Pkg2appimage: How to build our own AppImage files?

It is usually common, for many users of Free and open operating systems, Specially in GNU / Linux, in its many variants in forms of Distributions (Distros), wanting to install a particular external application, and not being able to do it, since it is not compatible with our GNU / Linux Distro or with its version number.

Recently, exactly this happened to me, when I wanted to help a colleague install the application Packet Tracer 7.xx. about his Debian Distro 10, using my MX Linux 19.1 Distro. And after researching and testing, installing external packages from other Distros (Ubuntu / Debian) and doing «Outdated» (Downgrade) packages and library redirects using the variable $ LD_LIBRARY_PATH and creating symbolic links, everything was useless, until I use the tool pkg2appimage.

It is good, first of all, to highlight that the file format or the technology AppImage belongs to what is known as "Universal Applications for GNU / Linux". Among the formats included under this name, in addition to AppImage, they find each other Flatpak y Snap. Although, some often include the packet technology known as OrbitalApps.

What is AppImage?

Thus, AppImage is a format for distributing portable software on GNU / Linux no need for superuser permissions to install the application. In such a way, to allow and facilitate the binary software distribution, that is independent of the GNU / Linux Distros. Which is very useful, both for developers and users.

"Download an app, make it executable, and run. It is not necessary to install it. System libraries and system preferences are not altered. It can also run in a sandbox like Firejail. Distribute your Linux desktop application in the AppImage format and win users running all common Linux distributions. Pack once and run everywhere. Reaches users on all major desktop distributions". https://appimage.org/

AppImage has an application store "AppImageHub"

AppImageLauncher: easily launch and integrate applications in Appimage

Pkg2appimage: Tool to create AppImage applications

According to the Developers of the AppImage technology on its official website, it makes official use of the tool AppImageKit to build applications from scratch under the format .AppImage. Meanwhile, to build (convert) AppImage applications from others already created under other formats, use the tool pkg2appimage.

In my particular case, since I wanted to build a .AppImage of the application Packet Tracer 7.xx, I proceeded to use the procedure described in the Konradmb's GitHub repository on Pkg2appimage and Packet Tracer.

Use of pkg2appimage

And as the author says, I proceeded by executing the following steps with their respective command commands:

A.- Step 1

Clone .yml file repository for Packet Tracer

git clone https://github.com/konradmb/PacketTracer-AppImage.git
cd PacketTracer-AppImage /

B.- Step 2

Download Pkg2appimage tool and make it executable

wget https://github.com/AppImage/pkg2appimage/raw/master/pkg2appimage chmod + x pkg2appimage

C.- Step 3

Update content of .yml file with new file download path packet traceras the current download path does not contain the file. For this purpose, the nano console editor can be used as follows:

nano PacketTracer.yml

Then it must comment (disable with #) the outdated line and enter the correct one, one line above as follows:

- wget -c https://dllb2.pling.com/api/files/download/j/eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6IjE1NjY3MjEzNDAiLCJ1IjpudWxsLCJsdCI6ImRvd25sb2FkIiwicyI6Ijc5ZDUxNWZlZmRjZTExZDAxY2NmNGQ4OWU5YmJhNzJhOWE3OTc5MzdkN2U1NWUxY2Y1MDAwYWJiNTA1ODQyN2Y3ZGRhODNjOTA0ZjQxMzU0ZTUzNzU0YThkODE0NWRlZWYwMmUyNWEyMDdhMTM3ZjdmZTgxNTY0MjIxNGE0YTRmIiwidCI6MTU4ODQ2MTE1Miwic3RmcCI6bnVsbCwic3RpcCI6bnVsbH0.qpUCNIAk2kRMkXamvP-mYn03caCLa743Pgt7BoggSGQ/packet_tracer_7.2.1_for_linux_64_bit.tar.gz

# wget -c https://www.netacad.com/portal/sites/default/files/resources/PacketTracer/packet_tracer_7.2.1_for_linux_64_bit.tar.gz

D.- Step 4

Build the package .AppImage of the packet tracer indicated in the .yml file

./pkg2appimage PacketTracer.yml

E.- Step 5

Run the package .AppImage of the packet tracer constructed. The same, in case everything has been executed correctly, must be in the path:

"/ home / $ USER / PacketTracer-AppImage / out /"

And when it is executed, you will be able to visualize your new AppImage app without any difficulty, as shown below:

MX Linux 19.1 Team (Based on Debian 10 - Buster)

GNU / Linux Debian 10 Team (Buster)

After this tutorial and some trial and error actions, I hope many can build their own applications .AppImage using pkg2appimage.

Conclusion

We hope this "useful little post" about «Pkg2appimage», a tool designed to create installation files of applications under the format AppImage using binary files (tar.gz, .deb or .ppa) existing and a description file .yml to achieve conversion; be a lot interest and utility, For the whole «Comunidad de Software Libre y Código Abierto» and of great contribution to the diffusion of the wonderful, gigantic and growing ecosystem of applications of «GNU/Linux».

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