How to write Appindicators in python?

I'm looking to try and develop some simple indicators, for numlock/capslock and brigthness, etc. How would I go about creating indicators in python? Are there any tutorials that walk me through writing my first appindicator (like for apps in quickly)? Any easy solutions for starting like quickly templates?

You can find the page for writing app indicators here:

• http://unity.ubuntu.com/projects/appindicators/
• http://developer.ubuntu.com/resources/technologies/application-indicators/

See also:

• http://developer.ubuntu.com/get-started/
• http://developer.ubuntu.com/resources/app-developer-cookbook/unity/

On that page you'll find links to examples in Python and the API documentation. The ubuntu-application template in Quickly should have examples on using appindicators. Good luck!

I think Writing indicators with Python, GIR and GTK3 ,as mentioned by @fossfreedom, covers how create indicators for Unity. (Read that 1st)

I'm using Ubuntu 14.04, Quickly 12.08.1 . This is demo for a complete working example build from a Quickly template.

1. OP wants just indicator (not complete GUI app) so let's start with ubuntu-cli Quickly template:

   quickly create ubuntu-cli indicator-demo
   

   It may raise an error message for unreleased bug fix (bug#1064110) in this template:

   Creating project directory indicator-demo
   Creating bzr repository and committing
   Launching your newly created project!
   Traceback (most recent call last):
   ...
   OSError: [Errno 13] Permission denied
   ERROR: create command failed
   Aborting
   

   Fix permissions

   cd indicator-demo/
   chmod +x bin/indicator-demo
   

   Test

   $ quickly run
   I'm launched and my args are:
   

2. There is a nice PYGI example from Ubuntu Wiki: Application Indicators. It should be easy to integrate it.

   Open for edit:

   quickly edit
   

   • Modify __init__.py, add need modules imports:

     from gi.repository import Gtk
     from gi.repository import AppIndicator3 as appindicator
     

   • In the main() function, between:

     print _("I'm launched and my args are: %s") % (" ".join(args))
     logging.debug(_('end of prog'))
     

     add:

     ind = appindicator.Indicator.new_with_path (
                         _("Indicator demo for Quickly"),
                         "indicator-demo-icon-normal",
                         appindicator.IndicatorCategory.APPLICATION_STATUS,
                         indicator_democonfig.get_data_path())
     ind.set_status (appindicator.IndicatorStatus.ACTIVE)
     ind.set_attention_icon ("indicator-demo-icon-attention")
     
     # create a menu
     menu = Gtk.Menu()
     
     # create one item 
     menu_items = Gtk.MenuItem(_("Quit"))
     menu.append(menu_items)    
     # this is where you would connect your menu item up with a function:
     menu_items.connect("activate", Gtk.main_quit )    
     # show the item
     menu_items.show()
     
     ind.set_menu(menu)
     
     Gtk.main()
     

3. Add icons to a newly created data folder:

   mkdir data
   

   I copied some icons from installed packages, just to make the example:

   cp /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-dark/status/22/indicator-messages.svg data/indicator-demo-icon-normal.svg
   cp /usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-dark/status/22/indicator-messages-new.svg data/indicator-demo-icon-attention.svg
   

4. Test it:

   quickly run
   

5. Create package and publish it:

   quickly package
   quickly share --ppa your-ppa
   

Notes:

1. Well, I didn't update debian package control file, But the dependencies have been auto added to the generated DEB:

   Package: indicator-demo
   Version: 0.1
   Architecture: all
   Maintainer: UNKNOWN <UNKNOWN>
   Installed-Size: 57
   Depends: python (>= 2.7), python (<< 2.8), python:any (>= 2.7.1-0ubuntu2), gir1.2-gtk-3.0, gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
   Section: python
   Priority: extra
   Description: UNKNOWN
    UNKNOWN
   

   Also, the previously added icons in data folder were included in the package.

2. I faced a similar case before, How to add a keyboard modifier state applet to Unity panel?. The answer contains an example/prototype keyboard indicator using libappindicator (But in the c programming language).

   libappindicator lacks an important feature which make easy to ports other desktops indicators. Icon can be loaded only from path. See Bug #812067 API needed: pixbuf icon setting support

References:

• The complete API reference for libappindicator is available as HTML in the libappindicator-doc package. Look in /usr/share/gtk-doc/html/libappindicator/

  Notice that it supports adding label a beside indicator icon.

• Ubuntu Wiki: Application Indicators
• Ubuntu Wiki: Quickly

Related Questions:

• Writing indicators with Python, GIR and GTK3
• How to create Unity indicators?