Bionicpup64 8.0 CE

[mikeslr]

Although I agree with bigpup that it is important to test the applications a dev has built into an operating system, I disagree that that should be the only concern when examining a new system. Especially not when that system has been created by an experienced craftsman like 666philb using a tool like Woof which has been around for five years (albeit often being 'upgraded').

I would expect that any errors in such system would be those oversights and scribner's errors we are all heir to: quickly discovered and easily rectified.

My concern is with extensibility. I'm neither going to use nor recommend an operating system --no matter how good it is-- if it is only able to run the applications for bare-bones computing: the dev's choice of browser and a simple word-processor.

So I am please to note that among the 'builtins' are those Qt-libs required by master-pdf-editor and Foxitreader. Adding qt-libs was a stumbling block for many in prior Puppies.

If Bionicpup64 is unable to run Google-chrome or is unable to manage any level of video editing --or audio editing or other major undertaking a user might want-- than it suffers significant flaws compared to other Linux operating systems. And it is best to know this at the outset so that they can be addressed, a process which might undo or obviate the need to correct minor flaws in the current build.

So far, I have not found an easy solution to video editing. The latest Avidemux-xp-portable, 2.7.1, which runs under Wine in other Puppies, doesn't. I took a stab at building Openshot 2.4.1. Using PPM I "Download and All dependencies" --including frei0r and plugins-- 123 debs in all, and used PaDS to create both an SFS and a Pet. Neither functioned. And, unfortunately, 2.4.1 requires both qt and python. Python provides the 'executable' and as I don't know python, at all, I haven't the foggiest what went wrong.

[Sidenote: I think rockedge somewhere provided instructions on how AppImages can be unpacked and edited or then otherwise used. I could find no instructions, anywhere, for modifying flatpaks or snap-packages].

mikesLr

[mikeslr]

In Fatdog you can right mouse click the .txz file and Convert to SFS - but that would be a Fatdog specific sfs ('might' work in other Pup's - but ???).

AFAIK, its not built into other Puppies. But PaDS can convert any txz file into a pet or sfs.

[dancytron]

I did a manual frugal install with this in the menu.1st.

title Puppy Linux BionicPuppy in sda2 dir BionicPuppy
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
kernel /BionicPuppy/vmlinuz pmedia=ataflash psubdir=BionicPuppy
initrd /BionicPuppy/initrd.gz

Created save folder, set pup event to save=0, ask on exit. That seems to work correctly.

Used Remove Builtin Applications to remove Palemoon. The files seem to be gone but folders are still there. I will try to remaster later to see if it is really gone.

Apulse was already installed. Created .desktop file using apulse to access my pre-existing (use it with Debian Dog) portable latest Firefox. Works with my prexisting profile and sound works!!!!! Tested and Netflix works. Posting from it now.

Everything (sound internet mesa etc) worked on first boot.

I like the back to basics Puppy Desktop.

Only editorial comment is you might pick a more newbie friendly default terminal like lxterminal or roxterm.

Great start.

Dan

edit: I went ahead on removed Abiword, Gnumeric, and Transmission (in addition to Palemoon which I removed earlier) using Remove Builtin Packages.

Then I remastered. When I look in the PPM, it says that Palemoon, Abiword, Gnumeric and Transmission are already installed, even though I removed them with Remove Builtin Packages. I guess that is a bug???

Under /opt, Palemoon files seem to be gone, but folders are still there. Also, searching with pfinder, icon files and a script in /usr/bin are still there.

Size of ISO went down to 340 meg.

Portable firefox run with apulse.desktop file pointing to /mnt/home still works on remastered copy.

edit again: Some of the basic right-click actions in rox filer seem broken. I downloaded the Universal File Viewer and when I right clicked and chose rename or permissions or properties, nothing happened.

[Mike Walsh]

Hiya, Mike.

Problem sorted, mi amigo.

I've done a re-build of the Chrome SFS. I've created a /home directory; moved 'spot' into it; reset all the permissions, and re-jigged all the scripts'n'stuff in the appropriate places. Posting this from Chrome in Bionic64 right now.

I'm just about cracking my jaw from yawning, mind (way past my bedtime, mate!).....so I'll upload this special 'Bionic' version to the Drive tomorrow. Just be patient.

In fact, since this seems to work fine, I may in fact build 'em like this from now on. We'll see how it goes.Kirk & jamesbond are certainly right about one thing; doing it this way makes it so much more like the 'safe' set-up Google demands (as found in most other distros).....and gets it away from /root. (Which is where the majority of problems (for Puppy) in current Chrome usually stem from.)

I'm afraid this does mean you end up with two 'spot' directories..!

Essentially this gives you Chrome installed to /home/'user_directory'. On this front at least, Pup has no option but to conform to 'standards'.....since Google will never budge on this now, and if ya don't toe the line, ya don't get to use the browser. One more nail in the coffin of Puppy's uniqueness.....

