Synaptic apps for live cd boot users

Forum: myDSL Extensions (deprecated)
Topic: Synaptic apps for live cd boot users
started by: WoofyDugfock

Posted by WoofyDugfock on Oct. 05 2004,12:53

I'm impressed by the range of Debian applications on Synaptic potentially runable on DSL and by the ease which necessary adjustments to dependencies are downloaded and installed at the same time.

I have also read that these downloads are to ram only for live CD or toram boots and can't be saved & restored in the case of non-HD boots - BUGGER!

Presumably though the fact one of these apps + dependency adjustments will run in ram bodes well for its conversion to a .dsl for us live CD user ie it clearly will run.

1. Do I have the story straight?
2. When do you begin to convert one of these apps to a .dsl for backup/restore for live cd users? I have read about the deb2dsl script - but what if you also have to install various libs etc as dependencies? Looks complicated. Read something about removing these. Apparently there is a tutorial somewhere?

I'm wondering in particular about Pan, which is a decent newsreader on Synaptic.

Posted by cbagger01 on Oct. 06 2004,01:51

When it is used according to the instructions, the deb2dsl script will automatically take care of any dependencies and include them into your newly created *.dsl extension file.

When you install a program using apt-get or Synaptic, the package files that are downloaded from the remote site are stored in your apt/archives directory. This includes any dependencies that are installed as part of the process.

So there are two ways to reconstruct your Debian program installation after rebooting from livecd:

1) Use the deb2dsl script to create a dsl extension. This works for most programs, excluding the ones that come with a pre or post install scripts.

2) After doing the temporary install, save all of your resulting *.deb files that are located in your apt/archives directory. I believe that the path is /var/cache/apt/archives but this is from memory. To restore them, install the dpkg.dsl extension and then use the:

sudo dpkg -i filename.deb

commands to manually re-install each package.

Posted by WoofyDugfock on Oct. 06 2004,05:07

Thanks very much CBagger for taking the time to make this clear reply - I'll give it a shot.

Posted by WoofyDugfock on Oct. 06 2004,09:24

I report success with Method 2, which I have generalised to back up any temporarily installed .deb files and automated the re-installation on boot of all these *.deb files as follows:

1. Added to filetool.lst the line
var/cache/apt/archives/

2. Added to bootlocal.sh the line
sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb

(Of course dpkg.dsl was already restored via MyDSL=... in the F2 boot options).

You watch all the lib files marching down the bootup screen as they are being reinstalled - 'mazing 'puters!! Now I'm actually feeling like I'm learning something.

Worthy of inclusion in a "how to" for us newbies.

Now another question: can I add a restorable link to these restored Synaptic apps on, say, the right-click desktop menu so that (a) I remember that these have been backed up and (b) they can be easily launced without typing in >"run program"?

Posted by WoofyDugfock on Oct. 06 2004,14:38

OK i've done a bit more searching concerning my last question. For the benefit of others:

1. Organising extensions into submenus has been tackled to some extent by Henk at

< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....2;t=739 >

I'll have to find his homepage and try his .dsl to do this. Appears to be the subject of energetic debate at

< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....nd+menu >

2. Apparently much less problematic is the placement of additional icons on the desktop linking to apps. This is well discussed at

< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....desktop >

< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....desktop >

and

< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....desktop >

Posted by cbagger01 on Oct. 06 2004,22:13

Sure, you can add them to your fluxbox menu.

Do this. Open an xterminal and type:

scite /home/dsl/.fluxbox/menu

And use the editor to add new menu items while you follow the already existing syntax for menu entries.

Make sure the /home/dsl/.fluxbox is still in your filetool.lst

Enjoy.

Posted by WoofyDugfock on Oct. 08 2004,09:10

Thanks CBagger - couldn't be easier. I'll try fiddling with icons when I get around to it.

Posted by Ninja on Oct. 12 2004,12:59

ty woofy, that will save some searching