Problem
When using OpenResearch on a remote machine (via orx up --remote <host>, or running orx up directly inside an SSH session or headless Linux workstation), creating a project from an Existing folder is problematic:
- Native GUI pickers fail or are unavailable: The dashboard attempts to open local GUI dialogs (e.g.,
zenity/kdialog on Linux, osascript on macOS, PowerShell FolderBrowserDialog on Windows). In headless environments or SSH sessions without an X11/Wayland display server, this fails with display errors (e.g., cannot open display: :0) or error cards.
- Blind manual path entry: Even when a manual text field is shown, users must type out complete absolute paths without visual feedback on directory structure, whether the directory exists, or where their Git repositories are located on the remote machine.
Proposed Behavior
-
Remote / Headless Detection:
- Detect when
orx is running in an SSH session, a remote instance, or a headless environment without a display server or GUI dialog utilities.
- Automatically fall back to an inline path input and folder browser instead of attempting to invoke a non-existent GUI picker.
- Allow users on local desktop systems to manually enter a path or open the browser as well.
-
Backend Directory Browsing API:
- Expose a safe endpoint (e.g.
GET /api/project-path/browse?path=...) to list directory contents, expand home paths (~), resolve parent paths, and detect whether directories are Git repositories or empty.
-
Remote Folder Tree Browser Component:
- Provide an interactive directory browser in the New Project dialog:
- Breadcrumb navigation with clickable parent path segments.
- Quick navigation buttons (
~ Home, / Root, .. Up).
- Subdirectory list with Git repository badges and folder search filtering.
- Automatically populate project name from selected folder name.
Environment
- OpenResearch 0.2.4+ /
orx up
- Connecting via SSH or
orx up --remote <host>
- Headless Linux hosts (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS) without X11 forwarding
Problem
When using OpenResearch on a remote machine (via
orx up --remote <host>, or runningorx updirectly inside an SSH session or headless Linux workstation), creating a project from an Existing folder is problematic:zenity/kdialogon Linux,osascripton macOS, PowerShellFolderBrowserDialogon Windows). In headless environments or SSH sessions without an X11/Wayland display server, this fails with display errors (e.g.,cannot open display: :0) or error cards.Proposed Behavior
Remote / Headless Detection:
orxis running in an SSH session, a remote instance, or a headless environment without a display server or GUI dialog utilities.Backend Directory Browsing API:
GET /api/project-path/browse?path=...) to list directory contents, expand home paths (~), resolve parent paths, and detect whether directories are Git repositories or empty.Remote Folder Tree Browser Component:
~Home,/Root,..Up).Environment
orx uporx up --remote <host>