DSL v4.4Forum: Site News Topic: DSL v4.4 started by: roberts Posted by roberts on June 09 2008,04:10
DSL v4.4 final is now posted.Change log: * New Lua/Fltk refactored for enhanced performance. * New Fltk library now available for C/C++ programs. * New fldiff - File Diff GUI Viewer. * Update to rsync to v3.0.2 * Updated mydslBrowser - new feature "Download Only" * Modified "X Window Snapshot" to save image file with date. * Added dfm association for easy display of "X Window Snapshot" images. * Updated .torsmorc for more consistent "used/free/total" * Restored Firefox default search engines. * New low resource background & theme. * New font added smoothansi - used in jwm menu. * New .luafltkrc for Lua/Fltk theme and defaults. * Updated dmix. * Updated man script, new -o -b options and site. * Fixed permissions on fusermount. * Fixed cpanel bug to turn off ssh daemon. * Modified nfs-common to also start portmap when needed. * Patched kbdconfig to properly select keymaps. * Modified .bash_profile to eliminate an extra login shell. * Updated cgi example test.lua to call proper cgi.lua * Removed stray line in Fluxbox menu. * Updated "Getting Started" document with Wiki link and wireless info link. Files and directories that have changed and likely in your backup: .Xdefaults .dfminfo .dfmdesk/Apps/Tools/ .fluxbox.inc .fluxbox/menu .jwmrc .jwm.inc .jwmrc-theme .luafltkrc .torsmorc opt/jwmThemes/default opt/.dfmext Note: Use the new tool fldiff to see the differences in these files. Apps->Tools->fldiff Thanks to the community for all the ideas, suggestions, and contributions. -- Robert Posted by meo on June 09 2008,05:01
Hi Robert!DSL 4.4 looks nice trying it out for the first time. Seems to be very good and solid. Good work Robert and everybody else who has made this release possible. Most appreciated! Have fun moving further with the DSL project, meo Posted by meo on June 09 2008,10:21
Hi Robert!There is a problem with the fonts in Dmix. It's hard to explain so you'd better see for yourself. I have booted with base norestore legacy so it cant be anything that has to do with my backup or so. If it can be fixed somehow I'd really want to know. Have fun in your good work with DSL, meo EDIT: The fonts really look weird and for the record I run DSL-embedded from an usb-attached memorycard with: dsl fromhd=/dev/sda1 frugal etc. Posted by lucky13 on June 09 2008,11:53
Just booted to see what meo was talking about. It looks like it's using three different font sizes, two of which probably don't belong.< http://lucky13linux.wordpress.com/files/2008/06/dmix44.png > Posted by roberts on June 09 2008,15:15
Note to Lua/FLtk script writers:This brings to light that when constructing very small GUIs or when selecting font sizes via labelsize, then it is best to set the font required by your script and not rely on user selectable .luafltkrc You can set the font for your script by inserting the following line: Fl:set_font(0,"fixed") or Fl:set_font(0,"smoothansi") or whatever font is required. For example in dmix, I placed it after the require: require("fltk") Fl:set_font(0,"smoothansi") vs = {} v = {} ... Still not sure why all the labelsize are included in this script but labelsize(4) to labelsize(22) caused the wide variation of fonts when a scable font (helvetica) is used, as in .luafltkrc Posted by meo on June 09 2008,15:44
Hi Robert!Just tried to get the dmix to look nicer in fluxbox so I just put this line (as the second line) in home/dsl/.luafltkrc Fl:set_font(0,"smoothansi") and then all went back to the way it was in the RC's. So now it looks OK again. Have fun keeping up your good work, meo Posted by andrewb on June 09 2008,23:24
I'm not sure why they are all there. They were all originally set to 10 in John's original version ofthe script. The different sizes are a leftover from when I amended the script to allow for the smoothansi font. I didn't realise at first that it was a fixed font & tried to scale it. I must have left the changes in there. I ended up modifying the box sizes to fit the font better. Sorry! Posted by roberts on June 10 2008,00:36
No problem. I view this project as a learning experience for all, and that most definitely includes me. I like the challenge to learn new things. As hard as we all try, nothing is perfect, but the effort is most welcomed. Besides, look at it this way, we all have learned that labelsize does work when used with a scable font and otherwise this fact may still waiting to be gleaned.I will wait a few days and see if anything else needs a tweak and then issue a 4.4.1. Posted by roberts on June 10 2008,01:12
Adding the smoothansi font line and removing all labelsize commands cleans up the dmix script.
Posted by andrewb on June 10 2008,03:42
One other oddity I have just found in the dmix script is that the sliders are set up with the range 1-100 so that a volume of 0 cannot be set, other than by muting, or if the 'lock' option is selected. Umix accepts values 0-100 & that is what I used in making the changes for the 'lock' mode.
