* Package name    : cobang
   Version         : 2.5.0
   Upstream Contact: CoBang developer
* URL             : https://github.com/hongquan/CoBang
* License         : GPLv3
   Programming Lang: Python
   Description     : A QR code scanner desktop app for Linux

A modern, lightweight GUI based QR code scanner and generator compatible
with Wayland and is actively maintained. The currently packaged
alternatives in Debian repos no longer suffice for one reason or another.

 From the dev's page:


"    QtQR:
         Pretty old code.
         Its integration of other library is not good: cannot embed
webcam video into its window.
         Depend on X Window System.
     zbarcam:
         Command-line tool, it creates a very basic window with only
video display, no control buttons, no result display, no label.
         Users have to come back to Terminal to see the result, and the
result are just raw text, no decoding for structured data like WiFi
info, URL etc.
         Depend on X Window System.
     Some Electron-based programs in GitHub:
         Using Electron stack, which is unnecessary fat [1].
         The UI doesn't look native.
         Depend on X Window System.

X-dependence is a major concern because I want to boost up the migration
of Linux desktop from old X Window System to more modern Wayland. Those
X-dependent applications drag the transition, not only does it make the
OS installation big (have to include an X server next to Wayland
compositor), but also waste time fixing bugs of X - Wayland cooperation."

This is true, QtQR is abandoned upstream. (I recently ported it to Qt6,
which the maintainer was kind enough to include in the package, cf.
#1129518)

...but that is not. There are no X dependencies in the package or its
dependencies AFAIK. I'm using it with Wayland myself.

I don't use zbarcam directly but don't think this is true either.

...neither is this, although in some cases you need to go through extra
steps (--enable-features=UseOzonePlatform,WaylandWindowDecorations
--ozone-platform=wayland)

Faidon

On 3/23/26 14:27, Faidon Liambotis wrote:
 > On Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 01:29:00PM +0000, hulahoop@whonix.org wrote:
 >>  From the dev's page:
 >> "    QtQR:
 >>          Pretty old code.
 >
 > This is true, QtQR is abandoned upstream. (I recently ported it to Qt6,
 > which the maintainer was kind enough to include in the package, cf.
 > #1129518)
 >
 >>          Depend on X Window System.
 >
 > ...but that is not. There are no X dependencies in the package or its
 > dependencies AFAIK. I'm using it with Wayland myself.
 >
Thanks for chiming in. I had been using QtQr which had been working
until upgrading to Trixie. After that, it can no longer "see" my webcam
to open it for scanning, so I was lead to believe that this was the case.

Is the version you updated available from backports?

 >>      zbarcam:
 >>          Depend on X Window System.
 >
 > I don't use zbarcam directly but don't think this is true either.
 >
 >>      Some Electron-based programs in GitHub:
 >>          Depend on X Window System.
 >
 > ...neither is this, although in some cases you need to go through extra
 > steps (--enable-features=UseOzonePlatform,WaylandWindowDecorations
 > --ozone-platform=wayland)
 >
 > Faidon

Hello!

Could this issue be re-titled? The current title violates format
"(ITA|ITP|O|RFA|RFH|RFP): package -- description" and as a result the
issue cannot be auto-imported to https://wnpp.debian.net/ . A confirming
title would be "RFP: cobang - A modern QR scanner/generator for the
Linux desktop". It would be cool if that could be fixed — thank you!

PS: There is another RFP for the same package at
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1000264 .
     Maybe one of the two can be closed as a duplicate also.

Best, Sebastian