How to install Real VNC Viewer

Learn
#1

I’m trying to install Real VNC Viewer on NixOS (a proprietary :frowning: VNC client, which has clients for almost all platforms).
There was a similar post about Real VNC Server here.

They do provide binaries, install scripts, and .deb and .rpm packages. They do not have their apps on Flathub or Flatpack.

I got into nixOS this weekend so I’m still not sure how to make my own derivations. (I tried installing my custom python package from GitHub and failed miserably :slight_smile: ). Also I am slowly reading through nix pills.

Do you have any tips/links/tutorials on how to create nixpkgs package with RealVNC Viewer?
I have found just this page on wiki, but It seems too complex.

https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Packaging/Binaries

And this is my broken take on this:
mypkgs/real-vnc-viewer.nix · b3daca74bd67bcbb3fbf523e24003860774336fc · Jan Kaifer / nixos · GitLab

Also when I try to run the binary after downloading it, it will return something like:

$ ./Downloads/VNC-Viewer-6.20.529-Linux-x64 
bash: ./Downloads/VNC-Viewer-6.20.529-Linux-x64: No such file or directory
#2

I usually start with a language:nix search on github (and then potentially other hosts) to see if anyone’s got their own derivation (i.e. https://github.com/search?q=language%3Anix+RealVNC&type=code)

I found nixos-config-public/realvnc-viewer.nix at 0bdbd9b37dc800d4f6ac50556437b34f122e4bc9 · HanStolpo/nixos-config-public · GitHub, which suggests you’re mostly on the right track here.

1 Like
#3

Thank you very much.

I already knew about Hound which helped me with home-manger config, But I haven’t thought about searching Github.

You just gave me superpowers.

#4

I, by contrast, always forget Hound exists.

A GH code search is usually pretty good with rare things, though they’ve been mucking with how search works since December and I’ve occasionally caught it not working or missing results I know exist.

It can be a little trickier with something that has been in nixpkgs for a while, since there may be quite a few copies around.

1 Like