Puppy Remaster Program needs updated from 18th Century

[tlchost]

I'd love to have a very simple way to remaster a puppy that includes all the applications I've added...you know, the ones that eat space in the save file. I use a bootable usb drive...

My lastest attempt using the simple remaster script was totally unsatisfactory...I copied the contents of etc and root into the same directories in tmp...low an behold, the custom iso was much bigger...but my video settings and scripts/menus in root never made it over.

It seems to me that there should be a way to remaster puppy in such a way that it retains all the customization I made.

[ITSMERSH]

For testings: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=113434

[mfb]

....RSH

I have just tried your remaster application (using the link immediately above).

In "puppy_tahr64_6.0.5" it seems to have worked perfectly - I only write "seems" because subsequently I only made the briefest of tests.

Unimportantly, because it's ease of use that usually matters, it took 135 seconds to remaster after set up (v 35 seconds using the code I posted on page 1 of this thread).

I especially liked two aspects:
(1) the ability to make, then actually use, a new name for the remastered sfs
(2) when I tried it using radky's Dpup Stretch 7.5 (RC-2) using pupmode=13 I got the message to abort - so good to be clearly informed.

It had a well designed and helpful gui - but to be fair, I recall I was also impressed with a nic007 remaster version which I tried a long while ago.

EDIT
....RSH
I don't remember where I first saw it, but the shot comes from "puppy_tahr64_6.0.5"

EDIT(2)
.....RSH

I've now tried it using pupmode=13 (with a separate z drv and with z drv included in the main sfs) and I remain extremely impressed.

It looks like a major success which retains your most recent settings - and it is likely to gain huge popularity if more extensive testing goes as well as anticipated.

An xz option - would be a nice addition for those who are happy to wait (perhaps 5 times longer) if they want maximum compression.
.

[ITSMERSH]

Hi mfb.

Thanks for testing.

I had a look at your script; it's pretty small.

I think the difference in speed of remastering is mainly caused by -comp gzip (in my script) and -comp gzip -Xcompression-level 1 (your script). I never saw that option -Xcompression-level 1.

Checked mksquashfs and gzip (--help) for that option, but couldn't find it...

There's been some scripts already wherein I'd found similar options used by the script's developer, that I couldn't find by using --help on a function.

So how/where did you get such information on these options?

[hamoudoudou]

what would be nice is that we had one remaster tool. why do several exist, because existing tools are judged not to be efficient..
Please tell us why woofy is bad ... or remasterx.. and so on..
i Use 0_pupbuild_tools_2.tar.gz to create my Puplets, nothing wrong with it
I suppose it does not fit your needs, why ?
Some of you have developed tools (scripts) and after discussion script was yet existing... well..

[fredx181]

I think the difference in speed of remastering is mainly caused by -comp gzip (in my script) and -comp gzip -Xcompression-level 1 (your script). I never saw that option -Xcompression-level 1

Indeed, it's only for when using lzo compression, from mksquashfs --help:

Code: Select all

	lzo
	  -Xalgorithm <algorithm>
		Where <algorithm> is one of:
			lzo1x_1
			lzo1x_1_11
			lzo1x_1_12
			lzo1x_1_15
			lzo1x_999 (default)
	  -Xcompression-level <compression-level>
		<compression-level> should be 1 .. 9 (default 8)
		Only applies to lzo1x_999 algorithm

Fred

[ITSMERSH]

Ok,

I see.

In my LazY Puppy Art Studio I have installed a mksquashfs binary that was compiled a few years ago by a forum member. This binary squashes by default at lowest compression, but doesn't have any -Xcompression-level option. So, no wonder I couldn't find it.

I have added a spin button to LazY Remaster to set -Xcompression-level to the installed mksquashfs binary of newer Puppies (e.g. Artful, Bionic) and made a test remaster using my Studio2Go which is a derivative based on Smithy's Music2Go based on Artful Puppy.

Remastering now is as fast as the mksquashfs binary mentioned before and returns a .sfs in equal size - both at 504MB.

A question:

Is there any possibility to check for Xcompression ability of a Puppy / mksquashfs binary from within bash code?

