spike(LC-131): Windows installer from Linux via NSIS #225

Merged

nrupard merged 2 commits from spike/lc-131-nsis-from-linux into main 2026-05-26 21:09:04 +02:00

Conversation 0 Commits 2 Files changed 4 +322 -1

nrupard commented 2026-05-26 20:54:16 +02:00

Owner

Copy link

Spike for LC-131: prove the Windows installer can be built from Linux with NSIS, replacing the parked native-Windows-runner plan (LC-138, now closed won't-fix).

Why

The raw lets-chat-desktop.exe already cross-builds from Linux (mingw x86_64-pc-windows-gnu, Dockerfile.desktop-windows) and ships via the auto-updater. Only the first-install installer was missing, and cargo tauri build --bundles msi|nsis is hard-gated to a Windows host - the sole reason LC-138 existed. makensis (the NSIS compiler) has a native Linux build, so a Linux container can compile a Windows installer with no Windows host and no wine.

What's here

• desktop/installer/lets-chat.nsi - Program Files install, Start-Menu shortcut, uninstaller + Add/Remove Programs entry, WebView2-runtime check (warns if absent), optional autostart. Parameterized.
• ci-build/Dockerfile.desktop-windows-installer - standalone debian:trixie-slim + nsis stage that wraps the cross-built exe (staged in the build context) into lets-chat-desktop-setup-x86_64.exe. Kept separate from the existing windows Dockerfile/workflow so nothing currently shipping is disturbed.
• desktop/installer/README.md - build flow + remaining work.

Proof (this branch, on Linux)

makensis v3.11 (Debian trixie) compiled the script and the Dockerfile produced a valid ~160 KB PE32 ... Nullsoft Installer self-extracting archive, extractable via docker create + docker cp exactly as the release workflow extracts the raw .exe. Linux-only toolchain confirmed viable.

Not in this spike (tracked in LC-131 for full implementation)

• Wire the packaging step into build-desktop-windows.yml (extract raw exe -> build installer image -> publish the setup .exe to Generic Packages).
• WebView2 bootstrap (currently warn-only).
• Code signing from Linux via osslsigncode.
• A real Windows 10+ install / uninstall test (the Linux build only proves the installer compiles + is a valid PE).

Spike branch - merge optional; the artifacts are the foundation for the LC-131 implementation.

Spike for LC-131: prove the Windows installer can be built **from Linux** with NSIS, replacing the parked native-Windows-runner plan (LC-138, now closed won't-fix). ## Why The raw `lets-chat-desktop.exe` already cross-builds from Linux (mingw `x86_64-pc-windows-gnu`, `Dockerfile.desktop-windows`) and ships via the auto-updater. Only the first-install **installer** was missing, and `cargo tauri build --bundles msi|nsis` is hard-gated to a Windows host - the sole reason LC-138 existed. `makensis` (the NSIS compiler) has a native Linux build, so a Linux container can compile a Windows installer with no Windows host and no wine. ## What's here - `desktop/installer/lets-chat.nsi` - Program Files install, Start-Menu shortcut, uninstaller + Add/Remove Programs entry, WebView2-runtime check (warns if absent), optional autostart. Parameterized. - `ci-build/Dockerfile.desktop-windows-installer` - standalone `debian:trixie-slim` + `nsis` stage that wraps the cross-built exe (staged in the build context) into `lets-chat-desktop-setup-x86_64.exe`. Kept separate from the existing windows Dockerfile/workflow so nothing currently shipping is disturbed. - `desktop/installer/README.md` - build flow + remaining work. ## Proof (this branch, on Linux) `makensis v3.11` (Debian trixie) compiled the script and the Dockerfile produced a valid **~160 KB `PE32 ... Nullsoft Installer self-extracting archive`**, extractable via `docker create` + `docker cp` exactly as the release workflow extracts the raw `.exe`. Linux-only toolchain confirmed viable. ## Not in this spike (tracked in LC-131 for full implementation) - Wire the packaging step into `build-desktop-windows.yml` (extract raw exe -> build installer image -> publish the setup `.exe` to Generic Packages). - WebView2 bootstrap (currently warn-only). - Code signing from Linux via `osslsigncode`. - A real Windows 10+ install / uninstall test (the Linux build only proves the installer compiles + is a valid PE). Spike branch - merge optional; the artifacts are the foundation for the LC-131 implementation.

