Do it yourself Skype

Good day.



After the last Skype update (version 8.51.0.92) under Linux (Mint, Cinnamon shell), I encountered an unpleasant bug when switching the language layout in the message input field: when you press Alt + Shift, the focus, from the input field, goes to the top panel of the window (menu).



For several days of active use, it has become incredibly enraging. A colleague using Ubuntu said that a bug also appears there. I managed to fix the problem (crutch), I decided to share it with the community, I hope someone helps.



I didn’t have time to carefully analyze the sources, I decided to just remove this panel from the menu permanently - I don’t need it at all, almost all the functionality is duplicated below, and you can get into the settings through the three-point menu.



1. We install the npm package manager (if not installed).

sudo apt install npm
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
        
        
        
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
     

2. We put the package asar

 sudo npm install -g asar
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
        
        
        
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
     

3. Go to the directory with the packed Skype files

 cd /usr/share/skypeforlinux/resources/
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
        
        
        
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
     

4. Unpack the app.asar we need into the relative app directory

 sudo asar extract app.asar app
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
        
        
        
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
     

5. Turn off Skype



6. Rename the original app.asar file (when Electron does not find the asar file, it will use the unpacked sources from the relative app directory)

 sudo mv /usr/share/skypeforlinux/resources/app.asar /usr/share/skypeforlinux/resources/app.asar.backup
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
        
        
        
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
     

7. Checking Skype performance: just turn it on and off.



8. Open the file /usr/share/skypeforlinux/resources/app/WindowBase.js in your favorite text editor, under sudo, and add the following line to the constructor after creating the BrowserWindow object:

 this._instance.setMenuBarVisibility(false);
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
        
        
        
      
      

        
        
        
      

    
     

The documentation of this on the function from point 8: win.setMenuBarVisibility (visible)



The solution, of course, is not the most beautiful, but working (until the next update).



Thanks for your attention.