commandline_or_gui_windows 1.0.0

Allows your app to run as either commandline or gui. Windows only.

Commandline or GUI Windows

This plugin allows you to run a flutter windows app in gui mode.

Notes:

• Windows Only
• If in commandline mode, commandline output is supposed to be sent to the stdout/stderr of the shell that ran the app.
• A GUI window opens when in commandline mode while the app is running
  • this does not effect where the output goes when running in commandline mode
  • program closes on completion, and so does the gui
  • cannot remove GUI for now in the plugin, because the plugin requires flutter to be run
    • flutter requires the GUI, and there isn't currently an easy way (I know of) of closing the window, and making use of dart/flutter
    • The gui can be hidden based on passed arguments, but this is currently beyond the scope of this document
      • the example has modified cpp code, which hides the gui if -a is passed as an argument
        • Use at own risk
  • by default a centered CircularProgressIndicator is displayed while the GUI us open
    • you can set a widget to display using the placeHolderAfterLoadedRunning parameter in the CommandlineOrGuiWindows.runAppCommandlineOrGUI function

Please Post Questions on StackOverflow, and tag @CatTrain (user:16200950)

https://stackoverflow.com/

Importing:

YAML:

dependencies:
    commandline_or_gui_windows: ^1.0.0
    

Dart:

import 'package:commandline_or_gui_windows/commandline_or_gui_windows.dart';

Example - Commandline Only:

Note that commandline is true (default value). The app will exit once afterLoaded is done running, unless closeOnCompleteCommandlineOptionOnly is passed as false (default true). If the below code is run in Android Studio by clicking the run (debug) button you will see a window open and close, and stdout & stderr outputted to the run window. To run this example in PowerShell follow the below steps:

• Open PowerShell
  • navigate to C:\my_project_path\
  • run:
    • flutter build windows --debug
  • navigate to C:\my_project_path\build\windows\runner
  • run:
    • .\myApp.exe

import 'package:commandline_or_gui_windows/commandline_or_gui_windows.dart';

void main() async {
  await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.runAppCommandlineOrGUI(
    afterLoaded: () async {
      await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.stdout("Hello World!");
      await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.stderr("I am broken, oh no!");
    },
  );
}

Example - GUI Only:

Note that commandline is false.

import 'package:commandline_or_gui_windows/commandline_or_gui_windows.dart';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() async {
  await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.runAppCommandlineOrGUI(
    commandline: false,

    // gui of the app
    gui: const MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Center(
          child: Text("This is the gui of the app"),
        ),
      ),
    ),
  );
}

Example - GUI or Commandline:

This example uses args.dart package. If the below code is run in Android Studio by clicking the run (debug) button you will see on gui mode. To run this example in PowerShell follow the below steps:

• Open PowerShell
  • navigate to C:\my_project_path\
  • run:
    • flutter build windows --debug
  • navigate to C:\my_project_path\build\windows\runner
  • run:
    • for GUI
      • .\myApp.exe
    • for commandline
      • .\myApp.exe -a

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:commandline_or_gui_windows/commandline_or_gui_windows.dart';

// not part of plugin, added to add commandline input
import 'package:args/args.dart';

void main(List<String> args) async {
  /*
   not part of plugin, added to add commandline input
   ref:
   https://pub.dev/packages/args
   if run from shell:
   .\commandline_or_gui_windows_example.exe -a
   it will run in commandline mode
   if run from shell:
   .\commandline_or_gui_windows_example.exe
   it will run in gui mode
  */
  ArgParser parser = ArgParser();
  parser.addFlag(
    "automation",
    abbr: "a",
  );
  ArgResults results = parser.parse(args);

  // part of plugin, main entry. This runciton runs runApp
  await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.runAppCommandlineOrGUI(
    // if you want to run in gui or commandline mode
    commandline: results["automation"], // parsed option from above

    // code you want to run if in commandline mode
    afterLoaded: () async {
      await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.stdout("Hello World");
      await CommandlineOrGuiWindows.stderr("I am broken, oh no!");
    },

    // gui of the app
    gui: const MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Center(
          child: Text("This is the gui of the app"),
        ),
      ),
    ),
  );
}

Functions:

static Future<void> runAppCommandlineOrGUI({
  Widget? gui,
  Future<void> Function()? afterLoaded,
  bool commandline = true,
  bool closeOnCompleteCommandlineOptionOnly = true,
  Widget placeHolderAfterLoadedRunning = const MaterialApp(home: Scaffold(body: Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator()))),
}) async

• runs runApp, is a replacment for runApp. Allows running of the app in commandline or GUI mode.
• Parameters:
  • Widget? gui
    • The gui that will be displayed, only required if commandline == false
  • Future<void> Function()? afterLoaded
    • Function that must be passed if commandline == true
    • This is the code that is run when in commandline mode
  • bool commandline = true,
    • if true run in commandline mode
      • afterLoaded must be passed
    • if false
      • gui must be passed
  • bool closeOnCompleteCommandlineOptionOnly = true
    • closes the app when afterLoaded is done being run
    • Only relevant if in commandline mode
  • Widget placeHolderAfterLoadedRunning = const MaterialApp(home: Scaffold(body: Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator())))
    • widget displayed while afterLoaded is running

static Future<void> stdout(String out) async

• sends passed string to stdout
  • uses c++ function
    • std::cout

static Future<void> stderr(String out) async

• sends passed string to stderr
  • uses c++ function
    • std::cerr

static Future<void> hideWindow(String out) async

• Hides the gui
  • gui still exists, but user can't see it or interact with it

Ref:

https://github.com/Honeyman-Applications/commandline_or_gui_windows/
https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/material/CircularProgressIndicator-class.html
https://pub.dev/packages/args