start menu entries

[nyxnor]

from #13 (comment)
Adrelanos said:
Also start menu entries would be great. This is how it's done in Whonix.
* https://github.com/Whonix/anon-gw-anonymizer-config/blob/master/usr/libexec/gateway-shortcuts/nyx
* https://github.com/Whonix/anon-gw-anonymizer-config/blob/master/usr/share/applications/gateway-nyx.desktop
* https://github.com/Whonix/helper-scripts/blob/master/usr/libexec/helper-scripts/terminal-wrapper

I could certainly add (and most likely would) add tor-ctrl and tor-ctrl applications start menu entries in Whonix if this cannot be done in this upstream repository (preferred). But how to implement start menu entries (graphical) for a console application outside of Whonix is unclear to me since helper-scripts and therefore terminal-wrapper isn't installed by default. And replicating this functionality in "every" (this) repository seems to much to me. A dependency on helper-scripts might also be unwanted? If helper-scripts was available from packages.debian.org, that might make it an easier case? But not easy.

---

Yes, as adding terminal-wrapper script here would be as you said, replicating and too much. The shortcuts and .desktop are okay, but I will have to wait for an update status about this issue.

[adrelanos]

tor-ctrl will be installed by default in next Whonix point release.

By that time, I'd like to have the desktop shortcuts ready since that makes the tools much more popular and accessible.

If I contribute the desktop shortcuts to this repository, these would be broken for non-Whonix users due to missing /usr/libexec/helper-scripts/terminal-wrapper.

However, I also don't think without helper-scripts package / Whonix (which comes with the helper-scripts package) that there is any other lightweight solution without terminal-wrapper. I've never seen any CLI application/script that provides a start menu entry.

[adrelanos]

Actually now Terminal=true in the .desktop file as per https://askubuntu.com/questions/436891/create-a-desktop-file-that-opens-and-execute-a-command-in-a-terminal comes to mind.

(To develop, test, debug, maybe: https://askubuntu.com/questions/5172/running-a-desktop-file-in-the-terminal)

[nyxnor]

If I contribute the desktop shortcuts to this repository, these would be broken for non-Whonix users due to missing /usr/libexec/helper-scripts/terminal-wrapper.

I am ok with that for now, no plans to change unless someone opens an issue and we'd have to analyze.

[nyxnor]

Actually now Terminal=true in the .desktop file as per https://askubuntu.com/questions/436891/create-a-desktop-file-that-opens-and-execute-a-command-in-a-terminal comes to mind.

Great if it works.

[nyxnor]

Edit, I just noticed I messed the projects :(

So..

• tor-ctrl -> cannot have a menu entry, it requires an argument, as in the command to be run
• tor-ctrl-observer and tor-ctrl-circuit -> makes sense as it is supposed to be run without options
• tor-ctrl-stream -> wouldn't be possible to hide circuits path and private exits, and for that, observer is designed.

[adrelanos]

• tor-ctrl -> cannot have a menu entry, it requires an argument, as in the command to be run

Maybe an interactive mode similar to https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Tor_Controller#tor-prompt ?

• tor-ctrl-observer and tor-ctrl-circuit -> makes sense as it is supposed to be run without options

Cool.

• tor-ctrl-stream -> wouldn't be possible to hide circuits path and private exits, and for that, observer is designed.

No need to hide. A warning on top would be sufficient. If you want this to be extra secure, desktop shortcut could use an extra command line option --desktop or so which would time delay the warning before showing actual output. (sleep 5)

[adrelanos]

Issue with file names is that `/usr/libexec/gateway-shortcuts/vitor`, `gateway-shortcuts` is a whonix base directory and I'd prefer another directory for universal installations.

Yes. For sure. If upstream implements this (a non-Whonix specific package such as this) then for sure the standard default (Debian) path should be used. gateway-shortcuts is only used by Whonix for software that doesn't implement desktop shortcuts upstream.

[nyxnor]

Maybe an interactive mode similar to https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Tor_Controller#tor-prompt ?

I have not figured how to interact with the controller on multiple streams. We do it currently in one stream, send all the commands and pipe to the socket program.
Multiple streams / interactive would solve #1

On the other hand, I do not use tor-prompt anymore because it is limited to what the library implemented, and some commands were purposefully not implemented, such as DROPGUARDS because of being a "dangerous" command.

This is one deficiency that maybe I should ask on bash's mailing list to figure it out because using search engines did not help.

Also, this would make only one control connection be opened, not one after each command, but keep connected to the controller during the whole script.

No need to hide. A warning on top would be sufficient. If you want this to be extra secure, desktop shortcut could use an extra command line option --desktop or so which would time delay the warning before showing actual output. (sleep 5)

It could sleep after sending that warning, but then it would also delay the command to be issued, in this case, SETEVENTS STREAM.

gateway-shortcuts is only used by Whonix for software that doesn't
implement desktop shortcuts upstream.

Yeah, ok, will allow gateway-shortcuts for now as I find overkill to create a directory just for it.

But do you feel need for that wrapper? I am using everything on desktop exec line and sleeping 5 seconds is enough to read any remaining message after the script ends.

Exec=sh -c 'vitor;sleep 5'
Terminal=true

Maybe if the script exit with a non zero error code, then it could sleep a bit more. This can happen if it fails to copy the temporary file to its original location in case a bug happens and the user needs to know the name of the temporary file.

Sleep 5 in any exit code, sleep +5 in case it errors out, sleeping 10 seconds in total.

Exec=sh -c 'vitor || sleep 5; sleep 5'
Terminal=true

[adrelanos]

Consider opening a windows. Then doing multi tasking forgetting about it. Then you want to look at it and its gone. Bad usability. I don't think the window should auto close after the script terminated for whatever reason. If the window doesn't close when the application exits, great. Otherwise would be a usability issue.

[nyxnor]

The window only closes 5 seconds after vitor finishes greacefully or 10 seconds if exits with a non zero error code. Is this a problem?

[nyxnor]

Consider opening a windows. Then doing multi tasking forgetting about it. Then you want to look at it and its gone. Bad usability.

Ok, now that I see 20 windows open at the same time on Qubes, I get it.

[adrelanos]

sleep infinity

[nyxnor]

By that time, I'd like to have the desktop shortcuts ready since that makes the tools much more popular and accessible.

Is there anything remaining on this issue that is need to do as the start menu entries will be on the anon-gw-anonymizer-config repo?

Also, tor-ctrl-observer is the perfect fit as it does not require any command line args (if not using a password and/or different socket of course).

For tor-ctrl to be interactive, see response below.

Maybe an interactive mode similar to https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Tor_Controller#tor-prompt ?

I have not figured how to interact with the controller on multiple streams. We do it currently in one stream, send all the commands and pipe to the socket program.
Multiple streams / interactive would solve #1

I think that if I loop the script and use read to get the command from stdin, it can work.

[nyxnor]

INT is killing the terminal with tor-ctrl-observer via a .desktop.