(*shrug*)

Catch ya tomorrow.


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Morning, kiddiwinks.

OK. Following last night's re-packaging exercise on Chrome to ensure it'll run under Bionic64, I'm happy to be able to offer a working package here:-

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zo7dsg ... sp=sharing

No excuse now for you lot not to try out Phil's new 'baby'....! Enjoy.


Mike.

[bigpup]

Frugal install, on a USB hard drive, formatted ext 3, using save folder.

Homebank help not working.

Help
get help on line.....
Goes to a web site for login at Ubuntu one.
Help Contents
Get this message. See image attached.

[bigpup]

Frugal install, on a USB hard drive, formatted ext 3, using save folder.
Kernel 4.14.67

Processor
Intel i5-6400 CPU @ 2.70GHz
16GB RAM

I too have no clean shutdown.

Seems to be updating the save. However, it is on a hard drive.
The save is mounted read/write and written directly to, when on a hard drive.
So, not sure anything is done to save at shutdown.

Shutdown does not complete.
Stops at a screen with a lot of error messages, as already stated by others.
Have to hard power off to complete shutdown.

[Mike Walsh]

@ mikeslr:-

Mike; re:Openshot.

Do you absolutely have to have the newest 2-series version.....which offers very little extra over the last 1-series except a bit more eye-candy?

Because if you don't object to a somewhat older version, I now have Xenial64's Openshot 1.4.3 up-and-running in Bionicpup64.

in Tahrpup & earlier, the version of Openshot offered in the PPM was always the older build type (pre-Qt5). In Xenial, both pre- and post-Qt5 versions were offered alongside each other. Now, in Bionic, it's the Qt5 build only.

Ever since apps that many of us use regularly have begun to use Qt5, I have had absolutely no luck with them at all. In fact, as soon as I see a requirement for Qt5, I just turn around, walk away, and start looking around for something that'll do the same job without the need for this bloated monstrosity.

I don't hold Phil, or the Woof-CE team to account for these Qt5 issues. Over the last 18 months or so, ever since it was released and started to gain traction, I've lost track of the number of folks who've been complaining about it on a whole range of different fora. I personally believe it needs more work; further development to make it easier to build, and to 'extend' with additional modules.

We are, however, stuck with it, 'cos it's very definitely here to stay.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you absolutely have to have the latest version, just because it is the 'latest', then you can stop reading right now; I won't waste your time any further. If, however, you don't mind an older one (that works), then here's how I did it. I'm not going to provide an all-in-one package, because it's bloody complex, and I don't have Battleshooter's immense reserves of patience; I do have limits!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the Xenial repos:-

Download the following:- (these are direct links)

libgoocanvas - http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/poo ... _amd64.deb

python-pygoocanvas - http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/poo ... _amd64.deb

python-pil - http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/ ... _amd64.deb

libpng12 - http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/ ... _amd64.deb

Openshot 1.4.3 - http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/poo ... .2_all.deb

Install the first four .debs. Leave Openshot for now.

From Bionic64's PPM:-

Install 'melt'. (This one pulls in many of the other missing deps).
Install 'python-mlt'.
Install 'python-xdg'.
Install 'libquicktime'.
Install 'frei0r-plugins'

Finally - install the Openshot 1.4.3 .deb you downloaded earlier.

I make absolutely no 'guarantees' as to whether this will work for anyone else. However; all things being equal, you should be able to start Openshot from the Multimedia Menu, and (after the usual few seconds delay, while the Python scripts all interact with each other, and 'do their thing'), it should 'fire up'.





If anybody else wants to try this, and has success with it....let us all know, please!


Mike.

[Terry H]

So, not sure anything is done to save at shutdown.

I have frugal install on USB Flash. Save is set to 0 and ask at shutdown, most shutdowns when save is selected have worked. Last night I selected save, which failed to save. The shutdown process hung for an excessive time before showing the kernel error message.

[Mike Walsh]

@Terry, bigpup:-

It's definitely a kernel-related issue. I can also guarantee that neither of you are running sufficiently new hardware that you truly need the very latest kernels.

Swapping to Xenial's k4.9.58 very definitely fixed it for me. You now make two more people who are reporting the problem..... I don't believe this is isolated.

Needs addressing, methinks.


Mike.

[bigpup]

Wonder if this is the fix for shutdown using the kernel 4.14.67
https://lore.kernel.org/patchwork/patch/982730/

[666philb]

I

I updated PPM and installed applications, only problem so far is that
Kodi will not access the video and audio addon repositories.

Thanks, looks good!

i'll look into this as i thought kodi was working fine, but i had copied may /root/.kodi folder over.

with a fresh profile most repositories don't work

i'll put it on the list

[666philb]

Psync wasn't working properly. It did its report without actually fetching
and correcting time. Tried the one from ppm but it did the same thing.
Both were version 2.1

I quickly found a Psync-2.6.pet on ibiblio which is working ok.

