ArchImage is the bundling of Arch Linux packages into an AppImage using JuNest.
This allows you to use the latest programs from Arch Linux and AUR on every distribution, old or newer.
- Installation
- Usage
- Version 2.x
- Version 3.x
- Compared to classic AppImage construction
- Files removed by default
- Troubleshooting
- Credits
- Related projects
Download the main script and made it executable:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ivan-hc/ArchImage/main/archimage-cli
chmod a+x ./archimage-cli
In this video I will show all the steps that I will describe in this section (Archimage 1.x):
simplescreenrecorder-2023-07-18_20.19.50.mp4.mp4
./archimage-cli [OPTION]
or
./archimage-cli [OPTION] [PROGRAM]
This tool will create a script to compile an AppImage based on JuNest. To create the script use the option -b or --build, example:
./archimage-cli -b handbrake
Here we are using "handbrake", the script will ask you if you want to specify the name of the binary or leave blank if the name is the same of [PROGRAM], being the executable not /usr/bin/handbrake but /usr/bin/ghb, just write "ghb". If you're not sure about thename of the main executable, use https://archlinux.org/packages/ or read the PKGBUILD if the app is hosted on the AUR. By default, the script will use "yay" to install all the programs in JuNest.
After you've/you've not named the executable, the script will ask you to add a list of additional packages you want to include into the AppImage (with the syntax app1 app2 app3...).
Finally you've finished and you're ready to run the final script. This will automatically build all the stuff starting from the less options you've decided.
From version 2.x, new actions are available (for advanced users) that will allow you to further automate the process, so as to remove files, directories and libraries that are not needed, making the final AppImage smaller and smaller.
During the construction of the AppImage, files considered "excess" will still be saved in a backup directory for post-build testing in case the AppImage does not work correctly. You will still need to note the additional steps in the script.
However, it will be possible to skip the advanced options when creating the script, in order to package all the files installed in JuNest in the final package (at the expense of a larger AppImage package).
Archimage 2.x uses the template sample-next-junest.sh.
NOTE: if you have allowed the script to remove unneeded libraries, you will see a long output that may be longer than 5-10 minutes, this is because the script will re-run the check and the copy of all files saved in the /usr/lib directory of the AppDir to be sure that (almost) all needed libraries are in place, so don't be afraid for the long output. Let the script work until it have finished.
Since version 3, ArchImage uses JuNest's "normal" mode instead of PROOT to work with "namespaces" thanks to "Bubblewrap". This ensures it works without too many limitations, as long as some directories are mounted (add the -b "--bind /path/to/directory /your/directory" option after junest -n in AppRun) . This should ensure the app can interact with the rest of the other apps installed on the system.
archimage-3.3-create-firefox.mp4
Also, version 3.3 allows you to repeat your tests without having to download everything again.
In the past AppImages were built using .deb packages or guessing instructions to make them work. With the "ArchImage" method all you have to do is the reverse, i.e. "delete" what is no longer needed.
For example, an OBS Studio ArchImage equals 650MB in total, I managed to get it to 260MB by removing what wasn't necessary, while now (since Archimage2.x was released) is about 180MB.
This is a list of the AppImages I've built until I wrote this brief guide:
- Abiword https://github.com/ivan-hc/Abiword-appimage
- GIMP Stable & Deveveloper Edition https://github.com/ivan-hc/GIMP-appimage
- Gnumeric https://github.com/ivan-hc/Gnumeric-appimage
- Handbrake https://github.com/ivan-hc/Handbrake-appimage
- MPV https://github.com/ivan-hc/MPV-appimage
- OBS Studio https://github.com/ivan-hc/OBS-Studio-appimage
- VLC https://github.com/ivan-hc/VLC-appimage
- compatibility with all versions of Linux starting from kernel 2.6, therefore also older distributions than those normally indicated by the classic AppImage developers;
- easy and immediate compilation;
- AppRun script very minimal and easy to configure;
- all programs for Arch Linux within AppImage's reach, therefore one of the most extensive software parks in the GNU/Linux panorama.
- since JuNest is a standalone system, it won't be able, for example, to open the host's browser, it relies almost completely on its own built-in resources... unless you use at least version 3 and link the appropriate directories.
After the line "# REMOVE SOME BLOATWARES" I added a list of functions that you can use with Archimage 2.x and above. You can edit the script as you like to add/remove files in case they are not enough for your experiments.
NOTE, starting from version 3.2, templates no longer hide application logs, this means you can already use LD_DEBUG without having to extract the AppImage.
In case your Archimage is 3.1 or lower, perform the following steps to debug it:
- Edit the "AppRun" file in the directory with the .AppRun extension, then remove the string "
2> /dev/null" from the end of the last line. Save changes to the file. This step is really important to read all the outputs from the terminal. If you are using an AppImage already built thiw way, extract it with the option--appimage-extract; - Execute the AppRun file:
./AppRun
In case you wont to parse dotfiles in your $HOME directory, use the AppDir itself as a custom $HOME, like this:
cd ./*.AppDir
HOME=./
./AppRun
It is now possible to read errors related to the application.
Watch this video if these steps are still not much clear for you (how to extract an ArchImage and how to see errors in the terminal):
simplescreenrecorder-2023-12-01_16.26.18.mp4
For more detailed output, I redirect you to the guide on the usage of LD_DEBUG, at https://www.bnikolic.co.uk/blog/linux-ld-debug.html
For example, to know what are the missing libraries:
LD_DEBUG=libs ./AppRun
and then add the missing libraries from the directory "junest-backups" and try again until your app runs as expected.
- Add your changes to your script and try to rebuild the AppImage.
If you have any doubts you can open an issue or search for a solution among the existing ones (here).
This project wont be possible without:
- JuNest https://github.com/fsquillace/junest
- Arch Linux https://archlinux.org
- Portable Linux Apps https://portable-linux-apps.github.io
- "AM" Application Manager https://github.com/ivan-hc/AM-Application-Manager
