Lighthouse 3.01 Alpha4 - KDE 3.5.7 - ISO 278M

[tazoc]

[Edit 10-11-08] Note: newer version is available now--see thread here:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 210#239210

LighthousePup 3.01a4 http://www.lhpup.org/download.htm
Mirror (Thank you Caneri): http://www.puppylinux.ca/tpp/Lighthouse
Please backup your pup_save.2fs first, run in ram or frugal mode. Full HD install not recommended. Not fully tested on flash drives.

KDE + FireFox Base ISO - Kirk's minimal KDE 3.5.7 default desktop, K3b 1.03, GIMP 2.4.3, FireFox2.0.0.11, Java JRE1.5, Thunderbird, Seamonkey, Flash9, Pidgin, YahooMessenger, IceWM, XINE, XMMS, RealPlayer, GQView, Conky, 3DCC, Edit-SFS-LHP, PSI (Puppy-Software-Installer07), PB-Debian-installer, MU-Gtk-Themechooser, TestDisk, PhotoRec.

This is hands down the fastest KDE desktop I've ever used. Very quick to load and responsive. KDE desktop translations and KDE Help Center omitted. See post about Kirk's kde3.5.7.sfs, which is integrated into this release: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=22805

Bootable CD-Rom Boot Menu includes Memtest86 v3.3 and option to boot from hard disk
Core file pup_301a_lighthouse.sfs is 258 MB, Base ISO 278 MB

Build includes K3b 1.03 with nearly all plugins, full graphics accelleration xorg_OPENGL-7.2 and xorg_DRI_MODULES-7.2; Xorg 'Direct Rendering Interface' (DRI) is enabled by default for ATI display adapters along with translucency and shadow effects upon login to the KDE desktop. KDE logout panel includes an option to switch to IceWM and vice versa.

Kernel and Init Scripts are identical to Puppy 3.01. Modified xorgwizard for ATI AGP cards:
Detects Radeon AGP 8x, dialog offers to set AGPMode to "4" required for DRI on my box. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/139210

An otherwise identical LighthousePup_3.01a4_oo2.2.iso includes OpenOffice2.2.0.sfs as a separate SFS file within the ISO for convenience of one download, without performance hit of building the additional 98M into the core. SFS alone available here: http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/dis ... modules-3/

Post install file verification 'verify-md5-lhp' on the ISO allows checksum verification of base files from a running Puppy/Lighthouse even after the ISO has been burned or files copied to other media, if that file is copied also. How to use it? Just click on 'verify-md5-lhp' and it will scan the current directory for the 4 installation files, run md5sum on all of them and report the results. This could be adapted for any Puplet by editing the md5's and versions inside.

Known issues and workarounds:
***Edit: MU-Gtk-Themechooser.desktop (at /usr/share/applications) is missing from menus. Open it with a text editor and change

Code: Select all

Hidden=true

to

Code: Select all

Hidden=false

[/color]
Save2flash icon for flash drives doesn't appear on desktop when running KDE. Workaround--type 'save2flash' then hit <Enter> in a terminal window or drag and drop /usr/sbin/save2flash to your desktop or quicklauncher on the taskbar.

BootManager dialog for SFS files doesn't appear automatically on KDE desktop. Workaround--launch by clicking KDEMenu | System | BootManager | click on first button 'Choose which extra SFS files to load at bootup'.

When icons are enabled on KDE desktop (right-click on Desktop | Configure Desktop) and Conky is running the icons are temporarily hidden each time Conky updates. Workaround--quit Conky by clicking on Conky quicklauncher.

KDE desktop may show artifacts or be slow and jerky with Translucency/Shadow effects. Enable / Disable in KDE Control Center: Click KMenu | Control Center | Desktop | Window Behavior | click tab: Translucency | Uncheck 'Use Translucency/Shadows | Apply.

Running in Xvesa disables translucency and shadow effects. Xvesa overall is 'quirky', not sure why. Switching from IceWM to KDE drops to command line. Workaround--type 'xwin'<Enter>.

Rox icon faces on pinboard in IceWM sometimes go missing. Workaround--edit /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer/globicons or paste this in a terminal window:

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cd /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer
cp globicons globicons.save
cp -f /initrd/pup_ro2/root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer/globicons globicons

[Bahurim]

Hey Tazoc,
Great stuff here! I have this new version of LHpup working on my home computer now in a dual boot with Ubuntu and most of the time I prefer LH. Thanks so much for the update to 3.01. Printing is working with my Epson and I d/l'd kirk's ati driver pup version and have fglrx going great also. BZflag is my favorite time waister, hehe.

