# Call alternative binary from appimage?

**URL:** <https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93>\
**Category:** Creating AppImages\
**Created:** [November 4, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93 "2016-11-04T07:11:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![morevnaproject](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/morevnaproject/32/24_2.png) [@morevnaproject](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/morevnaproject)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/1 "2016-11-04T07:11:25Z")

</div>

THere are some appliactions that include more than one binary. I.e. Synfig have “bin/synfigstudio” (GUI) and “bin/synfig” (CLI for rendering). Opentoonz also besides main GUI binary have “tcomposer”, “tcleanup”, “tconverter”, “tfarmserver”, and more.

How it is possible to run those “alternative” binaries from appimage, instead of the main one?

In snapcraft this is implemented via dot, i.e. `snapname.subcommand`.

For appimage I probably can write a script wrapper for default binary, that accepts some argument, like this:  
`some.appimage --appbin tconverter ...`

Just want to know - maybe there are some common practice already exists?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/2 "2016-11-04T07:20:57Z")

</div>

AppImage is centered around GUI applications, just like `.app` bundles on macOS.

The usual way is that the AppRun file inside the AppImage puts `usr/bin` onto the `$PATH` that is seen by the main executable in the AppImage. This means that the main GUI executable can call additional (usually: command-line helper) binaries just like if they were on the system’s `$PATH`.

If you want to bundle multiple command-line binaries inside an AppImage, then you could define `bash` as your main executable…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![morevnaproject](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/morevnaproject/32/24_2.png) [@morevnaproject](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/morevnaproject)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 8:35am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/3 "2016-11-05T08:35:46Z")

</div>

I see - there is no common practice yet.

In this case I would like to provide the opportunity to run alternative binary in the appimages managed by me (OpenToonz, Synfig, and future ones).

This is what I am planning to do:

- Add a wrapper script, which will look if first cli argument is `--appimage-exec` and if second argument also have some value
- If no `--appimage-exec` argument or no second argument defined, then run default binary
- If `--appimage-exec` argument exists, then run application, specified by second cli argument.

Since I am going to enforce this approach on my appimages, I REALLY would like to have an agreement on some standard way on achieving this. In particular, I would like to agree on the option name - will it be called `--appimage-exec` or something else? In this case user will know - “aha, I can try to run alternative binary with exactly this option”.

In the best possible way it would be awesome if this option will be handled by AppRun script by default. In this case the use of AppImages could be expanded beyond of GUI applications, which is a big benefit.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 9:01am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/4 "2016-11-05T09:01:38Z")

</div>

When the project was still called `klik`, we checked if `$1` was on the $PATH and if yes, executed `$@`.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![morevnaproject](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/morevnaproject/32/24_2.png) [@morevnaproject](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/morevnaproject)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 1:55pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/5 "2016-11-05T13:55:46Z")

</div>

> [@probono](#):
>
> When the project was still called klik, we checked if $1 was on the $PATH and if yes, executed $@.

With this approach it will not be possible for user to manually associate his files with AppImage executable. Because calling “file.appimage some\_file” will try to call “some\_file” command instead of opening file.

The advantage of approach with `--appimage-exec` option is that it also leaves the room to expand future set of options handled by AppRun. I.e. in the future it is possible to add some other `--appimage-*` options, which extend functionality bundled with AppImage container.

For example, it could be nice to have `--appimage-integrate`, which will create all necesary desktop files (I know, there is already `desktopintegration` script available, but it really would be nice to have such feature bundled directly into AppRun).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/6 "2016-11-05T15:02:14Z")

</div>

Well, the architectural question is what should be handled by AppRun (YOUR launcher that is supposed to also work outside of an AppImage, e.g., in a standalone AppDir) vs. AppImage’s `runtime.c` (common to all AppImages)… which already has some `--appimage-...` options.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![morevnaproject](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/morevnaproject/32/24_2.png) [@morevnaproject](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/morevnaproject)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/7 "2016-11-27T13:16:12Z")

</div>

> [@probono](#):
>
> which already has some --appimage-… options

Ah, I didn’t know that. Well, so my “blind shot” about option name hit to the point.

