The ImSwitch Installer is an Electron-based application designed to streamline the installation process of the ImSwitch environment. It automates the download and setup of a Mamba environment along with all necessary dependencies from GitHub via pip. This tool simplifies the installation process, reducing it to a few clicks and eliminating the need for executing multiple complex commands.
NEW: ImSwitch now runs as a web-based application embedded within the installer window. No external browser required - the web interface loads directly in the application for a seamless experience.
The following youtube video shows you how to install ImSwitch using the installer.
FOR MAC USERS:
xattr -c /Applications/ImSwitch.app # or wherever you installed it
- Easy Installation: Downloads and installs all necessary dependencies automatically.
- Embedded Web Interface: ImSwitch web interface loads directly within the installer window.
- Cross-Platform Support: Available for ARM64 and Intel-based Mac, Windows, and Linux systems.
- Simple Uninstallation: Remove by deleting the ImSwitch folder.
- Security: Instructions provided for bypassing system security warnings due to unsigned code.
- Enhanced Update System: Configurable updates with git repository management and package control.
- Seamless Integration: No external browser required - everything runs within the application.
- Disk Space: Minimum of 5GB.
- Memory: 8GB RAM.
- Processor: Intel i5 or Apple Silicon.
- Download the Installer: Choose the appropriate installer (ARM64 for Mac, Windows) from the releases section.
- Run the Installer: Double-click the downloaded file. Ignore any security warnings as the installer is not yet signed.
- For macOS, follow Apple's guide for running unsigned code.
- On Windows, grant permission to run the application.
- Installation Process: The installer will set up a Python environment using Mamba in
/User/yourname/ImSwitchand install all dependencies. This process may take between 10 to 30 minutes depending on your internet connection. - Starting ImSwitch: Once installed, launch ImSwitch by clicking "Start ImSwitch Web Server". The web interface will automatically load within the installer window - no external browser needed.
The update system now provides flexible options:
- Git Repository Updates: Clone/pull the latest code directly from GitHub repositories for ImSwitch and UC2-REST
- Package Updates: Install updates via pip from GitHub archives or local repositories
- Psygnal Installation: Essential component installed with
--no-binaryflag for compatibility
Simply click the update button and select your preferred options. The system will handle git operations and package installations automatically.
Drivers for Daheng and HIK Vision cameras can be found under the "Driver Installation" link provided within the installer.
- Flashing the latest version of the UC2 firmware.
- Building the ImSwitch Hardware Configuration using a drag-and-drop GUI.
For those interested in building from source:
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/openuc2/imswitchinstaller.git
# Install dependencies (skip if you already have yarn)
npm install
# Run the Electron app
npm start
# Build installer binaries for current platform
npm run distThe project includes GitHub Actions workflows that automatically build installer binaries for all supported platforms:
- Windows: NSIS installer (.exe)
- macOS: DMG files (.dmg) for Intel and Apple Silicon
- Linux: AppImage and Debian packages (.AppImage, .deb)
Binaries are automatically built and released when changes are pushed to the main branch. Pre-release binaries for testing are also built for pull requests.
- Windows Installation Path:
C:\Users\UCadmin2\ImSwitch\miniforge\condabin - Python Executable:
C:\\Users\\UCadmin2\\ImSwitch\\miniforge\\python.exe - ImSwitch Package Location:
C:\\Users\\UCadmin2\\ImSwitch\\miniforge\\lib\\site-packages\\imswitch\\__init__.py' - Conda Environment
/Users/ImSwitch/miniforge/condabin/mamba install devbio-napari -c conda-forge
This installer is based on the BellJar project. Thanks a lot for making it open-source! :)