Combining Extensions into Large Extensions

[Guy]

(In response to a request on another page)

To combine extensions:

You need squashfs-tools-4.0 installed.

Have extensions mounted, not installed. To do this, delete their name from tcz2ram.lst and restart the computer.

You can now copy their contents from /tmp/tcloop/extension-name using Rox as root (sudo rox to start)

Create a new directory for the new extension. For example, /home/myext/newext1

Copy and paste the contents of each extension and paste it to newext1. (Open 2 Rox windows, drag, and select copy.)

With Rox, you will be asked - merge contents - always click yes. (this may not work with other file managers)

In the terminal.

sudo su
cd /home/myext
mksquashfs newext1/ anyname.tcz

Copy the new extension to the tce folder, and remove those it is replacing.

This works. Many extensions can be combined without problems. However, during startup certain extensions need to be loaded before others. When you combine them this order is lost. If you experiment, you can find out which this affects (only a few), and keep them as separate extensions. You can rectify this by creating .dep files. Dependencies are loaded before programs, in the order of the .dep list. Another option is to begin their name with an earlier letter of the alphabet (they are loaded in the order a-z. I think capital letters are loaded first.)

The way to discover what is needed. Combine a group of extensions. Put in the tce folder. Restart the computer and see if you get any error messages, and all programs work. Repeat the process, separating any extensions which cause problems. Make a .dep file for the main extension and put the name of any which need to be loaded first in the .dep file.

Extensions beginning with Capital letters are probably the main ones which are likely to be affected. It will probably be simpler if you keep those separate. The only way to know is to experiment.

If anyone experiments with this, and discovers more, post your results.

[jur]

How about an example such as thunderbird - it has a whole list of dependencies. Can all those be combined into one tcz along with thunderbird?

[Guy]

How about an example such as thunderbird - it has a whole list of dependencies. Can all those be combined into one tcz along with thunderbird?

I have never combined those, so I don't know.

As mentioned above.

The way to discover what is needed. Combine a group of extensions. Put in the tce folder. Restart the computer and see if you get any error messages, and all programs work. Repeat the process, separating any extensions which cause problems. Make a .dep file for the main extension and put the name of any which need to be loaded first in the .dep file.

I have combined other extensions with earlier versions of Tiny Core. Because of updates to Tiny Core and extensions, there is no guarantee that it would work exactly the same now.

The only way to know is to experiment yourself.

[spence91]

they are loaded in the order a-z. I think capital letters are loaded first.

Probably clearer if a number was put in front of each package name.