OK, I have added “–appimage-exec” option to OpenToonz appimage now:

> <https://github.com/morevnaproject/morevna-builds/commit/abfde6a672033250ddfb63f6734f766c42937184>

…and provided usage instructions:

> **[How to use OpenToonz CLI - Morevna Project](https://morevnaproject.org/2016/11/27/use-opentoonz-cli/)**
>
> Did you know that OpenToonz have CLI tools? CLI stands for “command-line interface” and it might happen to be a big help to automate your tasks. Let me introduce you: “tcleanup”, “tcomposer”, “tconverter”, “tfarmcontroller” and “tfarmserver”. If you...

I would really prefer this option to be supported natively by AppImage runner. 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/8 "2016-11-30T22:40:11Z")

</div>

Looks like this is a really old topic that had already been discussed [a very long time](https://www.skepticats.com/rox/wrappers.html#apprun) ago 🙂

So, what do others think? Conceptually I think this should go into `AppRun`.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/9 "2017-02-12T12:21:03Z")

</div>

Also see [https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageSpec/issues/7](https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageSpec/issues/7)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 11:35am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/10 "2017-10-31T11:35:31Z")

</div>

Check out the new `$ARGV0` environment variable that gets exported by the AppImage runtime since [https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/commit/63485edeb854e8e830f201280a61bb803a4ddaa3](https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/commit/63485edeb854e8e830f201280a61bb803a4ddaa3)

Example of how this can be used:

```auto
me@host:~$ ln -s Downloads/ippsample-git.4fbfa3f-x86_64.AppImage ipptool

me@host:~$ ./ipptool 
Usage: ipptool [options] URI filename [... filenameN]
(...)

me@host:~$ ln -s Downloads/ippsample-git.4fbfa3f-x86_64.AppImage ippserver

me@host:~$ ./ippserver 
Usage: ippserver [options] "name"
(...)

