Linux support (AppImage)

[Xaviju]

Linux users would love to use this tool but on 1.0 there is no linux build available.

Targeting all Linux desktops should be easy using Electron -> AppImage.
Electron docs on how to build Appimages here: https://www.electron.build/configuration/linux

[ferllings]

I would love to have a linux version too, but the native dependency we use to track the mouse for the picker doesn't work on Linux.
osx-mouse and win-mouse

I'm looking for alternatives.

[bzg]

Hi, I've found a few npm packages to track the pointer position under the category pointer tracking.

The most relevant seems to be popmoption.

It would indeed be very nice to add support for running CCAe under GNU/Linux!

[ferllings]

Well, the good news is that CCAe no longer use JS for the picker. It uses native little external apps.
So we "simply" need an external picker tool on Linux.
We can either build one or use an existing tools like SCROT

[bzg]

Great news indeed, and thanks in advance for your efforts, they'll have an impact where I work!

[ferllings]

Thanks for reminding me about this ticket: Linux support is definitely something I want to achieve.

[bzg]

Hi @ferllings - I hope the Covid crisis did not hurt you. Is this something you still want to do? Thanks and good luck!

[ferllings]

Absolutely, but I'm currently facing some reliability and security problems with the picker, and I'm trying to solve them before.

[bzg]

Hi, I hope things are fine on your end - just checking if you had a chance to look at this?

[ferllings]

I'm afraid not. No much time to work on CCA these days.

[bzg]

Okay, no problem and thanks for your feedback.

[ferllings]

I was able to make some progress on the Linux version.
I need to figure out the release process, but the app itself seems to work.

[mtelgkamp]

Thank you very much for the improvements!

I tested the CCA Electron application using the master branch and it works for me under linux! 🎉 Thank you very much!

Despite from the color picking, some other things are not yet working:

• Always on top: the window is not always on top when the setting is used (when activating the AOT Menu entry the window is always on top)
• Menu entry CCA > About CCA: nothing happens
• Menu entry CCA > Settings: no dialog is shown (the workaround is to edit the settings file)
• Menu entry View > Color blindness: nothing happens (no known workaround)
• Keyboard Shortcuts (F11 / F12): the picker button is highlighted, but the picker itself is not shown, activation with keyboard is possible by tabbing to the button and use Space or Enter to activate.

[Xaviju]

Great news!

Tested it on Linux and works fine!
Thanks a lot for your work @ferllings

[ferllings]

@Xaviju , I was only able to test under ubuntu. What distro do you use?

For those who want to test, you can find the build previews here:
https://github.com/ThePacielloGroup/CCAe/actions/runs/6313973127

[Xaviju]

@Xaviju , I was only able to test under ubuntu. What distro do you use?

For those who want to test, you can find the build previews here: https://github.com/ThePacielloGroup/CCAe/actions/runs/6313973127

Tested on EndeavourOS (Linux 6.5.4-arch2-1) - Gnome desktop