Minimal electron browser for embedding in NeuroPAL_ID. This is not for general use, it's a hacky workaround for a niche problem that Mathworks will hopefully solve for us someday.
ZephIR-KIOSK is a javascript application we developed to allow us to pseudo-embed web pages in MATLAB uifigures. Ideally this will eventually be replaced by an expanded web() call or analogous AppDesigner component Mathworks develops sometime in the future. Structurally it's essentially a minimal electron browser with some custom end points that allow us to manipulate browser input and page-based js code execution from within MATLAB.
npm install yargs ws http node-ffi-napi ref-napi ffi-napi express electron
npm install electron-packager -g
Since we should strive to make using NeuroPAL_ID as simple as possible and not require installing nodejs and ZephIR-KIOSK's various dependencies, we compile the browser as such:
cd zephir-kiosk
npx electron-packager . wrap-browser --overwrite
start wrap-browser.exe x y width height --trace-warnings
wrap-browser.app x y width height --trace-warnings
- Updating browser position:
http://localhost:port/updatePosition?x=%.f&y=%.f&width=%.f&height=%.f - Emulating keystrokes:
http://localhost:port/textInput?input=keystrokes - Select elements:
http://localhost:port/selectElement?class=targetcssclass - Execute javascript:
http://localhost:port/executeJS?code=jscode - Remote procedure calls:
http://localhost:port/rpc?method=method&state=state&arg=arg
Note that inputs must be URL-encoded, i.e. replace spaces with %20, newlines with %0A, and slashes with %2F.