nrupard added 1 commit 2026-05-26 20:54:16 +02:00

spike(LC-131): build the Windows installer from Linux with NSIS ... 05bf94b569

Proves the Linux-only installer path that replaces the parked native-Windows-runner plan (LC-138, closed won't-fix). The raw .exe already cross-builds from Linux via mingw; this wraps it in an installer without a Windows host, wine, or tauri-cli (whose --bundles msi|nsis is hard-gated to a Windows host).

- desktop/installer/lets-chat.nsi: NSIS script - Program Files install, Start-Menu shortcut, uninstaller + Add/Remove Programs registry, WebView2-runtime check (warn), optional autostart Run key. Parameterized by -DAPP_EXE / -DAPP_VERSION / -DOUT_FILE.
- ci-build/Dockerfile.desktop-windows-installer: standalone packaging stage (debian:trixie-slim + the nsis package) that runs makensis over the cross-built lets-chat-desktop.exe staged in the build context. Deliberately separate from Dockerfile.desktop-windows so the existing raw-exe build + its workflow extraction are untouched.
- desktop/installer/README.md: build flow, the spike result, and the remaining work for the full LC-131 (workflow wiring, WebView2 bootstrap, osslsigncode signing, a real Windows install test).

Spike result: makensis v3.11 on Debian trixie compiled the script and the Dockerfile produced a valid ~160 KB PE32 "Nullsoft Installer self-extracting archive", extractable via docker create + docker cp exactly as the release workflow does for the raw .exe. Linux-only toolchain confirmed viable.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

nrupard added 1 commit 2026-05-26 21:01:10 +02:00

feat(desktop): build + publish the Windows installer from Linux (LC-131) ... 1732bff4b1

Completes LC-131 on the Linux-only NSIS path (the native-runner plan LC-138 is closed won't-fix). Everything verifiable on Linux is wired and proven; signing + a real Windows install test remain ops/manual steps (documented).

- WebView2 bootstrap: ci-build/Dockerfile.desktop-windows-installer downloads Microsoft's Evergreen bootstrapper and bundles it via -DWEBVIEW2_BOOTSTRAPPER; lets-chat.nsi runs it /silent /install when the runtime is absent at install time (falls back to a warning when the define is absent, i.e. the standalone spike build). Installer is ~1.75 MB with it bundled.
- CI: build-desktop-windows.yml now keeps the plain lets-chat-desktop.exe staged, builds the installer Dockerfile after the raw exe, and publishes lets-chat-desktop-setup-windows-x86_64.exe to the Generic Packages registry alongside the binary. Trigger paths include the new Dockerfile + desktop/installer/**.
- README documents the build flow, what's done, and the ops-gated remainder (osslsigncode signing once a cert is provisioned; a real Windows 10+ install/uninstall + WebView2-on-clean-VM test, which the Linux build cannot cover).

Verified on Linux: makensis compiles the script with and without the WebView2 define; the installer Dockerfile builds end-to-end to a valid PE32 Nullsoft installer (extractable via docker create+cp as the workflow does); the workflow YAML parses.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

nrupard merged commit f16583330d into main 2026-05-26 21:09:04 +02:00

nrupard deleted branch spike/lc-131-nsis-from-linux 2026-05-26 21:09:04 +02:00

nrupard referenced this pull request from a commit 2026-05-26 21:09:05 +02:00

Merge pull request 'spike(LC-131): Windows installer from Linux via NSIS' (#225) from spike/lc-131-nsis-from-linux into main

Sign in to join this conversation.

Reviewers

No reviewers

Labels

Clear labels

No items

No labels

Milestone

Clear milestone

No items

No milestone

Projects

Clear projects

No items

No project

Assignees

Clear assignees

No assignees

1 participant

Notifications

Subscribe

Due date

The due date is invalid or out of range. Please use the format "yyyy-mm-dd".

No due date set.

Dependencies

No dependencies set

Reference

psa-systems/lets-chat!225

No description provided.