Quirky Xerus 8.6 (Aug. 16), Beaver 8.7.1 (Sept. 21), 2018

[BarryK]

I have sorted out Bluetooth, it now remembers after a reboot -- well, only tested my mouse so far.

The woofCE developer guys will probably be interested, if they have not yet got Bluetooth setup.
I have created a template, package-templates/bluez, that the woofCE guys can use -- when I get around to uploading the latest woofQ.
I have also modified my 'bluepup' PET, not yet uploaded -- that is a GUI for bluez.

[BarryK]

I have sorted out Bluetooth, it now remembers after a reboot -- well, only tested my mouse so far.

The woofCE developer guys will probably be interested, if they have not yet got Bluetooth setup.
I have created a template, package-templates/bluez, that the woofCE guys can use -- when I get around to uploading the latest woofQ.
I have also modified my 'bluepup' PET, not yet uploaded -- that is a GUI for bluez.

Oh, one more thing. I used /etc/init.d/bluetooth in the bluez template, taken from LFS (Linux From Scratch), and it calls functions in /lib/lsb/init-functions, but some do not exist.

'init-functions' is in the 'lsb' template, which woofCE also has. It was modified a long time ago to be puppy-compatible.

I checked the latest init-functions file in Ubuntu, but it also does not have those functions.

So, I have added them to 'init-functions' in the 'lsb' template, in woofQ. Another one the woofCE guys can grab.

I intend to upload woofQ as soon as Quirky Xerus final is released.

[BarryK]

I have found that some extensions do not have default apps; namely ".xz", "png", etc.

I am surprised that you are reporting that.

I just now tested, click on a .png file opens in Viewnior. Click on a .xz file, a window popup offers to expand it.

[BarryK]

Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2028
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2029
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfff9
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffa
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffb
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2028
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2029
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfff9
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffa
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffb
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2028
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2029
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfff9
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffa
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffb
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2028
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0x2029
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfff9
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffa
Unable to update the static FcBlanks: 0xfffb

This is due to an old /etc/fonts/fonts.conf, part of the 'fontconfig' package, but Quirky is using an old file modified for Puppy and in the packages-templates/xorg_base (in Woof, still and woofQ, maybe still in woofCE).

Seems doesn't need the <blank> tag anymore, have removed from fonts.conf.

[BarryK]

InkscapeLite, one bug fixed, another outstanding:

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=106491

...invitation to any C programmer!

[ndujoe1]

nice to see you have your hands still in the Puppylinux pie, your own creation. I thought that you had retired from the seen :)

[Billtoo]

I installed the 32gb image to a 64gb usb-3.0 flash drive:

video-info-glx 1.5.3 Sat 16 Apr 2016 on Quirky Xerus64 7.90 Linux 4.4.7 x86_64
2.0 VGA compatible controller:
Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
oem: Intel(R) Sandybridge/Ivybridge Graphics Chipset Accelerated VGA BIOS
product: Intel(R) Sandybridge/Ivybridge Graphics Controller Hardware Version 0.0

X Server: Xorg Driver: intel
X.Org version: 1.18.3
dimensions: 3200x900 pixels (846x237 millimeters)
depth of root window: 24 planes

direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.4
OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Desktop
OpenGL core profile version string: 3.3 (Core Profile) Mesa 11.2.0

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3550 CPU @ 3.30GHz
Core 0: @1600 1: @1600 2: @1600 3: @1600 MHz

[Billtoo]

I installed the 8gb image to a 16gb SD card:

video-info-glx 1.5.3 Sat 16 Apr 2016 on Quirky Xerus64 7.90 Linux 4.4.7 x86_64
0.0 VGA compatible controller:
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Park [Mobility Radeon HD 5430/5450/5470]
oem: ATI ATOMBIOS
product: PARK 01.00

X Server: Xorg Driver: radeon
X.Org version: 1.18.3
dimensions: 1600x900 pixels (423x238 millimeters)
depth of root window: 24 planes

direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.4
OpenGL vendor string: X.Org
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on AMD CEDAR (DRM 2.43.0, LLVM 3.8.0)
OpenGL core profile version string: 3.3 (Core Profile) Mesa 11.2.0

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU M 430 @ 2.27GHz
Core 0: @1199 1: @1199 2: @1199 3: @1199 MHz

[BarryK]

Ha ha, have run into a problem with using the full 'tr' utility from 'coreutils', see my blog report:

http://barryk.org/news/?viewDetailed=00334

The next build will have the busybox tr.

