"Undependency" Day
This release increases the database to 3116 applications in total (2631 AppImages and 485 portable apps in other formats), 97 more than the previous release.
The big leap for portable apps is also thanks to the addition of 80 static binaries for the most common core programs, which play a key role in this release.
Here you go, "am-utils": https://github.com/ivan-hc/am-utils
What's so special about these programs?
I'll just say that this is the continuation of the 10.1 release... but I don't want to spoil anything.
Let's proceed in order, and look at the changes in chronological order, before talking about "am-utils."
Option --launcher, changed of mechanism in extracting the metadata from AppImages
The --launcher option now works on ZFS filesystems as well. The AppImage you want to integrate by dragging it into the terminal will be mounted in the background to extract the metadata (launchers and icons) instead of using --appimage-extract as usual.
Regression tests by @vishnu350
This repository now has a dedicated regression testing section, useful for testing AM in Docker before installing it.
The number of testable distributions is constantly growing.
For more information, see https://github.com/ivan-hc/AM/tree/main/regress
Improve versions check
App versions shown in -f and other options are now more complete and accurate.
Show update version changes in a table
Добавлен русский язык
Спасибо, @cheack
Added various fixes in translations
Option -f, fix sizes shown in the table, on freeBSD
| before | after |
|---|---|
| 
|
Option -t, removed repology.org support
"am-utils" and AM independence
As I mentioned in the previous release, AM introduced its own cached PATH a month ago.
It was still experimental, and the only binary it supported was appimagetool, used for old AppImages to be converted (the nolibfuse option) and AppImages created on the fly and installed (of which there are currently fewer than 10).
"am-utils" provides a suite of 80 static binaries for the most common core programs.
AM/AppMan divides its dependencies into two types: core and optional.
The core options are as follows:
cat chmod chown curl grep sed wget
Without this, AM/AppMan will not proceed.
When you start AM, a prompt will inform you that these dependencies can be downloaded from the am-utils repository, although it will suggest installing them from your system package manager:
- Pressing "y" allows AM to download these binaries to your custom PATH and keep them until you clear the cache or install those programs directly.
- Pressing "N" (or ENTER directly, as this is the default response) will continue using AM, with the difference that you will always be notified of the absence of certain commands, listing them.
Of course, without core dependencies, you can't do anything. It's always been this way. But at least now you'll also be aware of the "optional" dependencies, i.e., those that AM doesn't need directly, but rather the programs it installs.
As I've explained many times, unlike APT, DNF, Pacman, Snap, and Flatpak, which have their own packaging formats (.deb, .rpm, .tar.xz, .snap, and .flatpak), "AM" is more like an AUR helper and may require additional commands to handle multiple packaging formats beyond .AppImage.
Many of them are not pre-installed.
Here is a list of "optional" commands that may be needed on your system:
7z ar column du file md5sum notify-send sha1sum sha256sum sha512sum tar unxz unzip xz xzcat
For further information, please refer to the updated guide on the README:
And speaking of installation...
NEW AM-INSTALLER and INSTALL
The AM and AppMan installer has also changed. It's slightly different, but it's a little easier to read:
| AM (system-wide installation) | AppMan (local installation) |
|---|---|
| 
|
The same thing was done with AM's INSTALL script, for system installation.
But the coolest thing is that they can now work even if you only have curl or wget! You don't need both to use them!
Of course, they're both "core" dependencies, and you'll need both later.
Well, at least you can already configure AppMan in the meantime.
Curiosity
Remember the table in -f on FreeBSD above? It looks very strange, as the columns don't appear aligned and the program size values don't match those reported for the same applications on Linux.
The reason is the different implementations of the column and du commands, which work differently than in Linux.
Now, with "am-utils," you can intercept a selection of non-GNU programs and replace them with static binaries.
Here's how the same table you saw above changes in FreeBSD with the GNU implementations of column and du:
| before | after |
|---|---|
| 
|
To see the full story on how all this was possible, including videos and testd, please visit the pull request page:
NOTE, Static binaries in am-utils are for x86_64 and aarch64 only. The i686 architecture is being phased out, here too, on AM.
What's Changed
- Change of mechanism in extracting the metadata from AppImages by @domesya in #2265
- more apps by @Link4Electronics in #2270
- antigravity: fix desktop file installation and add URL handler by @cheack in #2269
- Update FreeCAD download source in installation script by @schnoog in #2271
- Added POSIX compliant regression testing flow by @vishnu350 in #2273
- Add Nexen by @jrsteneman in #2274
- Added regression.md guide/documentation and AM-Ubuntu.dockerfile. by @vishnu350 in #2276
- Added test-am-hide and updated regress README by @vishnu350 in #2277
- Clean i686 apps by @ivan-hc in #2279
- Add "--help" as an alias of "-h" or "help" by @ivan-hc in #2280
- Regression updates: Improved logging, made all tests work unattended, and added test-am-regress (run all tests) by @vishnu350 in #2282
- Added remove_all_apps function and new test-am-repair test by @vishnu350 in #2284
- Add hdict by @shuvashish76 in #2287
- Regression testing updates by @vishnu350 in #2291
- Added sandbox and nolibfuse test by @vishnu350 in #2292
- Regression testing updates (+rollback test) by @vishnu350 in #2294
- Added new test-am-clone and added into regression list. by @vishnu350 in #2298
- Fixed test-am-clone.sh. by @vishnu350 in #2299
- Improve check version by @ivan-hc in #2300
- Added backup/restore testing into rollback test. by @vishnu350 in #2301
- Improve versions check by @ivan-hc in #2302
- fix(APP-MANAGER):
warning: command substitution: ignored null byte in inputby @fiftydinar in #2304 - Added AM Archlinux test container and some test fixes. by @vishnu350 in #2306
- Added more test containers and some updates. by @vishnu350 in #2308
- Show update version changes in a table by @cheack in #2309
- Add Russian localization by @cheack in #2310
- Fix untranslatable strings by @cheack in #2311
- Removed unnecessary quotes around arithmetic expression. by @vishnu350 in #2312
- Fix arithmetic expressions by @ivan-hc in #2313
- Fix typo in URL (transtations) by @ivan-hc in #2315
- Languages, fix typo in URL by @ivan-hc in #2316
- FreeCAD weekly build and Dotline added by @schnoog in #2321
- Add am utils by @ivan-hc in #2326
- Option -f, fix sizes shown in the table, on freeBSD by @ivan-hc in #2331
database.am: Fix option-fspeed regression by @fiftydinar in #2333- Fix for "REcompile() - panic: parser returns ERR_7" error in some distros. by @vishnu350 in #2339
- Add
adobe-flash-playerby @fiftydinar in #2338 - Update template.am - remove repology.org usage by @ivan-hc in #2344
- add program: Ghidra (x86_64) by @Bobrokus in #2345
- Add Jumble by @dCo3lh0 in #2347
- "AM" 10.1.1 by @ivan-hc in #2318
New Contributors
- @domesya made their first contribution in #2265
- @schnoog made their first contribution in #2271
- @Bobrokus made their first contribution in #2345
Full Changelog: 10.1...10.1.1