## Raspberry Pi App Store for Open Source Projects
Say there's **a guy**. He's comes from a Windows background and doesn't know much about Linux or RPi.
On day one, he tries to install a few familiar Windows apps. If he's lucky, he'll find a **tutorial that doesn't work** anymore. If he's unlucky, he will find a **tutorial that bricks his OS**. So on day one, this guy has followed two faulty tutorials and destroyed his system. How annoying!
Something needs to be done! Why hasn't anybody made a **collection of bash scripts that install apps easily**?
Pi-Apps does exactly this - distributing over 50 useful app install scripts that are executed with one click of the mouse.
Linux is harder to master than Windows. It's geared toward power users, and you will encounter problems if you follow tutorials.
Because of the lack of available software on the `apt` repositories, most Raspberry Pi owners never use their Pies to their full, desktop PC, potential.
Countless **Raspberry Pies remain in disuse** for this very reason. Something must be done!
Introducing **Pi-Apps**, basically a list of pre-made apps you can install with **one click**. (What a concept!)
**[ETA Prime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqNWJ52DLes)** (a very well known RPi YouTuber) says:
> "It's an **awesome** Raspberry Pi app store and it works really well and there's **lots of great stuff** in here and it's super easy to install.
> "It's an **awesome** Raspberry Pi app store and it **works really well** and there's *lots* of **great stuff in here** and it's super **easy to install**.
> I want to give the devs of Pi-Apps a big shout-out."
The install script ensures YAD is installed, creates two menu buttons, an autostarted updater, and a file (`/usr/local/bin/pi-apps`) that allows pi-apps to be run from terminal. Besides those, nothing is modified outside your home directory.
<details>
<summary>To uninstall Pi-Apps</summary>
To uninstall Pi-Apps:
@ -44,18 +46,17 @@ Menu -> Accessories -> Pi Apps, or run `pi-apps` in a terminal. Run Pi-Apps from
> Thanks so much to Botspot for creating this; it's a great program." - **[leepspvideo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxyWQ3FV98I)**
> Thanks so much to Botspot for creating this; it's a great program." - **[leepspvideo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxyWQ3FV98I)** (large RPi YouTuber)
> "I love pi-apps. It's great and installs tons of useful software that people don't know how to install. Great work Botspot!" - **[Raspberry Pi Projects and More](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkv0fW0EIUTKw6pYEnTjTbQ)**
> "I love pi-apps. It's great and installs tons of useful software that people don't know how to install. Great work Botspot!" - **[RPi Projects and More](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkv0fW0EIUTKw6pYEnTjTbQ)** (RPi YouTuber)
> "Pi-Apps is the reason I got a Pi4!" - behjemen from Discord
> "Thanks for the great work making it all simple for everybody." - [**ShiftPlusOne** (RPi moderator)](https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=290329&p=1755860#p1755857)
> "Thanks for the great work making it all simple for everybody." - [**ShiftPlusOne**](https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=290329&p=1755860#p1755857) (RPi moderator)
> "Good luck with your projects, Botspot, you're really making waves!" - **[Sakaki](https://github.com/sakaki-)**
> "Good luck with your projects, Botspot, you're really making waves!" - **[Sakaki](https://github.com/sakaki-)** (RPi legend)
> "I love Pi-Apps and I chase all my friends around tryna get them to install it" - Beiop from Discord
@ -72,21 +73,23 @@ Use the main window to quickly browse the selection of apps and easily install t
## To-do
- [X] Make app creation system. (completed with the `createapp` script)
- [X] Add Pi-Apps to Twister OS. (completed on 11/2/2020 via the Twister 1.8.5 patch.)
- [X] Make 32-bit and 64-bit install scripts.
- [X] Allow multiple apps to be selected from the app list and be installed simultaneously.
- [X] Add a search function to the app list. It's still experimental: to enable it, switch to **xlunch** in **Pi-Apps Settings** -> **App List Style**.
- [X] Break up the long app list with some categories.
- [X] Make **app creation system**. (completed with the `createapp` script)
- [X] Add Pi-Apps to **Twister OS**. (completed on 11/2/2020 via the Twister 1.8.5 patch.)
- [X] Support individual **32-bit** and **64-bit** install scripts.
