NAME

Web::Dash - Unity Dash from Web browsers (experimental)

DESCRIPTION

Web::Dash is a Web application version of Unity Dash. Unity Dash is a powerful searching tool integrated in Unity desktop environment, which is employed by Ubuntu Linux.

For detail of Unity, See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Unity

Web::Dash acts like Unity Dash without the need of the whole Unity infrastructure. All you need is some Lenses (searching agents) and your favorite Web browser, and you can have the awesome searching power of Dash.

CAVEAT

This is an experimental application

Web::Dash is quite an experimental application.

It is not based on any official specification or documentation about Unity Dash or Unity Lens. Instead, I analyzed the behavior of Unity Dash and Unity Lenses from outside, and implemented what I guess was the correct usage of them.

I tested Web::Dash in Ubuntu 12.04 and Xubuntu 12.04. However it may not work as expected in other environments. It is also possible for Web::Dash to stop working in future versions of Unity or Ubuntu.

Privacy issues

Some Lenses are meant to search the local file system. If you export those lenses to others, they are able to see names of your files.

SCREENSHOTS

See https://github.com/debug-ito/Web-Dash/wiki/Screenshots

TUTORIAL

Installation

To install Web::Dash, first you need development tools and files for libexpat and libdbus.

    $ sudo apt-get install build-essential pkg-config libexpat1-dev libdbus-1-dev

Then, type

    $ sudo sh -c 'wget -O- http://cpanmin.us | perl - Web::Dash'

to install Web::Dash from CPAN.

Of course, if you already have a CPAN client installed, you can type

    $ sudo cpanm Web::Dash

Installing some lenses

Most Unity Lenses are provided as .deb packages named unity-lens-*.

In Ubuntu, some Lens packages are served by "extra" repository. Make sure the repository is enabled in your system.

    $ grep extras /etc/apt/sources.list
    deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
    deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main

Uncomment the deb lines if they are commented out.

To install Github lens, for example, type

    $ sudo apt-get update
    $ sudo apt-get install unity-lens-github

Start webdash

To start webdash, type

    $ webdash
    Twiggy: Accepting connections at http://127.0.0.1:5000/

Access the URL with a Web browser.

Run webdash in Ubuntu Server

In a non-GUI environment, first you need to execute the following.

    $ eval `dbus-launch --auto-syntax`

This will launch a DBus daemon for a session bus, and set the environment variables necessary to access the bus.

After that, run webdash as usual.

    $ webdash

If you run webdash at startup (e.g., in /etc/rc.local), make sure to specify LANG environment variable. Lens processes need the LANG environment variable to be set.

WEB API

Web::Dash has a Web API for searching. See Web::Dash::WebAPI.

AS A MODULE

As a Perl module, Web::Dash provides a class object that can generate a PSGI application. You can use Web::Dash in your .psgi file to customize which Lenses to export.

SYNOPSIS

In your app.psgi file.

    use Web::Dash;
    
    Web::Dash->new(lenses_dir => '/your/personal/lenses/directory')->to_app;

Or, if you want to select lenses...

    use Web::Dash;
    use Web::Dash::Lens;

    my @lenses;
    foreach my $lens_file (
        'extras-unity-lens-github', 'video'
    ) {
        push(@lenses, Web::Dash::Lens->new(
            lens_file => "/usr/share/unity/lenses/$lens_file/$lens_file.lens"
        ));
    }
    Web::Dash->new(lenses => \@lenses)->to_app;

CLASS METHODS

$dash = Web::Dash->new(%args)

The constructor.

Fields in %args are:

lenses_dir => DIRECTORY_PATH (optional, default: '/usr/share/unity/lenses')

Specifies the root directory path under which it searches for lens files.

It loads *.lens files under this directory and creates Web::Dash::Lens objects from them.

lenses => ARRAYREF_OF_LENSES (optional)

Specifies an array-ref of Web::Dash::Lens objects that you want to use with Web::Dash.

If this option is specified, lenses_dir option is ignored.

OBJECT METHODS

$psgi_app = $dash->to_app()

Creates a PSGI application from the $dash.

Note that the PSGI application uses AnyEvent for asynchronous responses. Use AnyEvent-compatible PSGI servers (like Twiggy) to run the app.

SEE ALSO

webdash

Web::Dash daemon runner script.

Web::Dash::Lens

An experimental Unity Lens object.

AUTHOR

Toshio Ito <toshioito [at] cpan.org>

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2013 Toshio Ito.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the the Artistic License (2.0). You may obtain a copy of the full license at:

http://www.perlfoundation.org/artistic_license_2_0

Any use, modification, and distribution of the Standard or Modified Versions is governed by this Artistic License. By using, modifying or distributing the Package, you accept this license. Do not use, modify, or distribute the Package, if you do not accept this license.

If your Modified Version has been derived from a Modified Version made by someone other than you, you are nevertheless required to ensure that your Modified Version complies with the requirements of this license.

This license does not grant you the right to use any trademark, service mark, tradename, or logo of the Copyright Holder.

This license includes the non-exclusive, worldwide, free-of-charge patent license to make, have made, use, offer to sell, sell, import and otherwise transfer the Package with respect to any patent claims licensable by the Copyright Holder that are necessarily infringed by the Package. If you institute patent litigation (including a cross-claim or counterclaim) against any party alleging that the Package constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then this Artistic License to you shall terminate on the date that such litigation is filed.

Disclaimer of Warranty: THE PACKAGE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS' AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES. THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT ARE DISCLAIMED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY YOUR LOCAL LAW. UNLESS REQUIRED BY LAW, NO COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTOR WILL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THE PACKAGE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

cpanm Web::Dash

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install Web::Dash