Art

hi artstown,

psync is now part of woofce, if you are up for it can you raise a new issue here https://github.com/puppylinux-woof-CE/woof-CE

[666philb]

With BionicPup, on my Braswell N3150 box, I have changed to the intel driver which also required a change of kernel.
I have removed compton from startup because it was causing tearing with media playback

Thanks again.

Hi LateAdopter,

it's annoying that the modesetting driver now overrides the intel driver, as the screen tearing is really bad! it is supposed to enable it but doesn't on any intel graphics that i've tested it on.

you can force loading of the intel drive by creating the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf and pasting into it
Section "Device"
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "intel"
VendorName "INTEL Corporation"
Option "DRI" "3"
Option "TripleBuffer" "true"
Option "TearFree" "true"
EndSection[/code]

before you try the above though (which is the best option), with the original kernel can you try editing /root/.config/compton.conf and changing line 33 (approx, it's the vsync line) to

Code: Select all

vsync = "drm";

and restart compton and see if there's any improvement

[666philb]

I initially had no sound, I ran Sound Wizard to get the sound to default to the Laptop's speakers rather than HDMI. After some reboot/save cycles during setup, I now have no sound. Running Sound Wizard again, I no longer get any test sound playing when using Sound Wizard. I have no sound from local stored mp3's or via web browser.

hi Terry H, can you try setting the card in retrovols settings. right click on the volume icon and choose settings, click the hardware tab and set card to hw:2.
and see if that sticks

[666philb]

Huh. Spoke too soon.....

After having said about having the same initial problem as watchdog, three more shut-down/re-boot attempts have resulted in the necessity for a 'hard power-off'. It WILL NOT shut-down cleanly.....not for me, anyway.
Mike.

hi Mike Walsh,

we'll see if recompiling the kernel fixes this, i enabled zswap and another related option ..... it did say experimental

BTW google chrome can be installed from google, i'll be adding an updater that appears in the menu once installed... hopefully

[666philb]

A

If Bionicpup64 is unable to run Google-chrome or is unable to manage any level of video editing --or audio editing or other major undertaking a user might want-- than it suffers significant flaws compared to other Linux operating systems. And it is best to know this at the outset so that they can be addressed, a process which might undo or obviate the need to correct minor flaws in the current build.

So far, I have not found an easy solution to video editing. The latest Avidemux-xp-portable, 2.7.1, which runs under Wine in other Puppies, doesn't. I took a stab at building Openshot 2.4.1. Using PPM I "Download and All dependencies" --including frei0r and plugins-- 123 debs in all, and used PaDS to create both an SFS and a Pet. Neither functioned. And, unfortunately, 2.4.1 requires both qt and python. Python provides the 'executable' and as I don't know python, at all, I haven't the foggiest what went wrong.

[Sidenote: I think rockedge somewhere provided instructions on how AppImages can be unpacked and edited or then otherwise used. I could find no instructions, anywhere, for modifying flatpaks or snap-packages].

mikesLr

hi mikeslr,

chrome opera &vivaldi .debs will install and run direct from their respective websites

i've found that modern openshot appimages require my nvidia proprietory graphic drivers installed to run, and won't work when using nouveau.
installing openshot from the PPM resulted in some missing dependences but when resolved openshot 2.4.1 would run on nouveau and very old intel drivers.

there are a few problem items in the PPM ..python3 being one ... i may swap from python2 to python3 in the next build

[666philb]

as people raise issues, i'll add them to the second post of the thread.
this helps me and it also allows others to see the current problems without scrolling through the whole thread .....and hopefully help fix

[oldprinter]

Many thanks to Mike Walsh for the work-around of the non-shutdown bug.

I'm calling it a bug because that's what my machine is calling it,

BUG - Unable to handles kernel paging at (and gives a very long string)
and
AE_NOT_FOUND while evaluating GPE method {_L101),
and keeps repeating (much faster than I can keep up with)

While this does not really help with the problem, it does allow me to run.

I downloaded the .iso, used the installed pBurn CD/DVD/Bluray writer in Xenialpup64 7.5 to Burn a DVD (out of CDs), booted without a problem on my Toshiba Satellite c55t laptop (Secure Boot turned off).

Tried Mike Walsh's work-around and it worked.
I have the SysInfo for the before and after if any one wants them.(no point in dropping that much text wirh out a good reason)

Tom

[Keef]

Getting the same shutdown problems already reported.
This is also happening for me on TahrPup 6.0.6 with the 32 bit 4.14.63-rt37 kernel that rockedge made.

Dell XPS M1330
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7250 @ 2.00GHz

[edited as it may have looked like I had done a kernel swap]