Core v4.2rc3

[roberts]

The third release candidate of Core 4.2 is ready for public testing:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/tinycorelinux/4.x/x86/release_candidates

Main theme for 4.2 release is to focus on the Core.
With the Core Project one starts with the kernel (vmlinuz) and the core.
MicroCore is simply the kernel + core.gz - this is the foundation for user created desktops.
TinyCore is simply the kernel + core.gz + Xvesa.tcz|Xorg.tcz + Xprogs + (user's choice of Window Manager) + (optionally wbar.tcz).

The original TinyCore becomes simply an example of what the Core Project can produce, an 11MB desktop.
4.2 also intoduces CorePlus a simple way to get started using the Core philosophy in allowing easy
embedded frugal or pendrive installation of the user's choice of supported desktop, while maintaining the
Core principal of mounted extensions with full package management.

RC1 Change log:
* Updated tce-setup to use /tmp/builtin for embedded initrd extensions. Changed from /opt/tce
* Updated cpanel to only activate Xvesa button if Xvesa is loaded.
* Updated exittc default focus on OK button for quicker use from keyboard.
* Updated mntttol to call rebuildfstab.
* Updated base for move of /opt/.tce_dir to a link at /etc/sysconfig/tcedir which includes the following:
   tce-load, tce-run, tce-setdrive, tce-size, tce-audit, filetool.sh, tce-setup, ondemand, tce-update,
   .profile, tc-config, rc.shutdown, appbrowser, appsaudit, exittc, flwm_topside_ondemand,
   .setbackground, wbarconf, wbar_update.sh, wbar_setup.sh.

* Updated the following system X/GUI extensions:
   Xvesa,tcz, Xlibs.tcz, Xprogs,tcz, fltk-1.10.tcz, flwm_topside.tcz, flwm.tcz, and wbar.tcz.

* Updated tce-setup to write cde info to /etc/sysconfig.
* Updated startx to better support desktop boot code.
* Updated tc-config and tce-setup.sh for refined definition of the base boot code.
  base will now only ignore "user" extensions. Builtins and cde extensions always load as they have become by their very nature part of the base system.  See CorePlus.iso for how it is being used.
  xbase.lst is implemented via our standard lst boot option. But now lst is supported in the cde directory.
  Hence by using xbase.lst a simple standard list file containing only the base X/GUI extensions to be loaded.
  See CorePlus iso for how it is being deployed.

* Updated interface files for supported window manager extensions:
   flwm_topside.tcz, flwm.tcz, fluxbox.tcz, hackedbox.tcz, icewm.tcz, icewm-full.tcz, jwm-snapshot.tcz, jwm.tcz

Files likely in your backup that will need to be updated:
.setbackground
.profile
.xsession

Note: You must recreate all ondemand items. Use AppsAudit OnDemand Maintenance.


CorePlus replaces MultiCore:

CorePlus now sports a boot menu so that the user can easily see the window managers and boot options available.
* Dropped tc-grub4dos
* Dropped tinycore.gz
* Added flwm, jwm, icewm, fluxbox, and hackedbox; plus their dependencies.
* Updated tc-install.sh & tc-install GUI now installs running desktop and detects CorePlus with user selectable options,
  frugal now installs embedded, i.e., self contained in the tce directory with option to skip the boot loader install.
* Updated ezremaster to support the new Core foundation.

==================================================================

RC2 Change Log:

* Clean up of some full paths, adjusted /opt/.filetool.lst and /opt/.xfiletool.lst
* New refactored Xlibs.tcz, Xprogs.tcz so that now Xprogs.tcz contains only FLTK GUI programs. Xprogs is now optional.
* New fltk-1.10.tcz contains only FLTK libraries, required by any FLTK GUI programs.
* New /usr/bin/exittc script to allow exiting WM when no Xprogs are used.
* New /usr/bin/backup script useful when no Xprogs are used.
* Updated .xsession to store X pid.
* Updated tc-config more adjustments for new tce specifications.

Files likely in your backup:
.xsession /opt/.filetool.lst /opt/.xfiletool.lst

==================================================================

RC3 Change log:

* New setupdesktop factored out of startx in Xlibs.tcz
* Updated startx to call setupdesktop
* New startup script for Xprogs.tcz to support after X/GUI desktop loading.
* Updated tce-update fixed TCEDIR bug as reported.
* Updated tce-setup for better detection of cde when not found on cdrom.


You are now be able to use for example, JWM, and no Xprogs.tcz. You would have to use CLI utilities for Core extensions.
* Updated .dep files to include fltk-1.10 libs. You can now use any supported window manager without Xprogs,

Note: With all the structural changes, the required extensions are currently with the release candidate.
Once 4.2 is released the extensions will be moved into the repository.

[gerald_clark]

I loaded Xprogs after starting X.
Instead of adding the Xprogs icons to wbar, it doubled up the icons for the installed apps ( mc and Opera9 ).

[roberts]

Thanks! Found and corrected. Reposted Xlibs.tcz with correction.
Please be sure to have all the latest X/GUI extensions from the release candidate area.

