How to connect the desktop application to a custom backend
==========================================================

Introduction
------------

This page explains how to connect the Wire desktop client to a custom Backend, which can be done either via a start-up parameter or via an initialization file.

Prerequisites
--------------

Install Wire either from the App Store, or download it from our website at (https://wire.com/en/download/)

Have a running Wire backend in your infrastructure/cloud. 

Note down the full URL of the webapp served by that backend (e.g. https://app.custom-wire.com )

Using start-up parameters
-------------------------

Windows
~~~~~~~

- Create a shortcut to the Wire application
- Edit the shortcut ( Right click > Properties )
- Add the following command line parameters to the shortcut: `--env {URL}`, where `{URL}` is the URL of your webapp as noted down above

MacOS
~~~~~

To create the application

- Open Automator 
- Click New application
- Add the "Run shell script" phase
- Type in the script panel the following command: `open -b com.wearezeta.zclient.mac --args --env {URL}`, where `{URL}` is the URL of your webapp as noted down above
- Save the application from Automator (e.g. on your desktop or in Application)
- To run the application: Just open the application you created in the first step

Linux
~~~~~

- Open a Terminal
- Start the application with the command line arguments: `--env {URL}`, where `{URL}` is the URL of your webapp as noted down above

Using an initialization file
----------------------------

By providing an initialization file the instance connection parameters and/or proxy settings for the Wire desktop application can be pre-configured. This requires Wire version >= 3.27.

Create a file named ``init.json`` and set ``customWebAppURL`` and optionally ``proxyServerURL`` e.g. as follows:

.. code-block:: json

  {
    "customWebAppURL": "https://app.custom-wire.com",
    "env": "CUSTOM",
    "proxyServerURL": "http://127.0.0.1:3128",
  }

The ``env`` setting must be set to ``CUSTOM`` for this to work.

.. note:: 
  
    Consult your site admin to learn what goes into these settings. The value of ``customWebAppURL`` can be found `here <https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/blob/e6aa50913cdcfde1200114787baabf7896394a2f/charts/webapp/templates/deployment.yaml#L40-L41>`_ or `resp. here <https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/blob/e6aa50913cdcfde1200114787baabf7896394a2f/charts/webapp/values.yaml#L26>`_.  The value of ``proxyServerURL`` is your browser proxy.  It depends on the configuration of the network your client is running in.

Windows
~~~~~~~

Move the ``init.json`` file to ``%APPDATA%\Wire\config\init.json`` if it does not already exist. Otherwise update it accordingly.

MacOS
~~~~~

Move the ``init.json`` file to 

::

    ~/Library/Containers/com.wearezeta.zclient.mac/Data/Library/Application\ Support/Wire/config/init.json
    
if it does not already exist. Otherwise, update it accordingly.

Linux
~~~~~

On Linux the ``init.json`` file should be located in the following directory:

::

    $HOME/.config/Wire/config/init.json