Build method for Linux

[jewlexx]

I maintain an AUR package for the SaveState binary, and would like to introduce a build script one.

I'm wondering what your process is for compiling the binary as I can't find a decent way to do this, and would like my result to maintain parity to the official method.

[Matteo842]

Hi @jewlexx,

Thanks for maintaining the AUR package and for reaching out about the build process. I'm happy to clarify how I compile the binary so you can maintain parity.

My current build process relies on a custom Python tool and PyInstaller. Here’s a breakdown of the workflow:

In the project's root directory, you'll find a script named SaveStateTools.pyw. This tool was originally created to manage translation files. Since the application is now English-only, I have extended its functionality to also handle the packaging of the application.

The process to build the binary is as follows:

Environment: I use a clean Ubuntu LTS virtual machine to ensure consistency.

Dependencies: Make sure all the required Python libraries are installed.

Run the Tool: Launch the SaveStateTools.pyw script.

Package: From the GUI, click the "Create App Package" button and use the default selected option ("one file").

This process uses a specific .spec file to configure the PyInstaller build.

Important Note: As you've probably noticed, the build will currently fail because a required file, SaveState-OneFile-Linux.spec, is missing from the repository. I will be pushing this file to the project's root directory in the next few hours. Once it's there, and with all the dependencies installed, the build process should run successfully.

To give you a bit more context on my personal workflow, I typically run the script from Visual Studio on my Linux VM as I'm more accustomed to a GUI-based environment. However, the core of the process simply boils down to having PyInstaller, its dependencies, and the correct .spec file.

To recap:

**Install the necessary libraries.**

Ensure the **SaveState-OneFile-Linux.spec** file is in the project root (I will upload it shortly).

Run the packaging process via the **SaveStateTools.pyw** script.

I'll update this issue as soon as the missing file is available on GitHub. Let me know if you have any other questions!