YaPI (yet another Puppy Installer) install any Puppy iso

[musher0]

Thanks for your reply.

Since you have a final version, I suppose my suggestion has become "rhetorical".
I understand.

BFN.

[Moat]

With 17,000 + views of this topic... Not really sure what all this indicates.

.... Good idea

Hi bigpup - yes, good idea! I am one who has been lurking since you began this idea/project, as I've always wished the original PUI could work on other Puppies/.iso's in addition to the currently running one.

I, personally, find no great need for an .iso search function... if I'm sitting down to install a Puppy, I already well know which one I want to install and where it'll be located - and I'll manually mount the partition if need be (and leave it mounted until the process is finished). The "open with... YaPI" right-click function sounds great, and would already have required me to manually mount the desired partition anyway.

Either that, and/or a simple GUI directory "browse" function/button would be plenty sufficient. Like what any typical .iso burner program might offer.

I'm sorry as I have no time/energy to test these days (and I am mostly on Barry's Precise 5.7.1 anyways, and YaPI may not work properly on that anyhow?) - wish I could contribute something worthwhile, though!

But good luck, and keep up the good work! (L18L and musher0, too!) Looks (from here) like it's coming along very nicely!

Bob

[gcmartin]

All good views from @Musher0, @BigPUP, and @Moat being shared; all with merits.

But the prize which I think was prevalent when this got underway was a clearer, easier to understand, straight forward, simple, and better PUI that ANY user, novice, beginner, or experienced would be able to use.

For most, the current PUI that ships with PUPPY is a beast in understanding that has received complaints over the years. This PUI starts with an intent to ease what is occurring as one builds the USB/HDD/SD/SSD/etc for whatever ISO the user desires. When it is clear in understanding, users do not have to continue with the trial and error practice that the old user leads users into; especially true for most first-time users. Thus this PUI, YAPI, intends to reduce frustrations and clearly in both language and operation help the user to their objective.

The Prize ... a Better PUI! (not just a smarter one, but ...)

[L18L]

For YaPI to fully work, we are trying to make sure it will fully work in the latest newest versions of Puppy.
Tahrpup 6.0.5
Tahrpup64 6.0.5
Slacko 6.3.0
Slacko64 6.3.0
Fatdog64
And maybe, at best, be able to do a normal frugal and full install in some of the other Puppies.

YaPI should work in (future !) Woof-CE built Puppies (only )

Fatdog64 is not Woof-CE built, even not a Puppy.

TahrPups seem to lack extra-button capable Xdialog.
That is not our problem IMHO.

The Prize ... a Better PUI! (not just a smarter one, but ...)

Not a better PUI but hopefully: Better than PUI

[gcmartin]

I lobby that this become the new PUI, removing the old from WOOFCE builds and replacing with this new Internationalized subsystem because of its universal easy approach: IMHO.

[B.K. Johnson]

bigpup asked:
Some interest.
Yes
Some willingness to try it.
Yes, but not at this time. No free flash drive available now to dedicate to an ext file system. Were it testable on a FAT, maybe tested a long time ago. I use FAT and multiple puppies. Adding another puppy to test in that environment is easy. I don't play with Fatdogs or Quirky dogs.

But I have downloaded it.
Some willingness to help.
Yes, but if no testing, what?
Good idea
Anything that makes puppy better is a good idea. And if you think it's a good idea...
Not a good idea
I would not categorically say so. One of these days when I want to do something that YAPI provideas, I'll consider it a marvelous idea, won't I?
Don't remember if stated, but are more than 1 partition accommodable on the drive?

Any feedback good or bad out there. Idea
You got them now!
BFN

[musher0]

Hello all.

Sorry in advance for ruffled feathers, but IMO:

YaPI is a luxury.

-- Nothing beats the speed, neatness and precision of a --
-- manual frugal installation once you know how to do it. --

I did have fun being a team player. I discovered a couple of things along the way.
So I'll vote according to the party line.

"Comprenne qui pourra !" (Somebody here knows who this wink is for!)

BFN.

[bigpup]

YaPI should work in (future !) Woof-CE built Puppies (only )

TahrPups seem to lack extra-button capable Xdialog.
That is not our problem IMHO.

Tahrpup 6.0.5 was/is the only Tahrpup with the problem.

