Bringing the Woof-CE template for Dpup Wheezy up to date

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musher0 · #136 Post by **musher0** » Sat 13 Feb 2016, 01:32

moeppyfan wrote:
musher0 wrote:@ those having trouble activating the mouse in this Pooch:

please drop the following in /etc/init.d as file < start_psmouse > (without the
chevrons), make it executable and restart your session.

Please report if this has solved your problem? Thanks in advance.
Hello musher0,

Adding that didn't help me after reboot, but then I press Ctrl-Alt-Backspace and type "xwin" and my trackpad started working.

Very good report! Thank you so much moeppyfan!

musher0 · #137 Post by **musher0** » Sat 13 Feb 2016, 05:57

Hello all.

I just compiled this conky for and on our beloved "Experimental Pooch".
https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky/tree/1.9.1

It may or may not work on another recent Puppy. It certainly won't work with a
Puppy that has an ldd version (aka glibc version) lesser than 2.13.

I tried to compile version 1.10, but ccmake hates me!

(There is no regular
source package for version 1.10; it offers only cmake or ccmake compilation, and
I'm all thumbs with cmake.)

FWIW, the ${desktop} variable I wanted (see right bottom corner of attached
picture) is in version 1.9.1, so I'm good with it.

The relatively small pet archive is attached. As a precaution, you may want to
move | rename the conky you already have in /usr/bin to a safe place beforehand.

This new conky is an exact replacement of the old conky, so it should load the
existing config file without a glitch. In any case, I've included an edited config file for conky.

Here's how this works:

* save the attached config zip in /mnt/home
* go to /mnt/home and open a terminal there
* unpack the zip archive in /mnt/home with
Code: Select all
```
unzip conky_config_for_dpw-3.14.56.1.zip
```
* spot your language file. At this time only ENglish or FRench are available
* concatenate like so:
Code: Select all
```
cat .conky-2l-Strctr-wmx3 > /root/.conky-2lignes-wmx3
cat .conky-2l-YourLanguage-wmx3 >> /root/.conky-2lignes-wmx3
```
* go back to the initial black console with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace and type < xwin >
* upon coming back in X, the new conky config will show
* that's it.

I don't expect any bugs, but if you do experience one, report it here?
We'll pin it down together.

Thanks. TWYL.

musher0 · #138 Post by **musher0** » Sun 14 Feb 2016, 10:06

Hello all.

I tried to compile the latest GCC for our Pooch. If ever... That can wait for now.

But the interesting thing in that temporary failure is that the gcc configure script told
me that the "gmp" library was missing. This Wheezy Pup did not have a complete
version of it. Not the well-known GIMP paint program; "gmp". Hm...

I did a bit of research, and here's what "gmp" is and does:

Definition: gmp: The gmp package contains GNU MP, a library for arbitrary precision arithmetic which operates on signed integers, rational numbers and floating point numbers. GNU MP is designed for speed, for both small and very large operands. GNU MP is fast because it uses full words as the basic arithmetic type, it uses fast algorithms, it carefully optimizes assembly code for many CPUs' most common inner loops, and generally emphasizes speed over simplicity/elegance in its operations.

Source of article.

In short, it speeds up any calculation on your machine. Essential, I'd say. It's used
not only in compiling, but also by any Linux app, exec or utility that needs to do
fancy calculations. (My understanding.)

So I compiled the gmp lib. A pet package for our "Pooch" is available from:
https://www.adrive.com/public/HZvVE7/gmp-6.1.0.pet

I downloaded the source from here:
https://gmplib.org/list-archives/gmp-an ... 00044.html

As I mentioned above:
> It may or may not work on another recent Puppy. It certainly won't work with a
Puppy that has an ldd version (aka glibc version, aka C library version) lesser than
2.13.

It'll be in the next version, but may I suggest that you install it on this DPup now?

As well, we need to check if this libgmp package exists in Puppies in general. If
not, it may be important to flag the need for it in a separate thread.

Since I've installed this lib, I noticed that the refresh of directories in ROX-Filer
is somewhat faster. Maybe I'm dreaming? Any report to confirm or contradict this
need for the gmp library is welcome.

TIA. BFN.

musher0 · #139 Post by **musher0** » Tue 16 Feb 2016, 02:21

Here is flle-5.18, also known as libmagic-5.18, for our Pooch:
https://www.adrive.com/public/2XejGV/libmagic-5.18.pet

This library is used by many executables to query the type of a file. It's been around
in Linux for a very long time, and it's still essential.

