[SOLVED] Automated desktop integration of new AppImages, without a popup

Using AppImages
1

Hi,

I build AppImages of OpenRA and its mods (using the buildpackage.sh script found in OpenRA and most mod’s repositories) from their latest git commits and I’d like to know a way I can automatically integrate them into my system (i.e. with desktop config files and icons) whenever a new AppImage is built, without needing to run them or deal with that popup AppImageLauncher provides asking whether one wishes to run once or integrate into system and then run. I already know how to delete desktop config and icon files belonging to older versions of my AppImages, it’s merely automating this process of integration, without needing to deal with what would become an annoying popup (as it would be popping up all the time) and without needing to run the AppImage immediately after integrating (which would also getting irritating if I write scripts that automatically build a new AppImage whenever a new commit is detected).

Thanks for your time and patience,
Brenton

2

Oops silly me, I thought appimaged wasn’t doing this any more, turns out it simply wasn’t running and that’s why I wasn’t get automated integration without a popup.

3

Currently, we have (at least) 4 different AppImage integrations:

  • A shell script that is contained inside some AppImages and that asks the user whether the AppImage should be integrated when an AppImage is executed for the first time. This is deprecated and no longer recommended nor supported
  • The optional appimaged daemon which needs to be installed in the system. This will watch certain directories (most notably, /Applications and $HOME/Applications) for AppImages, and will integrate them into the system automatically. By design, it will never move anything anywhere and will never ask the user any questions. (Compared to the Mac, this solution is not yet ideal because it does not integrate AppImages stored in random locations yet.)
  • The third-party AppImageLauncher which needs to be installed in the system (but not in addition to appimaged). It will ask the user with a popup to move every AppImage into $HOME/Application whenever an AppImage is launched that is not in that location yet. (Personally I find this too intrusive as I keep my AppImage in non-standard locations but apparently some users like this.)
  • The AppImage integration built into Nitrux OS.

We are currently discussing with the authors of all the above tools how we can learn from Mac OS X how to suck less at system integration.

We hope that we can come up with a much better (and more seamless) system than what we have now.

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