sfs_load-2.4 on-the-fly

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shinobar
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sfs_load-2.4 on-the-fly

#1 Post by shinobar »

on-the-fly SFS loader.
Download: http://shino.pos.to/party/bridge.cgi?puppy/opt/
Most recent: sfs_load-2.4.pet (2015-11-26)
NLS: sfs_load_NLS-1.9.3.pet

Old:
sfs_load-2.3.pet (2014-09-06)
sfs_load-2.0-2.pet (2014-01-22)
sfs_load-1.4.pet (2012-03-18 )
Enhanced RAM mode, multisession live CD support and more. Feed back welcome as the reply of this topic.
Old versions; http://shino.pos.to/linux/puppy/

Tested and works on Puppy-412/421/430, Wary-500 and Lucu-520.
Does not work on Puppy-4.0 and older.
This is still EXPERIMENTAL. Need your feed back in various Puppy.
Let me know your Puppy version and install style(PUPMODE, the eventmanager reports under 'Save Session').

What is this?
You can load or unload extra sfs file on-the-fly.
In contrast to the otf_sfs_loader by goingnuts and to the SFS-TCZ_Linker by jrb,
this sfs_load is compatible with the traditional bootmanager,
somewhat similar with the sfs_installation(part of the quickpet) by 01micko.

Frugal install with pupsave
It works same as the bootmanager under frugal installs.
The loaded sfs's are listed on the bootmanager,
can be handled both by the sfs_load and by the bootmanager.
The difference is the sfs_load works immediately without rebooting PC.
The number of loadable sfs files is limited depends on the Puppy version, mostly 6.(Utilities like SFS-combiner by MU will be a help.)
EDIT: sfs_load-0.9 and later automatically loads the excessive(more than 6) sfs. Some Puppy like Lucid Puppy may fail to unload the excessives. Fixed at sfs_load-1.3.

Without pupsave (like live CD)
The sfs_load can also load sfs tentatively without pupsave, can be unloaded at the next boot in this case.
The sfs on the CD is copied to the tmpfs if the size of RAM is large enough.
It allows the live CD with extra sfs runs totally on RAM, like the Lighthouse Pup 5.02 G by TazOC does.
EDIT: Copying sfs from CD to RAM may not work with Puppy-4.x. Fixed at sfs_load-1.3.9 and later.

FULL install
It also works under FULL install. It installs the sfs as a pseudo-PET, like the sfs_installation by 01micko does.
It does not really make pet packages, but directly installs the files from the sfs skipping the files which conflict with the system.
NOTICE: Remove old PETs which may have files conflict with the SFS before installing the new SFS.
This is not exactly same as loading sfs under frugal install, but works safe and correctly in most case.
The pseudo-PET is listed on the Puppy Package Manager and can uninstall both from the sfs_load and from the PPM.
(Actually, the sfs_load calls the PPM as for uninstallation.)

Save to entire partition
Puppy can save session into entire partition, not to a file.
PUPMODE=6 for internal HDD, and PUPMODE=7 for USB devices.
I do not recommend these mode because they are buggy. They ignore 'pfix=ram' boot option.
You can use SFS with PUPMODE=6, but it crashes puppy when you load SFS with PUPMODE=7.
Sfs_load-v1.2 supports PUPMODE=6, and sfs_load-1.3 supports PUPMODE=7.
But they are both EXPERIMENTAL and i do not recommend.

Commandline
Sfs_load can also be run from commandline. Type 'sfs_load --help' from the terminal to get the usage.

Translation
The .pot file is at /usr/share/doc/nls/sfs_load. Download the archive of the most recent po files(shown at top of this article).