[BarryK]

I installed the 8gb image to a 16gb SD card:

Bill,
I would like to find out why you have to do this. My script that creates the image file, creates a file smaller than the actual size of my flash drive, so that it will work on other drives that although nominally the same size, might actually be a bit smaller.
So, my 16GB image is supported to fit in all 16GB drives.

This is how my script calculates the size of my drive:

Code: Select all

TARGETDRIVE='sdb'
FDISKINFO="$(fdisk -l /dev/${TARGETDRIVE} 2>/dev/null)"
SIZEBYTES=`echo "$FDISKINFO" | grep '^Disk /dev' | cut -f 5 -d ' '`
SIZEKB=`expr $SIZEBYTES \/ 1024`
SIZEM=`expr $SIZEKB \/ 1024`
echo "$SIZEM"

Would you kindly execute these in a terminal and let me know what value you get for SIZEM.

My 16GB drive gives SIZEM is 14784.

My script then does this:

Code: Select all

SPACEM=640 #under 16GB (case of 16GB drive)
SMALLER0M=`expr $SIZEM - $SPACEM` #some empty space at end of drive.
SMALLERM=`expr $SMALLER0M - 520` #take off size of 1st partition plus gaps 512+8
ONE8TH=`expr $SMALLERM \/ 8`
FINALM=`expr $ONE8TH \* 8`

...where FINALM is the size created for the second partition.

[BarryK]

nice to see you have your hands still in the Puppylinux pie, your own creation. I thought that you had retired from the scene

Ha ha, I have bouts of enthusiasm to play again with Quirky.

[Billtoo]

Would you kindly execute these in a terminal and let me know what value you get for SIZEM.

My 16GB drive gives SIZEM is 14784.

My script then does this:

Code: Select all

SPACEM=640 #under 16GB (case of 16GB drive)
SMALLER0M=`expr $SIZEM - $SPACEM` #some empty space at end of drive.
SMALLERM=`expr $SMALLER0M - 520` #take off size of 1st partition plus gaps 512+8
ONE8TH=`expr $SMALLERM \/ 8`
FINALM=`expr $ONE8TH \* 8`

...where FINALM is the size created for the second partition.

# TARGETDRIVE='sdb'
# FDISKINFO="$(fdisk -l /dev/${TARGETDRIVE} 2>/dev/null)"
# SIZEBYTES=`echo "$FDISKINFO" | grep '^Disk /dev' | cut -f 5 -d ' '`
# SIZEKB=`expr $SIZEBYTES \/ 1024`
# SIZEM=`expr $SIZEKB \/ 1024`
# echo "$SIZEM"
15271
# SPACEM=640 #under 16GB (case of 16GB drive)
# SMALLER0M=`expr $SIZEM - $SPACEM` #some empty space at end of drive.
# SMALLERM=`expr $SMALLER0M - 520` #take off size of 1st partition plus gaps 512+8
# ONE8TH=`expr $SMALLERM \/ 8`
# FINALM=`expr $ONE8TH \* 8`
#

I have another 16gb SD card, I'll try to install the 16gb image on it and report back.

Edit:
I installed the 16gb image to a 16gb SD card

Guess I'd better try the 32gb image on a 32gb flash drive next.

Edit2:
The 32gb image installed to the 32gb flash drive okay, my first two 32
gb flash drive attempts failed because of a mistake by me I guess, I have
the proper method now though

[step]

Ha ha, have run into a problem with using the full 'tr' utility from 'coreutils', see my blog report:

http://barryk.org/news/?viewDetailed=00334

The next build will have the busybox tr.

I think that message points to a shell quoting problem, not to a tr problem. Possibly some other string quoting in the script runs together in an unintended way and ends up passing an unescaped backslash to tr. I'd check all backslashes in the script file.