I got the xdialog extra button problem fixed in Tahrpup 6.0.5
The refresh button now works.

Doing the latest Quickpet->Info->Tahrpup updates will install the fix to xdialog. The xdialog fix was recently provided in the updates.

However, the SuperFloppy still does not work in Tahrpup 6.0.5
After the xdialog update to Tahrpup 6.0.5
Still get no SUPERFLOPPY button.
With the xdialog fix now providing the extra buttons.
Tahrpup 6.0.5 must still have something missing that is needed for superfloppy.
Still trying to troubleshoot.

That is not our problem IMHO

I agree this is not YaPI causing the problem.
But, I feel a need to help fix Tahrpup 6.0.5 if I can.

[bigpup]

B.K. Johnson,

No free flash drive available now to dedicate to an ext file system. Were it testable on a FAT,

YaPI does frugal installs to Fat32 or Fat16 formats.

Example:
I have a USB flash drive formatted Fat32.
It has 5 different Puppy versions installed on it.
Has Grub4dos boot loader on it.
Boots to a boot menu, where you choose which Puppy to run.
Everything was installed using YaPI.

Everything you ask about, YaPI can do.

Frugal install to any partition, any format, any device.

Full installs to any partition on an internal drive that is formatted in a Linux format.

The only install YaPI does, that is a little strange, is the SuperFloppy install to a USB flash drive.
This one does use the entire drive and configures it a special way.
However, it does put a ext4 formatted partition, on the drive, that can be used as a normal partition.

[bigpup]

The Prize ... a Better PUI! (not just a smarter one, but ...)

I think L18L has produced a very useful Puppy installer.

[B.K. Johnson]

B.K. Johnson,

No free flash drive available now to dedicate to an ext file system. Were it testable on a FAT,

bigpup

YaPI does frugal installs to Fat32 or Fat16 formats.

Thanks for the enlightenment. I stand corrected. I certainly will be more inclined to try YAPI the next time I am setting up a flash drive.

[bigpup]

L18L,

I need your help on this to make sure I am doing this correctly.

I am trying to use YaPI by running it in Precise 5.7.1

Downloaded the Yapi.pet
Did this to install it in Precise 5.7.1

convert it to tgz
unpack it -> folder yapi.
dir2pet yapi creates yapi.pet which is installable on this version

Starting yapi from the menu entry.
Trying to do an install to a USB flash drive.
I get to the point of searching on the drive for the partitions available.
Yapi hangs.

I got this error message in the console:

Code: Select all

/usr/sbin/yapi: line 562:  -1: substring expression < 0

I think I found the problem and how to fix it.
I did this:
Yapi Line 562 has this code:

Code: Select all

l  printf "\"$p\" \"%s  %s\" " $ptype "${FREE:0: -1}  $I_TYPE" >> ${tD}_ # last blanc removed

I changed:

Code: Select all

${FREE:0: -1}

To:

Code: Select all

${FREE:0: -0}

I was now able to do a frugal install to the USB flash drive.

Yapi running in Precise 5.7.1 after my code change:
No refresh or SUPERFLOPPY buttons.
We know that is the xdialog issue in older Puppies.
click on iso file open with..... Yapi nothing happens.

Full installs and frugal installs work.

What do you think of this code change?

Also, I think the yapi.pet I converted in Precise 5.7.1 will install in other Puppies, but I have not tried it, yet.

[L18L]

However, the SuperFloppy still does not work in Tahrpup 6.0.5
After the xdialog update to Tahrpup 6.0.5
Still get no SUPERFLOPPY button.
With the xdialog fix now providing the extra buttons.
Tahrpup 6.0.5 must still have something missing that is needed for superfloppy.
Still trying to troubleshoot.