CHANGES (old versions)
9 Apr 2012 v1.9.1: clean up whiteout once for load, busybox umount and not do 'losetup -d'(jemimah), where to mount(pup_ro?), always register EXTRASFSLIST, no wide search for full path
7 Apr 2012 v1.9: clean up whiteout, BOOTCONFIG.save for remastered puppy, accept multiple files, read from standard input, permission check
13 Mar 2012 v1.4: extrasfsfind, upadate nls
2 Mar 2012 v1.3.9:
  • fix was not perform Startup scripts at load
  • HAS_ICONS, HAS_GLIB_SCHEMA (jemimah)
  • wipe out the masking files in save layers at load
  • kernel versions and SUPPORTSIG (red/yellow/green)
  • another tmpfs (/mnt/tmp) for live CD and etc.
  • PUPHOME without pupsave (PUPMODE=5), look up live CD, PUPMODE=77
  • messages - not to delete loaded sfs, retry unload, experimental, unsupport versions
13 Nov 2011 v1.3: fix could not unload excess sfs(>6) with some version of busybox, PUPMODE=7(same as PUPMODE=2), error message at unload failure, wait before removing layer
28 Oct 2011 v1.2.9: support kernel 3.x and unionfs, special characters in path, profile.d
26 Sep 2011 v1.2: fix was undesired mount (thanks to mories), fix was fleezed input in combobox, fix ramsize
22 Sep 2011 v1.1.1: free(busybox) version compatible
17 Mar 2011 v1.1: load/unload under PUPMODE=5, launcher
15 Mar 2011 v1.0: again PUPMODE=5/6/77
23 Feb 2011 v0.9: improve compatibility under PUPMODE=6 (thanks to mavrothal) and PUPMODE=77
23 Feb 2011 v0.9: persistent loading excessive sfs after reboot(idea from jamesbond), main dialog layout(thanks to jamesbond)
23 Feb 2011 v0.9: glob pattern file neme, puppypin
14 Feb 2011 v0.8: warning excessive extra files, restart main dialog, cleanup whiteout at unload(thanks to jpeps and jemimah), mkfontscale, mkfontdir
11 Feb 2011 v0.7: fix was not update menu in some case, see aufs even with no module(thanks to jemimah), add new loop device
9 Feb 2011 v0.6: fix was moved remote files, restart X info, launcher (thanks to seaside)
5 Feb 2011 v0.5: fix was the sfs removed from the list even unload failed, search smaller number if pup_roN is not available
4 Feb 2011 v0.4: fix was pulldown failed, confirm before move, do not support unionfs other than aufs
30 Jan 2011 v0.3: unionfs mount option, fix menu update after unload
29 Jan 2011 v0.2: fix under RAM mode (PUPMODE=5), multisession CD support (PUPMODE=77)

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Last edited by shinobar on Thu 26 Nov 2015, 12:30, edited 88 times in total.
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01micko
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#2 Post by 01micko »

This looks very interesting shino.

I suppose we should all unify our efforts in this regard. I will be interested to hear from jrb, goingnuts and of course Barry. I'm sure technosaurus, TazOC and many others will be interested too.

I will certainly test this out :)

Cheers
Puppy Linux Blog - contact me for access

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Bert
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#3 Post by Bert »

It's working fine!
Tested with two sfs's, both ok.

Takes quite a long time to load the SFS, but that's probably due to the nature and the size of the SFS (I tried Skype and Gimp)

Unloading is very fast.
Maybe an idea for a next version: enable the unloading of more than one SFS at once? ( 'Ctrl+select' or the program staying on screen after unloading one SFS?) Would be nice, but not essential.

Thanks Shinobar!

EDIT: in Puppy 5.2
[url=http://pupsearch.weebly.com/][img]http://pupsearch.weebly.com/uploads/7/4/6/4/7464374/125791.gif[/img][/url]
[url=https://startpage.com/do/search?q=host%3Awww.murga-linux.com%2F][img]http://i.imgur.com/XJ9Tqc7.png[/img][/url]

nooby
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#4 Post by nooby »

Very good thing to have. Have not tested it yet

but I do realize what a GEM it is so thanks indeed.