One thing I would request is digikam. AFAIK teenpup is the only one to get it going, pls correct if wrong. For KDE it is a fantastic photo tool. Again, thanks so much!

[tazoc]

Hey Tazoc,
Great stuff here! I have this new version of LHpup working on my home computer now in a dual boot with Ubuntu and most of the time I prefer LH. Thanks so much for the update to 3.01. Printing is working with my Epson and I d/l'd kirk's ati driver pup version and have fglrx going great also. BZflag is my favorite time waister, hehe.

One thing I would request is digikam. AFAIK teenpup is the only one to get it going, pls correct if wrong. For KDE it is a fantastic photo tool. Again, thanks so much!

Thank you for the feedback. I put digikam on my To Do list, no experience with it myself.

I didn't know about BZFlag, just looked it up. What ATI video card are you running? Did Xorg DRI/3D accelleration work w/o the added drivers for you? (KMenu|3DCC|run 3D-Demo or xdriinfo and glxgears in a terminal.) I haven't tried the fglrx driver since 2.15. Do you have a link to kirk's ATI driver .pup?

I'm glad your Epson is working also. I couldn't get mine to work with CUPS 1.2.11 so I reverted CUPS to v1.1.23 from PSI and then it did work; so that is the version in LHP3.01a.
Thanks again, TazOC

[changturkey]

I am also interested in trying this Puplet out, but what version of Xorg does it have? Currently only Dingo works out of the box for my newer hardware .

[Bahurim]

I didn't know about BZFlag, just looked it up. What ATI video card are you running? Did Xorg DRI/3D accelleration work w/o the added drivers for you? (KMenu|3DCC|run 3D-Demo or xdriinfo and glxgears in a terminal.) I haven't tried the fglrx driver since 2.15. Do you have a link to kirk's ATI driver .pup?

BZflag is awesome! Great game. On the DRI stuff I have to confess I didn't check, I am so used to setting everything up for myself that I didn't even look. I will try a bootup without the save file and report. This card is a Radeon x800gto. Lets see kirk's latest file is in a thread under http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=23995

I'm glad your Epson is working also. I couldn't get mine to work with CUPS 1.2.11 so I reverted CUPS to v1.1.23 from PSI and then it did work; so that is the version in LHP3.01a.
Thanks again, TazOC

Works ok so far, if I hit any snags I will let you know. Thanks again!

[tazoc]

I am also interested in trying this Puplet out, but what version of Xorg does it have? Currently only Dingo works out of the box for my newer hardware .

Good question! Here are pretty much all version #s: (from 'ver' in my terminal)

Code: Select all

Lighthouse 3.01a
puppyversion=301 PUPMODE=12
PDEV1='hda8'
DEV1FS='ext3'
PUPSFS='hda8,ext3,/lhp301/pup_301a_lighthouse.sfs'
PUPSAVE='hda8,ext3,/lhp301/pup_save-lhp301a4.2fs'  CURRENTWM=startkde
IceWM 1.2.30, Copyright 1997-2003 Marko Macek,  2001 Mathias Hasselmann
JWM v2.0.1 by Joe Wingbermuehle
ROX-Filer 2.6.1
X Window System Version 1.3.0
Release Date: 19 April 2007
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 1.3
Build Operating System: Slackware 12.0 Slackware Linux Project
Current Operating System: Linux puppypc 2.6.21.7 #1 Sun Sep 9 02:29:54 GMT-8 2007 i686
Build Date: 09 May 2007
K3b: 1.0.3
Qt: 3.3.8
KDE: 3.5.7
KDE Panel: 3.5.7

Note: I don't have any boxes with PCI-express video to test on. Newest one I have is an ATI Radeon 9600 AGP. The box I'm using now is:

Code: Select all

-bash-3.00# grep Chipset /var/log/Xorg.0.log 
(--) Chipset ATI Radeon 9200SE 5964 (AGP) found
(--) RADEON(0): Chipset: "ATI Radeon 9200SE 5964 (AGP)" (ChipID = 0x5964)

[Barburo]

Hi TazOC
I downloaded the .iso but I cannot check the md5sum - I get this from your server

Not Found
The requested URL /beta/lhp301/LighthousePup_3.01a4.iso.md5 was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
Apache/1.3.37 Server at www.lhpup.org Port 80

I'll burn the .iso anyway and try it. I'll recheck the server tomorrow.
--Barburo

[tazoc]

Hi TazOC
I downloaded the .iso but I cannot check the md5sum

Ahh yes, I'd renamed .txt to the md5's and didn't change the html. Should be fixed now. Glad you pointed that out.
Thanks, TazOC

[changturkey]

So is this based on Puppy 2.x or 3.x?