Let us inspect the

Code: Select all

select_target_PARTITION () { #151216

 local HELP TEXT td aPARTITION aDESCRIPTION FREE I_TYPE NUM H EXTRA_BUTTON EXTRA_LABEL
 
 [ "$chosenDEVICE" ] || return

 # test and make make isohybrid
 [ "$(test_isohybrid)" = "hybr" ] || { isohybrid ${chosenISO} 2>/dev/null ; sync ; } #160303
 
 # decide if SUPERFLOPPY installation is offered 
 if [ "$(cat /sys/block/$chosenDEVICE/removable)" != "1" -o $(cat /sys/block/$chosenDEVICE/size) -gt  31457280 -o "$(test_isohybrid $chosenISO)" != "hybr"  ]; then # size > 16 GiB #160303
  EXTRA_BUTTON=
  HELP="$(gettext 'It is your choice.')"
 else

No extra button if test_isohybrid $chosenISO)" != "hybr"

Code: Select all

test_isohybrid () {

 [ "${1}" ] || { echo "no file" ; return 1; }
<snip>

return 1 (= false) because function has been called without parameter.
Fix it by changing line 524 from

Code: Select all

 [ "$(test_isohybrid)" = "hybr" ] || { isohybrid ${chosenISO} 2>/dev/null ; sync ; } 

to

Code: Select all

 [ "$(test_isohybrid ${chosenISO})" = "hybr" ] || { isohybrid ${chosenISO} 2>/dev/null ; sync ; } 

Congrats: YOU found a bug!
Though that does not help Tahrpup if it has perl version of isohybrid only....

[L18L]

I got this error message in the console:

Code: Select all

/usr/sbin/yapi: line 562:  -1: substring expression < 0

I think I found the problem and how to fix it.
I did this:
Yapi Line 562 has this code:

Code: Select all

l  printf ""$p" "%s  %s" " $ptype "${FREE:0: -1}  $I_TYPE" >> ${tD}_ # last blanc removed

I changed:

Code: Select all

${FREE:0: -1}

To:

Code: Select all

${FREE:0: -0}

I was now able to do a frugal install to the USB flash drive.

Yapi running in Precise 5.7.1 after my code change:
No refresh or SUPERFLOPPY buttons.
We know that is the xdialog issue in older Puppies.
click on iso file open with..... Yapi nothing happens.

Full installs and frugal installs work.

What do you think of this code change?

Potentially dangerous.

Blancs are used by Xdialog as field separators.

substring expression < 0 seems to be valid in bash4 which is in slacko 6301.
Guess that precise 57 has bash3....

OK, let us change the code, change

Code: Select all

${FREE:0: -1}

to

Code: Select all

$(echo $FREE | rev | rev)

It is a bit slower but safe.

[bigpup]

L18L,

OK, let us change the code, change
Code:
${FREE:0: -1}

to
Code:
$(echo $FREE | rev | rev)

It is a bit slower but safe.

Yes that code change also works in Precise 5.7.1

I will test in some older Puppies and see if this also lets them do frugal and full installs.
That would be OK, if all Yapi could do is frugal and full installs, in older, non Woof-CE Puppies.

Update:
After making this code change. I tried using Yapi in several non Woof-CE Puppies.
Installed using the yapi.pet made in Precise 5.7.1
Works OK for frugal and full installs in Puppy series 5 versions. Nothing older works.
Do not get SuperFloppy or iso list refresh buttons. Too old a xdialog in them.
Some you had to start Yapi from console. Menu entry did not work.
That's not too bad, for old Puppies, trying to use a program that was not designed to work on that old a Puppy.

[bigpup]

L18L,

What about this issue?
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 774#894774
A minor thing, but if we are code hunting for errors

[L18L]

L18L,

What about this issue?
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 774#894774
A minor thing, but if we are code hunting for errors

Maybe a minor thing but fix is major.
There is no loop, only 2 chances to get the device!

[bigpup]

L18L,

What about this issue?
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 774#894774
A minor thing, but if we are code hunting for errors

Maybe a minor thing but fix is major.
There is no loop, only 2 chances to get the device!

So, would it be better for YaPI to just close, if you select "no" to do a SuperFloppy install?

[L18L]

So, would it be better for YaPI to just close, if you select "no" to do a SuperFloppy install?

Good idea!
Has been done in a minute.

Code: Select all

#160325 close if superfloppy No.

This Pmount is not a pet-package as we are now in the 'Cutting edge' section - not 'Additional software'.

this version is also not a pet.

[bigpup]

So, would it be better for YaPI to just close, if you select "no" to do a SuperFloppy install?

Good idea!
Has been done in a minute.

Code: Select all

#160325 close if superfloppy No.

Just tell me to shut up and stop bothering you, if you want
Is this where you wanted YaPI to do the shutdown?
After hitting OK here?
see image below.

It goes back to select a drive.
It does the shutdown after you select another drive.