#+date: <2023-11-08 Wed 00:00:00>
#+title: How to Install and Configure scli on Alpine Linux (musl)
#+description: Step-by-step guide to install and set up scli, a Signal messenger client, on Alpine Linux using musl, including dependency installation and initial configuration.
#+slug: scli

[[https://github.com/isamert/scli][scli]] is a command-line tool that
allows you to connect to your Signal messenger account. This program
utilizes a two-pane display that shows you chats on the left and the
focused conversation on the right.

This guide will show you how to install =scli= and its dependencies on
Alpine Linux, which requires some extra work due to musl.

If you're using a non-musl system, you can likely following the =scli=
README and download the packaged binaries for an easier installation
process.

* Dependencies

In order to use =scli=, you need a few dependencies:

- =openjdk17-jre= - Used as a dependency for the =signal-cli= tool.
  Version may vary.
- =signal-cli= - Used as the backbone of the =scli= tool.
- =findutils= - Replaces the standard Busybox version of =xargs=.
- =urwid= - A console user interface library for Python.
- =urwid-readline= - For GNU emacs-like keybinds on the input line.
- =qrencode= - Displays a QR code in the terminal to link the device
  using your phone. Not necessary if you're only linking on desktop and
  can copy/paste the connection URL.

Let's start by installing the packages available via Alpine's
repositories. Be sure to install the latest version of =openjdk=. If you
run into Java-related issues, uninstall =openjdk= and install an older
version.

#+begin_src sh
doas apk add openjdk17-jre findutils qrencode
#+end_src

Next, let's install =signal-cli=. Be sure to export the version of
=signal-cli= that you want. I use version =0.12.4= below, but that may
be outdated by the time you're reading this.

#+begin_src sh
export VERSION="0.12.4"
wget https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/releases/download/v"${VERSION}"/signal-cli-"${VERSION}".tar.gz
doas tar xf signal-cli-"${VERSION}".tar.gz -C /opt
doas ln -sf /opt/signal-cli-${VERSION}"/bin/signal/cli /usr/local/bin
#+end_src

Finally, install the =urwid= packages using the Python packaging
utility.

#+begin_src sh
pip3 install urwid urwid-readline
#+end_src

* Installation

Now that we have all of the dependencies we need, we can install =scli=.
Start by simply cloning the repository.

#+begin_src sh
git clone https://github.com/isamert/scli
#+end_src

When I cloned this repository on 2023-11-08, I found a bug in the logic
that required a fix. You must edit the =scli= file and replace the one
instance of =RLIMIT_OFILE= with =RLIMIT_NOFILE=.

#+begin_src sh
cd scli
nano scli
#+end_src

Once complete, you can move this program to anywhere on your =$PATH=. I
chose the following directory.

#+begin_src sh
doas mv scli /usr/local/bin/scli
#+end_src

* Initial Setup

Now that everything is installed, we can login and configure the client.
Start by generating a connection link.

#+begin_src sh
signal-cli link -n "YOUR-DEVICE-NICKNAME" | tee >(xargs -L 1 qrencode -t utf8)
#+end_src

This will generate a connection link and related QR code for you to use
to link the devices together. Once complete, *wait patiently* for the
connection process to finish.

Once it completes, it will exit and return you to the prompt. From here,
you need to perform an initial =receive= command to start things off.
The =USERNAME= variable should be your phone number, such as
=+15551237890=.

#+begin_src sh
signal-cli -u USERNAME receive
#+end_src

Also be sure to test the daemon to ensure it works properly. If no
errors occur, it's working. If you run into errors because you're not
running a DBUS session, see my notes below.

#+begin_src sh
signal-cli -u USERNAME daemon
#+end_src

Once the initial reception is complete, you are ready to use =scli=.

This process will differ depending on your desktop environment (DE). If
you are running a DE, you likely have a DBUS session running already and
can simply launch the program.

However, if you're like me and running your computer straight on the TTY
without a DE, you'll need to start a DBUS session for this program.

#+begin_src sh
# If you're not running a DBUS session yet, you need to start one for scli
dbus-run-session -- scli

# OR - If you're already running a DBUS session, simply run scli
scli
#+end_src

* Configuration

Lastly, there are a number of configuration options that you can pass
via the command or in the =~/.config/sclirc= file. See the Github README
for more information on configuration options.

#+begin_src sh
nano ~/.config/sclirc
#+end_src

#+begin_src conf
# ~/.config/sclirc

wrap-at = 80
enable-notifications = true
#+end_src

That's it! Following this guide, I have a functional =scli= program that
successfully sends messages to my contacts and myself!