README.md

Dockeri

Dockeri is that missing interface for Docker.

Use dockei to run docker containers with a simplified call. When using frequently containers, with always the same --and long-- 'docker run' command line, starts to get boring all that typing. That's why I wrote dockeri. Dockeri uses configuration files to hide unnecessary complexity of everyday Docker (run) calls, as well as X11 support.

My use case for Docker is of a packaging system for (astronomical) tools I use daily between Linux and MacOS systems. Some of these tools will make use of network with a browser/html interface, some will use X11 system and most of them will accept/return data files.

The main purpose of dockeri is to handle the complexity (and, yes, uglyness) of docker run command line; this is particularly for the case of everyday containers used as app bundles.

Dockeri features:

• save images' common options in a config file
• deal with graphical (X11) interface access in Linux and Mac

How to install?

Dockeri works with Python2 and Python3, and has no external dependencies; it uses only Python's core/std-lib.

If you're a Mac user, see also below, the MacOSX section

dockeri is implemented in Python. Runs in Python 2 and 3, and does not depend on external libraries; only Python's standard library.

To install it, simply goes

• download the last release
• unpack the downloaded file
• go inside the package

and type:

$ python setup.py install

or (recommended):

$ pip install .

---

MacOSX

Mac users must have XQuartz installed if willing to use X from inside containers.

After XQuartz is installed the option for "Allow connections from network clients" should be enabled:

---

How to use?

After installing it, dockeri is available from anywhere in the system.

Simply type dockeri to gets is short usage signature:

$ dockeri

usage: dockeri [-h] [-w IO_DIR] [--nox] [-d] [-n] [-l] image

If you want to run the official ubuntu image, type:

$ dockeri ubuntu

dockeri has also a help option to explain you better the available options:

$ dockeri --help

usage: dockeri [-h] [-w IO_DIR] [--nox] [-d] [-n] [-l]

Interface for Docker containers.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -w IO_DIR, --io IO_DIR
                        directory to use for files exchange with container
                        (inside container it is '/work'.
  --nox                 do *not* export graphical interface (x11) from the
                        container to host (*do* export by deafult)
  -d                    runs non-interactively (detached mode)
  -n, --dry-run         don't run the container, just print the command-line
                        instead
  -l, --list            print list of preset images

For instance, Dockeri comes with a list of preset images in the default configuration files. To see what in the list, type:

$ dockeri --list
List of available/preset images:
- annz
- dachs
- ds9
- gollum
- heasoft
- jupyter
- topcat

/.\