package as native desktop app

[JonET]

This is really cool, but the limitations on copy and paste limit it's usefulness.

Ever thought of packaging it with one of the web -> desktop frameworks out there? http://electron.atom.io/

There are APIs for clipboard access and you could get access to the file system proper. (I miss the old paint).

[1j01]

Yes, this is something I want to do. You can already run it with nw.js (clone repo, npm i, npm start) but I don't think it has any benefits, i.e. I haven't yet implemented proper clipboard support or a dialogue when closing or subwindows that can actually go outside the main window or anything. Also, jspaint tries to be always saved, and if you close a tab you can reopen it to get the session back, but on desktop this will need some other kind of handling.

[devxpy]

+1 This would be really nice to have. JS paint is definitely better than the over cluttered desktop apps we have on linux.

Its so simple that 5 year old can use it, and I mean literally, because I am using Paint since i was 5.

Having this as the default desktop image editing tool would be sick.

Thanks for making this project, really appreciate it!

[1j01]

I've made a lot of progress on this, now merged into master.

Things that are done:

• Lots and lots of boilerplate, like handling clicking links to open your default browser
• File > Set as Wallpaper (could use testing on different operating systems)
• Clipboard support
• Opening and saving files, including saving over opened files with Save (vs Save As), and saving as PNG, JPEG, or WebP
• I generate a .reg file that you can use to set up a right click > Edit option for images in Windows Explorer - but this isn't exposed to the UI currently; you just have to find it and double click on it - and there's no undo FYI

I'm not interested in pursuing this, but if someone wants to help, the next step is to find someone with experience releasing electron apps (specifically with electron forge) to help set up autoupdating.

---

To try out the desktop app so far, see Development Setup on the readme.

[abdatta]

Maybe we can make it into an installable PWA instead. Desktops are supporting PWAs as well now irrespective of OS (as long as you have chrome). Would probably be easier.

[1j01]

@abdatta Yeah that's definitely more of a priority. So far jspaint is installable (as a PWA), but doesn't work offline (no service worker). See https://github.com/1j01/jspaint/issues/109

[HKalbasi]

@1j01 It is not installable (At least on chromium desktop). It need a service worker (even an empty one). #144 will solve it.

[o0101]

I think this problem is solved.

https://github.com/c9fe/jspaint.exe

[HKalbasi]

I'm afraid of releasing an app that can't update. (Similar to why I haven't made the PWA offline-capable)

Service worker can be configured to first look at online version and only fallback to cached when there is no connection.

[1j01]

The electron app is essentially done, just needs autoupdating set up and to be published (plus a few fixes — I may have broken file saving in recent changes?)

[1j01]

I just pushed a bunch of improvements to the Electron app to master if anyone wants to give it a test:

• Merged #315
• Improved macOS integration:
  • The titlebar shows an icon representing the open file, which can be dragged into other apps, and it becomes grayed/faded to indicate when there are unsaved changes.
  • Handled dragging files onto the dock icon to open. (This only works in the packaged version, using a generated Info.plist file that tells macOS what file types it accepts. All files, for now.)
  • Created a new ICNS file with higher resolutions.
• Added a command-line interface, with --help and --version flags. Other than that it just takes a file path.
• App is now single-instance; second instances exit and open a file in the first instance.
  • Dealt with insane electron bugs.
• Packaging:
  • Configured packaging for macOS (zip), Windows (installer), and Linux (deb, rpm).
  • Icons, descriptions, categories, executable names, even an animated GIF for the Windows installer!
  • Configured publishing to GitHub Releases.
  • Handled Squirrel.Windows events.
• Fixed error re-registering events when closing and re-opening the window on macOS.
• Fixed bringing the window to front on macOS, and then fixed it on Windows by conditionally using old way.
  • Everything in Electron is harder than they let on in the docs, if you want to get it right. It's like a fractal of footguns.
• Fixed unnecessary save prompts when closing the app.
• Fixed "Open" links in File > Manage Storage dialog. Mostly.
  • It still shows a confusing inapplicable message if you have unsaved changes.
• Fixed File > Exit.
• Allowed write access to dropped files.
• Reworded dialog messages to avoid terminology like "your browser"

I might publish a prerelease version soon to make testing easier.

[1j01]

I published Windows/Mac/Linux builds for testing: https://github.com/1j01/jspaint/releases/tag/v1.0.0-beta.1 Please try it out!

Note that Windows and Mac will likely block running it by default, since it's not code-signed. On Windows you have to say "More info", then "Run anyway", and on Mac you have to hold Control while clicking the file and then select "Open" in the menu and then "Open" in the dialog.