Install the boot splash theme and set up GRUB without Limine

bin/blob-boot

@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 # blob-boot - boot splash and bootloader management.
 #
 #   blob-boot [image]   Apply a Plymouth boot splash image (default action)
-#   blob-boot grub      Migrate from Limine back to GRUB, detecting every OS
+#   blob-boot grub      Install GRUB and detect every other OS on the machine.
+#                          Migrates off Limine when it is there; on a machine
+#                          that never had it, only GRUB is installed
 #                          --purge removes Limine in the same run instead of
 #                          keeping it for one fallback boot
 #   blob-boot detect    Rescan for other operating systems, rebuild the menu
@@ -16,8 +18,12 @@
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
-DEFAULT_IMAGE="$HOME/Documents/dotfiles/branding/boot_flash.png"
+BLOB_PATH="${BLOB_PATH:-$HOME/.local/share/blob}"
-PLYMOUTH_LOGO="/usr/share/plymouth/themes/blob/logo.png"
+DEFAULT_IMAGE="$BLOB_PATH/branding/boot_flash.png"
+THEME_SOURCE="$BLOB_PATH/default/plymouth"
+THEME_DIR="/usr/share/plymouth/themes/blob"
+PLYMOUTH_LOGO="$THEME_DIR/logo.png"
+MKINITCPIO_DROPIN="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf.d/blob-plymouth.conf"
 
 log()  { printf '\n\033[1;36m==> %s\033[0m\n' "$*"; }
 info() { printf '    %s\n' "$*"; }
@@ -43,17 +49,24 @@ apply_splash() {
     fi
 
     [ -f "$image_path" ] || die "File '$image_path' does not exist."
-    [ -d "$(dirname "$PLYMOUTH_LOGO")" ] || die "Plymouth blob theme is not installed."
+    command -v plymouth-set-default-theme >/dev/null \
+        || die "The 'plymouth' package is not installed. Install it with: sudo pacman -S plymouth"
 
     log "Applying boot splash image: $image_path"
     require_sudo
 
-    sudo cp "$image_path" "$PLYMOUTH_LOGO"
+    install_theme "$image_path"
-    sudo chmod 644 "$PLYMOUTH_LOGO"
+    install_initramfs_hook
+    enable_plymouth_units
+
+    log "Setting the default Plymouth theme"
+    sudo plymouth-set-default-theme blob
 
     log "Rebuilding initramfs"
     rebuild_initramfs
 
+    report_kernel_cmdline
+
     # Under GRUB the menu references the initramfs by path, so it only needs
     # regenerating if the file set changed - but it is cheap and keeps the menu
     # honest after a kernel or os-prober change.
@@ -65,6 +78,80 @@ apply_splash() {
     ok "Boot splash successfully updated!"
 }
 
+install_theme() {
+    local image_path=$1
+
+    [ -d "$THEME_SOURCE" ] || die "Theme source '$THEME_SOURCE' is missing from the checkout."
+
+    sudo install -d -m 0755 "$THEME_DIR"
+    sudo install -m 0644 "$THEME_SOURCE/blob.plymouth" "$THEME_DIR/blob.plymouth"
+    sudo install -m 0644 "$THEME_SOURCE/blob.script" "$THEME_DIR/blob.script"
+    sudo install -m 0644 "$image_path" "$PLYMOUTH_LOGO"
+    info "installed the blob theme to $THEME_DIR"
+}
+
+# A drop-in rather than an edit of HOOKS: mkinitcpio.conf.d is sourced after
+# the main config, so the hook can be inserted without rewriting a line the
+# user or another tool owns. plymouth has to come after udev, which starts the
+# devices it draws on.
+install_initramfs_hook() {
+    sudo install -d -m 0755 "$(dirname "$MKINITCPIO_DROPIN")"
+    sudo tee "$MKINITCPIO_DROPIN" >/dev/null <<'DROPIN'
+# Written by blob-boot. Adds the plymouth hook after udev, once.
+if [[ " ${HOOKS[*]} " != *" plymouth "* ]]; then
+    _hooks=()
+    for _hook in "${HOOKS[@]}"; do
+        _hooks+=("$_hook")
+        [[ $_hook == "udev" || $_hook == "systemd" ]] && _hooks+=("plymouth")
+    done
+    HOOKS=("${_hooks[@]}")
+    unset _hooks _hook
+fi
+DROPIN
+    info "wrote $MKINITCPIO_DROPIN"
+}
+
+# install.sh masks these so an unconfigured plymouth cannot hold the console and
+# leave the machine with no greeter and no TTY. A configured one needs them: if
+# plymouth-quit-wait stays masked the splash never hands the display back.
+enable_plymouth_units() {
+    local unit
+    for unit in plymouth-start.service plymouth-quit-wait.service; do
+        if [ "$(systemctl is-enabled "$unit" 2>/dev/null)" = "masked" ]; then
+            sudo systemctl unmask "$unit" >/dev/null
+            info "unmasked $unit"
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
+# plymouth only draws when the kernel was told to be quiet and to splash. The
+# bootloader owns that line, so report rather than rewrite anything but GRUB's.
+report_kernel_cmdline() {
+    local params="quiet splash vt.global_cursor_default=0"
+
+    if grep -qw splash /proc/cmdline; then
+        info "kernel command line already carries 'splash'"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    log "One step left: the kernel command line"
+    if using_grub; then
+        warn "GRUB is in charge. Add to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT in /etc/default/grub:"
+        warn "    $params"
+        warn "then: sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg"
+    elif [ -f /boot/limine.conf ]; then
+        warn "Limine is in charge. Add to the cmdline in /boot/limine.conf:"
+        warn "    $params"
+    elif [ -d /boot/loader/entries ]; then
+        warn "systemd-boot is in charge. Add to the options line in /boot/loader/entries/*.conf:"
+        warn "    $params"
+    else
+        warn "Add these to your bootloader's kernel command line:"
+        warn "    $params"
+    fi
+    warn "Without them the splash is drawn over by kernel messages."
+}
+
 # Call mkinitcpio directly: limine-mkinitcpio-hook installs a wrapper at
 # /usr/local/bin/mkinitcpio that stops to ask whether to rebuild Limine
 # entries, which is useless in a script. While Limine is still the active
@@ -82,6 +169,26 @@ using_grub() {
     [ -f /boot/grub/grub.cfg ] && [ -f /boot/EFI/GRUB/grubx64.efi ]
 }
 
