matzmanandClaude Opus 5.5
ba6302a4c0
Requirements engineering for iteration 1 is finished (D13); phase 2 (planning and design) starts. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
124 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
124 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
# FrameAssistant
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**Steam Frame companion for Home Assistant.**
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FrameAssistant runs on the Steam Frame (and on x86_64 Linux PCs with SteamVR). It connects
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the headset to Home Assistant in both directions:
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- **Sensors:** it reports the state of the headset and its surroundings to Home Assistant.
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- **Services:** Home Assistant can call it, e.g. to show notifications in the headset.
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- **Dashboard:** a SteamVR dashboard tab to view and control Home Assistant from inside VR.
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> **Status:** early development. The overlay platform works on the Frame; the Home Assistant
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> parts are being planned; see [docs/REQUIREMENTS.md](docs/REQUIREMENTS.md)
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> and [docs/PROGRESS.md](docs/PROGRESS.md).
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### Platform
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FrameAssistant grew out of a SteamVR dashboard-overlay template, which it still builds on:
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- **Plain QML UI:** rendered off-screen and shown as a SteamVR dashboard tab. Users can float or
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pin the tab anywhere, and it stays visible in games.
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- **Input:** SteamVR's laser (as mouse), thumbstick scrolling, the SteamVR keyboard (opens
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for text fields), and D-pad/button navigation via rebindable SteamVR Input actions.
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- **Vulkan** by default, with **OpenGL** as an automatic fallback. On the Frame, Vulkan is
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about 1.9× faster, since OpenGL runs through zink there.
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- **Several views per app** ("surfaces"), e.g. several dashboard tabs sharing one QML engine
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and its data.
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- **Develop without a headset:** desktop preview window, offscreen snapshots, benchmark.
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- **Frame packages** of about 3 MB, using SteamOS's own Qt; a self-contained variant with Qt
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bundled is also available. Packages come with `install.sh`/`uninstall.sh` and a deploy
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script.
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## Quick start
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Requirements:
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- CMake ≥ 3.22, Ninja, a C++20 compiler, and Qt ≥ 6.5 (Quick, QuickControls2, OpenGL;
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Test for the tests)
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- Vulkan headers (optional; without them the build is OpenGL only)
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- Docker or Podman, for the Frame builds
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The OpenVR SDK files are downloaded automatically when CMake configures the build
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(`-DOPENVR_ROOT=<sdk>` to build offline).
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```sh
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cmake --preset native-debug && cmake --build --preset native-debug
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ctest --preset native-debug
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build/native-debug/bin/frame-assistant --desktop # UI in a window, no SteamVR
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build/native-debug/bin/frame-assistant --snapshot out.png # one frame through the VR path
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build/native-debug/bin/frame-assistant # as dashboard tab (SteamVR running)
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build/native-debug/bin/frame-assistant --install-manifest # register + auto-start with SteamVR
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```
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On the Steam Frame:
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```sh
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scripts/package-release.sh # → dist/frame-assistant-0.1.0-linux-arm64.tar.gz
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scripts/deploy-to-frame.sh <user>@<frame> # copy over SSH and install (SteamVR must run)
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```
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Details are in [docs/STEAM-FRAME.md](docs/STEAM-FRAME.md).
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## Development
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- **App identity** (app key `net.matzman.frameassistant`, tab name, executable name
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`frame-assistant`, texture size) is set in the root `CMakeLists.txt`. The executable must not
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be named like a SteamVR process such as `vrdashboard` (CMake checks this).
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- **UI:** `src/qml/`, with `Main.qml` as the root. List new QML files under `QML_FILES` in
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`vrdash_add_dashboard()` in `src/CMakeLists.txt`. Iterate with `--desktop` and `--snapshot`.
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- **C++ logic:** the app class `src/Dashboard.h/.cpp` derives from `DashboardApplication`.
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It adds views in its constructor (`addSurface()`), keeps its objects as members and wires
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them up in the `loading()`/`started()` overrides.
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- **Controller buttons:** actions and default bindings are in `resources/input/`.
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- **Ship it:** `scripts/package-release.sh` and `scripts/deploy-to-frame.sh`, see
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[docs/STEAM-FRAME.md](docs/STEAM-FRAME.md).
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How the pieces fit together: [docs/ARCHITECTURE.md](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md).
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## Command line
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`frame-assistant` understands:
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| Option | Meaning |
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|--------|---------|
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| *(none)* | Run as SteamVR dashboard overlay (SteamVR must be running) |
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| `--desktop` | Show the UI in desktop windows, one per surface; no SteamVR |
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| `--snapshot <png>` | Render one frame per surface off-screen and save it (`<name>-<id>.png` with several surfaces) |
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| `--benchmark <frames>` | Render frames back to back with a full GPU wait each and print frame times |
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| `--graphics-api vulkan\|opengl` | Render backend. Default: Vulkan, falling back to OpenGL if Vulkan doesn't start; an explicit choice never falls back |
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| `--app-key <key>`, `--app-name <name>` | Override app key and name, e.g. to run a second instance |
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| `--max-fps <fps>` | Frame-rate cap (default 60); rendering only happens on change |
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| `--install-manifest [--launch]` | Register with SteamVR (auto-start) and optionally start it now; works over SSH |
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| `--uninstall-manifest` | Unregister |
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| `--manifest <path>` | Manifest for the two options above (default: the app's own) |
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| `--log-file <path>` | Also log to a file (relative paths: relative to the install folder) |
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## Testing
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```sh
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ctest --preset native-debug # unit + render tests (GPU tests skip without a GPU context)
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scripts/container-test.sh # all tests in Debian incl. Vulkan with validation layers
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VK_DRIVER=lvp scripts/container-test.sh # same on the lavapipe software driver
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```
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## Repository layout
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| Path | Content |
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|------|---------|
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| `src/main.cpp`, `src/Dashboard.*`, `src/qml/` | **The app** |
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| `src/app/` | `DashboardApplication` (app base class), `Surface` (one view) |
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| `src/render/` | Off-screen Qt Quick renderer; Vulkan and OpenGL backends |
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| `src/vr/` | SteamVR connection, overlays (dashboard tab) |
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| `src/input/` | Laser/scroll/keyboard → Qt events; SteamVR Input navigation |
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| `resources/` | SteamVR manifest template, input actions and bindings |
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| `tests/` | Unit and render tests |
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| `cmake/` | `vrdash_add_dashboard()`, OpenVR download, Qt bundling, toolchain |
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| `docker/`, `scripts/` | Build containers; build, package, deploy and test scripts |
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| `docs/` | Requirements, progress, architecture, Steam Frame notes |
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## License
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MIT, see [LICENSE](LICENSE). Third-party components (OpenVR SDK, Qt; in bundled builds also
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their dependencies) are listed in [THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md](THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md).
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