[BarryK]

There is a problem that happens sometimes, if there is an unexpected shutdown (ie a crash), at next bootup, the desktop is gone. JWM is there, but the ROX-Filer icons and wallpaper are missing.

This problem afflicts Quirky and Puppy.

I don't know why it happens, but /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin gets corrupted.

I have put a check into /root/.xinitrc, and if PuppyPin found to be corrupted, it is restored from a backup.

[BarryK]

Testing on an Intel P4 w/5GB RAM. Minor issues in this post; some of which you may have already addressed.

Downloaded and installed using dd v8.21. I downloaded your 4GB upload and installed to an 8GB stick. This was done to insure the 4GB image would install to larger stick and boot without issues. Before the 4GB image was installed to the stick, all contents were erased from the stick. Thus the install process was started on a MSDOS partition-table stick with NO partitions defined. After installation, the stick looks like this in GParted:


Request
When this message surfaces in GParted for viewing the stick, What do you advise community members to do? Should they "fix" or should they "ignore"?

my 4GB image is designed to fit any 4GB Flash drive.

I grind my teeth when I have to deal with GPT. It was supposed to be an improvement over the old MBR.

Placement of the secondary GPT at the physical end of the drive causes so many problems.

It means that when you write one of my image files to a Flash drive, if that drive happened to have had a prior GPT partitioning, using 'dd' to write my image will not erase that old secondary GPT.

It seems that Gparted has detected such a situation in your case.

The fix is to write a correct secondary GPT to end physical end of the drive, and this is what Gparted is offering.

Probably best to answer yes to those questions.

EDIT:
I should also add, if there was no prior old secondary-GPT, then there won't be any secondary-GPT at physical end of drive, which is also an error condition.

[BarryK]

I am considering, for the final, to only release a .iso file.

The Quirky Universal Installer, in the Setup menu, will do a proper install to USB or SD-card.

But then, I really need to get the .iso to boot on UEFI PCs.
TedDog was doing some interesting work on this.

[linuxcbon]

Barry :

Most of distros use "hybrid iso" and for a reason : can be burned to a CD, but can also be copied to usb to boot.

Code: Select all

# dd if=puppy.iso of=/dev/sdb

There is a tool which converts "normal" isos to "hybrid" isos : "isohybrid", belonging to project "syslinux".
Command line to convert normal iso to hybrid iso :

Code: Select all

# isohybrid puppy.iso

It can also build EFI iso, with option "-u"

Code: Select all

# isohybrid -u puppy.iso

(--> note : I havent tried that program yet...)

[jamesbond]

But then, I really need to get the .iso to boot on UEFI PCs.

Woof-CE already did it.
Original blog post: http://blog.puppylinux.com/?viewDetailed=00011
Discussions: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=106337

This is using grub2-efi, but you can do the same if you prefer to use syslinux-efi. I prefer grub2-efi because it's a single file - you don't have to keep loads of *.c32 files. You do have to maintain 2 config files - isolinux.cfg for BIOS, and grub.cfg for UEFI. But they don't change often anyway.

@linuxcbon: "isohybrid -u" only works if the ISO already supports UEFI booting, that is, processed according to the above links. A non-UEFI capable ISO cannot be converted into UEFI-capable just by running isohybrid.

[linuxcbon]

@linuxcbon: "isohybrid -u" only works if the ISO already supports UEFI booting, that is, processed according to the above links. A non-UEFI capable ISO cannot be converted into UEFI-capable just by running isohybrid.

I am pretty sure that you dont need to do all that stuff and that isohybrid can do it alone with "-u" .

[linuxcbon]

Hi Barry,
I have an idea to improve quirky : make it easy to run STEAM (software which can download and launch many linux games, very very very popular).
The client is here :
http://store.steampowered.com/about/
It's a debian file.
It can be installed to puppy, but it needs some programs for it to work, like xdg-user-dir, some scripts to be changed to be run as "root" etc. I already started experimenting, but it's quite long.
666philb already did the job and created a .pet and also improved tahrpup to make it "steam ready".
Many free linux games are found in steam and very popular : Dota 2 , Team Fortress 2 , Ark: Survival of the Fittest , No More Room in Hell , etc...