Porteus-1.2 feedback

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Thor
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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#91 by Thor » 17 Oct 2012, 10:56

Language:
Servicemenus should be a quick thing to translate. I agree with a bit more complicated when it comes to the distro-specifics.. Must be some users trustworthy in this forum to post translations and other trustworthy to verify. It ain't important apart from those times one wish to introduce linux to pc-newbies and english analphabetics.. They are not interested in bash and other advanced features of linux. They take what they get and believe that is all there is to it.

Cheat code:
I may get away with noload, which i had forgotten about. But i can't really see how it complicates stuff. I added the same extramod to my old slax distro and never ran into issues as far as I remember (which ain't a long distance). Copy2Ram....check sum of filesize before loading....Mounting devices...Well most of the extramods will be on devices already mounted, just in different folders and paths and maybe also different filesystems.
COPY2RAM:
Why "all or nothing" ?? I have large benefits from running Xorg from ram, but sure as hell do not need firefox there occupying space. You could add an extra check:
If copy2ram; then if ramfolder=some other than default load from it; else load from default.....

Anyhow I've just done a module for saving the changes only once. It copies only from home-folder as I believe changes in other folders are not "desktop-settings" but programs or scripts or fixes that are better off as a single module. It also test for file size to avoid big downloads, as they neither are related to "settings". Boot with "saveonexit" and scripts run automatically at shutdown (or from kde). Merges previous backups into 1 module. Quick as hell on my main pc...Only 1 issue left: Your function "insertmod" aparently doesn't search for startup/initscripts in the modules which I think I saw that "activate" did ( I believe it runs through folders named init.d for scripts).. So adding lines to rc.local_shutdown etc cannot be done without replacing the whole file (which is a big mistake). This should be fixed ! .....But then again...for the moment one can just add the scripts to xorg autostart, albeit a bit less sophisticated.
Apropos: You have any module upload section ?

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Hamza
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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#92 by Hamza » 17 Oct 2012, 16:38

@Thor,
Unfortunately, we cannot provide module section. This feature is highly requested and appreciated by users. We're a community that don't make any money. Nothing. To make this dream possible, we should run a machine (dedicated one) somewhere around the world (on a backbone) and setup a whole system only for this use. The problem is not from website nor from Module section development but from the way to pay this machine. To provides a correct service and also a correct download speed to all users, we must have a high bandwidth capacity which is not free of charge.

We have setup an account to receive donations but I don't know where is this account gone.
NjVFQzY2Rg==

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#93 by Thor » 17 Oct 2012, 18:10

Hamza wrote:@Thor,
Unfortunately, we cannot provide module section. This feature is highly requested and appreciated by users. We're a community that don't make any money. Nothing. To make this dream possible, we should run a machine (dedicated one) somewhere around the world (on a backbone) and setup a whole system only for this use. The problem is not from website nor from Module section development but from the way to pay this machine. To provides a correct service and also a correct download speed to all users, we must have a high bandwidth capacity which is not free of charge.

We have setup an account to receive donations but I don't know where is this account gone.
That's very understandble.
These days shouldn't be a hindrance either. I came to think about gmail and found out they have started sharing files as well. Uploaded my saveonexit module there. I think the link should work since I've tested it from another pc (albeit not a different IP). First time I used that google disk

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9BJM4g ... edit?pli=1

What it does...:
add "saveonexit" as a cheat code at boot. Then it will add and delete changes under /root during at shutdown. Merge backup + previous backup into an xzm module in /modulepath/modules. Porteus_changes-somedates.xzm..And of course totally useless if one uses the "changes" cheat code. But very useful for those with slow disks that slows the system when "changes" are in use..

(Dam...Linux has become not only fun and work, but very convenient these days. My pc has enough cores to just use virtualization those few times Windows is needed. Haven't even bother to check out were Wine has gotten to now .. There are always these small obstacles. Like google wouldn't load the file to be uploaded running opera on linux, but bam...Just fire up micro-xp in virtualbox with no need to first shut down vbox-porteus-32 and job done :) )


There was a windows fs and a symlink issue so a new upload. 02
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9BJM4g ... oyQ1U/edit


:%) Always something...Forgotten to uncomment the check for the cheat code, so it just ran anyway without boot params... :bad: 03
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9BJM4g ... R1eTA/edit

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fanthom
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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#94 by fanthom » 18 Oct 2012, 00:41

