Nim-AppImage-Template

A template for creating Nim applications that will get converted to an AppImage.

Structure

• myapp.AppDir: Here goes all the AppImage data.
  • AppRun: The file that Nim outputs after compiling.
  • .DirIcon: PNG icon. Should be in one of the standard image sizes, e.g., 128x128 or 256x256 pixels.
  • myapp.desktop: Destkop file describing the payload application.
  • myapp.svg: Application’s icon in the best available quality.
• src: Application source.
  • myapp.nim: Main module.
• LICENSE: Application's license (see https://choosealicense.com).
• myapp.nimble: Configuration file to define the dependencies and more of the nimble package.
• README.md: Description of the application.

Desktop File

The file allocated at myapp.AppDir/myapp.desktop requires to define the following entries:

• Type: Application, Link or Directory.
• Name: Application's name.
• Categories: A list of categories for your application separated by a semi-colon.
  (List of the valid categories)
• Icon: Application's icon filename, without the extension.
• Èxec: A command line consisting on an executable program.

Optional entries:

• X-AppImage-Name: Application's name. Used to relate two AppImages of the same application but different versions.
• X-AppImage-Version: Application's version (e.g., 1.0.0-beta-2 or 2019.1.1).
• X-AppImage-Arch: Application's architecture (e.g., x86_64 or i386).

(More desktop entry keys).

By default myapp.desktop file looks like:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=My App
Categories=Utility;
Icon=myapp
Exec=AppRun

X-AppImage-Version=0.1.0
X-AppImage-Arch=x86_64

Deploy

To generate the actual AppImage we will use appimagetool. So you may want to download it.
But before generating it we must compile our application as following:

nim c --outdir:myapp.AppDir --out:myapp.AppDir/AppRun src/myapp.nim # Or cpp

Now we just need to use appimagetool to generate the AppImage.

appimagetool myapp.AppDir/

This will output a new AppImage with the name of My_App-x86_64.AppImage.

More

• AppImage website.
• AppImage docs.
• AppImage packaging guide.
• Discord: Patitotective#0127.
• Email: cristobalriaga@gmail.com.
• Twitter: @patitotective.