Edit: I will update LazY Remaster Suite after I've sorted this out...

[fredx181]

Hi RSH,
First, correction, earlier I was wrong about -Xcompression-level only available for lzo compression, it's also one of the options for gzip (with mksquashfs version 4.3), sorry !

Is there any possibility to check for Xcompression ability of a Puppy / mksquashfs binary from within bash code?

This works for me (mksquashfs version 4.3) to check if -Xcompression-level is available for gzip:

Code: Select all

XCOMPR=$(mksquashfs --help 2>&1 | grep -A1 gzip | grep Xcompression-level)
[ "$XCOMPR" ] && echo "Yes, -Xcompression-level option available" || echo "No, Xcompression-level option not available" 

EDIT: Someone suggested via PM, that a oneliner would be handy (however probably makes no difference for you), so here goes:

Code: Select all

XCOMPR=$(mksquashfs --help 2>&1 | grep -A1 gzip | grep Xcompression-level) && [ "$XCOMPR" ] && echo "Yes, -Xcompression-level option available" || echo "No, Xcompression-level option not available"

Fred

[ITSMERSH]

This works for me (mksquashfs version 4.3) to check if -Xcompression-level is available for gzip:

Code: Select all

XCOMPR=$(mksquashfs --help 2>&1 | grep -A1 gzip | grep Xcompression-level)
[ "$XCOMPR" ] && echo "Yes, -Xcompression-level option available" || echo "No, Xcompression-level option not available" 

I tried something similar, though couldn't get it to work. Need to expand my skills...

This one works very well.

Thanks a lot!

EDIT: Someone suggested via PM, that a oneliner would be handy (however probably makes no difference for you), so here goes:

Code: Select all

XCOMPR=$(mksquashfs --help 2>&1 | grep -A1 gzip | grep Xcompression-level) && [ "$XCOMPR" ] && echo "Yes, -Xcompression-level option available" || echo "No, Xcompression-level option not available"

He he, I think, I know him...

[ITSMERSH]

EDIT(2)
.....RSH

I've now tried it using pupmode=13 (with a separate z drv and with z drv included in the main sfs) and I remain extremely impressed.

It looks like a major success which retains your most recent settings - and it is likely to gain huge popularity if more extensive testing goes as well as anticipated.

An xz option - would be a nice addition for those who are happy to wait (perhaps 5 times longer) if they want maximum compression.

Uncheck the gz compression checkboxes and it will squash the .sfs by -comp xz -Xbcj x86.

Code: Select all

# RSH Compression to be used
if [ "$USELOWSQUASHFS" = "true" ]; then
	[[ "$USELOWGZSQUASHFS" = "false" ]] && COMP="-comp gzip -Xcompression-level $USEDXCOMPRESSION" || COMP="-comp gzip"
	else
	COMP="-comp xz -Xbcj x86"
fi
echo "COMP=${COMP}"

[zagreb999]

IN PUPPY WORLD THE BEST IS
quick remaster-lz4 debiandog...

REGARDS.

[oui]

EDIT(2)
.....RSH

I've now tried it using pupmode=13 (with a separate z drv and with z drv included in the main sfs) and I remain extremely impressed.

It looks like a major success which retains your most recent settings - and it is likely to gain huge popularity if more extensive testing goes as well as anticipated.

An xz option - would be a nice addition for those who are happy to wait (perhaps 5 times longer) if they want maximum compression.

Uncheck the gz compression checkboxes and it will squash the .sfs by -comp xz -Xbcj x86.

Code: Select all

# RSH Compression to be used
if [ "$USELOWSQUASHFS" = "true" ]; then
	[[ "$USELOWGZSQUASHFS" = "false" ]] && COMP="-comp gzip -Xcompression-level $USEDXCOMPRESSION" || COMP="-comp gzip"
	else
	COMP="-comp xz -Xbcj x86"
fi
echo "COMP=${COMP}"

your app gives definitively to the users the most possibilities to define which kind of remaster he wants.

but the old receipt of manual remasterisation in Puppy linux stay until today the best!