@Thor
I added the same extramod to my old slax distro and never ran into issues as far as I remember (which ain't a long distance).
ok - i have rewritten larger parts of linuxrc and this shouldn't be an issue anymore. Porteus-2.0 will have a support for multiple extramod folders.
If copy2ram; then if ramfolder=some other than default load from it; else load from default.....
this is an excellent idea - no point for keeping 000-kernel.xzm in RAM while this module is useful only during boot (when udev loads all drivers) and rarely during live session (for hotplug, mounting new filesystems, setting iptables, etc..).
unfortunately it has one disadvantage:
modules (at least from /base) must be inserted in a alphabetic order to aufs. if user wants to load only lxde to RAM then he would have to move it to ramfolder= thus break this rule (linuxrc searches for modules in following order: /base /modules /optional extramod= ramfolder=).

i have come up with following solution (and renamed 'ramfolder=' to 'rammod='):
instead of moving modules physically to separate folder user can just specify module names (works also for folders) which will be loaded to RAM.

example:
rammod=002;003;opera;ktorrent;essential-modules
this cheat will load 002-xorg.xzm, 003-lxde.xzm, opera/ktorrent.xzm and whole folder named 'essential-modules' to RAM .
the rest (000-kernel.xzm, 001-core.xzm and 005-devel.xzm) will be accessed from usb stick as normal.
this way user can save RAM and still gain speed offered by copy2ram :)

features:
- works for modules placed in /base /modules /optional (required 'load=' cheat) and any other folder (requires 'extramod=' cheat)
- 'rammod' is very flexible, for example 'rammod=base' will load all (and only) modules from /base folder to RAM.

requirements:
- 'rammod=' cheatcode must be used together with 'copy2ram' cheatcode

i hope it wont be too complicated....
(i'm sure Ahau will do his magic with cheat description :P)

btw: please post your "saveonexit" module in "Community effort" section of the forum otherwise it'll be lost pretty soon (i doubt anyone is going through every post in this thread).

btw2: if you dont mind i'll bump your rank to "Contributor".
Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#95 by Thor » 18 Oct 2012, 08:52

Excellent ! I like your interpretation

Good to hear you guys are open for further tweaks and mods. I believe that is the best way to keep an upgoing forum..Those rammods was maybe of more value back in the days when ram was expensive. Did propose it on another distro back then, but better late then never :)

Credit to your speed maaan. Your working fast !
About the bumping...Sounds good (though not sure what it spells :D )

I'll post the module in the section mentioned. I made it as a tool for an old give-away pc and as an exemplification of a new suggested/possible cheat code/changes-tweak. Honestly speaking my disks are fast enough without it, but it was sort of fun to see what it could to on a system with some old 520mb slow usb-sticks as disks.

An issue on screen saver. This you might have gotten some feedback on already.... Running kde on 32-64 , X overrides the KDE screen saver configuration. So when it is turned off in KDE it is still running by system. So I need to do an "xset -dpms" to turn it off

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#96 by Iapetus » 18 Oct 2012, 15:48

@fanthom,

At Ahau's request, I've prepared some modifications for cheatcodes.txt, please let me know if I've captured things accurately:

updated 'extramod' (add support for multiple folders):

Code: Select all

extramod=/path/to_folder/with_modules
extramod=/dev/device/path/to_folder/with_modules
extramod=LABEL:YourLabelName/path/to_folder/with_modules
extramod=UUID:STrING-0F-ChARACtERS/path/to_folder/with_modules

   ... This cheatcode lets you load modules from one or more external
       folders that are located outside of the /porteus directory. 
       The full path(s) are not required, although it is recommended to
       avoid searching through all devices.  Multiple folders can be
       specified, with full paths separated by a semicolon without
       any spaces.
       Example: 'extramod=/mnt/sdb3/porteus/xzm-modules'
       Example: 'extramod=/mnt/sdb2/porteus/gimp_modules;/mnt/sdc4/porteus/inkscape_modules'
updated 'copy2ram' (add note for 'rammod'):

Code: Select all

copy2ram

   ... Copy all files (all required and optional modules) to RAM.
       You'll need at least 320MB of RAM to do this and boot Porteus 
       properly. (64-bit Porteus with KDE-4 requires at least 768MB of 
       RAM for this) This will slow down the boot phase but it will 
       speed up Porteus!
	 
	 Reminder: the 'noeject' cheatcode can be used together with 
       'copy2ram' to prevent unmounting of your booting media 
       (CD/DVD disc, usb, card readers, etc).  You can also use 
       'rammod' to selectively load modules to RAM--see 'rammod' 
       below.
new 'rammod' entry:

Code: Select all

rammod=module
rammod=folder
rammod=module[1];module[n];folder[1];folder[2]

   ... Specify module(s) or folder(s) containing modules which should
       be copied to RAM when using the 'copy2ram' cheatcode.  This 
       allows you to have the speed benefit of 'copy2ram' for the 
       modules you use the most, without occupying your RAM with those
       modules that you make use of less often.  Any modules that are 
       not specified will be mounted in place on the block device, so
       your device must remain mounted while Porteus is running.