+# Everything Limine-specific below is skipped on a machine that never had it:
+# reclaiming its space, removing its hooks, and rewriting the mkinitcpio preset
+# its hooks needed. Rewriting that preset elsewhere would drop the fallback
+# initramfs for no reason.
+limine_present() {
+    pacman -Qq limine &>/dev/null || [ -f /boot/limine.conf ] || [ -d /boot/EFI/limine ]
+}
+
+install_grub_packages() {
+    local missing=()
+    command -v grub-install >/dev/null || missing+=(grub)
+    command -v os-prober >/dev/null || missing+=(os-prober)
+
+    (( ${#missing[@]} == 0 )) && return 0
+
+    log "Installing ${missing[*]}"
+    sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm "${missing[@]}" \
+        || die "Could not install: ${missing[*]}"
+}
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Limine -> GRUB migration
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -92,10 +199,9 @@ migrate_to_grub() {
 
     [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] || die "Not booted in UEFI mode; this script assumes UEFI."
     mountpoint -q /boot || die "/boot is not mounted."
-    command -v grub-install >/dev/null || die "The 'grub' package is not installed."
-    command -v os-prober   >/dev/null || die "The 'os-prober' package is not installed."
 
     require_sudo
+    install_grub_packages
 
     local machine_id esp_uuid backup
     machine_id=$(</etc/machine-id)
@@ -111,8 +217,14 @@ migrate_to_grub() {
     sudo efibootmgr -v | sudo tee "$backup/efibootmgr-before.txt" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     info "saved."
 
+    if limine_present; then
         reclaim_esp_space "$machine_id" "$backup"
         restore_standard_initramfs
+    else
+        info "Limine is not installed; leaving the initramfs layout alone"
+        log "Building the initramfs"
+        rebuild_initramfs
+    fi
     configure_grub_scripts
     install_grub "$esp_uuid"
     fix_failing_boot_units
@@ -529,6 +641,12 @@ set_boot_order() {
 
 # Delete every trace of Limine and hand its EFI fallback path to GRUB.
 purge_limine() {
+    if ! limine_present; then
+        log "Claiming the removable EFI fallback path for GRUB"
+        sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB --removable --recheck
+        return 0
+    fi
+
     log "Removing Limine"
 
     drop_limine_pkgs limine limine-mkinitcpio-hook limine-snapper-sync

default/plymouth/blob.plymouth

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[Plymouth Theme]
+Name=Blob
+Description=Blob boot splash
+ModuleName=script
+
+[script]
+ImageDir=/usr/share/plymouth/themes/blob
+ScriptFile=/usr/share/plymouth/themes/blob/blob.script