- [X] Allow **multiple apps** to be selected from the app list and be installed simultaneously.
- [X] Add a **search function** to the app list. It's still experimental: to enable it, switch to **xlunch** in **Pi-Apps Settings** -> **App List Style**.
- [X] Break up the long app list with some **categories**.
<details>
<summary>Terminal & script usage</summary>
## How it works
- Each 'App' is simply a small `install` script, `uninstall` script, two icon sizes, and two text files containing the description and a website URL.
- Each App is stored in its own separate directory. `~/pi-apps/apps/` holds all these app directories. The Zoom app, for example, would be located at `~/pi-apps/apps/Zoom/`.
- Because of the contained nature of each app folder, it's really easy to 'package' your own apps: just put the folder in a ZIP file and send it to friends. (or upload it as a [new issue](https://github.com/Botspot/pi-apps/issues/new) so your app can be added to Pi-Apps)
- When you click Install, the selected App's `install` script is executed. (Or, in some cases, the `install-32` or `install-64` script is executed.)
- When you click Uninstall, the selected App's `uninstall` script is executed.
## Terminal usage
- The `manage` script is similar to `apt-get` - it handles installing apps, uninstalling them, keeping them updated, and more. `Manage` does not include a GUI, though in some cases, a dialog may appear to ask you a question.
- The `manage` script is similar to `apt-get` - it handles installing apps, uninstalling them, keeping them updated, and more. `Manage` does not include a GUI, but in one case, a dialog will ask if you really want to install the same app twice.
- To **install** an app, run this:
`~/pi-apps/manage install Zoom`
- To **uninstall** an app:
@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ Note that if an app is up-to-date, no files will be moved around.
- To **list** all apps:
`ls ~/pi-apps/apps`
Note that this will also list the `template` app, which is usually hidden.
## App folder:
Each app folder contains some of these files:
- `credits` Contains credits for the app. This file may mention who created the app originally, who compiled it, who submitted it to Pi-Apps, etc. Few apps use this file.
@ -116,6 +120,9 @@ Each app folder contains some of these files:
- `install-64` This script installs an app on 64bit OS'es, and is 64bit-specific.
Sidenote: if an app only has an `install-32` script, then Pi-Apps will assume it's for 32bit OS'es only and will hide that app on 64bit installations.
- `uninstall` This script uninstalls the app. It must undo all changes made during install, but with one exception: **It must not permanently delete any user-generated config!** [We don't want people's Minecraft worlds being deleted during an update.](https://github.com/Botspot/pi-apps/issues/44)
</details>
<details>
<summary>Creating an app</summary>
It's easy to make your own Pi-App.
@ -241,7 +248,7 @@ exit 0
No
```
Now, the next time Settings is opened, you will see:
With this file-based approach, adding new settings (and/or parameters) is much easier to do and in a standardized way. (As opposed to adding new settings by editing a bash script)
- `bitlylink` - Simple bash script that fetches a Pi-Apps analytics link, if enabled.
- `categoryedit` - This script is the Pi-Apps Category Editor.
@ -270,4 +277,13 @@ Embed code:
- How long did it take to program this?
> About two weeks of nearly non-stop coding to make Pi-Apps from the ground-up. And since then, I've regularly fixed bugs, solved problems, adding new features, and handled new app submissions.
>
- Is Pi-Apps still under development?
> Sure is! Initial development is done for the most part, and I don't see any more major features being added to Pi-Apps's core functionality. (besides maybe allowing `apt`-package apps in the future)
> But, there's always an app or two that need attention, and dozens of app requests. It's enough work to keep a whole team busy.
- How can I help?
> - You can donate if you'd like. The money goes to me (minus the annoying Paypal fees), and helps support future open-source development. Some of the money goes to placing a bounty on an app that I'd like to see completed by someone else who has skills/time that I don't have.
> - You can look through the [list of app requests](https://github.com/Botspot/pi-apps/issues) and help create the scripts for them.
> - If you see someone complaining about a broken app on **Youtube**, please encourage them to join the [Pi-Apps Discord](https://discord.gg/RXSTvaUvuu) or to [open an issue](https://github.com/Botspot/pi-apps/issues/new) to get the problem solved. (I'm not on YouTube much.)
> - You could help diagnose issues others are having.
Botspot
4 years ago
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GitHub