       You can use a full or partial names for your search string,
       but keep in mind that all modules and folders that match your
       string will be loaded into RAM; if you have extra modules in a
       folder named 'lxde' and you use 'rammod=lxde', then the module 
       003-lxde.xzm from /porteus/base will be loaded in addition to
       all modules in the 'lxde' folder.

       NOTE: 'rammod' cannot be used without 'copy2ram', and it also
       will not load modules from /porteus/optional or external 
       locations unless you also specify these modules with the
       'load=' or 'extramod=' cheatcodes. 

       Example: 'rammod=001;002;004;firefox'
       Example: 'extramod=/mnt/sdb3/porteus/gimp rammod=001;002;gimp'

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#97 by fanthom » 18 Oct 2012, 17:56

Only 1 issue left: Your function "insertmod" aparently doesn't search for startup/initscripts in the modules which I think I saw that "activate" did ( I believe it runs through folders named init.d for scripts).
not sure what you mean.
'insertmod' is a function from linuxrc and it doesn't search for startup/initscripts indeed because there is no point for it.
services does not exist in initrd so there is nothing to start.

'activate' from 001-core.xzm is a separated script (completely independent from linuxrc, also: we dont have liblinuxlive from slax as is not needed) which calls /opt/porteus-script/xorg/aufs-insert which searches for startup scripts alright:

Code: Select all

# Find all rc scripts from the module:
for SCRIPT in `find $MOD/etc/rc.d $MOD/etc/init.d $MOD/etc/rc.d/init.d -type f -maxdepth 1 2>/dev/null | sed s^$MOD^^ | sort -u`; do
    test -x $SCRIPT && echo $SCRIPT >> /mnt/live/tmp/caches/services
done
the reason for having 'activate' and 'aufs-insert' is the ability to activate multiple modules with one mouse click. this operation is insanely fast as caches are updated only once at the end and not for each module separately..
works for activating, deactivating and mixed operations like 'deactivating through activation'.
please try to activate 20+ modules at once. i'm sure it wont take longer than 2 seconds :)
video presentation:
link
. So adding lines to rc.local_shutdown etc cannot be done without replacing the whole file (which is a big mistake). This should be fixed !
please use sysvinit scripts for runlevel 6 and you can have as many shutdown scripts as you want.
X overrides the KDE screen saver configuration. So when it is turned off in KDE it is still running by system. So I need to do an "xset -dpms" to turn it off
yes - this is a known issue.

@Iapetus,
looks good to me - thanks a lot!
Please add [Solved] to your thread title if the solution was found.

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#98 by Ahau » 18 Oct 2012, 18:15

Just one minor point to clarify the discussion -- 'insertmod' in linuxrc doesn't need to check for init scripts in modules simply because it's too early in the boot process to make use of an init script. If a module contains an init script for runlevel 4, for example, that script will be run automatically when the system enters init 4, through rc.M. 'activate' needs to proactively check for init scripts because the system isn't changing runlevels after the module is activated, and the module might contain software that requires cache updates, etc. that would not be run otherwise.
Please take a look at our online documentation, here. Suggestions are welcome!

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#99 by Thor » 18 Oct 2012, 21:03

Looks really good that ram implementation and the explanation of it was very clear.

Startup: I thought all scripts in the rc.d-folder were supposively executed, but apparently not. At least I couldn't get it right. I just looked into a couple of my old slax modules. I see that I have put them into specific run levels in those few I've looked into..and I guess that is what your'e saying I need to do in porteus as well..Somehow I remebered it as that adding them to rc.d was enough if you wanted to have it executed independent of run levels.. My mistake, sorry. Maybe I blended startup and live module injection. Been some years since I've opened one of those folders.. I'll fire up a VM and check it out after a shower ( and sorry I should have done it already and I though about doing it too. I was just a bit lazy and too sure rc.d was enough :) )


Got it working. Apparently equal to Slax: Put scripts into a run level folder AND (which I had totally forgotten) add a capital "S" at the start of the name of the script

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#100 by Thor » 19 Oct 2012, 13:14

I've done what i hope is my last version of that cheat code variaton of changes: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9BJM4g ... lMUUE/edit

It seems to be working well and working on it brought an idea to me...
Modularization of most cheat codes often works well enough as a stand alone module, or rather "stand outside distro" module.
It could maybe be an idea to do what you have done with the packet manager, add a module in the extra dir called "extra cheat codes" or something. Or maybe have a "testing dir" with stuff like that.
Get some feedback on them before they are implemented in the distro.

Apropos: hm.. loading to ram with not enough memory for modules brings that "module corrupted ?" message. Could add "....or not enough ram" or just to a stat of file sizes before starting to load to ram. Same with the installer. Running xfce and it demands 100mb more free space than the size of the CD :). Again a better option is to calculate total module size vs free disk space.

