ChimeraX Developer Meeting

Attendance: Greg, Zach, Tom, Eric

July 8, 2024

Agenda

• Can Linux ChimeraX be installed without root permissions?
• Toolbar icons for dark mode.
• Should we update to Python 3.12 for ChimeraX 1.9?
• Work in progress reports
• Chimera 1.18 release.
• Make Chimera end-of-life bug report and registration changes.
• Back up the Chimera build machine to a solid state drive, Windows 7.
• ChimeraX Ideas milestone clean-up.

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Discussion

• Linux ChimeraX install without root
  • Dependencies have to install as root for RPM and .deb distributions.
  • The flatpak system requires root to install but after installed, users can install and get new flatpak environments without root.
  • Redhat has flatpak in the distribution, but Ubuntu does not.
  • Greg will add some info about installing without root linked from ChimeraX download page.

• ChimeraX dark mode
  • Looks pretty usable in dark mode with Greg's current changes.
  • May be some issues on Windows or Mac. Greg tested on Linux.
  • Greg's changes are in daily build.
  • Greg added white outlines around some dark mode icons that are black and white to improve visibility.

• Python 3.12
  • Decided not to update Python 3.11 to 3.12 in ChimeraX 1.9.
  • Updating Python every two years seems the right cadence.
  • Need to allow third-party binary packages ChimeraX relies on to update to new Python releases.

• Should we backup Chimera Windows 7 build machine disk?
  • Greg suggests we make VMware virtual machine from the existing disk, says there is some technology to do that.
  • Other options is direct disk copy. May not be able to find the disk copy if needed in the future.
  • Greg will look into options.

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Action Items

• Zach remove direct use of pip in Makefile.bundle. Use something like $(PYTHON) -m pip so the correct Python is used.
• Greg will make Chimera 1.18 release.