Using shell object in gjs

shell_object_sample.js

#!/usr/bin/gjs
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
// usage: gjs shell_object_sample.js

const { GIRepository, GLib, Gio } = imports.gi;

function findLib(path, prefix) {
  const libdir = Gio.File.new_for_path(path);
  const files = libdir.enumerate_children('', Gio.FileQueryInfoFlags.NONE, null);
  for (; ;) {
    const finfo = files.next_file(null);
    if (!finfo) break;
    if (finfo.get_file_type() == Gio.FileType.DIRECTORY && finfo.get_name().startsWith(prefix)) {
      return GLib.build_filenamev([path, finfo.get_name()]);
    }
  }
  return null;
}

GIRepository.Repository.prepend_library_path('/usr/lib64/gnome-shell')
GIRepository.Repository.prepend_search_path('/usr/lib64/gnome-shell');

GIRepository.Repository.prepend_library_path(findLib('/usr/lib64', 'mutter-'));
GIRepository.Repository.prepend_search_path(findLib('/usr/lib64', 'mutter-'));

const { Shell } = imports.gi;
const appSys = Shell.AppSystem.get_default();
print(appSys.get_installed().map(x => x.get_name()).join('\n'));

Not work for me.

• gnome-shell --version

GNOME Shell 41.1

• LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib64/gnome-shell/ gjs shell_object_sample.js | head

(gjs:27581): Gjs-CRITICAL **: 10:56:04.899: JS ERROR: Error: Requiring Shell, version none: Typelib file for namespace 'Meta', version '9' not found
@test.js:6:15

(gjs:27581): Gjs-CRITICAL **: 10:56:04.899: Script test.js threw an exception

I think you should add /usr/lib64/mutter-9 to search path instead of /usr/lib64/mutter-5 for your environment.

Update to a generic version.

Thanks for the update.

We can load librarys directly by GIRepository.Repository.prepend_library_path() instead of LD_LIBRARY_PATH enviroment variable. There is a example, works with gnome-shell 42.3

#!/usr/bin/gjs

// chmod +x ./shell_object_sample.js && ./shell_object_sample.js

const res = imports.gi.GIRepository.Repository

// load library of Mutter project 
res.prepend_search_path('/usr/lib/mutter-10')
res.prepend_library_path('/usr/lib/mutter-10')

// load library of gnome-shell project
res.prepend_search_path('/usr/lib/gnome-shell')
res.prepend_library_path('/usr/lib/gnome-shell')

const Shell = imports.gi.Shell;
const appSys = Shell.AppSystem.get_default();
print(appSys.get_installed().map(x => x.get_name()).join('\n'));

Looks really good. Updated.

@yilozt

Just tried your code.
Errors throw on my machine:

Gjs-CRITICAL **: JS ERROR: Error: Requiring Shell, version none: Typelib file for namespace 'Shell' (any version) not found
getApps.js:15:15

Gjs-CRITICAL **: Script getApps.js threw an exception

The line 15 is const Shell = imports.gi.Shell; and I use gnome-shell 42.2.

@nlpsuge , It should works if you replace /usr/lib with /usr/lib64. I just test it in Fedora36 with gnome-shell 42.2.

@yilozt

Just tested, it works if I replace /usr/lib with /usr/lib64.

Thank your very much. :)

Debian 12:

#!/usr/bin/gjs

// chmod +x ./shell_object_sample.js && ./shell_object_sample.js

const res = imports.gi.GIRepository.Repository

// load library of Mutter project
res.prepend_search_path('/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/mutter-11')
res.prepend_library_path('/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/mutter-11')

// load library of gnome-shell project
res.prepend_search_path('/usr/lib/gnome-shell')
res.prepend_library_path('/usr/lib/gnome-shell')

const Shell = imports.gi.Shell;
const appSys = Shell.AppSystem.get_default();
print(appSys.get_installed().map(x => x.get_name()).join('\n'));

Thank you very much.

If I replace get_installed with get_running then there are not output. why?

If I replace get_installed with get_running then there are not output. why?

Do you have any apps with at least one window running while you run your script?

Yes. I opened many apps including gnome specific apps. Nothing.

Running Shell.AppSystem.get_default().get_running().map(x => x.get_name()).join('\n') in lg (alt+F2 then type lg), is there output?

The output is r(0) = Firefox Alacritty ..... I mean the command works if i run this way.