Vircadia Launcher (codename Pantheon) supports Vircadia on Windows 64-bit. Future support may be added for MacOS and Linux.

Building Vircadia Launcher

Dependencies

You will need Node.js, Vue CLI, and the Vue CLI Electron Builder plugin.

Step 1. Node.js

If you don’t have Node.js, download and install the latest LTS. Vue CLI requires Node.js version 8.9 or above (8.11.0+ recommended).

Step 2. Vue CLI

To install Vue CLI, use one of the following commands. You need administrator privileges to execute these unless npm was installed on your system through a Node.js version manager (e.g. n or nvm).

npm install -g @vue/cli
# OR
yarn global add @vue/cli

After installation, you will have access to the Vue binary in your command line. You can verify that it is properly installed by simply typing vue, which should present you with a message listing all available commands.

You can check the version with this command:

vue --version

Test, Run, and Build

Open a terminal in the source directory:

cd pantheon-launcher

On first setup

We need to get the modules and dependencies installed.

If you use Yarn:

yarn install

or if you use NPM:

npm install

To start a development server:

A development server allows you to test changes without having to recompile the application every time. It also enables development mode which activates the dev tools.

You will need to run any of these commands with administrative privileges.

If you use Yarn:

yarn electron:serve

or if you use NPM:

npm run electron:serve

To build the launcher:

With Yarn:

yarn electron:build

or with NPM:

npm run electron:build

Building the launcher will generate an installer executable and an unpacked folder that allows you to run the built launcher without running the setup. You can find the build artifacts in the dist_electron folder.

Update your build environment:

When new dependencies are added and required by the codebase, you will need to add them.

If you use Yarn:

yarn update

or if you use NPM:

npm update

Code Signing

The builder will automatically package and sign your application. You will however need to ensure you have the following environment variables set:

CSC_LINK=[The path to your .pfx file.]
CSC_KEY_PASSWORD=[The password for your .pfx file.]

Configuration

vue.config.js: To alter build, code signing, and other general properties.

• https://www.electron.build/
• https://cli.vuejs.org/config/#vue-config-js

pantheon.config.js: A new configuration file, more properties will be centralized and specified in this file as updates are pushed to the launcher.

package.json: Dependencies and version information can be adjusted here.

• https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v6/configuring-npm/package-json

This project also uses the Vue CLI Plugin Electron Builder. Visit the website to learn more about how to customize it if necessary.