game (missing executable)

Moreover, I noticed that these games announce a biggest download than what it takes.