```

This is achieved by using this custom `AppRun` script: [https://github.com/probonopd/ippsample/blob/patch-1/appimage/AppRun](https://github.com/probonopd/ippsample/blob/patch-1/appimage/AppRun)

```auto
#!/bin/bash

# The purpose of this custom AppRun script is
# to allow symlinking the AppImage and invoking
# the corresponding binary depending on which
# symlink was used to invoke the AppImage

HERE="$(dirname "$(readlink -f "${0}")")"

if [! -z $APPIMAGE] ; then
  BINARY_NAME=$(basename "$ARGV0")
  if [-e "$HERE/usr/bin/$BINARY_NAME"] ; then
    exec "$HERE/usr/bin/$BINARY_NAME" "$@"
  else
    exec "$HERE/usr/bin/ippserver" "$@"
  fi
else
  exec "$HERE/usr/bin/ippserver" "$@"
fi

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rsanden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/rsanden/32/108_2.png) [@rsanden](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/rsanden)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/11 "2018-01-20T17:30:52Z")

</div>

Thank you for implementing this!! `$ARGV0` is _exactly_ what I needed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![morevnaproject](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/morevnaproject/32/24_2.png) [@morevnaproject](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/morevnaproject)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/12 "2018-01-21T15:20:55Z")

</div>

Umm… @probono I have read in some of your posts (do not remember exact link) that the concept of AppImage is “to have nothing installed”. In case of using $ARGV0 approach (and thus symlinking to some file) is actually means some kind of installation, From this point of view I find “–appimage-exec” approach more flexible. Sorry for critique, just found this is kind of pops-out from appimage concept.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 6:40pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/13 "2018-02-12T18:40:35Z")

</div>

I would say this is in the domain of what is **inside** the AppImage, and hence each author of an AppImage can decide. It is not something the AppImage format needs to (or should) mandate.

As an author of an AppImage, you can implement this kind of functionality either in the payload application or in a custom `AppRun` script.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mgord9518](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/mgord9518/32/459_2.png) [@mgord9518](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/mgord9518)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/14 "2022-08-03T19:30:08Z")

</div>

What about an environment variable that you set before running the AppImage such as ${APPIMAGE\_EXEC} this would have the advantage of your custom flag along with not breaking compatibility with other AppImages? It would also have the advantage of not requiring the AppImage to be called via another filename

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iTrooz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/df788c/32.png) [@iTrooz](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/iTrooz)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 7:35am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/15 "2022-09-20T07:35:23Z")

</div>

Another argument I can see to such a feature in the AppImage by default is so integration tools can integrate the same commands the appimage can use

Else, we would be in a situation where these tools can manage to run multiple binaries (by listing the usr/bin folder for example), but the AppImage alone can’t if the application author didn’t configure it to do so

(I’ve made a feature request at [[Feature] Integrate commands of AppImages in the system · Issue #532 · TheAssassin/AppImageLauncher · GitHub](https://github.com/TheAssassin/AppImageLauncher/issues/532) but it has not been accepted yet)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/16 "2022-09-23T17:06:00Z")

</div>

The main way to use AppImages is double-clicking them in the file manager. Just like with `.app` bundles on the Mac, this implies that each AppImage holds one (main) application.

For command line tool collections like ImageMagick there is the workaround of invoking different commands based on the name of the symlink an AppImage is accessed under. But that is rather a special case.

Usually, “one app = one file”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andy5995](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/andy5995/32/758_2.png) [@andy5995](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/andy5995)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/17 "2022-09-30T16:10:56Z")

</div>

> [@probono](#):
>
> This is achieved by using this custom `AppRun` script: [https://github.com/probonopd/ippsample/blob/patch-1/appimage/AppRun](https://github.com/probonopd/ippsample/blob/patch-1/appimage/AppRun)
> 
> ```auto
> #!/bin/bash
> 
> # The purpose of this custom AppRun script is
> # to allow symlinking the AppImage and invoking
> # the corresponding binary depending on which
> # symlink was used to invoke the AppImage
> 
> ```

@probono Has there been any revisions to this script since you posted it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![probono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/probono/32/81_2.png) [@probono](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/probono)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2022, 10:12am UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/18 "2022-10-01T10:12:18Z")

</div>

Not that I am aware of. You could check what AppRun ImageMagick is using these days; iirc they also wanted this kind of functionality.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andy5995](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/discourse.appimage.org/andy5995/32/758_2.png) [@andy5995](https://discourse.appimage.org/u/andy5995)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 10:28pm UTC](https://discourse.appimage.org/t/call-alternative-binary-from-appimage/93/19 "2022-10-07T22:28:28Z")

</div>

@probono I was just looking for a template to use for the 0ad-appimage. Apparently the appimage docs are outdated? [source/packaging-guide/manual.rst:add anchor to "this repository" by andy5995 · Pull Request #85 · AppImage/docs.appimage.org · GitHub](https://github.com/AppImage/docs.appimage.org/pull/85#discussion_r972490561)

I just did this:

```auto
#!/bin/sh

# The purpose of this custom AppRun script is
# to allow symlinking the AppImage and invoking
# the corresponding binary depending on which
# symlink was used to invoke the AppImage
# make sure errors in sourced scripts will cause this script to stop
set -e

HERE="$(readlink -f "$(dirname "$0")")"
source "$HERE"/apprun-hooks/"linuxdeploy-plugin-gtk.sh"
BINARY_NAME=$(basename "$ARGV0")

if ["$BINARY_NAME" = "pyrogenesis" -o "$BINARY_NAME" = "0ad"] ; then
  exec "$HERE/usr/bin/pyrogenesis" "$@"
elif ["$BINARY_NAME" = "ActorEditor"]; then
  exec "$HERE/usr/bin/ActorEditor" "$@"
else
  exec "$HERE/usr/bin/pyrogenesis" "$@"
fi

```