T.O.P.L.E.S.S. Version 1.0.1 - now available !!!

[LazY Puppy]

I have updated post T.O.P.L.E.S.S. requirements and how to install as a user did make a better EN description by PM.

Formatted (using gparted) to (boot partition marked green):
- ext2 (if it is a single partition)
- ext2/ext3 (recommended) or even to fat32/ext3 (if there are at least two partitions)
make it bootable (set boot flag)
install grub4dos
delete the resultant menu.lst

[LazY Puppy]

Hi.

A user told by PM he has had some issues.

Anyone tested this?
Anyone tested this successfully?
Anyone ended up having problems with wrong entries in menu.lst?
Anyone ended up having a corrupted menu.lst?
Anyone annoyed by the Icon placed at the desktop at first use?
Anyone wants to have more delay to read the new options/info at boot up?

Anything else?

[emil]

Hi RSH,
Topless looks very interesting, but it might be a bit overwhelming. Maybe it needs to sink a bit until people fully realize what you are sharing.
kind regards
emil

[stemsee]

I haven't tested yet as I have to prepare a large partition, because EmSee-Ultra.sfs is 2.8gb compressed!! I am wondering how topless will handle the conversion of such a huge file.

[B.K. Johnson]

@Rainer
A T.O.P.L.E.S.S. system uses neither save-to-folder or save-to-file. I download and install a pet so I can change the mouse cursor. How do I make this change persistent over reboots?

[LazY Puppy]

Hi RSH,
Topless looks very interesting, but it might be a bit overwhelming. Maybe it needs to sink a bit until people fully realize what you are sharing.
kind regards
emil

Yes, it may be probably a little bit too much overwhelming for the average Puppy user. Though I won't miss it anymore! Pity, it looks like I'm not really able to explain T.O.P.L.E.S.S. things in an understandable way to users by using EN language...

I haven't tested yet as I have to prepare a large partition, because EmSee-Ultra.sfs is 2.8gb compressed!! I am wondering how topless will handle the conversion of such a huge file.

As it is intended, T.O.P.L.E.S.S. will not change/convert anything on the main sfs of a Puppy. So your EmSee-Ultra.sfs will remain as it is. Though I did not make any tests on Puppies that aren't listed in my opening post, T.O.P.L.E.S.S. probably may fail completely on your EmSee-Ultra Puppy.

Hope you'd seen this information: It depends on a original initrd.gz!

@Rainer
A T.O.P.L.E.S.S. system uses neither save-to-folder or save-to-file. I download and install a pet so I can change the mouse cursor. How do I make this change persistent over reboots?

Yes, the main purpose of T.O.P.L.E.S.S. is not to use a save folder and/or not to use a save file, though being able to configure/setup the Puppy in multiple manners. Actually T.O.P.L.E.S.S. doesn't offer any benefit for people that wants to run a Puppy by save file and/or save folder. Also there wouldn't be any need to use T.O.P.L.E.S.S. when a save file and/or save folder is in use, as things are being persistent just by setting it up and saving to save file and/or save folder at shutdown.

To make things persistent for a use in a T.O.P.L.E.S.S. LazY Puppy 5 there is currently only one possibility: editing the main sfs!

However, this could be a nice addition for a next version. So if you will give a link to the .pet package for being able to change the mouse cursor after install (I assume it includes the mouse cursors?), I will going to try to add this option to the main config file.

Until then you'll need to put the .pet package into the sub-directory InstallMe of Puppies boot directory and changing MYPKGINSTALLDIROPT=0 to MYPKGINSTALLDIROPT=1 in main config file/s. Though you'll still need to change the mouse cursor manually until releasing updated code.

As you mentioned being able to change the mouse cursor, I assume you did find its related menu entry in sub-menus of menu Workstation. Since the menu has many additional new categories I decided to put Desktop, Setup and System into the new category Workstation.

Any else categories of a average puppy (like Multimedia, Network, Personal etc.) is placed into the new category Applications. So anything familiar is to be found inside of these new menu categories and anything else is only present by using T.O.P.L.E.S.S.. I think that's pretty much easy to follow and will give a complete impression of what is there that usually isn't existing in a average Puppy Linux.

[B.K. Johnson]

@LazY Puppy

To make things persistent for a use in a T.O.P.L.E.S.S. LazY Puppy 5 there is currently only one possibility: editing the main sfs!

What is the name of the main sfs you speak of? I am making 2 puppies T.O.P.L.E.S.S.

However, this could be a nice addition for a next version. So if you will give a link to the .pet package for being able to change the mouse cursor after install (I assume it includes the mouse cursors?), I will going to try to add this option to the main config file.

Menu=>Setup=>Puppy Package Manager
Type cursor_themes in the Search window. cursor_themes-1-1 appears, ready for download/install. Once installed, Menu=>Desktop=>Pcur and select the cursor you want. I use whitelarge
Name and location of 'main config' file, please.

Until then you'll need to put the .pet package into the sub-directory InstallMe of Puppies boot directory and changing MYPKGINSTALLDIROPT=0 to MYPKGINSTALLDIROPT=1 in main config file/s. Though you'll still need to change the mouse cursor manually until releasing updated code.

What is the name of the main config file? Where is it located?
So, with the pet in InstallMe, what happens on boot? The pet is installed only for the current session!

I want to use Seamonkey, I want to set up a menu item so I can launch Composer only. I want to use emelfm2 and tweak it so I can work efficiently. What's the recommended approach? Should the originals be converted to SFS. After being launched and configured to my needs, are they permanent or lost on the next reboot?

As you mentioned being able to change the mouse cursor, I assume you did find its related menu entry in sub-menus of menu Workstation.

Yes. I went to PPM, installed the pet, selected my cursor and used it for 3 hrs. Gone on reboot.
Changed a PaleMoon preference. Gone on reboot!
Got Wi-Fi ndiswrapper configuration to work. Gone on reboot.

Since the menu has many additional new categories I decided to put Desktop, Setup and System into the new category Workstation.
Any else categories of a average puppy (like Multimedia, Network, Personal etc.) is placed into the new category Applications. So anything familiar is to be found inside of these new menu categories and anything else is only present by using T.O.P.L.E.S.S.. I think that's pretty much easy to follow and will give a complete impression of what is there that usually isn't existing in a average Puppy Linux.

I figured that eventually. Go to Workstation and Applications and you are on familiar territory.

[LazY Puppy]

@LazY Puppy

To make things persistent for a use in a T.O.P.L.E.S.S. LazY Puppy 5 there is currently only one possibility: editing the main sfs!

What is the name of the main sfs you speak of? I am making 2 puppies T.O.P.L.E.S.S.

There is only one main sfs for a Puppy - usually it starts with puppy_. To make things persistent in both Puppies you'll need to edit them both: puppy_tahr_6.0.5.sfs and puppy_tahr64_6.0.5.sfs.

Menu=>Setup=>Puppy Package Manager
Type cursor_themes in the Search window. cursor_themes-1-1 appears, ready for download/install. Once installed, Menu=>Desktop=>Pcur and select the cursor you want. I use whitelarge.

Ok, thanks.

Name and location of 'main config' file, please.
What is the name of the main config file? Where is it located?

Those Files that I'm calling main config and/or sub config are explained in this post. The post has two divisions (marked in blue color) which has a partially underlined sub-title showing either main config or sub config.

The divisions content includes exact (as much exact as I was able to do) description of how the names of these main and sub config files are defined (of course one needs to know what $DISTRO_FILE_PREFIX (e.g. tahr) and $DISTRO_VERSION (e.g. 6.0.5) will be set up to on a running Puppy.

May I ask you to offer some descriptions in EN that will be better than those descriptions I'm fighting with?

So, with the pet in InstallMe, what happens on boot? The pet is installed only for the current session!

Correct. It will install automatically. No need to confirm installation at all. Though there will be a message.

I want to use Seamonkey, I want to set up a menu item so I can launch Composer only. I want to use emelfm2 and tweak it so I can work efficiently. What's the recommended approach? Should the originals be converted to SFS. After being launched and configured to my needs, are they permanent or lost on the next reboot?

How to make things permanent/persistent is explained in this post (probably too vague, not detailed enough).

I'm calling this: Save settings back to T.O.P.L.E.S.S. System SFS Modules.

Ok, so the Seamonkey approach seems to be a good example to explain it using more details.

I assume there is Seamonkey existing as a .pet file.

Preparing the .pet package (probably it's not necessary for some .pet packages, though I recommend it as it is a MUST at sometimes):

Copy the .pet file to a ext partition, right-click the .pet and choose Extract (or probably Extract .pet package (I'm in DE)). Go to the extracted .pet's location /usr/share/applications and load its .desktop file into a text editor. Check entry Categories= to make sure it will enter a Puppy Linux menu category. Check also entry Icon= to make sure its content (name of icon) will fit to either an icon already inside the system (like /usr/share/pixmaps, /usr/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps or /usr/local/lib/X11/pixmaps) or even to an icon at these locations inside of the extracted .pet package. If there is neither one choose a icon from somewhere, rename it or rename content of entry Icon= in .desktop file and put it (best: /usr/share/pixmaps AND /usr/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps) at these locations inside of the extracted .pet package. Where ever it's placed: don't symlink it back to the /usr/share/pixmaps directories.

If all done, right-click the .pet's extracted directory and choose Create .pet package.

1. do right-click the new created .pet package and choose: Convert to SFS P.L.U.S.
- a GUI may appear, if so
- - select the menu entry/entries (.desktop file/s, multiple selection possible) within the left list
- - no need to change settings
- - click Apply
- - just close the next dialogue
- the SFS will appear in /root (or probably at .pet's location?)

2. move that SFS to directory Modules at boot partition
- this is the SFS Pool location from where the SFS P.L.U.S. RunScripts do load SFS Modules

3. open the Defaults Changer/Chooser (near bottom of menu Default Apps)
- switch to the Tab for Internet etc.
- empty the entry for the default browser
- open /root/.my-sfs-scripts
- open the Seamonkey xxx.Scripts directory
- drag and drop the RunScript to the entry for the defaultbrowser
- update the default applications (click on Update)
- close the Defaults Changer GUI

4. go to menu SFS P.L.U.S.
- choose Rebuild RunScripts SFS Module
- choose Rebuild Default Apps SFS Module

That's it.

After doing a reboot you can execute Seamonkey from its menu entry or just by the browser (or internet?) icon at the desktop.

May I ask you again to offer some descriptions in EN that will be better than those descriptions I'm fighting with?

Now, something different, as there seems to be also some confusion about my term RoxApp Directory for the T.O.P.L.E.S.S.

Really, nobody but me understands the term T.O.P.L.E.S.S. RoxApp Directory?
(Just hoping that's simply not true)

The Rox Application Directory (RoxApp Directory)
(A self contained application)

Re-packaging a program as an application directory

The simplest case is something like tgif where you just have an executable and a help file.
The steps would then be:

Create a directory called 'TGIF'
Move the executable inside as 'AppRun'
Put a PNG format icon inside as '.DirIcon'
Create a subdirectory called 'Help' and put the docs inside that
Optionally, create an AppInfo.xml file as explained in the filer's manual (this can be used to show a tooltip for the application, etc).

Yes, I know: when right-clicking such RoxApp Directory and choosing Properties it says Type = Application. Though, this is NOT an (usual) Application like binaries and/or scripts as this will show up just as a simple directory in every else file manager. Only the Rox desktop -which is partially used in Puppy- knows, that this directory is a Application Directory.

However, just to make sure: the T.O.P.L.E.S.S. RoxApp Directory is different to directory RoxApps (which is NOT a RoxApp Directory and which will be present also after converting to T.O.P.L.E.S.S.).

Hope this is helpful...

[LazY Puppy]

Once installed, Menu=>Desktop=>Pcur and select the cursor you want.

I'm just wondering how did you get to that menu entry Pcur?

In my version of tahr 6.0.5 this one has entry

Code: Select all

NoDisplay=true

so it doesn't show up in the menu. Needed to start Pcur by terminal!

However, good news:

I downloaded the Mouse Cursor Package, extracted its content and copied this content into extracted designs_xxx_xxx.sfs. Then rebuilt the SFS. All done manually as the rebuild script to rebuild the designs_xxx_xxx.sfs doesn't include code to store content of /root/.icons inside of designs_xxx_xxx.sfs.

Then I examined code of Pcur, to find out how this will set a new mouse cursor theme to use immediately. Found out, it is just a symbolic link 'default' made to the related directory containing the mouse cursor theme. Then it's just refreshing JWM.

So I added MYMOUSECURSORTHEME as a new variable inside of the main config file used and added code to a script placed in initrd.gz. As this will setup the new mouse cursor theme when still boot console is running (before X appears) there's no need to refresh JWM.

Made a reboot after the initrd.gz was rebuilt and booted directly into mouse cursor theme: blue-crystal - nice addition.

Now I'm going to add this to the files of T.O.P.L.E.S.S., so when I'm converting my Puppies again they all will have ability to boot into a different mouse cursor theme.

A probably next version of T.O.P.L.E.S.S. is going to include this feature as well!


Thanks!

[B.K. Johnson]

@LazY Puppy
The quotes are from this post.

What is the name of the main sfs you speak of? I am making 2 puppies T.O.P.L.E.S.S.

There is only one main sfs for a Puppy - usually it starts with puppy_.

Touche! But with just main sfs and not the main puppy.sfs, I thought there may be an sfs for your TOPLESS system. You know you have so many.

To make things persistent in both Puppies you'll need to edit them both: puppy_tahr_6.0.5.sfs and puppy_tahr64_6.0.5.sfs.

I can mount the sfs; editing for various situations is a different matter for many of us. Would it not be easier for us to just make the changes to a puppy then remaster? Does TOPLESS have functionality that will make this a no-brainer?

I read the link to Save settings back ... before. My understanding is that it provides the names of the variables/definitions that should be included in the configuration file. I did not see the configuration file name(s) or where to find it(them).
lped looks to me like a configuration file and this is at the end of it.
###############################################################################
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# User Additions Section - add your own Settings and Preferences here
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
###############################################################################

Is this the file in tahr64-6.0.5 to which I should add lines like:
$DISTRO_FILE_PREFIX_$DISTRO_VERSION-test for my test version of tahr64-6.0.5?

May I ask you to offer some descriptions in EN that will be better than those descriptions I'm fighting with? Laughing

Sure, I can do that, but I have to understab\nd it first. Laughing Thoroughly.

How to make things permanent/persistent is explained in this post (probably too vague, not detailed enough).

On first and second read, I don't quite get it because, as an average user I am unfamiliar with TOPLESS, SFS Modules, VariomMenuGroups, creating RunScripts from SFS Modules, etc. I do understand the Seamonkey example . KISS.

Re Seamonkey,

Preparing the .pet package

It seems we work from within TOPLESS (the hint is we will use SFSP.L.U.S.)

Re T.O.P.L.E.S.S. RoxApp Directory?
New to me, but then I am not a developer. Good to know. Interesting concept. Thanks for the link.

Hope this is helpful...

Yes! Learnt a few things, prof.

[B.K. Johnson]

Once installed, Menu=>Desktop=>Pcur and select the cursor you want.

I'm just wondering how did you get to that menu entry Pcur?

so it doesn't show up in the menu. Needed to start Pcur by terminal!

Pcur was there when TOPLESS booted into tahr64 (not tahr) and I used it. Used the cursor pointer too. Exited the system and when the cursor did not persist on next boot, I tried to repeat, but Pcur was not present. JWM mouse/keyboardWizard (I think) would have allowed me to download and install the pet but I did not bother. The reason for its absence I suspect is either (a) mix up of tahr64 and tahr (b) I had clicked on one of the VarioMenu and got switched into LazY Puppy (c) a new menu.lst presented a true tahr64 menu which does not have Pcur. I am currently using tarh-6.0.5-PAE which originally started as 6.0.2 and updated by 666philb's online upgrades. It has Pcur. If I have a tahr-6.0.2, I'll check if it's included in that version.

However, good news:
Yeah! But quite some work.
An ordinary user would not have known what to do. And that's the problem with TOPLESS. It's new. It's complicated. It is going to evolve.

A probably next version of T.O.P.L.E.S.S. is going to include this feature as well!
Should not be probably; it surely should be, you having done the hard work already. How the standard distros do not have it in OOTB is surprising. It's the first pet I install with a new puppy. Glad you like it.

@All developers
Note the kudos. Try it. Include cursor themes in your distros.

[LazY Puppy]

The quotes are from the two posts above.

Touche! But with just main sfs and not the main puppy.sfs, I thought there may be an sfs for your TOPLESS system. You know you have so many.

Yes I know. There are 724 SFS Modules in my SFS Pool at my USB HD used by 6 remastered LazY Puppy and 12 T.O.P.L.E.S.S. LazY Puppy 5 Systems. Sorry for being not clear enough on main puppy sfs.

There is no main sfs for T.O.P.L.E.S.S. as it is just the Builder to turn a JWM Puppy Linux into a LazY Puppy 5 and such LazY Puppy 5 will completely run without the T.O.P.L.E.S.S. RoxApp Directory.

I can mount the sfs; editing for various situations is a different matter for many of us. Would it not be easier for us to just make the changes to a puppy then remaster? Does TOPLESS have functionality that will make this a no-brainer?

Of course you can make changes and then doing a remaster.

BUT: you'll need to boot then without to load a config file which can be done by a menu entry in menu.lst - the one that says (RAM) Originalversion. As nothing has changed on the main puppy sfs when building the LazY Puppy 5 by T.O.P.L.E.S.S. it will boot e.g. tahr in original.

Remove /etc/profile.local before starting to remaster!
Make sure to have a backup of the initrd.gz before remastering!

I do understand the Seamonkey example

Good.

I read the link to Save settings back ... before. My understanding is that it provides the names of the variables/definitions that should be included in the configuration file. I did not see the configuration file name(s) or where to find it(them).
lped looks to me like a configuration file and this is at the end of it.

No, this post: Save settings back to T.O.P.L.E.S.S. System SFS Modules is not about the config files. it is about the T.O.P.L.E.S.S. System SFS Modules and it doesn't contain any information about variables and/or definitions to be included in the config files - except it mentions: defining a default wine sfs in tahr.6.0.2.lped.cfg.

Just open up the boot directories of your converted Puppies. You should notice lots of additional files and directories. Directory ConfigData says it all. There should be at least three files. Two main config files plus one sub config file (the lped one).

The menu entries in menu.lst referring to the main config files by boot parameter pconfig (which is all explained here). Look at these files and read the post about the config files again, and you'll notice its logical build structure.

Looking into these files by using a text editor will also be helpful as there are EN comments made and you'll find the variables/definitions to be edited to setup different wallpapers and everything else that is mentioned/explained here.

Notice all of the files (including the sfs and menu-xxx.lst files in boot directory) have the $DISTRO_FILE_PREFIX and the $DISTRO_VERSION in its name!

It seems we work from within TOPLESS

No. You just used T.O.P.L.E.S.S. once. When building the LazY Puppy 5. That says: copying some files plus renaming them and doing changes only on the initrd.gz.

the hint is we will use SFSP.L.U.S.

Yes, which is the main part of a LazY Puppy 5 and remains as an SFS Module for a converted Puppy (LazY Puppy 5) e.g. sfsplus_tahr64_6.0.5.sfs.

Pcur was there when TOPLESS booted into tahr64 (not tahr) and I used it. Used the cursor pointer too. Exited the system and when the cursor did not persist on next boot, I tried to repeat, but Pcur was not present. JWM mouse/keyboardWizard (I think) would have allowed me to download and install the pet but I did not bother. The reason for its absence I suspect is either (a) mix up of tahr64 and tahr (b) I had clicked on one of the VarioMenu and got switched into LazY Puppy (c) a new menu.lst presented a true tahr64 menu which does not have Pcur. I am currently using tarh-6.0.5-PAE which originally started as 6.0.2 and updated by 666philb's online upgrades. It has Pcur. If I have a tahr-6.0.2, I'll check if it's included in that version.

See attached image.

An ordinary user would not have known what to do. And that's the problem with TOPLESS. It's new. It's complicated. It is going to evolve.

Yes, an ordinary user can't do this.
No, T.O.P.L.E.S.S. is not complicated, but yes, it is new.

It is already evolving as it has now the Mouse Cursor Option included and is also able to turn LxPup (e.g. 15.12) and also X-Tahr (e.g. 6.0.2) into a LazY Puppy 5. Older versions before Precise needs too many tweaks so I'm not supporting these versions of Puppy.

Should not be probably; it surely should be, you having done the hard work already. How the standard distros do not have it in OOTB is surprising.

Probably as I seem not being able to tell anything understandably about T.O.P.L.E.S.S. in EN language.

@All developers
Note the kudos. Try it.

Thanks.

[B.K. Johnson]

LazY Puppy wrote:

BUT: you'll need to boot then without to load a config file which can be done by a menu entry in menu.lst - the one that says (RAM) Originalversion. As nothing has changed on the main puppy sfs when building the LazY Puppy 5 by T.O.P.L.E.S.S. it will boot e.g. tahr in original.

I am ahead of you. I have booted into tahr64-6.0.5 (RAM) and also into tahr64-6.0.5 (RAM) with cfg (name may not be correct).
During the boot sequence I spied the configuration file name: tahr64_6.0.5.cfg. Then did a search and found it in tahr64-6.0.5/ConfigData/. I made the wallpaper be BlackHoleInTheSky but haven't rebooted yet.

Probably as I seem not being able to tell anything understandably about T.O.P.L.E.S.S. in EN language.

Don't give up. English is a very difficult language.

BTW, this post is being made from T.O.P.L.E.S.S. tahr64-6.0.5 with Config????

[EDIT} 31 Jan 2016 @ 1:32
The wallpaper change worked.

[B.K. Johnson]

LazY Puppy wrote here:

When loading wi-fi drivers by connect software from a directory at boot partition works well, just keep it as is. No need to change anything on this. Though you could e.g. create a sfs (e.g.: wifi-drivers.sfs or wifi-drivers64) and load them automatically at boot up. Enter wifi-drivers.sfs or wifi-drivers64.sfs at MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST in main config file and change MYBOOTSFSLOADLISTOPT=0 to MYBOOTSFSLOADLISTOPT=1.

In main config there is: MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST="".
Obviously, if there is only 1 SFS in the list, I just place it between the quotes. How do I list if there are multiple SFSs? Are they separated by commas?

[EDIT}
Where do I place the SFS I create for the wi-fi driver? In the boot partition?

[LazY Puppy]

The wallpaper change worked.

Pretty Cool!

I think now you are on your way to explore its possibilities...

Where do I place the SFS I create for the wi-fi driver? In the boot partition?

I depends on how you'll load the SFS.

When loading at boot up (MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST=) it goes into boot directory.
When loading by a Menu Entry (by created RunScript) it goes into directory Modules at boot partition.
When loading after X is running (MYSFSLOADLIST=) it goes into directory Modules at boot partition.
When loading in some different way you are free to put it either into boot directroy or boot partition.

Just notice the part above in main config file:

# Global Directory to load SFS Files from
#----------------------------------------
# Enter a Name at Boot Partition here. SFS Files loaded at /root/Startup or
# /usr/local/autostart will load from this Directory. SFS Files loaded at
# /etc/profile.local needs to be in Boot Directory.
MYGLOBALSFSDIR=Modules

In main config there is: MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST="".
Obviously, if there is only 1 SFS in the list, I just place it between the quotes. How do I list if there are multiple SFSs? Are they separated by commas?

All comments done to MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST= and MYSFSLOADLIST= saying:

KEEP THE QUOTES, USE SPACES !

Do not use paths, ONLY the name of sfs is needed.

Please tell me what SFS is in the list of MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST=. Did you place it there? It should be empty by default - except you did edit its entry.

Note: the top of the main config says:

# Don't use quotes, except where using quotes is announced
#---------------------------------------------------------
# Use File Names without Path Names.
# Any else usage is marked!


Just a tip:

Make a manual diff by loading e.g. tahr_6.0.5.cfg and tahr_6.0.5-BlackHoleInTheSky.cfg into a text editor. You will notice some differences.

However, have fun playing around with...

[LazY Puppy]

Ok,

ready for an example how to boot into a different mouse cursor theme?

Good.

As I had mentioned earlier:

I downloaded the Mouse Cursor Package, extracted its content and copied this content into extracted designs_xxx_xxx.sfs. Then rebuilt the SFS. All done manually as the rebuild script to rebuild the designs_xxx_xxx.sfs doesn't include code to store content of /root/.icons inside of designs_xxx_xxx.sfs.

Repeat this. To edit the SFS, right-click it and choose Edit SFS or probably SFS Edit. You already know how to extract the .pet package.

If the SFS is rebuilt and placed into sub-directory Update open file xxx_xxx-etc.profile.local from sub-directory BootUp.

In between of this marked section

###############################################################################
# User Section - please add the your Code below here
###############################################################################

###############################################################################
# End of User Section
###############################################################################

place the code:

ln -snf "NameOfChosenMouseCursorThemeHere" /root/.icons/default

and save it.

The NameOfChosenMouseCursorThemeHere would be a directory name from /root/.icons

The code added will be executed from /etc/profile.local at boot up, after the designs_xxx_xxx.sfs is loaded. So when X desktop appears the mouse cursor theme should be activated already.

Reboot...

Please, let me know if this has worked.

Thanks.

[B.K. Johnson]

Lazy Puppy
Thanks for the cursor_themes tutorial, but I'll look into it later tonight. I want to get your response to these three questions/scenarios first Please! The tutorial may give me some insights to the following but My head is focussed elsewhere right now.

Scenario #1
You explained here: making these permanent/persistent

pet
wi-fi driver

How about a .deb?
Do I have to first convert the deb to pet using deb2pet then convert the pet to sfs using dir2sfs or mksquashfs? Or is there another (simpler/one-step)?

Scenario #2
The deb ia emelFM2. PPM has it as well as a svg package.
My usual routine after installation is that I tweak it from the program interface. For example, when I right-click an html file I can opt to view it using any of 3 browsers I have installed. Any suggestion how I can replicate this in T.O.P.L.E.S.S.? I would rather you discuss conceptually rather than you working on your own as in the cursor_themes example.

Scenario #3
For each installed distro, I install motherApplication []
I create an icon and place in the path
I create a Menu item bjApplication, with appropriate bjApplication.desktop
bjApplication_launch is a bash file in the path.
bjApplication_launch consists of the single line motherApplication -xxx (which launches bjApplication
I set bjApplication_launch permissions to be executable.

To convert to T.O.P.L.E.S.S., I will create motherApplication.sfs, place it in the boot partition, and in tahr64-6.0.5/ConfigData/tahr64_6.0.5.cfg make MYBOOTSFSLOADLISTOPT=1 (if not already set), and make MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST="motherApplication".

That only installs motherApplication. What will I do afterward?

[B.K. Johnson]

LazY Puppy wrote:

All comments done to MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST= and MYSFSLOADLIST= saying:

KEEP THE QUOTES, USE SPACES !

Do not use paths, ONLY the name of sfs is needed.

Got it! That means names cannot have spaces.

Please tell me what SFS is in the list of MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST=. Did you place it there? It should be empty by default - except you did edit its entry.

The list is null. I inserted wifi-drivers64.sfs in quotes. The SFS itself is in the boot partition.

BFN

[B.K. Johnson]

LazY Puppy
As I stated in an earlier post, I downloaded (not installed) cursor_themes-1.1.pet. As you instructed a while back, I p[aced the pet into /tahr64-6.0.5/InstallMe. While booting, I saw quickly flashing on the screen cursor_themes pet installed. When it finished booting, I had the regular cursor, but when I navigated to Workstation=>Desktop=>JWMDeskManager and clicked on Mouse cursor, there before me were the cursors. So, the pet was installed . I selected whitelarge to install and I had my new cursor.

Now, after my new whitelarge cursor is working, I am reading your post and looking into the files and directories you mention, I can report the following:
1. /root/.icons/ has all the cursors.
2. The tooltip at /root/.icons/default states: Symbolic link to whitelarge

Can You confirm that if I place the line:

Code: Select all

ln -snf "NameOfChosenMouseCursorThemeHere" /root/.icons/default

in tahr64-6.0.5/BootUp/tahr64_6.0.5-etc.profile.local
in this section
###############################################
# User Section - please add the your Code below here
###############################################
like this:

###############################################
# User Section - please add the your Code below here
ln -snf "NameOfChosenMouseCursorThemeHere" /root/.icons/default
###############################################
and save, that should work. I feel very positive about this.

Sorry, no screenshots . I am working from T.O.P.L.E.S.S. with no familiar tools.

Oh, oh! I think I spot a problem. You state:

The code added will be executed from /etc/profile.local at boot up, after the designs_xxx_xxx.sfs is loaded. So when X desktop appears the mouse cursor theme should be activated already.

No such file exists. There is a /etc/profile.d.
===============================================
The files included in the SFS made from the wifi driver was found at /root.

BFN

[LazY Puppy]

Scenario #1
You explained here: making these permanent/persistent

pet
wi-fi driver

How about a .deb?
Do I have to first convert the deb to pet using deb2pet then convert the pet to sfs using dir2sfs or mksquashfs? Or is there another (simpler/one-step)?

It is equal to a .pet. Just right-click and choose Extract (notice the difference by Icon: PET Icon for .pet, DEB Icon for .deb).

At least this will work for the 32bit Ubuntu Puppies like Tahr. I don't know if 64bit versions can do this. Check this and if it won't work, we will return to this on 64bit.

Slacko 32 bit may work also as there is a binary to extract .deb files inside the binary32_xxx_xxx.sfs. The binary64_xxx_xxx.sfs has just a dummy file.

Scenario #2
The deb ia emelFM2. PPM has it as well as a svg package.
My usual routine after installation is that I tweak it from the program interface. For example, when I right-click an html file I can opt to view it using any of 3 browsers I have installed. Any suggestion how I can replicate this in T.O.P.L.E.S.S.? I would rather you discuss conceptually rather than you working on your own as in the cursor_themes example.

I will reply to this later tonight, as I need do download the packages. Though I can say yet, that the svg package to download contains only the Icons for emelFM2 in .svg format which means Scalable Vector Graphics. The most popular program ever using Scalable Vector Graphics has been Calamus (in the 1980's on Atari ST).

Scenario #3
For each installed distro, I install motherApplication []
I create an icon and place in the path
I create a Menu item bjApplication, with appropriate bjApplication.desktop
bjApplication_launch is a bash file in the path.
bjApplication_launch consists of the single line motherApplication -xxx (which launches bjApplication
I set bjApplication_launch permissions to be executable.

To convert to T.O.P.L.E.S.S., I will create motherApplication.sfs, place it in the boot partition, and in tahr64-6.0.5/ConfigData/tahr64_6.0.5.cfg make MYBOOTSFSLOADLISTOPT=1 (if not already set), and make MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST="motherApplication".

First: MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST="motherApplication" needs to be MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST="motherApplication.sfs". Also for the Wallpaper: MYWALLPAPER=BlackHoleInTheSky.jpg

All of those steps you are doing after installing motherApplication you'll need to do inside of the paths of the extracted .sfs file that you'd created from the .pet package. You may need to create directories inside of the directory of the extracted .sfs. If there are symbolic links to be created use: relative.

Got it! That means names cannot have spaces.

Yes, names and paths can't use spaces. Spaces are used to separate files listed.

The list is null. I inserted wifi-drivers64.sfs in quotes. The SFS itself is in the boot partition.

If you want to load this at boot up it needs to be in boot directory.

Notice its difference: MYBOOTSFSLOADLIST and MYSFSLOADLIST.

Can You confirm that if I...

###############################################################################
# User Section - please add the your Code below here
###############################################################################

ln -snf "NameOfChosenMouseCursorThemeHere" /root/.icons/default

###############################################################################
# End of User Section
###############################################################################

Oh, oh! I think I spot a problem. You state:
Quote:
The code added will be executed from /etc/profile.local at boot up, after the designs_xxx_xxx.sfs is loaded. So when X desktop appears the mouse cursor theme should be activated already.

No such file exists. There is a /etc/profile.d.

In main config file check for: RUNMYSTARTUPSCRIPTBOOTCONTENT=1 and STARTUPSCRIPTBOOTCONTENT=""

If this is set like the above there should be a file /etc/profile.local. There should also be a file /etc/tahr_6.0.5-etc.profile.local (e.g. for tahr 6.0.5).

The files included in the SFS made from the wifi driver was found at /root.

Then the files are originally also at /root inside of the original package used. If you want to have those files on a different location you'll need to edit the .sfs and following the file system structure of Puppy starting from /.