FireFox not recognized?
Forum: myDSL Extensions (deprecated)
Topic: FireFox not recognized?
started by: dslfool
Posted by dslfool on June 09 2004,05:31
I'm running DSL 0.7.1 from CD and loading myDSL extensions from a USB flash drive. So far openoffice.ci and gnu-utils.dsl load fine from the root of the flash drive, and Doom, GIMP and XPuyopuyo load fine from the /optional directory.I'm not having luck, however, with FireFox. I've tried firefox.ci from the root directory and firefox.tar.gz from /optional, but neither will load. firefox.ci doesn't show in the "loading myDSL" line during boot, nor does it show on the myDSL menu afterwards. firefox.tar.gz shows firefox in the "Install Optional Extensions" menu, but nothing happens when I select it.
I've checked the md5sum on both of these FireFox downloads and both are dead on.
The system is a PIII 450MHz with 256MB RAM.
Any ideas re what I'm doing wrong?
Posted by ke4nt1 on June 09 2004,06:15
The firefox.tar.gz is designed to be placed in the "/" directory of DSL, notthe "/optional" directory.. I'm not familiar with the firefox.ci file.
".dsl" files are placed in the "/optional" directory, and can be loaded
thru the mydsl menu , then run either by menu choice or icon.
".tar.gz" files are placed in the "/" directory, and start automatically
at boot time. The themes such as blue-theme.tar.gz work the same way.
You can rename the firefox.tar.gz to firefox.dsl, place them in the
/optional directory, and they will work like regular .dsl files.
The theme files can be renamed and used the same way...
If you are running a system with generous ram and cpu, this is not a problem,
but if you have minimal system, the .tar.gz method reduces ram requirements.
Most all the .tar.gz files write only to certain directories, like ~/damnsmall and
/opt, etc.. keeping the majority of ramspace in a read-only state, not making the
entire system writable, which eats more resources ...
Correct me if I'm wrong, people, this is how it was explained to me...
73
ke4nt
Posted by exar on June 09 2004,06:32
I noticed firefox.tar.gz was not loading from / - an error message during boot said it had an invalid magic or something 
Posted by dslfool on June 09 2004,14:15
OK, the FireFox application IS loading after all - I was fooled because openoffice.ci generates a menu item at the top of the myDSL menu and the FireFox extensions don't. I also rarely use the desktop icons, so I didn't initially think to check for one for FireFox.Using the .tar.gz (or the same renamed to .dsl) the app loads and a desktop icon is produced, but there's no menu item at the top of the myDSL menu.
Using firefox.ci the app loads, but I get neither a myDSL menu item nor a desktop icon and must load the app from /opt/firefox/firefox.
Just to avoid confusion can these FireFox extensions be updated to add the myDSL menu listing (and the icon in the case of the .ci)?
Posted by roberts on June 09 2004,16:17
Firefox is already on the menu in the usual place. If you use either version .tar.gz or .ci both work from the usual exisiting menu item. I didn't think it necessasy to start duplicating menu items. You really shouldn't rename the extensions extension as you may be impacted on lower ram machines. Instead ask a question.
Posted by dslfool on June 09 2004,18:19
Roberts - sorry! I can see where you'd leave the menu alone for those that have a long history with adding FireFox to DSL, but I think some current users might not and some future users will definitely not think in terms of that menu. Here's where I was comin' from:I noticed a pattern to the other myDSL extensions I've tried: load extension = get a menu listing under myDSL. Re FireFox, I've only used Apps > Net > got the bandwidth? > FireFox to download to a HD install, after which I've made my own menu item under Apps > Net. So, I wasn't associating "got the bandwidth? > FireFox" with launching the installed app and didn't think to look there after loading the myDSL extension.
I'm guessing that eventually there'll be new DSL users who start using FireFox right from the myDSL extensions and never use the "got the bandwidth?" menu to download it. For them I can't see that they'd think to go to that menu to launch the app, especially if they see myDSL apps adding a menu item at the top. If I'm wrong, great, but if not, there'll be a few more dumb postings like mine on this board.
Re changing the extension's extension (I love saying that :-) ), well, I DID ask a question, then tried what looked like a reasonable solution from another user who knows more than I do. Thanks for clarifying the ramifications of doing that.
And again, sorry. The myDSL extensions are marvelous and wonderful, and adding the menu items under myDSL make them even better. Just thought I'd throw out that the existing FireFox menu with its "got the bandwidth?" connotation may at some point trip up someone else besides me.
Posted by roberts on June 09 2004,18:30
Very good points. Your right about the long history of the firefox download script and menu item. Maybe I was thinking not to touch that bit of history. John, was the first to make such scripts. Now with the .ci files, maybe it is too confusing. I am thinking to drop the firefox.tar.gz and openoffice.dsl in favor of their ci counterparts and then adding in the menu and icon for firefox as you suggest. That way the menu for the download script is still there for those that want to load it that way. I am not sure. Will wait a bit to see the feedback from this post as well as my response to cbagger01 about the 384MB openoffice.dsl vs the openoffice.ci. I would really not want to have to maintain two versions. Is there are compelling reason to have both?
Posted by ke4nt1 on June 09 2004,18:46
My vote goes to the .ci versions of the files in question,Firefox and Openoffice..
I run Firefox with every copy of DSL here, every time I bootup,
so no problem there..
Now I don't use Openoffice very often, unless I have a special
need that abiword or ted can't handle ...
I like the discussion about having a common menu item for
both in the mydsl menu. (since it IS an add-on to DSL )
If you can make Firefox and Openoffice both .ci files, can you make ANY program into a .ci file?
Why not make all the .dsl's into .ci's,
at least the larger ones ( over a few megs in size ) ??
Can you share with us a few more "pointers" on how to
construct .ci files of our contributions?
73
ke4nt
Posted by dslfool on June 09 2004,19:36
Roberts,Speaking as someone who's an expert at it, I say: think like a n00bie. :-) Just imagine someone new who downloads DSL and a bunch of extensions, including FireFox, loads 'em, sees all the menu items under myDSL, but doesn't see FireFox there. Will he/she think "I bet FireFox is somewhere else in the menu.", or "Oh, no, FireFox isn't there - it must not have loaded."?
Re the openoffice.ci vs. .dsl issue, I guess if someone had enough RAM to load openoffice.dsl, he/she should be able to live with loading the .ci at boot. You're right - maintaining two versions would be a pain and I bet most of us would like you to have more development time for other things.
Speaking of which, all of your development efforts and support is massively appreciated (and would be even if you had totally disagreed with my last post).
Posted by ke4nt1 on June 09 2004,21:00
Continuing thought on my earlier post.......If the .ci files use way less ram than .dsl files,
Is there a way to make them load thru a menu on demand,
rather that HAVE to include them in the / at bootup?
( like the mydsl menu does? )
Wouldn't that be the best of both? ..
I really like being able to load from menu what I want
to use right now, and not have to decide what I want
before I boot, or burn to the / on a cd for live use.
I can see it would be difficult to "install" your favorite .ci
file, and keep the system as "read-only" as possible..
ke4nt
Posted by ke4nt1 on June 10 2004,02:25
I think cbagger01 answered my question in the other thread, discussing the limited number of "cloop devices" available.
ke4nt