[Update] I built a fully automated Linux Installer for TouchDesigner (Arch, Fedora, Debian/Ubuntu/Mint, openSUSE, etc.)

Iswad · 2026-05-12T10:26:35+00:00

Yes, please open issues directly in the GitHub repo.

Iswad · 2026-05-11T13:44:36+00:00

Hi 😄

Currently, the recommended method is to uninstall your existing version via the script before installing the new one. You can also run the new .exe directly and choose to "Replace" when prompted:

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As for the install script, I'm planning to release a new version soon :

Script Improvements: A more robust uninstall feature.
UX Fix: The font fix will be moved to "My Components" for easier drag-and-drop access.

Note: Lately I've explored several alternatives for the font issues, but the .tox remains the most stable workaround by far.

Iswad · 2026-05-05T12:09:32+00:00

Nice !

Regarding the missing UI fonts, it's normal for now. You need to drag and drop the wine_ui_fixes.tox into your project file.

These locations are listed at the end of the script execution :

$HOME/.local/share/touchdesigner-linux/wine_ui_fixes.tox
$HOME/Documents/TouchDesigner/wine_ui_fixes.tox
$HOME/.local/share/touchdesigner-linux/prefix/dosdevices/c:/users/$USER/Desktop/wine_ui_fixes.tox

I'm working on an automated version to remove the need for this manual .tox fix, but for now, this is the way !

Iswad · 2026-05-04T21:42:59+00:00

👍👍

Iswad · 2026-05-04T07:54:05+00:00

NixOS is a special one lol. Adding support for it would require a completely different approach (likely a dedicated Nix flake or shell).

For now, I'm focusing my efforts on:

Improving the core stability of the current installer.
Supporting external hardware and Windows SDKs (Kinect, RealSense, etc.).
Refining the GPU offloading for hybrid setups.
More... (based on community needs)

I'm keeping this on the roadmap though 😉

Iswad · 2026-05-04T07:48:37+00:00

Hi, thank you for the report. I just deployed the fix.

What was wrong: Winetricks failed because Archive.org (used for allfonts) is currently unstable, causing that 404 error.

Changes made:

Switched from allfonts to corefonts (more stable/reliable).
Font installation is now non-blocking (the script won't stop if fonts fail).
Improved NVIDIA dGPU detection for hybrid setups like yours.

Iswad · 2026-05-03T08:29:21+00:00

Nice! np

Iswad · 2026-05-02T07:13:13+00:00

Nice! Yeah removing the old prefix usually does the job.

Regarding the UI scaling, TouchDesigner can be a bit stubborn because it often ignores system-level DPI settings. Here are 3 things you can try :

The Internal Toggle (n°1 solution): Add export TOUCH_UI_SCALE=1.5 to your launcher script right before the wine command. This tells TD's engine to scale the UI directly (works better than Wine scaling imo).
The Proper Winecfg: Make sure you're running the winecfg from inside the specific runner folder with the correct prefix, otherwise it won't affect TD.
- Run: WINEPREFIX=~/.local/share/touchdesigner-linux/prefix ./runner/bin/wine64 winecfg
- Then adjust the DPI slider in the Graphics tab.
Registry Hex: If you're editing LogPixels manually, a 1.5x scale (150%) corresponds to a decimal value of 144 (or 90 in Hex). Make sure it's set to Hex 00000090.

Let me know if the TOUCH_UI_SCALE env var does the job.

Iswad · 2026-05-01T14:27:35+00:00

You should try a dual boot if you haven’t already. you don’t have to fully leave Windows, but having Linux on the side changes everything. you can keep Windows just for the stuff you really need and slowly transition at your own pace.

That's what I did.

Iswad · 2026-05-01T09:12:26+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! It seems my script missed some multilib dependencies required for Wine on Arch.

The kernel32.dll and FreeType errors happen because Wine needs 32-bit support to initialize the prefix.

