Puppy CD autorun page in Windows

Message

Rhino · #1 Post by **Rhino** » Wed 23 Nov 2005, 14:43

If you have ever put in an Ubuntu CD in Windows, it brings up a nice page in your web browser with links to some Open Source software that can run in Windows (actually I think they have the installation files on the CD if I remember correctly.

I was thinking it would be very nice if the Puppy CD had an autorun script when in Windows with an html document explaining how to install Puppy and directing you to help if unsuccessful in booting Puppy. I think this would be extremely small in size and would be a very user-friendly tool.

rarsa · #2 Post by **rarsa** » Wed 23 Nov 2005, 14:54

What a great idea. I found the autorun page to be quite usefull when I first got a Knoppix CD.

It could have at least:

- What is puppy
- Advantages of using puppy (Not hype, just facts)
- How to boot from the LiveCD
- Applications included in Puppy
- Links to the forum and wikki

It's not like we have to rewrite the whole content, Barrys page has all that information, we just need to reorganize and edit it to suit the autorun page(s).

Of course it would be great if the Graphic artists among us can create some small but high impact graphics.

I will use my lunch time to sketch the layout and content to put forward as a proposal.

It will add a couple of KBs to the CD, so in real terms, insignificant.

#3 Post by **Flash** » Wed 23 Nov 2005, 18:17

Sounds like it would be just the place for some links to posts in the forum or pages in the Wiki, about what to do when Puppy won't boot.

Rhino · #4 Post by **Rhino** » Wed 23 Nov 2005, 21:26

Okay, I made all of the files that would be necessary and was going to zip them into a .tar.gz file so you folks could fix them, however, I could not get guiTAR to zip them for me. I think I have it fixed now.

I took the Ubuntu splash screen and files and just hacked them to display Puppy information, changed the file links to web links and that is it.

aahhaaa · #5 Post by **aahhaaa** » Wed 23 Nov 2005, 23:09

Cool!

Dumb Q mebbe, but it bugs me- all those empty megs on a Puppy CD thats only using 60-100. Couldn't a fairly fancy Flash demo be loaded there without interfering? Or a package of hot desktop images? Or would that interfere with the tiny ethos? optionally downloadable of course for the burning crowd

but how to add it to an .iso?

rarsa · #6 Post by **rarsa** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 01:33

I took the Ubuntu splash screen and files and just hacked them to display Puppy information, changed the file links to web links and that is it.

Thanks for that page.

I tried the pages before reading your post and I was wondering why did you have those applications listed if they don't come with Puppy. I came back to tell you and then I read that you had just addapted Ubuntu's page

I am creating a little bit more elaborated page, in the next few minutes I will post the first version.

Here are my imediate goals
- Not too many graphics to minimize size.
- True to puppy's spirit, it will be quite simple and fast.
- It will provide enough information even for someone without an internet connection.
- The content will be based on Barry's page for the most part.
- Separate look from content so I can ask someone with artistic background to make it look good.

rarsa · #7 Post by **rarsa** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 01:34

All those empty megs are empty for a reazon: Dialup users.

Of course Barry could put the Out house sink in the standard CD, but then Puppy would not be a minimalistic full featured distro.

#8 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 01:42

Yeah. Those pesky dialup speeds are one of the reasons I didn't dump fourteen+ wallpapers, 4+ icon sets, and every IceWM theme I could find into the "extra" directory on Pizzapup. The other reason is that the thing needed to be hosted, and that's just more bandwidth.

I have considered adding them to my personal Puppy disk, though, but I'm too lazy.

but how to add it to an .iso?

All you'd have to do is extract the iso, stick whatever you want into it, then re-iso-ize it.

Rhino · #9 Post by **Rhino** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 03:29

rarsa wrote:All those empty megs are empty for a reazon: Dialup users..

Exactly...that is part of the beauty of Puppy.

J_Rey · #10 Post by **J_Rey** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 04:09

Actually, I was thinking of something similar myself which could be easily merged. But instead of a HTML page to introduce Puppy, I was thinking of creating something that I might call WinGroom (Live?). I was thinking that it could, when inserted in while running Windows, have an interactive script to create a swap file and a pup001/pup100 file. That would be most useful for NT based installs using NTFS, but also could work with FATxx partitions, too. I was thinking of using batch files because it would be very tiny (in the Puppy style). The only question is would Barry be up for another 700-some MB? The size comes from pup001.zip plus a free equivalent to pkunzip/pkunzjr. At the least have the instructions (swap file and NTFS on the wiki) available on the CD image. I'll get around to it someday....

rarsa · #11 Post by **rarsa** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 05:02

Here is my first stab at the structure.

Barry:

Would you consider adding a page like this to the LiveCD?
And if you do, do you concur with the goals I set? http://www.murga.org/~puppy/viewtopic.php?p=24930#24930

I included your application thumbnails from the web just as a test. I would suggest to use as few images as possible to conserve space or to reduce the size of the files included.

Have a look at the page. Of course the current version is for you to get an idea of what that page may contain.

I used the fundation page style sheet just to keep visual consistency but as all the styles are there is quite easy to change to something of your liking.

I used a small javascript to avoid creating multiple pages and to speed up the loading. Actually this little trick does wonders for online pages as it eliminates the roundtrip to the server for every page. The script works very well in Dillo.

J_Rey · #12 Post by **J_Rey** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 05:43

I created a 7-Zip self-extracting archive from the pup001 file in the pup001.zip file and it reduced the size down to a total of 494 KB (plus a few KB for the upcoming batch file). I'm not sure about if there might be file permission problems, though when executing the pup001.exe file.

The batch file could have an auto detect of NTFS also (if exist c:\ntldr.com then goto NTbased). FYI, I'm gonna be out of town for the holiday weekend.

Also, rarsa's HTML pages look good. A few more edits/additions and IMHO it'll be ready for inclusion. Also, could even be posted online, as well as the Help pages currently in Puppy for that matter.

aahhaaa · #13 Post by **aahhaaa** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 15:49

not to be contrary, guys, but there are more than one mode of distribution... I'm a dialupper myself, but intend to spread Puppy on disc. Its less confusing to newbies, and more reliable. I didn't mean increase the size of Puppy or slow it down. But things like the flash tutorials don't dl smoothly over the phone. Once dl'd they'd play nice over&over in any OS. Also any eventual Puppy Manual in pdf; I wouldn't eliminate pix just to keep it small.

raffy · #14 Post by **raffy** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 15:53

(For the question about adding to ISO)

ISO remastering programs can do it, just open the ISO and add the files.

I have used only MagicISO in Windows, though I guess many Linux utilities can handle it.

#15 Post by **Flash** » Thu 24 Nov 2005, 22:25

rarsa, I haven't looked at the download yet in Puppy, but why is it so large? 267 KB seems huge for just one html page, even with the picture of the puppy.

rarsa · #16 Post by **rarsa** » Fri 25 Nov 2005, 02:57

As I mention in my post, Most of the size goes to the applicaiton thumbnails taken from Barry's page.

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Puppy CD autorun page in Windows

Puppy CD autorun page in Windows

Adding to ISO