How to create a Bootable GTK Application?

Question

Hi i have an application written in GTK and i would like to make it into an bootable ISO file.

I have tried many options but have failed and being sent in many directions using cmake and make by following several tutorials which did not work.

Does anybody know how to create an bootable ISO file for / from an GTK based application on linux / ubuntu?

I am currently using ubuntu to develop the bootloading application yet i would prefer the GTK application to startup when the computer starts up, and have no operating system running if possible?

Answer 1

GTK requires an operating system kernel (a Linux kernel...) to be running, and some display server, e.g. Xorg.

So you need to actually make your custom Linux distribution.

I would prefer the GTK application to startup when the computer starts up, and have no operating system running

This is not possible

But you could study the source code of source based Linux distributions like Gentoo and work for several months to make your own Linux distribution.

You probably would need help and address many issues you did not even thought of (e.g. AZERTY keyboard layout, computers with only USB disks, laptops with only Wifi network connections, etc...)

Notice that Debian & Ubuntu can be configured to boot some (open source) GTK based installation procedure. I guess you could study in details their implementation (since it is open source)

Answer 2

It's not possible to boot a GTK application without operating system, as Basile Starynkevitch said.

However, you can use Linux to display only your GTK distribution, without any additional programs and I think it can be done easier, than Starynkevitch's method.

You can try to use the tool Systemback or similar to create a bootable live Linux distribution. Systemback is not maintained anymore but there is a github fork made by BluewhaleRobot that appears to be more up-to-date.

You can install a light Linux distribution, for example Xubuntu, and remove all unnecessary packages and programs. You can set the wallpaper, remove or leave the taskbar/menu start etc. Then, install your GTK application, add it to autorun and use Systemback's "Live system create" function.

The ISO image should be created and your program should be already installed in it with autorun.

It's not a perfect and stable solution, however, it seems to be the easiest way to achieve what you want.