Posted by jaapz on June 10 2008,07:47
but that wont be to hard to change in dmix, or will it? i do think that 1-100 scales is set there with a reason, so maybe it wont be a good idea to change it at all.
Posted by andrewb on June 10 2008,12:33
It isn't any problem to change - I just hadn't noticed before that John had coded it that way. I guess it would only be a problem if you really wanted to kill one channel whilst being able to alter the other. 0 can be set by setting e.g. the left volume higher than the right, selecting lock mode & then reducing the left volume until the right volume hits 0. Then select free mode & the right volume will remain at 0 when you adjust the left volume.The code can be readily changed - just change the '1' to '0' in the definition of the slider controls for left & right. [edit: I've just checked a version of dmix I have from an earlier version of DSL & the sliders were coded for values 0-100:
] [Edit 2: oooooops - I've just checked out the latest code in v4.4 & it does have the sliders set for a range of 0-100] Posted by faroutscience on June 11 2008,14:08
I just started up DSL 4.4. It is awesome!!!!It is the best yet by a long shot. I am always amazed by the functionality you compress into such a small size. The new desktop and menu look much better, less cluttered. Very professional! Thank you, Jeff Posted by danielp on June 12 2008,20:15
The background is very clean and functional, thanks!Some notes from my useage: I booted from a CD-ROM and made a USB-HDD Pendrive Install I added my locale's keyboard in the boot options: lang=fr_CH-latin1 When I then boot up my other PC with the USB key, I see that it doesn't take my locale, but lang=us. Upon check, I see that the menu.lst has both lang=us (at the beginning) and then lang=fr_CH-latin1 but apparently the first one takes precedence? A minor bug anyhow, once you know how to fix it. Posted by lucky13 on June 12 2008,21:10
It's not a bug, just a matter of having a default setting in menu.lst. Each user should edit menu.lst to make it suit his or her own needs. That includes removing undesired (or, if you add some yourself, conflicting) settings. Posted by curaga on June 13 2008,07:58
Also, it doesn't recognize that complicated locale strings, it uses just two characters. DSL does not include locales, so that setting is only used to set the timezone and the keymap.Here are the ones I think would suit you: ch) KEYTABLE="sg-latin1" CHARSET="iso8859-15" TZ="Europe/Zurich" fr) KEYTABLE="fr-latin1" CHARSET="iso8859-15" TZ="Europe/Paris" so, lang=fr would set those three variables and load the french latin1 keymap.. Posted by danielp on June 13 2008,14:28
I see, thanks!I had mixed up the keyboard setting with the lang setting in that case. I guess that neither of ch or fr would do it for me, as I'm in the minority part of Switzerland, speaking french. If I use ch, I'd get a Swiss-German keyboard, and if I use fr, I'd get a French keyboard (AZERTY). I'll continue to set it up manually; that's fine for me. For newbies, it may be a bit strange to specifically be able to set lang=XX in the Pendrive install, and then see that it was not being used anyhow. If one is proficient enough to go change the menu.lst file anyhow (and that's what's required), then I don't see the need to bother asking for the extra bootcodes in the Pendrive install procedure? Totally apart, and for the perfectionist in me, I see that "SwitchWM" is not available in the JWM right-click menu, while it is in the Fluxbox menu. Posted by curaga on June 13 2008,14:56
I think it's just about convenience to ask for the extra bootcodes, than just say "go edit the file".
