Running scripts without IDE

[cipriantrofin]

related issue: #393

Sikulix has the option to export a script as runnable jar. It allows me to run scripts without the IDE.

Is there a similar option for Oculix ?

I read the CLI reference - https://oculix.org/reference/cli/ - and tried to run the script with -e and -c arguments, but the IDE launches everytime.

[RaiMan]

First: thanks for trying the path from SikuliX to Oculix. If you stay, you will surely benefit in the future.

With SikuliX the feature to export a script as a runnable jar (script packed as compiled Python) or as jar (simply the script as plain Python) was experimental, without having said this clearly. The idea behind, especially the so called runnable version, was to hide the script content a bit more against misuse.

Currently the feature is sleeping in Oculix, since one of the first goals is to make Oculix robust with the main features.
This means, that the options to pack scripts into a jar are not yet available with the Oculix IDE.

But it should be possible to run an existing (coming from SikuliX) script jar using Oculix using the command line option -r
java -jar oculix-ide….jar -r you-name-it.jar

[cipriantrofin]

Thank you for your kind and fast answer.

It also works with "basic" scripts and this is actually what I was looking for: a way to run a script without starting the IDE.

I suggest, if possible, to update https://oculix.org/getting-started/installation/ to include this example.

[RaiMan]

Thanks for your suggestion on the -r CLI option

[RaiMan]

@julienmerconsulting
It seems, that the CLI option -r should also be mentioned in the getting-started section, since it is one of the most used options with SikuliX.

[julienmerconsulting]

@RaiMan — quick context update + a proposal for the runnable-jar question.

Where things stand on your side (re-reading your work since May 16)

Just pulled the branch and walked through your dismantle work. Massive cleanup in ~3 weeks: d213afd6 Maven: switch to SX as mainclass, b88f017b RunTime in API finally removed, 21f0968b API Sikulix finally removed, 84ed2aef Dismantle Runtime: RunTime to Commons: RunTime finally removed, and b31b0aed Pack compiled .py scripts into a jar for the script-side. Hat tip.

This changes the answer to my earlier "should we keep As runnable .jar?"

The proposal

Since SX is now the official Maven main class (per d213afd6), but its main() is still a placeholder ("TODO placeholder for eventually a main entry in the future"), the cleanest path forward looks like:

1. Short term (this release) — disable the As runnable .jar item in the sub-menu and suffix it (coming soon). The item stays visible and signals to the user that the standalone flow is planned, without exposing them to a broken jar. I can do that pass if you want — or you do it as part of your refactor, totally fine.

2. Mid term (when you're ready) — fill SX.main(args) with the CLI entry: parse args (-r script.jar, etc.), delegate to Runner (which now lives in IDE module, so either reflection-from-API or a clean entry point exposed by IDE). Once SX.main is in place, the menu item re-enables naturally and targets SX as main class. That gives @cipriantrofin and similar users a standalone java -jar monscript.jar flow without needing oculix-ide.jar next to it.

3. Long term — document the standalone-CLI flow on https://docs.oculix.org/ as part of the "Running scripts without IDE" section he asked about.

Does this match where you're heading, or do you have a different shape in mind for the SX main entry?

Meanwhile the existing -r flow via java -jar oculix-ide.jar -r script.jar covers @cipriantrofin's actual need (no GUI launched), so we're not blocking anyone today.

🦎