Mofidy web-ui in aw-server

[Datpt0205]

I edited aw-webui in aw-server but nothing changed, how can I apply them after editing?

[0xbrayo]

Read README.md

[RTnhN]

I actually have this problem too. Is the static bundled into the aw-server-rust.exe? I can even delete the static folders referenced in the readme, and it still works. I cleared the cache or even tried different browsers. I am still unable to use modified static files.

In fact, it looks like they might be embedded here: ActivityWatch/aw-server-rust@26acc28

This change was made like a year and a half ago.

The documentation was last updated 3-4 years ago. Is it still valid? I don't think it is.

Edit: it seems that it is built into the aw-server-rust.exe. To use the new webui changes with the build, you need to:

1. Clone the aw-server-rust repo
2. git submodule update --init --recursive the repo to get the webui repo
3. Change the remote of the repo to the remote of your repo. You might also be able to just put your dist in the aw-webui folder. If so, skip to 6.
4. Pull your changes
5. Build the aw-webui repo like normal according to the readme
6. Run cargo build --release. That yields aw-server.exe and aw-sync.exe files under the target folder
7. Rename aw-server.exe to aw-server-rust.exe
8. Replace the aw-sync.exe and aw-server-rust.exe in the C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Programs\ActivityWatch\aw-server-rust directory

[0xbrayo]

This is accurate but worth noting running make build in the aw-server-rust builds both the aw-webui and runs cargo build --release all you need is to modify the aw-webui and run make build in the aw-server-rust dir.

[RTnhN]

Yeah, I saw that too, but the problem that I ran into was that the makefile depends on sed, so it does not work on windows. You have to manually make the assets instead of using the makefile.

I don't have the luxury to use linux as my daily driver 😁

[wojnilowicz]

I actually have this problem too. Is the static bundled into the aw-server-rust.exe? I can even delete the static folders referenced in the readme, and it still works. I cleared the cache or even tried different browsers. I am still unable to use modified static files.

Did you try ./aw-server --webpath /path/to/my/aw-server-rust/aw-server/static? You don't have to rebuild aw-server. It works for me during development of aw-webui.

[RTnhN]

I actually have this problem too. Is the static bundled into the aw-server-rust.exe? I can even delete the static folders referenced in the readme, and it still works. I cleared the cache or even tried different browsers. I am still unable to use modified static files.

Did you try ./aw-server --webpath /path/to/my/aw-server-rust/aw-server/static? You don't have to rebuild aw-server. It works for me during development of aw-webui.

I think there are two different problems. You can absolutely use use that command for development work. I used it a lot when working on my change. Testing during development is the first problem that is solved with that command.

The second problem is using a version of the aw-webui that is not bundled with the actual distribution. I really like the changes that I have made to the webui, but I don't want to wait for the changes to be merged into the actual distribution to use it in everyday life. Sure, I could just kill the server instance and run that command every time I startup my computer, but using the command to start the server is unsustainable in the long run since aw-qt actually manages the aw-server for now. I thought that you could just replace the static files in the folder with the aw-server-rust program, but the static files are baked into the exe.

Note that this is probably not a problem for the aw-server based on python since it probably does not have the files baked into the exe.

[wojnilowicz]

No need to use aw-qt. Did you try to launch aw-server by /usr/lib/systemd/user/aw-server.service ?

[0xbrayo]

@RTnhN as mentioned you can use the systemd service or you can actually replace the existing aw-server-rust executable with your own, then aw-qt will just manage it as usual.

[RTnhN]

No need to use aw-qt. Did you try to launch aw-server by /usr/lib/systemd/user/aw-server.service ?

I’m on windows (not of my own will), so no systemd for me. It is my understanding that aw-qt is the manager for aw that makes sure that all the different components are running. Maybe I could go in and modify aw-qt to run the aw-server-rust exe with the arguments, but I find it simpler to just recompile and replace the whole exe. But to each their own.

[TimeToBuildBob]

Closing as this support question has been answered. The aw-webui is bundled into the aw-server binary — to use custom modifications, either replace the binary or use the systemd service directly. See the comments above for details.