Flatpak support

[mainrs]

This PR adds support for flatpak alongside other packaged versions of Boostnote.
The main lifting is done using electron-packager to package the application. electron-installer-flatpak is then used to generate a flatpak image for the linux version of Boostnote.

Before running npm run flatpak, make sure to compile as well as package the application for Linux. Flatpak Sdk and Platform builds have to be installed too. The following shows a workflow:

$ ./dev-scripts/flatpak-deps.sh # Installs flatpak sdk and platform build
$ npm run compile && npm run package:linux
$ npm run flatpak

Generated artifacts are found under packaged. To test the generated flatpak file, run

flatpak install --user ./packaged/installers/io.boostnote.boost_stable_x64.flatpak

followed by

flatpak run io.boostnote.boost

Debug logs can be showed by setting DEBUG environment variable to either * for all packages or package-name for a specific package (e.g. electron-packager or electron-installer-flatpak).

Closes #2115.

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IssueHunt Summary

Referenced issues

This pull request has been submitted to:

• #2115: Flatpak app

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[Rokt33r]

@sirwindfield I've never tried flatpak yet although I'm using PopOS Linux a lot. Could you explain how can I test with my Linux PC?

[mainrs]

@Rokt33r

https://flatpak.org/setup/Pop!_OS/ Here you can download flatpak for your Linux system.
After that run:

$ ./dev-scripts/flatpak-deps.sh
$ npm run compile && npm run package:linux
$ npm run flatpak
$ flatpak install --user ./packaged/installers/io.boostnote.boost_stable_x64.flatpak
$ flatpak run io.boostnote.boost

First line installs the Flatpak SDK needed to compile Boostnote as a flatpak file.
The second one compiles Boostnote and generated the Linux files.
The third one creates the flatpak archive.
The fourth one installs it to the user directory.
The fifth one starts Boostnote using the flatpak installation.

The whole process can take up to 10 minutes, depending on your PC. My MacBook from 2015 needed around that much time.

[Rokt33r]

Okay, I'll try it on Wednesday and update the status. (My PC is in my office and I'm off tomorrow because I need to go to clinic.)

[mainrs]

No problem! Take your time. Get well soon!

[mainrs]

@Rokt33r Could you test it? :)

[Rokt33r]

@sirwindfield I forgot...! I'll do it in this weekend!

[Rokt33r]

@sirwindfield Sorry for being late. I have two issues.

flatpak-builder is not found

When I run npm run flatpak it throws an error like the below.

I followed https://flatpak.org/setup/Pop!_OS/ and ran ./dev-scripts/flatpak-deps.sh. Did I miss something?

package:linux script has been deprecated

It is old script. Now we're making executable file via grunt. So could you change the src directory? After you execute grunt build, it will generate executable files in dist directory.

[mainrs]

@Rokt33r Did you run yarn install? It requires some new npm packages.

[Rokt33r]

I did it..!

[mainrs]

Oh I think I missed to mention that flatpack-builder is separate. You probably need to run
sudo apt install flatpak-builder as well. If that doesn't work I will boot up a VM at home with Pop_OS and ping you after I get it working again :)

[Rokt33r]

Awesome! It's working! Could you fix the second issue too? After it is fixed, I think I can merge this.

[mainrs]

Awesome! It's working! Could you fix the second issue too? After it is fixed, I think I can merge this.

Ye sure. I need access to my VMs though as I run macOS on the go. I will push some changes and ping you again :)

[mainrs]

I totally missed this one. I will fix it on Saturday :)

[ZeroX-DG]

@sirwindfield ping 😃

[ZeroX-DG]

@sirwindfield ping2 😄

[ZeroX-DG]

@sirwindfield ping3 😄 this is the last ping. I'll try to solve this myself if u don't interested in this anymore

[ZeroX-DG]

Take over here: #3587