https://github.com/hackerb9/zool
Always use Zoom webclient under GNU/Linux by registering a handler for zoommtg:// URIs
https://github.com/hackerb9/zool
Last synced: 5 months ago
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Always use Zoom webclient under GNU/Linux by registering a handler for zoommtg:// URIs
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/hackerb9/zool
- Owner: hackerb9
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2020-05-01T00:48:30.000Z (about 6 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2020-10-08T19:11:32.000Z (over 5 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-01-29T01:56:31.313Z (over 1 year ago)
- Language: Makefile
- Size: 36.1 KB
- Stars: 3
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 1
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# zool
Always use Zoom **web**client under GNU/Linux by registering a handler
for zoommtg:// URIs
## Installation
```
git clone https://github.com/hackerb9/zool
cd zool
make install
```
(If make install fails, try running it using `sudo`).
Zoom links should now work.
## Details
Zoom is a video conferencing service that became quite popular during
the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Unfortunately, it is currently rather
aggressive about pushing its proprietary client software on every
participant's computer. Further, because it is closed source, there
have been numerous security and privacy issues. For those and other
reasons, many people are turning to open solutions such as
[Jitsi](jitsi.org), when they have a choice.
But Zoom isn't always optional. When that happens, it's good to have
*Zool* installed. When clicking on a Zoom meeting link, Zool will load
up the Zoom *web client* which uses the builtin video conferencing
that already exists in Free Software web-browsers, such as
[Chromium](https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/get-the-code).
No need to trust a proprietary, closed-source client on your computer.
(Of course, your data is still being sent through Zoom's networks, so
maybe suggest the host consider another alternative next time)..
## Bugs
Zool currently attempts to run Chromium or Google Chrome even if your
default web browser is Firefox. This is because Zoom (as of May 2020)
does not allow audio for Firefox, although video does work. After that
bug is fixed, Zool will be changed to use your default browser.
## Nitty gritty
### Zool.desktop
The [`zool.desktop`](https://github.com/hackerb9/zool/blob/master/zool.desktop)
file specifies the handler for MIME type `x-schema-zoommtg` to be a
program named `zool`. Simply copying the file into
`~/.local/share/applications/` was enough for the author to get the
handler registered.
### Zool shell script
The [`zool`](https://github.com/hackerb9/zool/blob/master/zool) shell
script simply transmogrifies the `zoommtg://` URI so that it becomes a
standard `https://` address using Zoom's webclient and opens it. For
example:
```
zoommtg://zoom.us/join?action=join&confid=dXNzPTVhNDYyMjAxLjAzRXdVclZEeWRpRDlRTC16WU1FM05FVnN6c0pFVk9uanpRWlJjQjVQUzAzbkp3eVkwU1RnZ1g5U2pScDhjakRfOG5KeTRzcXhCSHVJVG1La2Z5aGlBJTNEJTNEJnRpZD01OTVkMzMzMDdmYTc0OTk5YjcyYWQ3ZTUzMjllNmFiMA%3D%3D&confno=91265111161&zc=0&pwd=UE54Y3AxbHRvRlA2azQ1K2VWMEF2Zz09&pk=&mcv=0.92.11227.0929&browser=chrome
```
would become
```
https://zoom.us/wc/join/91265111161?zc=0&pwd=UE54Y3AxbHRvRlA2azQ1K2VWMEF2Zz09&pk=&mcv=0.92.11227.0929&browser=chrome
```
Since Zool doesn't actually bother to parse the CGI arguments, it's
quite possible that the simple string substitution will break if Zoom
changes its URI format. (For example, putting the pwd before confno).
However, instead of trying to make this more robust with no data, I'm
going to wait for more samples of actual Zoom URLs from users.
Please report a bug with the "zoommtg" URI if Zool doesn't work for you.
### Makefile
The Makefile copies the zool.desktop and zool shell script to the
right directories then runs various commands to ensure Zool is
configured as the handler for MIME type `x-schema-zoommtg`. The
commands may be unnecessary, but they shouldn't hurt.
xdg-mime default ~/.local/share/applications/zool.desktop x-scheme-handler/zoommtg
gio mime x-scheme-handler/zoommtg zool.desktop
update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications