Why are mydsl extensions not persisting?

Forum: HD Install
Topic: Why are mydsl extensions not persisting?
started by: ddaupert

Posted by ddaupert on June 17 2006,16:52

Yo,

I have this hd layout:

/dev/hda1 -- installed image
/dev/hda2 -- swap
/dev/hda3 -- home/ opt/ /optional

I have these grub boot options:
quiet vga=normal noacpi noapm noscsi frugal dma toram home=hda3 opt=hda3 mydsl=hda3 restore=hda3 host=minitux

When I download a .dsl or .uci extension to /optional, the file downloads but doesn't install. Icon does not show up in desktop.

When I download same to /tmp, the icon does display in desktop, I can run the app, but app disappears after reboot.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

/dennis

Posted by ZoOp on June 17 2006,17:03

hda3 should writable for dsl user (open emelfm, then go to /mnt/hda3/opt, right click, properties--> permissions);

you don't need "restore=hda3" in your boot line, because in a frugal install, DSL automatically backup your settings in a backup.tar.gz file in /mnt/hda3

at shutdown, your .dsl will be automatically unloaded (and not uninstalled); in order to load them at boot, write in your boot line: mydsl=hda3/repositorywheremydslextensionsare (or save them all in /hda3 and keep mydsl=hda3)

yours
z

Posted by mikshaw on June 17 2006,17:50

Quote

When I download a .dsl or .uci extension to /optional, the file downloads but doesn't install. Icon does not show up in desktop.

The optional directory is there for extensions that you do not want to install automatically, but to have a menu item available for quick install. It works only if you already have the extension in the directory when you boot up.
The /tmp directory is not persistent. Anything saved there will be gone when you reboot.

Quote

you don't need "restore=hda3" in your boot line, because in a frugal install, DSL automatically backup your settings in a backup.tar.gz file in /mnt/hda3

To clarify this, you must have your backup set to hda3 within DSL (which i assume you already do), BUT you must supply restore=hda3 if you happen to have an extra backup.tar.gz on hda1 or hda2 (for whatever reason...possibly as a backup backup). If you don't specify a restore location DSL will load the first backup.tar.gz it finds, and it may not be the backup.tar.gz you want.

Quote

at shutdown, your .dsl will be automatically unloaded (and not uninstalled); in order to load them at boot, write in your boot line: mydsl=hda3/repositorywheremydslextensionsare (or save them all in /hda3 and keep mydsl=hda3)

And to expand on this, make sure the location is a persistent location. Anything in /ramdisk will go poof. On hda3 you should have home, opt, and backup.tar.gz. If you have DSL 2.3 or newer, add a directory named "mydsl" to the same place as those three files, and you will have a nice neat place in which to save your extensions, and it will work with your current boot settings. Make the mydsl directory owned by dsl.staff and you will be able to save them without needing to be root.

Posted by ddaupert on June 17 2006,23:18

Big thanks, z and mikshaw. Understanding what's going on under the hood is very helpful.

I added mydsl at same level as home, opt, and chowned to dsl.staff. I also added mydsl=hda3/mydsl to grub boot line.

I ALSO found I needed to put in /mnt/hda3/mydsl in the download textfield in the mydsl extension widget. I had puzzled over what to put in there, exactly. In some places, (such as grub bootline) you don't use the full path, just the 'hdx' string. In other places, you have to use the full path.

I now have a few other issues; I'll take to the mydsl forum. xchat intalled fine, icon shows up, xchat works. realplayer downloaded, no icon, no work. nvu downloaded, icon shows up, no work. That sort of thing.

But, much closer now! Really, big thanks, guys.

/dennis