# scratch-desktop Scratch 3.0 as a standalone desktop application ## Developer Instructions ### Prepare `scratch-gui` This step is temporary: eventually, the `scratch-desktop` branch of the Scratch GUI repository will be merged with that repository's main development line. For now, though, the `scratch-desktop` branch holds a few changes that are necessary for Scratch Desktop to function correctly but are not yet merged into the main development branch. #### Prepare `scratch-gui`: Quick Start 1. Clone both `scratch-desktop` and `scratch-gui` 2. `cd scratch-gui` 1. `git checkout scratch-desktop` 2. `npm install` 3. `npm link` 4. `cd ..` 3. `cd scratch-desktop` 1. `npm install` 2. `npm link scratch-gui` 3. `npm run build-gui` or `npm run watch-gui` Your copy of `scratch-gui` should now be ready for use with Scratch Desktop. #### Prepare `scratch-gui`: Detailed Version 1. Clone the `scratch-gui` repository if you haven't already. 2. Switch to the `scratch-desktop` branch with `git checkout scratch-desktop` 3. Build with `BUILD_MODE=dist` and `STATIC_PATH=static`: - macOS, WSL, or Cygwin: run `BUILD_MODE=dist STATIC_PATH=static npm run build` or `BUILD_MODE=dist STATIC_PATH=static npm run watch` - Running `npm run build-gui` in `scratch-desktop` is a shortcut for this when using `npm link`. - CMD: run `set BUILD_MODE=dist` once and `set STATIC_PATH=static` once, then `npm run build` or `npm run watch` any number of times in the same window. - PowerShell: run `$env:BUILD_MODE = "dist"` once and `$env:STATIC_PATH = "static"` once, then `npm run build` or `npm run watch` any number of times in the same window. If you have run `npm link scratch-gui` (or equivalent) in the `scratch-desktop` working directory, you may be able to accomplish the above by running `npm run build-gui` in the `scratch-desktop` directory instead of using the manual steps listed above. For active development iteration, try `npm run watch-gui` which will watch for changes and rebuild `scratch-gui` incrementally when necessary. ### Prepare media library assets In the `scratch-desktop` directory, run `npm run fetch`. Re-run this any time you update `scratch-gui` or make any other changes which might affect the media libraries. ### Run in development mode `npm start` ### Make a packaged build `npm run dist` Node that on macOS this will require installing various certificates. #### Signing the NSIS installer (Windows, non-store) *This section is relevant only to members of the Scratch Team.* By default all Windows installers are unsigned. An APPX package for the Microsoft Store shouldn't be signed: it will be signed automatically as part of the store submission process. On the other hand, the non-Store NSIS installer should be signed. To generate a signed NSIS installer: 1. Acquire our latest digital signing certificate and save it on your computer as a `p12` file. 2. Set `WIN_CSC_LINK` to the path to your certificate file. For maximum compatibility I use forward slashes. - CMD: `set WIN_CSC_LINK=C:/Users/You/Somewhere/Certificate.p12` - PowerShell: `$env:WIN_CSC_LINK = "C:/Users/You/Somewhere/Certificate.p12"` 3. Set `WIN_CSC_KEY_PASSWORD` to the password string associated with your P12 file. - CMD: `set WIN_CSC_KEY_PASSWORD=superSecret` - PowerShell: `$env:WIN_CSC_KEY_PASSWORD = "superSecret"` 4. Build the NSIS installer only: building the APPX installer will fail if these environment variables are set. - `npm run dist -- -w nsis` #### Workaround for code signing issue in macOS Sometimes the macOS build process will result in a build which crashes on startup. If this happens, check in `Console` for an entry similar to this: ```text failed to parse entitlements for Scratch Desktop[12345]: OSUnserializeXML: syntax error near line 1 ``` This appears to be an issue with `codesign` itself. Rebooting your computer and trying to build again might help. Yes, really. See this issue for more detail: ### Make a semi-packaged build This will simulate a packaged build without actually packaging it: instead the files will be copied to a subdirectory of `dist`. `npm run dist:dir` ### Debugging You can debug the renderer process by opening the Chromium development console. This should be the same keyboard shortcut as Chrome on your platform. This won't work on a packaged build. You can debug the main process the same way as any Node.js process. I like to use Visual Studio Code with a configuration like this: ```jsonc "launch": { "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [ { "name": "Desktop", "type": "node", "request": "launch", "cwd": "${workspaceFolder:scratch-desktop}", "runtimeExecutable": "npm", "autoAttachChildProcesses": true, "runtimeArgs": ["start", "--"], "protocol": "inspector", "skipFiles": [ // it seems like skipFiles only reliably works with 1 entry :( //"/**", "${workspaceFolder:scratch-desktop}/node_modules/electron/dist/resources/*.asar/**" ], "sourceMaps": true, "timeout": 30000, "outputCapture": "std" } ] }, ```