Ypsilon Picker (PHP CLI) ?

Authors: ChatGPT by OpenAI & Engin Ypsilon by class:Parent()

Overview

Ypsilon Picker is a simple terminal-based color picker for Wayland-based GNOME desktops. Click anywhere on the screen and instantly retrieve the RGB and HEX values of the selected color.

Features

• ? Wayland-compatible ? Works on modern GNOME, unlike X11-based pickers.
• ? Minimal & fast ? A single PHP script with no dependencies beyond PHP and GNOME?s built-in tools.
• ? Optional clipboard support ? Automatically copies the HEX value to your clipboard.
• ? Easy access ? Use it as a CLI tool or create a desktop launcher for quick access.

Installation

Ypsilon Picker is a lightweight PHP script (~50 lines of code) that requires no dependencies beyond GNOME. You can run it directly or set up a shortcut for convenience.

1. Install the script

Clone this repository into your local <ins>bin</ins> directory (or another preferred location):

mkdir -p ~/bin/ypsilonpicker-php
cd ~/bin/ypsilonpicker-php
git clone https://github.com/eypsilon/ypsilonpicker-php.git .
chmod +x YpsilonPicker.php

Usage

Simply run:

~/bin/ypsilonpicker-php/YpsilonPicker.php

__Example output after selection__

Click anywhere on the screen to pick a color...
RGB: 23 20 33
HEX: #171421
HEX copied to clipboard!

\* If wl-clipboard is installed, the HEX value is automatically copied to your clipboard:

sudo apt install wl-clipboard

Optional Setup

*1. Create a Bash Alias (for CLI users)*

To shorten the command, add this alias to your <ins>.bashrc</ins> or <ins>.zshrc</ins>:

# sudo nano ~/.bash_aliases
alias ypick="~/bin/ypsilonpicker-php/YpsilonPicker.php"

# Reload your shell
source ~/.bashrc
# or source ~/.zshrc

Now, simply type ypick in the terminal to launch it! ??

*2. Create a Desktop Launcher (for GUI users)*

If you want to launch Ypsilon Picker from your application menu, create a <ins>.desktop</ins> file.

• Create the launcher file:

# Do NOT use `sudo` to avoid permission issues
nano ~/.local/share/applications/ypsilonpicker.desktop

• Add the following content:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Ypsilon Picker
Comment=Pick colors from the screen
Exec=gnome-terminal --geometry=60x12+100+100 -- bash -c "php ~/bin/ypsilonpicker-php/YpsilonPicker.php; exec bash"
Icon=preferences-color
Terminal=true
Type=Application
Categories=Utility;

• Save and close the file (Ctrl+o, then Enter, then Ctrl-x).

Now, you can search for "Ypsilon Picker" in your application menu and run it like a boss! ?

Troubleshooting (if the launcher doesn?t work)

Ensure correct ownership (only needed if you used sudo when creating the file):

sudo chown $USER:$USER ~/.local/share/applications/ypsilonpicker.desktop

Mark the file as trusted (to avoid untrusted application warnings):

gio set ~/.local/share/applications/ypsilonpicker.desktop metadata::trusted true

Update the desktop database (if the launcher doesn?t appear):

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications/

Alternative: Bash Version

If you prefer a Bash script instead of PHP, use this:

#!/bin/bash
# Ypsilon Picker (Bash)
echo "Click anywhere on the screen to pick a color..."
sleep 0.5

output=$(gdbus call --session --dest org.gnome.Shell.Screenshot --object-path /org/gnome/Shell/Screenshot --method org.gnome.Shell.Screenshot.PickColor)
colors=($(echo $output | grep -o "[0-9\.]*"))

LC_NUMERIC=C
for ((i = 0; i < ${#colors[@]}; i++)); do
    colors[$i]=$(echo "${colors[$i]} * 255" | bc | awk '{printf "%.0f\n", $1}')
done

echo "RGB: ${colors[0]} ${colors[1]} ${colors[2]}"
printf "HEX: #%02x%02x%02x\n" "${colors[0]}" "${colors[1]}" "${colors[2]}"

Just save it as ypsilonpicker.sh, make it executable, and run it:

chmod +x ypsilonpicker.sh
./ypsilonpicker.sh

> 2. Alternative: GNOME Shell extension version

License

MIT License

<!-- Tags for searchability --> Tags: Color-Picker Wayland-Color-Picker Linux-Color-Picker GNOME-Color-Picker CLI-Color-Picker RGB-Hex-Extractor PHP-Terminal-Tool Open-Source-Color-Picker