default/plymouth/blob.script

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+Window.SetBackgroundTopColor(0.059, 0.063, 0.071);
+Window.SetBackgroundBottomColor(0.059, 0.063, 0.071);
+
+screen.width = Window.GetWidth();
+screen.height = Window.GetHeight();
+
+logo.image = Image("logo.png");
+logo.width = logo.image.GetWidth();
+logo.height = logo.image.GetHeight();
+
+scale_x = screen.width / logo.width;
+scale_y = screen.height / logo.height;
+
+scale = scale_x;
+if (scale_y < scale_x) {
+  scale = scale_y;
+}
+
+if (scale != 1) {
+  logo.image = logo.image.Scale(logo.width * scale, logo.height * scale);
+  logo.width = logo.image.GetWidth();
+  logo.height = logo.image.GetHeight();
+}
+
+logo.sprite = Sprite(logo.image);
+logo.sprite.SetX((screen.width - logo.width) / 2);
+logo.sprite.SetY((screen.height - logo.height) / 2);
+logo.sprite.SetZ(0);
+
+prompt.sprite = Sprite();
+prompt.sprite.SetZ(10);
+message.sprite = Sprite();
+message.sprite.SetZ(10);
+
+fun draw_prompt(text) {
+  if (text == "") {
+    prompt.sprite.SetImage(Image.Text(" ", 1, 1, 1));
+    return;
+  }
+
+  prompt.image = Image.Text(text, 0.8, 0.82, 0.85);
+  prompt.sprite.SetImage(prompt.image);
+  prompt.sprite.SetX((screen.width - prompt.image.GetWidth()) / 2);
+  prompt.sprite.SetY(screen.height * 0.82);
+}
+
+fun display_password_callback(prompt_text, bullets) {
+  dots = "";
+  index = 0;
+  while (index < bullets) {
+    dots += "*";
+    index++;
+  }
+  draw_prompt(prompt_text + " " + dots);
+}
+
+fun display_normal_callback() {
+  draw_prompt("");
+}
+
+fun message_callback(text) {
+  message.image = Image.Text(text, 0.8, 0.82, 0.85);
+  message.sprite.SetImage(message.image);
+  message.sprite.SetX((screen.width - message.image.GetWidth()) / 2);
+  message.sprite.SetY(screen.height * 0.9);
+}
+
+Plymouth.SetDisplayPasswordFunction(display_password_callback);
+Plymouth.SetDisplayNormalFunction(display_normal_callback);
+Plymouth.SetMessageFunction(message_callback);

docs/install.md

@@ -74,9 +74,10 @@ with `--check`.
    avahi, docker, power-profiles-daemon, and oomd.
    `NetworkManager-wait-online.service` is masked so a slow DHCP lease cannot
    hold up the login screen, and `plymouth-start.service` and
-   `plymouth-quit-wait.service` are masked because Blob configures no boot
+   `plymouth-quit-wait.service` are masked because an unconfigured plymouth
-   splash: an unconfigured plymouth holds the console and leaves the machine
+   holds the console and leaves the machine with neither a greeter nor a TTY.
-   with neither a greeter nor a TTY. See [packages.md](packages.md).
+   `blob boot` unmasks them when it sets the splash up. See
+   [packages.md](packages.md#the-boot-splash).
 9. **The login screen** is SDDM. It has to be installed first: if
    `sddm.service` is not there, the installer says whether the package is
    missing or whether systemd has simply not re-read its units yet, and carries

docs/packages.md

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Two are worth knowing about:
 `install.sh` installs what is missing before it writes any config:
 
 ```
-packages/blob.packages       121 packages from core, extra, multilib
+packages/blob.packages       123 packages from core, extra, multilib
 packages/blob-aur.packages    11 packages with no official equivalent
 ```
 
@@ -136,23 +136,27 @@ Omarchy's own package list, because they were installed by hand on this machine:
 
 `playerctl` is in official `extra`, so it sits in the repo list.
 
-## No boot splash
+## The boot splash
 
-`plymouth` is deliberately not on either list. Blob configures no splash: there
+`plymouth` is installed but left inert, and the splash is opt-in through one
-is no mkinitcpio hook, no kernel command line, and `default/plymouth/` ships no
+command:
-theme assets, so `blob-plymouth-set` has nothing to publish either. An installed
-but unconfigured plymouth is not harmless - it takes the console at boot and
-never hands it back, and `getty@tty1` waits on `plymouth-quit-wait.service`, so
-the machine reaches neither the greeter nor a TTY.
-
-`install.sh` masks `plymouth-start.service` and `plymouth-quit-wait.service` for
-that reason, which un-breaks a machine that already has the package. To go
-further:
 
 ```
-sudo pacman -Rns plymouth
+blob boot                    # branding/boot_flash.png
+blob boot ~/some/image.png   # or any other image
 ```
 
+The reason it is opt-in is that an installed but *unconfigured* plymouth is not
+harmless: it takes the console at boot and never hands it back, and
+`getty@tty1` waits on `plymouth-quit-wait.service`, so the machine reaches
+neither the greeter nor a TTY. `install.sh` therefore masks
+`plymouth-start.service` and `plymouth-quit-wait.service`, and `blob boot`
+unmasks them as part of configuring everything else - the theme in
+`default/plymouth/`, the `plymouth` mkinitcpio hook, and the initramfs rebuild.
+It finishes by printing the kernel parameters your bootloader still needs
+(`quiet splash vt.global_cursor_default=0`), because that line is the one thing
+it will not rewrite for a bootloader other than GRUB.
+
 ## Updating
 
 ```

packages/blob.packages

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ wl-clipboard
 wtype
 socat
 inotify-tools
+plymouth
 polkit
 
 # Shell widget backends