[macadavy]

changturkey: As the name indicates: Lighthouse Puppy v.3.01a4 is based on Puppy Linux v.3.01 and this is alpha release 4 (experimental). HTH
TazOC: Great new release, I like it much!
I am using the OpenOffice SFS version. I used boot manager to add the OO SFS at boot, but after a reboot it still does not appear on the menu
and boot manager now reports that there are 'no modules in the directory'.
KDE's munu update tool doesn't see it and I can't see how to use KDE's Menu Editor to add it.
(And also use it to remove the duplicate Abiword menu entries. )
btw - like other Puppys LH recognizes my onboard Intel graphics; something neither PCLinuxOS or Ubuntu can do, they don't boot at all on my new box!
All in all nice work: your alphas are betas and your betas are final!

[klu9]

If your server's burning up, have a look at the tips here:
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/DistributingYourPuplet

[Barburo]

Great new LHPup TazOC!
I like the way you can move pretty seamlessly from KDE to IceWM to JWM via your window manager. I haven't used a KDE desktop since Xandros began to lure me from MS Windows. It's amazing that you put this together in such a short time.

Like regular 3.01 your LH301a4 boots up on my HP tx1000 laptop without needing to tweak xorg.conf. There's some degradation of the graphics so I'll try to get nVidia working. I like the color scheme you've set up for KDE. Any plans to include GTK Theme Chooser for IceWM?

Firefox and TBird work fine in IceWM - can't get TBird going in KDE. I'll keep experimenting.

Excellent port of LHPup215 to 3.xx with the added bonus of KDE. K3B is the killer app. Is Amarok too big to include?

Thanks for your efforts,
--Barburo

[tazoc]

I am using the OpenOffice SFS version. I used boot manager to add the OO SFS at boot, but after a reboot it still does not appear on the menu and boot manager now reports that there are 'no modules in the directory'.
KDE's munu update tool doesn't see it and I can't see how to use KDE's Menu Editor to add it.

That version isn't merged for best results with low spec machines; the openoffice-2.2.0.sfs file is simply added separately into the ISO. So you have to mount the CD-ROM or ISO and manually copy the .sfs file to the drive where your pup_save.2fs is. If you've done that, open File System and look for the 5 OOo application files in ROX-Filer here: /initrd/pup_ro3/usr/share/applications/. If they aren't there, look in /initrd/pup_ro4/usr/share/applications/ or /initrd/pup_ro5/usr/share/applications/. Of course only three .sfs files can be loaded at the same time. Once the .sfs file is copied and I've rebooted my new apps automagically appear in the KMenu under Lost&Found. I know it seems more complicated than it should be; hope that helps.

@Barburo I've added Amarok to my ToDo list. All apps, including MU-Gtk-Themechooser are at /usr/share/applications, (symlinked at /applications for convenience. So click File System | Applications.) Not sure why it isn't in KMenu. Just click on a .desktop file in ROX-Filer to launch the app.

For T-bird open a terminal and type:

Code: Select all

/usr/lib/thunderbird/thunderbird

hit <Enter> and post the results please. Mine opens normally.

@klu9 good link, I appreciate that--I'm reading up on it now...

@All, Thanks for all of your feedback and interest--it really makes a difference!
Take care, TazOC

[Barburo]

Hi TazOC,

Code:
/usr/lib/thunderbird/thunderbird
hit <Enter> and post the results please. Mine opens normally.

The code works fine - the link doesn't.
In KDE both desktop and laptop installs show a gray-brown square in the top right corner. When you hide/show the tas kbar it remains. (***edit looks like some kind of monitor now!)
On first display of IceWM I get a message that mime types for icons are not supported (or something like that) and both desktop and laptop have most of the icons missing - just show "shell" and "C:\" default icons. A few show (trash, connect, streamtuner, console - probably have their icons embedded). Not sure how to get the regular set back.
My 800MHz desktop is a bit slow in KDE but seems to get there eventually. I have lost its desktop a couple of times when switching back and forth between environments. Sometime the background only partially displays (the rest is gray).
Beginning to test some of the apps - gxine in full screen just froze the desktop. Keep it coming!
--Barburo

[tazoc]

/usr/lib/thunderbird/thunderbird
hit <Enter> and post the results please. Mine opens normally.
The code works fine - the link doesn't.

Oh I see, yes same here--in KDE: KMenu | Internet | right click Thunderbird | Edit item | Change Command: 'thunderbird' to '/usr/lib/thunderbird/thunderbird' | click 'Save' on toolbar | Exit. Will fix this for next version, thank you.

In KDE both desktop and laptop installs show a gray-brown square in the top right corner. When you hide/show the taskbar it remains. (***edit looks like some kind of monitor now!)