Among other executables, it's needed by the qiv image viewer (please see next post).

Enjoy!

musher0 · #140 Post by **musher0** » Tue 16 Feb 2016, 02:57

As I said before, the above ...
> ... may or may not work on another recent Puppy. It certainly won't work
with a Puppy that has an ldd version (aka glibc version) lesser than 2.13.

As to qiv (author's site at https://spiegl.de/qiv/), a package compatible
with our Pooch can be downloaded from here.

Here are a couple of things that I find interesting about qiv:
* it can load the initial backdrop, the one behind the one provided by the ROX
environment, [which is] the backdrop used by conky when you set conky
"transparent".

* qiv is a very good picture viewer in its own right. It's also light-weight and fast.
You can use it as the "defaultimageviewer" instead of geeqie, for example, to have
a quick look at a picture from a ROX folder.

* Finally, it comes with a useful add-on script which allows you to call other execs
while viewing a picture in qiv. Since that script is not included in the *.deb archive
referred to in the previous paragraph, I'm attaching it below.

I've edited this script for Puppy and set it so that, once qiv has loaded a picture,
you can type '0' to load the picture in mtpaint for editing, or '1' to view all the
other pictures in its directory through geeqie.

There are other possibilities with this script, such as lossless rotation of a picture
or viewing the exif information, etc. You may want to open it and read what it can
do.

Those other possibilities will be there if you install the supporting files. I did not
include the latter, I didn't go that far yet. But the possibility is there, if you give
yourself the trouble of installing those supporting files.

Enjoy! TWYL.

musher0 · #141 Post by **musher0** » Tue 16 Feb 2016, 07:01

Hello all.

The abiword version in this Pooch is 2.9.2. I tried loading a docx file in it and it doesn't.

You'll be better off with one of the following sfs's
* this abiword 3.0 by shinobar OR
* this one by Médor

TWYL.

musher0 · #142 Post by **musher0** » Fri 19 Feb 2016, 03:59

Hello all.

The new htop-2.0.0 compiled specially for our Pooch is available here.

Enjoy!

musher0 · #143 Post by **musher0** » Fri 19 Feb 2016, 20:39

musher0 wrote:@ those having trouble activating the mouse in this Pooch:

please drop the following in /etc/init.d as file < start_psmouse > (without the
chevrons), make it executable and restart your session.
Code: Select all
#!/bin/sh
# /etc/init.d/start_psmouse 
#
# Still in testing status. Please report on 
# appropriate Puppy forum thread.
# 
# Needed by some portables running Dpup_Wheezy_3.14.56 (only).
# 
# musher0, 11 Feb. 2016. Suggested by dejan555.
####
modprobe psmouse # Thanks to dejan555!
Please report if this has solved your problem? Thanks in advance.

Hello all.

I received another positive report about the little script above through a PM last
night. So it seems this solution works, it does wake up the mouse module.

Thanks again to dejan555.

BFN.

musher0 · #144 Post by **musher0** » Thu 25 Feb 2016, 15:14

Hello all.

Latest version of Joe's Own Editor compiled for our Pooch: here.

BFN.

partsman · #145 Post by **partsman** » Tue 01 Mar 2016, 23:13

Hi musher0

I Took your Dpup for a spin !

Well done ! Looks good !
The box used video was an issue "ATI" But this box never did like any
Wheezy builds !

Always took video driver etc. to get them going

I was impressed with cpu usage mush lower than some other pups I have seen ! And a smaller ram footprint the some other puppies

I didn't have any wireless but overall Looks and behaves well !
Very nice work musher0

I will do more testing as I find the time ! But I have attached full report
Hope it can help in some way !

Have fun !

musher0 · #146 Post by **musher0** » Wed 02 Mar 2016, 02:46

Thanks for your trouble, partsman.

Hardinfo report much appreciated.

As to video cards, all wheezy pups that I have tried, including the old ones by
pemasu and the newer one by Semme, they all stop "at the door", so to speak.
You have to type "xwin" to get to the X-window system. It's not automatic as in
other Puppies. Wise guys will say it's not a bug; rather, this is a "feature".