[hamoudoudou]

"your app gives definitively to the users the most possibilities to define which kind of remaster he wants. "
user's requests are answered one by one.. what would be nice is to list existing apps or scripts, to avoid to brainstorm something yet solved.
Our main problem in not how to do, but what to include.. and i made my opinion, different pupsaves specialised are better than remasterization.. for Puppy Linux i mean.
Of course SFS load on the fly is nice... On the fly meaning unloaded before shutdown.. One task, one Sfs..

[ITSMERSH]

Manually remastering is for experts only.

If one doesn't know what is needed and where it is placed, one will fail to remaster his own Puppy.

It took months for me to be able to remaster a Puppy for DE users without to keep unnecessary files...

The remasterpup2 script has option to to customize /etc, so one can have a remaster in DE language. But this option keeps some stuff that isn't needed for to have a DE Puppy only and this stuff customizes the new Puppy for the machine it is running on.

Only those files marked green are needed to remaster a e.g. DE localized Puppy.

cp -af /etc/codepage /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/fontmap /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/keyboardtype /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/keymap /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/mousebuttons /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/mousedevice /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/videomode /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/eth0mode /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/eth1mode /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/resolv.conf /tmp/etc/
rm -f /tmp/etc/localtime #a symlink
cp -af /etc/localtime /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/TZ /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/cdburnerdevice /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/dvddevice /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/modemdevice /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/securetelnetrc /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/modules.conf /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/modprobe.d /tmp/etc/ #101020
cp -af /etc/rdesktoprc /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/windowmanager /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/xextraoptions /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/X11/xorg.conf /tmp/etc/X11
cp -af /etc/network-wizard /tmp/etc/
cp -af /etc/simple_network_setup/* /tmp/etc/simple_network_setup/

In my LazY Remaster Suite I've sorted this out to be able to remaster a e.g. DE localized Puppy, that will run on different machines.

If one has installed a different Window Manager to use, it may fail also to keep the related stuff, since mean files usually placed in sub-directories in /root/.config, that won't be kept on a remaster. To keep /etc/windowmanager as the only file related to a new installed Window Manager almost leads to a Puppy not booting into X or booting with a broken Window Manager.

If one has made modifications to the Menu (I prefer to have menu categories in alphabetical order), these modifications are not kept on a remaster using remasterpup2.

Next version of LazY Remaster Suite keeps all this stuff either automatically or will have a option within the GUI to activate/deactivate.

Yes, people usually won't like to have personal files placed in a new remastered puppy. But to keep settings made for e.g. LxTerminal, LxPanel, Tint2 Panel, Geany, VLC etc.pp. would be a nice option, though one needs to keep those files from /root/.config manually.

So, I can see an urgent need to have a remaster program that will give all those options to a user, just by activating/deactivating them within a GUI.

[l0wt3ch]

Hey RSH, I know the new username is you, but for some reason every time I see it I read it as "it's Mersh". And I'm like, who's this Mersh person? Oh ya, that says me RSH.

[ITSMERSH]

Hey RSH, I know the new username is you, but for some reason every time I see it I read it as "it's Mersh". And I'm like, who's this Mersh person? Oh ya, that says me RSH.

Yes, it's me RSH.
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=113272
Post No. 8

[l0wt3ch]

That's crazy.

Good luck with N.E.M.E.S.I.S.! (Love the name.)

[Puppyt]

Thank goodness! I was reading your new moniker as "I.T. SMERSH" (Also noted in the Bond movies From Russia with Love and Living Daylights)

[l0wt3ch]

Ok, well let's think about this for a moment. If he really was the I.T. guy for SMERSH, do you think he'd admit it? No. Of course not.

But then again, everybody knows RSH mysteriously went missing. If SMERSH was involved, that would fit their modus operandi perfectly. Is it possible they assumed his identity on this forum, to steal our advanced technological secrets? Have the Russian spies replaced our friend RSH?

Russian interference in the Puppy forum. I never would have imagined.

But what does this mean for the N.E.M.E.S.I.S. Project?

[Puppyt]

Well, if he comes out with S.P.E.C.T.R.E. or K.A.O.S. down the track, then we'll know. So long as he uses his genius for the side of Good, and never the side of Evil, we should be OK...