How to view graphics file on non-mac

Question
1

On the Mac, I can use the “open” program to open an image file such as png. The
program is non-blocking, so the Seq("open"....)! returns immediately.

Can someone suggest how to update this function so that it will also work on linux and windows?
Even better if there is a way to do this, non-blocking, directly with scalafx.

  def openImageFile(path:Path):Unit = {
    import sys.process._
    if ("Mac OS X" == System.getProperty("os.name")) {
      println(s"open $path")
      Seq("open", path.toString).!
    } else
      println("[warning]: don't know how to display graphical image in OS: "+ System.getProperty("os.name"))
  }
1 Like
2

see Desktop (Java Platform SE 8 )

2 Likes
4

Looks like the following works:

  def openImageFile(path:Path):Unit = {

    val file:java.io.File = path.toFile

    java.awt.Desktop.getDesktop().open(file)
  }
5

As indicated in another thread, will this solution work on Linux?

6

It should. I recall it working on the Linux systems I personally tried it on, but this was 10+ years ago. (Though one hopes the situation would have only improved since then, not regressed…)

7

It works on linux (I just checked on Ubuntu 20.04). The following ammonite session opens the png file.

@ import java.io._ 
import java.io._

@ val file = new File("aabab.png") 
file: File = aabab.png

@ java.awt.Desktop.getDesktop().open(file)

regards
Siddhartha

1 Like
8

As long as you have X11 (or equivalent stubs) installed.

1 Like