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#101 by fanthom » 19 Oct 2012, 23:20

It could maybe be an idea to do what you have done with the packet manager, add a module in the extra dir called "extra cheat codes" or something. Or maybe have a "testing dir" with stuff like that.
if you refer to "testing dir" on the server that no one would spot it i'm afraid.
"Community effort" is better place for projects like that as you can provide documentation, receive bug reports and suggestions.
XFCE edition was born over there to be officially accepted once it matured a bit.
loading to ram with not enough memory for modules brings that "module corrupted ?" message. Could add "....or not enough ram" or just to a stat of file sizes before starting to load to ram.
tweaked the code once again.
modules are copied one by one and if any fails then the rest are skipped (not fully copied xzm is removed from /memory/copy2ram to free up the space in tmpfs)
this way users should always finish at least in the text mode.
with 128MB 000+001 are copied to ram (ramsize set to 60%) and booting media is ejected.
porteus works without problems.

btw; i'll delete your thread from "i486 modules"
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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#102 by Thor » 20 Oct 2012, 09:38

Yeah I'm not fully into the forum sections yet.. Thx for deleting it for me. I couldn't find any sort of "move thread" function.

Again...you guys are really working fast. Porteus is indeed alive.

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#103 by Rava » 27 Oct 2012, 18:20

Ahau wrote:@Rava, no, I never experienced that issue (no resume after suspend on nVidia) so I'm not sure what the deal was. I have a new laptop now (old one broke) and so it's a little harder for me to test nVidia hardware (integrated graphics on the new one). If it was isolated to the kernel and driver combo, I'd compile a newer kernel and newer driver if they are available and give it a shot.
It is an issue with the current kernels and most of the current nVidia drivers...
I downloaded some more but not got the time to get to know which one is the right combination....
Ahau wrote:I never answered you about making a keyboard shortcut. You can do this through the Xfce menu: Menu -> Settings -> Keyboard --> Application Shortcuts tab, press "Add", type the command you want (e.g. setxkbmap de), then click OK, then press the key combo you want to use, and it will be set.
Thanks for that.

The strange thing... at times my wireless keyboard mouse clicks not work with X, but still the movements work and it works well in virtual console. When I pug in and out that usb thingy for the wireless keyboard, it gets reset to US, like I said.
But when that above bug happens, I need to stut down X and restart it. And then the keyboard is *geany* reset all by itself to DE... :crazy:
fanthom wrote:@Rava
i use eng dic a lot and would not survive without flashblock.
On the current machine I also sue flashblo0ck, but could not survive with adblock plus, noscript or lastpass, too... xD

Anyhow, I also sue Englih Dict, just UK (=English) xD
fanthom wrote:please write tutorial and simple script which stripes firefox xzm from unwanted dict/addons.
repacking should take less than 2 mins.
The stripping by itself is not that hard... but we need working setup files as well, these are adonns.* and extensions.* files. and the addons.* file are database ones, not that easy to create...
I need to think about that, the main extensions.* files are juit text files with the path to the wanted extensions, so scriptable...
fanthom wrote:btw: pushed latest firefox/flash to /testing/updates - please use PSC to download it.
PSC? What's that? I thought we should use PPM?

-...

Now I hope we have a working FFx 16.0.1 xD
Cheers!
Yours Rava

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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#104 by fanthom » 28 Oct 2012, 18:39

@Rava
PSC? What's that? I thought we should use PPM?
i cant push 006-firefox update to the repo for 2 reasons:
a) this is bundle containing firefox + flash and we have only separated modules in the repo.
b) all updates/security fixes to the main ISO lands in /testing first:
link
before they are merged to next release.

you can use "Porteus Settings Centre" to download them and keep your OS updated.
Now I hope we have a working FFx 16.0.1 xD
just pushed firefox-16.0.2 and flash 11.2.2.2.243

changelog: link
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Re: Porteus-1.2 feedback

Post#105 by Rava » 29 Oct 2012, 06:09

fanthom wrote:
PSC? What's that? I thought we should use PPM?
i cant push 006-firefox update to the repo for 2 reasons:
a) this is bundle containing firefox + flash and we have only separated modules in the repo.
b) all updates/security fixes to the main ISO lands in /testing first:
link
before they are merged to next release.
OkaY...

But why not name 008-firefox-noarch-121028.xzm 008-firefox-i486-121028.xzm (from http://ponce.cc/porteus/i486/testing/updates/ )
and 006-firefox-noarch-121028.xzm 006-firefox-x86-64-121028.xzm (from http://ponce.cc/porteus/x86_64/testing/updates/)
Since it is not noarch...
Cheers!
Yours Rava

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