Minion on Linux

[Zastrix]

Update: It's posted on flathub. It should be in stores if you have flathub set as a source.

To install it via the CLI:

flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak --user install gg.minion.Minion

[Zastrix]

If you don't plan on using the flatpak this is info from my investigation on how to run Minion.

1. Running the Bellsoft JDK as it has the JavaFX modules baked in.
   
   The bellsoft JDK (in my experiments 11) has JavaFX baked in and simply installing it will make minion run without an issue. This is, of course, with the JDK, iirc the standard JRE won't work.
   
   
2. 'Making' your own working JRE with OpenJFX.
   
   Essentially a way to guarantee this works with minimal space usage is by installing OpenJFX on top of your JRE installation. Just install your JRE and then download JavaFX for the required version of your JRE. Let's say JRE 17 as that's the current LTS.
   
   (Everything is done in this PR: https://web.archive.org/web/20230615....Minion/pull/6, but I'll be explaining the steps)
   
   Paths shouldn't matter too much so let's say you downloaded OpenJFX 17 and extract it into:

   /app/javafx/lib

   Additionaly you need to make sure that your $JAVA_HOME path has been set OR the path for your JRE has been added in the system path.
   
   Now you should be able to start Minion with this command:
   
   

   java -jar --module-path /app/javafx/lib \
       --add-modules=javafx.graphics,javafx.fxml,javafx.web \
       --add-reads javafx.graphics=ALL-UNNAMED \
       --add-opens javafx.graphics/javafx.scene.image=ALL-UNNAMED \
       --add-opens javafx.graphics/com.sun.javafx.css=ALL-UNNAMED \
       --add-opens java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED \
       ./Minion-jfx.jar

   If you get an error similar to: module javafx.graphics does not "exports com.sun.javafx.css" to unnamed module @55340952 that means that you need to add another --add-opens. Let's break down the error:
   
   

   module X does not "exports Y" to unnamed module @_Z

   This basically means that you have to write --add-opens X/Y=ALL-UNNAMED.

Cheers!

P.S. I made sure to use Java 17 as OpenJFX is supported for ARM based machines, as there might be a chance to run ESO few years into the future on ARM-based archtypes. ESO can be played on ARM based macs iirc.

[Nurdles]

Originally Posted by Zastrix Update: It's posted on flathub. It should be in stores if you have flathub set as a source.

Zastrix, you have restored my sanity and faith in human beings. Running EndeavourOS (an Arch variant) and the flatpak just works. I don't mind the download size as it's not worth wrestling with this Java app on Linux.

'Twould be nice to hear that the devs are actively testing versionNext on at least Ubuntu or Linux Mint, two very popular "mainstream" distros. Otherwise I hope you stick around and are willing to roll up another flatpak for the rest of us.

Thank you again, Zastrix, for all your hard work!

[Zastrix]

Originally Posted by Nurdles Zastrix, you have restored my sanity and faith in human beings. Running EndeavourOS (an Arch variant) and the flatpak just works. I don't mind the download size as it's not worth wrestling with this Java app on Linux. 'Twould be nice to hear that the devs are actively testing versionNext on at least Ubuntu or Linux Mint, two very popular "mainstream" distros. Otherwise I hope you stick around and are willing to roll up another flatpak for the rest of us. Thank you again, Zastrix, for all your hard work!

Great to hear! (And I see that this is literally the only time you responded on the forums )

I am planning to play ESO for the forseeable future so of course I would try to make a flatpak if that is an option. I wouldn't have too much of a problem with a .deb being available. I do use Fedora but basically everything on my system is a flatpak so not a problem to just make it work in a sandbox!

[Zastrix]

Made a quick youtube video on how to setup it up as I saw multiple people recommending going manual setup or whatever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xka0UalSjY0

[Baertram]

Originally Posted by Zastrix Made a quick youtube video on how to setup it up as I saw multiple people recommending going manual setup or whatever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xka0UalSjY0

Thank you, linked that at the troubleshooting sticky thread.

[Zastrix]

I've been in contact with Dolby and now Minion is both verified on flathub and it's an official download source under minion.gg.

Edit, DONE: I'm waiting on some PRs for flathub-specific tools to allow permissions for xdg-data/Steam and then I'll merge some branches to make Minion be delivered by the Flathub CDN, causing smaller downloads during updates and an automatic update job via x-checker-data. Meaning no maintenance won't ever be required except in critical changes where data structure or the JRE needs to be changed.

Speaking of the JRE potentially being changed, I've created a template PR for JRE17 LTS so in case it needs to be done it'll literally only take a handful of minutes to do it (primary focus is making it work on aarch64 as well for future Asahi Linux users).

[Zastrix]

Ok seems like flatpak changed some default value which broke the file structure. I'm currently working on PR #16 which should address this for this update and future updates.

Great to see the autodetect for the latest version of Minion works tho.

[Techwolf]

Keep in mind of the one issue that affect a lot of folks. The java root cert went bad, expired and affect a lot of folks. I run the java, not .exe, version, so it did not affect me.

[Zastrix]

Originally Posted by Techwolf Keep in mind of the one issue that affect a lot of folks. The java root cert went bad, expired and affect a lot of folks. I run the java, not .exe, version, so it did not affect me.

Oh it didn't affect the flatpak users sure, but I was more commenting on the flatpak (which IS essentially the Java release) because it had the notification of a new update available because I had to release Minion 3.0.12 on flathub (some default variable for archive files needed to be changed, but it's fixed now for future updates).