I remember reading a note by BK saying that he did so on purpose when he
created the DPup Wheezy template, to avoid "foul ups" (not his exact words, but
something to that effect), rather mix-ups in the automatic choice of the video card
module that could lead to your Puppy being un-usable. Why xorgwizard would fail
in automatic mode in the case of the DPup Wheezy, I do not know. I'm letting it
be for now, we have lots of other fish to fry before this "Pooch" becomes a "Puppy".

(-- "lots of other cats to whip", as the French would say --
-- big cats: you know, like in a circus: tigers, lions, panthers ! --
-- given that dogs hate cats and vice versa; also because this Linux is a canine

--
-- I like that proverb! )

As to ram and cpu usage, I never bothered to check, to be frank. The info you
bring me is a pleasant and welcome surprise!

So we continue! Have fun too!

Bye for now!

musher0 · #147 Post by **musher0** » Wed 02 Mar 2016, 03:48

Hello people.

Some of you may have noticed that, in this first alpha, I exiled gawk in favor of
mawk as the main awk utility.

I will re-instate gawk (the latest version, ha!) in the next alpha version of our
"Pooch", but as a compile utility in the devx. A number of executables and apps
need the real gawk to compile properly.

But in day-to-day operations, mawk is preferable, I think, because mawk has
the reputation among the "awkians" at the awk.info site of being the fastest
language in the Linux world.

I hear you saying that "awkians" are just tooting their horn. You may be right. On
the other hand, these die-hard "awkians" are providing test reports, and "there's
no smoke without a fire somewhere". So I'm leaving mawk in as the default awk.
And gawk will be included in the devx.

For those of you who are impatient, here is a pet of the latest gawk, version 4.1.3:
-- https://www.adrive.com/public/rSwgQa/gawk-4.1.3.pet--
Download away!

It's a default compilation, I didn't specify anything fancy on the configure or make
lines. But was I in for a surprise...

Here's the thing: if you care to unpack the pet before installing it and looking at its
hierarchy, you will notice that this gawk is spread out in various folders, one of
which contains add-ons that our Puppies normally do not have.

I leave any judgment and/or conclusion to you. And don't judge hastily, test it first!

Enjoy this gawk -- or not!