Would not this one allow Puppy to be way under 128MB and still be able to use big programs? One could even make Puppy very small and put a lot in .sfs and have them on the HDD or an USB?
I use Google Search on Puppy Forum
not an ideal solution though

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shinobar
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Small pupsave, big sfs

#5 Post by shinobar »

nooby wrote:Would not this one allow Puppy to be way under 128MB and still be able to use big programs? One could even make Puppy very small and put a lot in .sfs and have them on the HDD or an USB?
Yes, but it has some limitation comes from the traditional Puppy.
1. The extra sfs's must be placed at the same partition of the pupsave placed (At the top layer or the subdirectory, psubdir).
2. The number of extra sfs's cannot exceed 6(depends on the Puppy version).
Utilities like SFS-combiner will be a help.
Or, visit the topic: Merge Utility for SFS
Last edited by shinobar on Sat 05 Feb 2011, 02:12, edited 1 time in total.
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8-bit
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#6 Post by 8-bit »

How is this one different than the one made by Trio?
His offering worked the same way.

nooby
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#7 Post by nooby »

A link would be cool to have? :)
I use Google Search on Puppy Forum
not an ideal solution though

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8-bit
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#8 Post by 8-bit »

For those that want to compare both SFS installers, the one created by Trio can be found here.

Although it says it is made for Full installs of Puppy, it also works with frugal installs.
And the SFS can be removed using Puppy Package manager.

One word of caution is that a lot of memory is required as well as a large Pupsave file in the case of a frugal install.

emil
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Shino did it again

#9 Post by emil »

Thank you shinobar, another great gift. of skill and constant commitment :D
I tested it in 5.11 (my sagelive puplet).

it worked almost flawless, one small quirk. Consider:

Add test.sfs with sfs_load on the fly.
Then open Bootmanager configure Bootup. test.sfs is listed to load at bootup.
Now remove test.sfs in Bootmanager. It will still be loaded.
Now open again the sfs_load on the fly GUI - test.sfs is not listed anymore, though it is still mounted.

Nothing critical.

Solution could be to make sfs_load on the the fly the default sfs handler - maybe use a checkbox to mark if the sfs should or should not be loaded at startup?

best
emil

nancy reagan
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choicepup cd

#10 Post by nancy reagan »

As I like the sfs method, on my 128mb toshiba, I mainly use choicepup 4.1.2 cd with jrb's pre installed "open with sfs load/unload" and sfs 412 on usb.

Simultaneously I use your pupsaveconfig, pupsave=-0 (never) pupmode =13 .

When I tried yours, it said "failed to append "initrd/pup-ro4" to unionfs. "x-sfs moved to initrd/mnt/dev_save"

Maybe cause jrb's is already in there ?

In his "choice min 412" pup he even installed "dirloader".

=============== E D I T ===============

After a reboot, when I was quite forgotten about the sfs loader, to my big surprise:

msg "which sfs's do you want to load at startup ? "

Note: while my pupsave was configured -not- to save it had saved the sfs's !

Funny.: experience from a low profile user..
Last edited by nancy reagan on Fri 28 Jan 2011, 22:19, edited 1 time in total.

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L18L
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sfs_load on-the-fly

#11 Post by L18L »

multilingual wary500m06 pfix=ram
tried wary_devx_500.sfs to load-on-the-fly
system freezed
rebooted, wary_devx_500.sfs was deleted
tried gimp (smaller) ; same result
I have enough memory: 3GB and 1.5 GHz CPU

without pfix=ram: virtualbox successfully loaded :)

rodin.s
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sfs was deleted

#12 Post by rodin.s »

Tried in Wary-5.0 without save-file.
tried wary_devx_500.sfs to load-on-the-fly
system freezed
rebooted, wary_devx_500.sfs was deleted
Same with me, but with google-earth.sfs
Last edited by rodin.s on Fri 28 Jan 2011, 20:51, edited 1 time in total.

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Bert
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Re: sfs_load on-the-fly

#13 Post by Bert »

L18L wrote:multilingual wary500m06 pfix=ram
tried wary_devx_500.sfs to load-on-the-fly
system freezed
rebooted, wary_devx_500.sfs was deleted
tried gimp (smaller) ; same result
I have enough memory: 3GB and 1.5 GHz CPU

without pfix=ram: virtualbox successfully loaded :)
Hi L18L,

From what I understood, devx cannot be used before a savefile is created.
I learned this from 01Mick0, the creator of QuickPet. ( In Quickpet Mick hides the devx-install option, until a savefile is created)
So what you experienced is probably normal behaviour...?
[url=http://pupsearch.weebly.com/][img]http://pupsearch.weebly.com/uploads/7/4/6/4/7464374/125791.gif[/img][/url]
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jemimah
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#14 Post by jemimah »

Hmm so you are adding an aufs layer on the fly?