[gerald_clark]

Ok. Loading Xprogs now updates wbar correctly.

AppsAudit does not allow you to add Xprogs.tcz  to onboot or ondemand.

[roberts]

I have updated Xprogs.tcz as its startup scipt was running as root. Corrected.
All this only applies to those who are trying to load Xprogs after X/GUI has already been established.
It does not affect regular use.

[gerald_clark]

OK. Working now as expected.

[roberts]

Thanks for testing and feedback. Very much appreciated. Going forward Core is much more modular. Which is the goal of the 4.2 release.

[coreplayer2]

I luv the continuing modular approach, which must surely be close to being complete with this release.

Today I created a remastered  core iso from a coreplus frugal install simply by removing the X and wm related extensions from the remaster, the result a cli core ISO.

Thanks a million, this is so cool.   And a big thanks to all those who helped make this release possible.T

[bmarkus]

Finally I got it up and running from USB stick after many trials and discussing with Robert. The key point is, that you can't use the same partition for tce directory and cde. With other words it means, that single FAT partitioned setup is not supported, you need a second LINUX partition for tce. tce= boot option to this partition will create tce and its sub directories and will be found automatically at next boot.

There is one bug still, onboot.lst is not created automatically. If you create an empty onboot.lst in /tce with

sudo chmod 755 onboot.lst
sudo chown tc.staff onboot.lst

It appears to work as expected (aka as TC 4.1)

[bmarkus]

AppsAudit / OnBoot / Maintenance:

Extension can be added to the onboot list, but can!t be removed.

[bmarkus]

Installed Xorg-7.6 It doesn't work, at least do not see any video card. I see still the Xvesa screen. No log file, nothing related in syslog.

lxrandr reports empty list which means it can communicate to Xorg.

In 4.1 it works, Xorg starts properly in confless on same machine.

[newbody]

Edit  I guess I should read what RobertS told in the intro but I usually
fail to read and get text when there is much to read though.
I only see a black screen with a prompt.

okay I know more now. One should have this in the code?
lst=xbase.lst waitusb=5

And RobertS says it should be /boot/ and not /core/boot/
okay but that means that all the other Linux distros need to hide their /boot/
just for me testing Core?

I use this code for frugal boot.
title Core 4.2RC3 /tce/boot/ntfs-3g.gz fluff kmap=qwerty/fi-latin9 tce=sda3
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /core/boot/vmlinuz
kernel /core/boot/vmlinuz  showapps noswap syslog vga=792
initrd /core/boot/core.gz


Should I change to this one to get ntfs ability?
initrd /core/boot/ore.gz /core/boot/ntfs-3g.gz

or is the ntfs-3g.gz built in now or does it still need to be added manually?

[floppy]

Installed Xorg-7.6 It doesn't work, at least do not see any video card. I see still the Xvesa screen. No log file, nothing related in syslog.

lxrandr reports empty list which means it can communicate to Xorg.

In 4.1 it works, Xorg starts properly in confless on same machine.

my experience: xorg76 works on my desktop (with conf) with the 4.2rc2 (I loaded ALL files of the rc directory in particularly  the DEP files which were updated).
update.. confless rc2 => works for me
update.. rc3 => conf or confless.. it works

[newbody]

So if I get it at all which I am not sure of?

From the announcement post:
Quote
...
    TinyCore is simply the kernel + core.gz + Xvesa.tcz|Xorg.tcz + (user's choice of Window Manager) + (optionally wbar.tcz)

Obviously tcz extensions are located in the tce directory.

So should I download these then and put them in the core directory?

Xvesa.tcz
Xorg.tcz
Xprogs (is that  Xprogs.tcz ?)
Window Manager (okay I chose one? When does one do that?)
wbar.tcz

And Xprogs and Window Manager I can chose among those at the download list?

So would them get included automatically or does one call them from the prompt or what?


 

[bmarkus]

Edit  I guess I should read what RobertS told in the intro but I usually
fail to read and get text when there is much to read though.
I only see a black screen with a prompt.

okay I know more now. One should have this in the code?
lst=xbase.lst waitusb=5

And RobertS says it should be /boot/ and not /core/boot/
okay but that means that all the other Linux distros need to hide their /boot/
just for me testing Core?

I use this code for frugal boot.
title Core 4.2RC3 /tce/boot/ntfs-3g.gz fluff kmap=qwerty/fi-latin9 tce=sda3
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /core/boot/vmlinuz
kernel /core/boot/vmlinuz  showapps noswap syslog vga=792
initrd /core/boot/core.gz


Should I change to this one to get ntfs ability?
initrd /core/boot/ore.gz /core/boot/ntfs-3g.gz

or is the ntfs-3g.gz built in now or does it still need to be added manually?

I think you are doing too much at the same time:
- testing unstable version
- in frugal environment
- with NTFS

One of the would be enough to play with. My advise just take an USB stick and stable TC 4.1 to play with and learn TC. Next go for NTFS and frugal. When you are familiar with these, for fun play with actual RC.