Dat save seemingly not working...

Post#1 by **TrumanMcNutt** » 15 Nov 2020, 01:36

Hello. I am using Porteus on a usb and I am trying to use a .dat file to save settings from one launch to the next. I have edited the config file and made the .dat file, and it seems like it /should/ work. It is encrypted, so I can get to the point where I input the passcode during boot and it acts like it is loading, but when the os boots to the desktop, it seems like nothing was actually loaded, and the os is back to factory defaults. If anything here is confusing, i can elaborate; and any help that can be provided is very much appreciated.

Post#2 by **Ed_P** » 15 Nov 2020, 05:17

Hello. Some questions. What version of 5.0 are you using? How did you get it on the USB drive? What format is the USB drive? How are you booting the USB drive? What config file did you edit and what edit did you make to it?

Post#3 by **TrumanMcNutt** » 15 Nov 2020, 13:28

I am using Porteus 5.0 with CINNAMON desktop (x86_64), I used rufus to put the iso image onto the usb drive, I am booting through my computer's bios, and the config file i edited was '/boot/syslinux/porteus.cfg' and i added 'changes=/porteus/save.dat' to the APPEND line of the graphical and copy2ram sections. Like I said in the original post, I don't think finding save.dat is the problem, as it is encrypted and when I boot porteus, it DOES prompt me to put in the encryption passcode, and when I enter the correct passcode, it boots (without any of the actual changes). I have also tried without the encryption, which didn't seem to work either.

Post#4 by **Ed_P** » 15 Nov 2020, 16:00

There are 2 test versions of 5.0, rc1 and rc2, which one are you using? Hopefully rc2, it has less bugs. It is also the one I use. The rest of what you wrote looks to be correct.

I also use the save.dat option and my changes cheatcode looks like this:
changes=EXIT:/porteus5.0/changes/porteussave.dat.
The EXIT option makes the system faster since there is less writing to the drive while running. How big is your save.dat file? Mine is 400Mb. When shutting down do you see a brief statement saying how full the save.dat file is?

What format is your drive? FAT32 or exFAT?

Post#5 by **TrumanMcNutt** » 15 Nov 2020, 21:52

It's rc1, and I'm not sure where to get rc2, I don't see it at any of the download mirror pages. The drive is FAT32 and the dat file is 512Mb.

Post#6 by **TrumanMcNutt** » 15 Nov 2020, 22:46

update: I got rc2, and the situation seems more hopeful because this time on startup I got a message letting me know I needed a save container to keep changes (this did not happen on rc1). There is a new problem though, in the save file manager, it will not let me choose a directory to put the .dat file in. It has a box marked "location:" and a button next to it that I assumed would open the file manager to choose a folder. I cannot type in the box and the button seemingly does nothing. I have tried this as guest and as "root". Thanks for the help.

Post#7 by **TrumanMcNutt** » 16 Nov 2020, 02:16

Final update: I made a .dat file in rc1, then copy+pasted it to the rc2 to get around not being able to make/alter one. It isn't perfect, there are still some problems with the OS, but this is good enough :/

Post#8 by **Ed_P** » 16 Nov 2020, 04:18

With my Cinnamon rc2 system the button next to the "location" box does open a window to find and select a folder for the save.dat file. Not sure why your senario is different.

Have you tried the Porteus 4.0 Cinnamon system?

Post#9 by **roadie** » 16 Nov 2020, 06:27

Just tried Cinnamon and Xfce4...5.0-rc2... the savefile is not working as TrumanMcNutt has said. The option to input a location doesn't accept anything and the directory button does nothing.

Tests done in Always Fresh.

EDIT:
Booting from the Cinnamon ISO gives the same result.
Md5sum of the ISO: 22d793ffc315dde6f10e3b8075659366

Post#10 by **ncmprhnsbl** » 16 Nov 2020, 07:06

roadie wrote: ↑
16 Nov 2020, 06:27
the savefile is not working

yes, this is one of the many half done scripts in RC2..
it works for Ed, i guess, because he's using a "preview" version i gave him to try..
i'll try to bundle up some of the updated scripts for RC2 and share it, since RC3 could be a little way off..
EDIT:
here's some: 09-pscripts-RC2-20201116.xzm
including the save file management tools, among others..
put in your <usb>/porteus/modules folder to have it activate at boot.

Post#11 by **TrumanMcNutt** » 16 Nov 2020, 12:45

This worked! thank you very much for the help.