Would it be possible to patch the bootmanager to do this? I think a new and improved bootmanager would be less confusing than two boot managers.

Or maybe the bootmanager could be patched to call your code instead of the traditional loader. Is there any reason not to do this?

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shinobar
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some responce on your feed back

#15 Post by shinobar »

Thanks to all for testing and discussion.
Bert wrote:Takes quite a long time to load the SFS.
What is the PUPMODE? Full install?
8-bit wrote:How is this one different than the one made by Trio?
Thanks for the information. I have not yet examine the one by Trio.
From your informtion, they are similar as for the FULL install.
The sfs_load joins the extra sfs to the unionfs layers for frugal install,
means does not require large pupsave.
emil wrote:Add test.sfs with sfs_load on the fly.
Then open Bootmanager configure Bootup. test.sfs is listed to load at bootup.
Now remove test.sfs in Bootmanager. It will still be loaded.
Now open again the sfs_load on the fly GUI - test.sfs is not listed anymore, though it is still mounted.
Thanks for the test. It is beter to be listed on the sfs_load. It can be easily fixed, I surppose.
nancy reagan wrote:When I tried yours, it said "failed to append "initrd/pup-ro4" to unionfs. "x-sfs moved to initrd/mnt/dev_save"
Maybe cause jrb's is already in there ?
Humm... needs more test on the confliction with jrb's...
L18L wrote:tried wary_devx_500.sfs to load-on-the-fly
system freezed
rebooted, wary_devx_500.sfs was deleted.

Deleting the sfs is a bug and can be fixed.
I am checking up the code for the RAM mode(PUPMODE=5).

As for the freezing, i am puzzled. I suspect the gtkdialog3 issue.
Needs more investigation.
jemimah wrote:Hmm so you are adding an aufs layer on the fly?
Yes.
jemimah wrote:Would it be possible to patch the bootmanager to do this?
I think a new and improved bootmanager would be less confusing than two boot managers.
I agree. The bootmanager can be modified or replaced when we are sure this method is stable.
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Bert
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#16 Post by Bert »

shinobar wrote:Thanks to all for testing and discussion.

Bert wrote:
Takes quite a long time to load the SFS.

What is the PUPMODE? Full install?
Good morning shino,

Frugal install, or, more precisely running from live-cd with save file.

Bert
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sfs_load-0.2

#17 Post by shinobar »

UPDATE:
# 29 Jan 2011 v0.2: fix under RAM mode (PUPMODE=5), multisession CD support (PUPMODE=77)
See the top of this topic.
Last edited by shinobar on Sat 29 Jan 2011, 22:41, edited 1 time in total.
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jemimah
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Re: some responce on your feed back

#18 Post by jemimah »

shinobar wrote:
jemimah wrote:Would it be possible to patch the bootmanager to do this?
I think a new and improved bootmanager would be less confusing than two boot managers.
I agree. The bootmanager can be modified or replaced when we are sure this method is stable.
Excellent! I will add this to the next release of Fluppy to get some more testing.

Great idea. I hope Barry considers adding this functionality to woof.

I think the update layered filesystem part of the init script does some stuff with whiteout files. I guess in cases where there is a conflict a reboot would still be needed but most of the time, I think it'll be no problem. It may also work to clean the whiteouts on a mounted filesystem - but that would need to be tested.

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L18L
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sfs_load-0.2

#19 Post by L18L »

devx_431.sfs successfully loaded on-the-fly :D :D :D
Bert wrote:
From what I understood, devx cannot be used before a savefile is created. I learned this from 01Mick0, the creator of QuickPet.
forget it! Now we have learned from shinobar it is possible :)
edited:
now back in multilingual wary500: devx_431.sfs is not deleted :)

rodin.s
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sfs_load-0.2

#20 Post by rodin.s »

Works OK now with or without pupsave, but maybe it should run fixmenus after unloading SFS to remove menu entries of unloaded SFS. Tested on Wary-5.0 (original and multilingual).

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