Desktop-style launcher for Pi Web #1040
manuelbettoni-prog
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Hi,
I’ve been using Pi Web on Windows and I found a workflow that makes it feel much more like a standalone desktop application.
The idea is not to replace the current CLI startup method, but to provide an optional ready-to-use launcher for users who prefer a desktop-style workflow.
On Windows, the launcher can start Pi Web normally, keep the existing local port and URL, wait for the service to initialize, verify that the Pi Web interface is actually reachable, and only after the check succeeds open the interface in a dedicated Google Chrome app window.
For example, the final browser launch can use:
set "CHROME=C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
start "" "%CHROME%" --app="%URL%"
Using Chrome app mode keeps Pi Web separated from normal browser activity and makes the application feel much more like a native desktop tool.
For users who use Pi Web every day, this removes several manual steps: there is no need to manually open a browser, no need to manage Pi Web as a normal browser tab, and the interface gets its own dedicated application window. The launcher can also wait until Pi Web is really ready before opening the UI, avoiding failed or premature browser openings.
I think it could be useful to provide this as an optional example in the repository or documentation, possibly with ready-to-use launchers for:
Windows BAT
Windows PowerShell
macOS
Linux
I already have a working Windows launcher that follows this flow, and I can attach it here if useful.
The goal would simply be to improve usability without requiring Pi Web to become a fully packaged desktop application.
What do you think?
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