Posted by meo on June 13 2008,15:14
Hi danielp!Just put this line in opt/bootlocal.sh and your preferred keyboard will be loaded at boot time: loadkeys fr_CH-latin1 I think this is the keyboard you are using. In that case this is the solution. Have fun and hope everything works out, meo EDIT: Well what I mentioned above probably doesn't belong to this thread so I'm going to disguise my input with something that does. When it comes to the famous Dmix there is another thing I'm wondering over. If the "rec" button is being clicked at a yellow dot indicates that it is on but if you click on it again it doesn't change (like the mute button for example) so that the yellow dot disappears. I don't know if it is supposed to be that way but that is the way it is. So I would like some comment on that issue. Posted by roberts on June 13 2008,15:24
danielp wrote
The first boot code does not take precedence. This is quite obvious by the use of the vga=normal boot code given that the cdrom has vga=791 embedded in it. The getbootparam function returns the last occurence of any specified boot option. You can easily verify by a three line script. Perhaps it is the grouping as Curaga has pointed out. This grouping of lang/keyboard/timezone is original Knoppix code. Likely this should be the area that could use improvement, or be replaced by specifying each independently. Posted by meo on June 13 2008,16:07
Hi Y'all!I'm just going to repeat some of the edit part of my post so that it doesn't just disappear.When it comes to the famous Dmix there is another thing I'm wondering over. If the "rec" button is being clicked at a yellow dot indicates that it is on but if you click on it again it doesn't change (like the mute button does) so that the yellow dot disappears. I don't know if it is supposed to be that way but that is the way it is. So I would like some comment on that issue. Have fun all DSL users, meo Posted by roberts on June 13 2008,17:10
danielp wrote:
Yes it is. Right click on Exit Folder to see Restart and Switch Window Manager options. Perhaps boot with "norestore" to see this or check what is in /etc/skel/.jwmrc. Posted by meo on June 13 2008,18:11
Hi danielp!The switch window manager option you'll find in exit options in jwm instead of window manager (like in fluxbox). Have fun using DSL, meo PS What about the "rec" button in Dmix? Is it supposed to function that way? DS Posted by curaga on June 13 2008,20:31
I don't think there is need to remove the grouping, it's actually quite handy and eases writing at livecd-boots if one suits. And if not, a remaster'll fix that.But perhaps the init behavior of exporting variables should be documented, so that every user knows they can just type
Posted by andrewb on June 14 2008,09:53
The bahaviour of DMIX is controlled by the behaviour of the umix command that is used by DMIX to control the sound system. I've had a look at this & what you suggest can be easily mplemented. On the system I use most of the time there are 4 'recordable' sources: line, mic, cd, & mix. Three of these: line, cd, & mix can be set to play mode (i.e. not record) if they are in record mode. When one of these three channels is changed from record to play mode mic is automatically set as the record source. From this it would appear that one channel has to be set as the record source, and that defaults to mic. I can make the necessary changes to DMIX if it is felt that this would be a worthwhile feature. I have no preference as I understand how this works, but it may be confusing for those who don't realise that clicking the yellow dot 'off' on a non-microphone channel turns the microphone channel on. Posted by stevesr0 on June 14 2008,17:40
Using 4.4 as a live CD.Very nice, especially because I was able to save a background that is much easier for me to see. Surprising how good that feels. I have noted one item that seems defective. When I use the toram cheatcode on boot, at shutdown the machine halts without asking me to remove the CD. Another comment: I am easily able to configure the wireless manually via a root shell, but the configuration (ndiswrapper install of broadcom driver, modprobe, essid, key, and pump) is not saved. I am unclear how to use the automated tools; it appears that I have to use a combination of them in the proper order, but that seems rather a manual way to "automatically" set up wireless. What am I missing? Appreciate referral to DSL book or WIKI reference. Thanks Steve Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on June 14 2008,18:08
andrewb: is there a doc to explain how it works? Might be a good idea if there isn't.stevesr0:
Posted by curaga on June 14 2008,18:18
Since you can remove the cd after a toram boot has finished, DSL can only assume you want to have it inside after that and so does not eject it..I'm not clear with the automatic config either; but you can just put those commands in /opt/bootlocal.sh to have them executed every boot, and it is in your backup automatically. Edit: duh. F5 for me! Posted by roberts on June 14 2008,19:01
If you use automated tools then scripts are created.If you choose to manually create files as root, you are on your own. Using the ndiswrapper GUI creates not only a script but a clickable icon to use your wireless card. Often times though, one may need to use the manual method to get their unique settings just right or edit the automated script that is placed in your home directory. Posted by andrewb on June 15 2008,09:01
I don't think John ever documented DMIX as it was fairly obvious how it worked. The behaviour as regards UMIX is what I have found by attempting to set different (& multiple) record channels. Umix documentation is at: < http://umix.sourceforge.net/ > . I should probably put together a wiki page on dmix & how I have changed things since John's original version & what the various subtelties of the script are. Posted by meo on June 15 2008,16:32
Hi andrewb!Thanks for your response to my question earlier. Personally I think it would be good to have a drop-down menu for the channels in Dmix (rec) so that each channel can be put on record or shut off individually. Just a thought! Have fun improving DSL, meo Posted by andrewb on June 16 2008,00:06
I'll look at that, though only one channel can be on record at any one time. From your post it looks like you may be wanting more than one channel set to record at any one time. This can't be done with umix. I have checked umix out on dsl running in the virtualbox emulator & in that case using the P option in umix has no effect on the channel currently set to record - i.e. it doesn't turn recording off on the channel. For this reason I think the current method of actively having to select the record channel is the best method to leave in as different systems obviously behave differently to the P option in umix. The drop-down box for selecting the record channel could be done, but would require some reorganising of the the GUI & require it to be larger (something I am acutely aware of as I use dsl on a libretto - 7" screen 800x480!) |