Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

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rcrsf
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Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#1 by rcrsf » 30 Apr 2015, 22:15

I've been experimenting with "Porteus Save Session" in the Porteus Settings Centre. It seems to save my Firefox settings (logged in sessions, passwords, bookmarks), but it doesn't save my Porteus desktop layout. Nor does it save my wireless network password (as Save File does).

Does that sound right?

I'm using the XFCE desktop if that makes any difference.

Thanks for any input

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Rava
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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#2 by Rava » 02 May 2015, 06:51

I had issues with saving all my desktop settings in XFCe at times, too... But I don't use Save sessions, all that gets saved I put manually into a module that gets loaded the last (I give all modules names from
000-- up to 99x-- so that I determine that my own settings never get overwritten by generic ones.
(The reason in my case was just that XFCe stores most settings in ~/.config/xfce4/, but a very few ones also in ~/.cache/xfce4/ or ~/.local/share/xfce4/helpers/) But none of that should occur to you when using save sessions, then all new should be saved... Unless it is stuff from ~/.cache/, I recall that some cache data is indeed left out by default, so it still could be the same reason as in my case. :)
I have to look into that more deeply, could take some days, since I not coded all that, me thinks either brokenman or fanthom did, so I have not all the details in mind but have to go through the documentation or scripts... If I not manage that in a timely manner I will notify admins [being a moderator myself enables me doing so] so that the relevant Porteus coders themselves will look into the issue and confirm if it was indeed because of omitting cache in save sessions, or hopefully find the reason if it's a different one.

Anyhow, can you also please try to check if the same happens with running the same Porteus (exactly the same modules loaded) and if the same error occurs?
If it is "just" the desktop settings that not get saved is already helpful to us, e.g. when the other machine is not able to user WiFi.
Cheers!
Yours Rava

rcrsf
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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#3 by rcrsf » 03 May 2015, 13:50

@Rava

Thanks for the input. I'm not sure exactly what you're asking with "check if the same happens with running the same Porteus (exactly the same modules loaded) and if the same error occurs". What should I be looking for? Sorry for the confusion.

What I would like to do is save all my Porteus settings (desktop layout, firefox bookmarks), and then be able to either:
1) create a new iso from that Porteus configuration for writing to a CD
or
2) write protect that USB disk
… Either way, my goal is to know that my original setup/settings are never touched.

My understanding is I have 2 potential ways to do that:
1) save the Porteus session (which is not working for me)
2) create a "Save file" (but I'm guessing that won't work on a CD or write-protected usb, since it will try to save the setting upon shutdown... which would fail on a write protected usb or cd).

You seem to be saying there's a 3rd way to save my settings (as a module)... is there any documentation for that? Or would you (or anyone else) be able to provide an example of making one desktop change via a module?

Thanks!

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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#4 by Rava » 03 May 2015, 17:56

rcrsf wrote:Thanks for the input. I'm not sure exactly what you're asking with "check if the same happens with running the same Porteus (exactly the same modules loaded) and if the same error occurs". What should I be looking for? Sorry for the confusion.
I meant, run it on another machine but use all modules you used when the error happened, like, not leave some out you usually not load.
What I would like to do is save all my Porteus settings (desktop layout, firefox bookmarks), and then be able to either:
1) create a new iso from that Porteus configuration for writing to a CD
or
2) write protect that USB disk
… Either way, my goal is to know that my original setup/settings are never touched.
Similar to my approach. I use a local module, named 990-settings-YYYY-MM-DD.xzm for my settings, and I named all modules starting with numbers, also the ones I include like palemoon, geany, mtpaint, so that I determine the order of module loading.

[I do update my 990-* module every few days, but that's mainly because I have my own scripts in there as well, and also for saving the palemoon changes, e.g. bookmarks)

And it is important that your settings module gets loaded last, of course, otherwise the more generic ones from other modules would overwrite your personal settings, and that's not how you want it.
So, re-naming all modules that get loaded at boot is a must, and best is using numbers at the beginning, the same style Porteus uses it for it's main modules, but including all other possible added modules. And your settings one must have a name that gets it loaded last. 990-* was a good choice for me, since it leaves some possibilities for adding modules even after that. Usually not needed, but did happen to me cause of debugging and such.
You seem to be saying there's a 3rd way to save my settings (as a module)... is there any documentation for that? Or would you (or anyone else) be able to provide an example of making one desktop change via a module?
I don't know if there is a doc or howto about that, but I could write one.

It is needed to look for the most recent files, e.g. in the home/settings folders, that differs between XFCe, LXQT, mate or KDE. I would explain how I do it with XFCe, and also the one-liner that only shows me the files that got changed, like, the very same minute as we have nor, or, say, it's 19:37, to show all files that got changed from 19:3? up to 19:37.

I think that would be a huge help for you, yes?
Cheers!
Yours Rava

rcrsf
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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#5 by rcrsf » 04 May 2015, 02:39

Yes, that would be VERY helpful. If you would be able to list the steps of saving my desktop layout and firefox settings (or palemoon) to a module, that would be great.

It makes perfect sense that such a module would have to be loaded last.

I mostly want to (1) put the XFCE menu bar on the bottom of the screen, and (2) save my firefox or pale moon bookmarks.

Appreciate your help – Thanks!


(As for testing my xfce saved session on another system, I'll have access to another system in a couple days. But it sounds like the module approach will be even better.)

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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#6 by Rava » 04 May 2015, 04:01

rcrsf wrote:Yes, that would be VERY helpful. If you would be able to list the steps of saving my desktop layout and firefox settings (or palemoon) to a module, that would be great.[...]
I mostly want to (1) put the XFCE menu bar on the bottom of the screen, and (2) save my firefox or pale moon bookmarks.
I will list my goals, what path are needed to be included, and howto find the relevant files, e.g. the changes to the XFCe menu, the new entries and the deletion, and howto do the search for files that got changed most recently.

Therefore I will post a prior / afterwards screenshot comparison, even when the prior just reflects Standard Port-XFCe, but still, often images speak louder than words...

All in all, it is sure not meant for any user to copy my own Menu and Desktop changes. Still, one could try it out to copy my changes, especially for learning purposes.

The idea of pre-created mini-modules that already do most of the tweaks to XFCe appeals to me, so that XFCe users can more easily change the look and feel into the one they prefer. :)
rcrsf wrote:But it sounds like the module approach will be even better.
Obviously that's how I see it as well...
Cheers!
Yours Rava

rcrsf
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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#7 by rcrsf » 06 May 2015, 02:44

That sounds great :good:
I'll look forward to hearing from you!

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Re: Porteus Save Session - Should it save desktop layout?

Post#8 by Rava » 11 Jun 2015, 11:07

rcrsf, sorry was too busy to get working on what I wanted to create for you.

But it seems, I somehow got a bug by some weird coincidences that ends in an USM error, I not get that when booting from an ISO without my local settings.
Even looking through all possible files that could create the error for USM I found not a single file that I saved in my local settings xzm that has anything to do with USM, still USM is buggy for me when I run my customized system.
So, when I got the time, I will set up a new fresh local settings module by copying only the files one by one into it, and maybe I even create more than one, trying to put in the most important tweaks first, booting into that to see if USM is okay, and then adding more and more data into it, maybe I can figure out which setting in which file finally made USM go buggy on me...
When do so, I sure am able to also record the data for you. Or have you managed to get it done by yourself by now? Since your last post was longer than 4 weeks ago by now...
Cheers!
Yours Rava

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