Installer puts the release's shipped glassd in place; README on native glass out of the box

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ The [uninstall](#uninstall) command (or `python glass.py uninstall`) removes all
 ## From the PC
 
 ```bash
-python glass.py install        # copy this checkout to the headset and add the launcher (for development)
+python glass.py install        # copy this checkout to the headset, set up glassd and add the launcher (for development)
 python glass.py on | off | toggle | status
 python glass.py dial 0.7       # glass intensity: 0 = clearest, 1 = most opaque (saved with your glass settings)
 python glass.py uninstall
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ python glass.py uninstall
 
 On the headset itself, `~/.local/share/glass-shell/device/lgs on|off|toggle|status|dial V` does the same.
 
+Native glass works out of the box. Releases ship glassd built for the Frame (`native/glassd/prebuilt/glassd`), and the installer puts it in place. `python glass.py install` does the same, then rebuilds glassd from the checkout's sources over it (if that build fails, the shipped binary stays). The daemon also puts the shipped binary in place whenever glassd is missing, so the LiquidAss toggle never starts CSS-only. Native mode is on by default (`device/defaults.json`).
+
 ## How it works
 
 | Piece | Role |

device/lgs_shell.py

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ import collections  # noqa: E402
 import hashlib  # noqa: E402
 import json  # noqa: E402
 import os  # noqa: E402
+import shutil  # noqa: E402
 import signal  # noqa: E402
 import subprocess  # noqa: E402
 import time  # noqa: E402
@@ -3362,6 +3363,29 @@ def core_args(argv):
     return out
 
 
+GLASSD_PREBUILT = os.path.join(lgs.ROOT, "native", "glassd", "prebuilt", "glassd")
+
+
+def ensure_glassd(path=GLASSD_BIN):
+    """The shipped glassd (native/glassd/prebuilt/glassd) in place when no build is there yet, so native
+    glass works out of the box and a Liquid Glass toggle that runs before a build finishes is never stuck
+    CSS-only. True when an executable glassd is in place."""
+    if os.access(path, os.X_OK):
+        return True
+    if path != GLASSD_BIN or not os.access(GLASSD_PREBUILT, os.R_OK):
+        return False
+    try:
+        tmp = path + ".tmp"
+        shutil.copyfile(GLASSD_PREBUILT, tmp)
+        os.chmod(tmp, 0o755)
+        os.replace(tmp, path)
+        log("glassd: no build here; the shipped binary is in place")
+        return True
+    except OSError as e:
+        log(f"glassd: could not put the shipped binary in place: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
 def start(glassd=GLASSD_BIN, stay=False, glassd_args=None, native=None, test_report=None, assume_caps=None):
     """Start the unit. Also resumes SteamVR page theming that a lab "--theme
     off" on a vr: page paused.
@@ -3379,6 +3403,8 @@ def start(glassd=GLASSD_BIN, stay=False, glassd_args=None, native=None, test_rep
     loser's systemd-run fail with "already loaded" although a unit ran (review
     R1 m5); if the lock cannot be had in 60 s, it goes on and treats that
     error as running."""
+    if glassd and glassd != "none":
+        ensure_glassd(glassd)
     try:
         lk = FileLock(START_LOCK, 60).__enter__()
     except (OSError, TimeoutError):

glass.py

@@ -161,12 +161,13 @@ def sync(client, only=None):
             for f in sorted(p.rglob("*")):
                 if f.is_dir() or "__pycache__" in f.parts or f.suffix == ".pyc":
                     continue
-                # native/: sources only; builds happen on the Frame
-                if sub == "native" and ("build" in f.parts or f.suffix in (".o", ".so", ".png", ".jpg")
-                                        or (f.suffix == "" and f.name not in ("Makefile",))):
+                # native/: sources only (builds happen on the Frame), plus the shipped glassd binary
+                prebuilt = sub == "native" and "prebuilt" in f.parts
+                if sub == "native" and not prebuilt and ("build" in f.parts or f.suffix in (".o", ".so", ".png", ".jpg")
+                                                         or (f.suffix == "" and f.name not in ("Makefile",))):
                     continue
                 ti = tar.gettarinfo(str(f), arcname=str(f.relative_to(ROOT)).replace("\\", "/"))
-                ti.mode = 0o755 if f.suffix in (".py", ".sh") or f.name == "lgs" else 0o644
+                ti.mode = 0o755 if f.suffix in (".py", ".sh") or f.name == "lgs" or prebuilt else 0o644
                 ti.uid = ti.gid = 1000
                 ti.uname = ti.gname = "steamos"
                 with open(f, "rb") as fh:
@@ -207,6 +208,21 @@ def native_build(client, fake=False):
     return code
 
 
+def install_glassd(client):
+    """glassd for native mode: the shipped binary (native/glassd/prebuilt/glassd), then a build from
+    the synced sources over it. Exit code 0 when a working glassd is in place."""
+    d = f"{REMOTE}/native/glassd"
+    code, _, _ = sh(client, f"test -x {d}/prebuilt/glassd && install -m755 {d}/prebuilt/glassd {d}/glassd "
+                            f"&& echo 'glassd: shipped binary in place'", timeout=60)
+    if native_build(client):
+        print("glassd: the build from source failed; the shipped binary stays")
+    code, _, _ = sh(client, f"{d}/glassd --help >/dev/null 2>&1; test -x {d}/glassd && echo 'glassd: ready ({d}/glassd)'",
+                    timeout=60)
+    if code:
+        print("glassd: no working binary; native glass is off until `python glass.py native-build` succeeds")
+    return code
+
+
 def lgs(client, *args):
     q = " ".join(shlex.quote(a) for a in args)
     code, _, _ = sh(client, f"{PY} {REMOTE}/device/lgs.py {q}", timeout=120)
@@ -1136,6 +1152,11 @@ def main(argv):
             sync(c, only=rest or None)
         elif cmd == "install":
             sync(c)
+            # native glass out of the box: the shipped glassd goes in place first (the Liquid Glass toggle
+            # may run at once), then a build from these sources replaces it; a failed build keeps it
+            code = install_glassd(c)
+            if code:
+                return code
             sh(c, f"install -Dm644 {REMOTE}/device/glass-shell.desktop {DESKTOP} && "
                   f"chmod 755 {REMOTE}/device/lgs {REMOTE}/device/lgs.py && "
                   f"(update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications >/dev/null 2>&1 || true) && "

install.sh

@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ install_app() {
         mkdir -p "$tmp/new/native/glassd"
         cp -p "$DEST/native/glassd/glassd" "$tmp/new/native/glassd/glassd"
     fi
+    # Native glass out of the box: the release's shipped glassd (built for the Frame) when none was kept
+    if [ ! -e "$tmp/new/native/glassd/glassd" ] && [ -f "$tmp/new/native/glassd/prebuilt/glassd" ]; then
+        cp "$tmp/new/native/glassd/prebuilt/glassd" "$tmp/new/native/glassd/glassd"
+        chmod 755 "$tmp/new/native/glassd/glassd"
+    fi
     rm -rf "$DEST.old"
     [ -d "$DEST" ] && mv "$DEST" "$DEST.old"
     mv "$tmp/new" "$DEST"