BFN.

~~~~~~~~~
Heads up: as I mentioned in previous posts for similar downloads:
> this pet may work -- or not -- in other recent Pups. It will certainly NOT work
on Puppies with an ldd version (aka glibc version, aka C library version) lesser
than 2.13.

musher0 · #148 Post by **musher0** » Wed 02 Mar 2016, 08:23

Hello all.

Again on the subject of updates.

Just a word to let you know that I will be putting wodim/cdrecord out of a job in
the next alpha edition of "The Pooch". I will be replacing it by cdrskin, a wrapper
for the libburnia libraries.
General info: -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libburnia --

IMO: as a CLI tool, cdrskin has a much more logical and clearer syntax for the
user. You can judge for yourself from the following examples:

cdrskin examples (from its man page)
---------------------------------------
*- Get an overview of drives and their addresses:
cdrskin -scanbus
cdrskin dev=ATA -scanbus
cdrskin --devices

*- Get info about a particular drive or loaded media:
cdrskin dev=0,1,0 -checkdrive
cdrskin dev=ATA:1,0,0 -v -atip cdrskin dev=/dev/hdc -toc

*- Prepare CD-RW or DVD-RW for re-use, DVD-RAM or BD-RE for first use:
cdrskin -v dev=/dev/sg1 blank=as_needed -eject

*- Format DVD-RW to avoid need for blanking before re-use:
cdrskin -v dev=/dev/sr0 blank=format_overwrite

*- De-format DVD-RW to make it capable of multi-session again:
cdrskin -v dev=/dev/sr0 blank=deformat_sequential

*- Write ISO-9660 filesystem image as only one to blank or
__ formatted media:
cdrskin -v dev=/dev/hdc speed=12 fs=8m \
blank=as_needed -eject padsize=300k my_image.iso

*- Write compressed afio archive on-the-fly
__ (not possible with minimally blanked DVD-RW):
find . | afio -oZ - | \ cdrskin -v dev=0,1,0 fs=32m speed=8 \ blank=as_needed padsize=300k -

*- Write multi-session to the same CD, DVD-R[W], DVD+R[/DL], or BD-R:
cdrskin dev=/dev/sr0 -v padsize=300k -multi 1.iso
cdrskin dev=/dev/sr0 -v padsize=300k -multi 2.iso
cdrskin dev=/dev/sr0 -v padsize=300k -multi 3.iso
cdrskin dev=/dev/sr0 -v padsize=300k 4.iso

*- Get multi-session info for option -C of program mkisofs:
c_values=$(cdrskin dev=/dev/hdc -msinfo 2>/dev/null) mkisofs ... -C "$c_values" ...

*- Inquire free space on media for a -multi run:
x=$(cdrskin dev=/dev/sr0 -multi \ --tell_media_space 2>/dev/null) echo "Available: $x blocks of 2048 data bytes"

*- Write audio tracks to CD:
cdrskin -v dev=ATA:1,0,0 speed=48 -sao \ track1.wav track2.au -audio -swab track3.raw

Internally, it can still catch most commands issued to wodim/cdrecord by
other programs or scripts, to maintain compatibility.

Finally, the libburnia libraries are already used by flburn and xfburn, and they are
detected by brasero and k3b.

(Edit)
You can download a pet of it that I created especially for our "Pooch" from here:
-- https://www.adrive.com/public/VJfesm/cd ... c-2.13.pet --
(End of Edit)

Any comment on my cdrskin choice before I commit it to the new puppy*.sfs is welcome.

BFN.

gcmartin · #149 Post by **gcmartin** » Wed 02 Mar 2016, 16:19

Would the cdrskin work with Puppy staples i.e. "pBurn"?

musher0 · #150 Post by **musher0** » Wed 02 Mar 2016, 16:34

gcmartin wrote:Would the cdrskin work with Puppy staples i.e. "pBurn"?

Hi gc.

I wouldn't take the chance. If you want to continue using pburn, do not erase wodim
aka cdrecord.

Plan for next alpha is to kick pburn out the door as well -- if I can find an acceptable
replacement.

(Edit)
I may come up with some scripts and an aemenu for major burning functions.
I'm not decided yet.
(End of Edit)

BFN.

partsman · #151 Post by **partsman** » Wed 02 Mar 2016, 17:52

Hi all

This is what makes puppy fun "I think"
Learning something new all the time !

I have never heard of awk or gawk before !

LMAO !
And after a quick read I guess there is even nawk !
Very cool ! Now I have more reading to do !

Thanks !

musher0 · #152 Post by **musher0** » Thu 03 Mar 2016, 05:02

Hi partsman.

Happy to have opened new horizons for you!

I very much like the quote in your sig, BTW! Very true!

BFN.

musher0 · #153 Post by **musher0** » Thu 03 Mar 2016, 05:34

Hello all.

I've updated my post here to include a download URL for the cdrskin package.

BFN.

musher0 · #154 Post by **musher0** » Thu 03 Mar 2016, 05:39

Hello all.

I just edited my reply to gcmartin yesterday about disc-burning programs, here.

BFN.

musher0 · #155 Post by **musher0** » Thu 03 Mar 2016, 07:05

Hello again all.

The next alpha will have automatic saving of "daiiies". The technique of "dailies"
consists of archiving whatever changed on your computer, this day, as you sign out.
(The word is derived from the adverb and adjective "daily", used as a noun and in the
plural form.)

Here. The need for it resurfaced yesterday when a major Puppy developer confessed that
he had lost an important script due to careless overwriting -- with NO back-ups.

Tsk, tsk, such a great developer and artist... such a bird-brain moment!

I happen to
know the man, he has a sense of humor, luckily for me! Besides, at some point in the
past I was in the same sorry position that he is now. I wasn't laughing either. Which
prompted me to create this solution (and later I refined it and published it as a request
from another forum member).

From the above link you can install those two little scripts and start using them now
-- on this "Pooch" or on any Puppy.

Not everyone is a major Puppy developer, of course. But I'm sure that even Joe and
Joanne Average-User can appreciate the value of saving one's daily work or the files
changed during one's computer session. Be it family pictures, drafts for e-mails, your
weekly groceries list, the co-ordinates of your new friend in your contacts list, etc.

To me, the advantage of the "dailies" technique, as compared to more involved back-up
solutions, is that it creates everyday a usually small file, that you can delete after, say, a
week, once you've made sure that you don't need that particular back-up anymore.

If you want to save a whole series of "dailies" onto a separate media, for historical
purposes, that's fine too -- I even encourage you to do so. But the basic technique
of "dailies" -- in and of itself -- doesn't take much space on your "save" partition.

Go in peace, my friends. Install these scripts and never commit the capital sin
of "no-backup" again.

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Bringing the Woof-CE template for Dpup Wheezy up to date