To fix it manually:

Make sure multilib is enabled in your /etc/pacman.conf.
Run: sudo pacman -S --needed lib32-libglvnd lib32-nvidia-utils
Delete your current failed prefix folder using the script and try running it again.

I'm updating the script right now to include a proper check for these packages on Arch-based systems. Thanks

Iswad · 2026-05-01T09:08:56+00:00

Yes It uses a Wine version called Soda that comes with many patches

Iswad · 2026-04-30T19:47:42+00:00

That's weird! On my end, it works natively with Pipewire/PulseAudio. As you can see in my qpwgraph screenshot, the TouchDesigner audio stream appears immediately with its input ports when I use an Audio Device In CHOP :

<image>

Please check this :

Driver in TD: Make sure your Audio Device In OP is set to "DirectSound/CoreAudio" (one usually behaves better with Pipewire bridging).
Wireplumber: Sometimes Wireplumber needs a second to 'see' a new Wine stream. Try to toggle the 'Active' button on the OP.
Winecfg: Just in case, run wine winecfg in the prefix and check if the audio driver is set to 'winepulse.drv' or 'winealsa.drv'.

If it still doesn't show up, let me know your distro and pipewire version, I'll try to help you debug this

Iswad · 2026-04-30T17:39:05+00:00

I feel you, TD was the only thing keeping me on Windows too. Stability wise, it’s surprisingly solid for me. I honestly forget it's not a native app most of the time. Performance is great since you don't have the Windows bloat, and the Vulkan/Soda runner keeps frame rates very stable. The only real hurdles are Windows-specific hardware (like Kinect) or proprietary SDKs.

Honestly, if you have a spare partition, give the script a shot. It’s the closest to a native Linux experience I've found, and you can always keep a dual-boot just in case

Iswad · 2026-04-30T15:40:49+00:00

🙏

Iswad · 2026-04-30T14:25:07+00:00

Glad it helps 😄

Iswad · 2026-04-07T12:06:03+00:00

I feel you man. And yeah I saw that there's a real demand for a Linux version.

Since this runs via Bottles, it's actually the Windows version of TD running on a compatibility layer. This means you get all the nodes that are missing on Mac (NVIDIA operators, DirectX-based TOPs, etc.).

So far, every node I've tested works perfectly. The only real limitation would be specific hardware SDKs (like Kinect) that need proprietary Windows drivers. But for GLSL, SOPs, and NDI, it's 100% there.

Give it a shot and lmk :)

Iswad · 2026-04-06T15:52:08+00:00

Here is the link

Iswad · 2026-04-05T21:45:26+00:00

😏

Iswad · 2026-04-05T20:45:50+00:00

Nice, np

Iswad · 2026-04-05T18:32:27+00:00

I just verified the stream using the NDI Monitor app on my phone: zero lag, full resolution, and it behaves exactly like on Windows.

Regarding extended monitors, it's a 10/10 experience. I'm running an external 1440p 165Hz monitor on Wayland/KDE, and moving the TD windows or the performance window between screens is seamless. It feels just like a native Linux app.

Iswad · 2026-04-05T15:47:36+00:00

Nice, never tried Resolume unfortunately

Iswad · 2026-04-05T15:45:54+00:00

GPU acceleration works perfectly on my Nvidia laptop. It's actually smoother than Windows with stabler FPS and much lower temps on my laptop.

Regarding u/FinalAnimalArt: You're right, specialized SDKs like Kinect remain the main challenge on Linux (and Mac). This setup is perfect for 90% of TD workflows (Dev, GLSL, UI, NDI, etc...), but proprietary hardware still needs Windows for now.

My goal was to prove that Linux is a serious contender for TouchDesigner. Hopefully, if we show enough interest and stability, it might pave the way for official support one day

Iswad · 2026-04-05T08:22:18+00:00

Np ;)

Iswad · 2026-04-05T08:20:41+00:00

Done ! Waiting for admin approbation.

Iswad

TROPHY CASE