Yes, that is Xload processor activity graph, same as in Puppy's JWM. I couldn't get it fully docked in the SysTray, so I set it's geometry to load up close to taskbar at right-hand top of screen and wider. To minimize, click on the 'xload' icon right next to the clock. To exit, right-click on same | Quit.

On first display of IceWM I get a message that mime types for icons are not supported (or something like that) and both desktop and laptop have most of the icons missing - just show "shell" and "C:" default icons. A few show (trash, connect, streamtuner, console - probably have their icons embedded). Not sure how to get the regular set back.

Not sure why "mime types are not supported" but losing IceWM desktop icon faces seems to happen on first restart after copying OpenOffice2.20.sfs to /mnt/home. Please try workaround at end of first post.

My 800MHz desktop is a bit slow in KDE but seems to get there eventually. I have lost its desktop a couple of times when switching back and forth between environments. Sometime the background only partially displays (the rest is gray.)

(Edit: KDE desktop may be slowed down by translucency effects. Disable in KDE Control Center: Click KMenu | Control Center | Desktop | Window Behavior | click tab: Translucency | Uncheck 'Use Translucency/Shadows | Apply.) Hmm strange... sounds like a resource issue. Use Pmount to see if linux swap partitition is mounted. "Currently in use" is good. Or maybe short on RAM with KDE+OpenOffice? Not sure if that might help or not...

Beginning to test some of the apps - gxine in full screen just froze the desktop. Keep it coming!

Yes gxine is buggy for me also. I always try to use XINE instead. Thank you for much useful feedback, hope my comments are helpful, TazOC

[tazoc]

I like the color scheme you've set up for KDE. Any plans to include GTK Theme Chooser for IceWM?

Thanks for your efforts,
--Barburo

As you noted, MU-Gtk-Themechooser.desktop (at /usr/share/applications) is missing from the menus in all window managers. Open it with a text editor and change

Code: Select all

Hidden=true

to

Code: Select all

Hidden=false

Thank you, TazOC

[Barburo]

HI TazOC,
I've been monitoring this thread but not much feedback from others - I guess we all get busy at this time of the year.
The more I use LHPup3.01 the more I'm impressed with what you have engineered into it. I'm starting to work increasingly in KDE now - same applications, different manager.
Re: my last comment about mime types - I was messing around in Rox and had icon theme set to crystalgold. Seems that the "Rox" theme is the only icon theme that works in Rox - all others give the error message.
I tried your fix for getting back the icons on the IceWM desktop but it didn't work for me. I just set them manually and they seem to persist now. ***edit I tried again - your fix works

The display quality of the background image seems better in KDE than in IceWM:
If I use a background like "blue bend" that has large areas of blues that shade into each other, it displays well in KDE, but the same image in IceWM shows jittery transitions. I first thought it might need nVidia because I have nVidia cards in both my machines, but now I'm not so sure.
***edit - this is true for the notebook only - my regular desktop box displays the backgrounds with equal precision. Still i can't figure why the notebook is like this -B

Adding applications to KDE Quick-launcher: I can drop the link but how do you change the icon?

I still lose the cursor quite often after transferring a couple of times back and forth between KDE and IceWM. It makes logging off without losing the session an interesting exercise. Is this a problem in Puppy 3.01, or in LHPup additions?

It's a snap using the volume control in KDE (top right), but in IceWM using Zmixer-sound-mixer, I find that the "master" slider is stuck at the bottom and I can't move it. I can adjust the "PCM" slider but not the master. (Switch to KDE - increase volume, back to IceWM - the "Master" is still stuck but now it's louder).
I really like the way you've set up Xine - I use it for skipping through and listening to bunch of music files. Mp3s or Wpa's - it seems to play most formats.
XMMS (good Sony skin!) seems to only like mp3s.

I got CUPS printing working OK, and also my scanner.
Will you be upgrading to Java 1.6? I have one app that needs 1.6 but it's not critical.

More later - Barburo

[Frosty50]

Hi TazOC,
This is my first post on a forum. I like your Lighthouse Puppy. Thanks for all of the work you have put into lighthouse. My main linux OS is Linux Mint and I have used Pclinuxos. I like to use KDE as a window manager. I noticed that Thunderbird would not work for me when I booted off the cd. I did a frugal install to the hard drive and it works just fine now. I am using firefox as my browser and I like your red and blue theme. I have only been using Lighthouse a couple of hours maybe post again after using it awhile.

[Dingo]

I have 256 MB RAM memory. Can I using with satisfaction this Puppy derivative ot the ram is not enough?

[jonyo]

Not sure if c/w rutilt?