Boot splashscreen with splashy - could you explain it for dummies and help me??

[mythbu]

Hi,

in my last and first topic I solved my problem how to create a graphically boot menu. Now I want to create a splashscreen which will give end-users a better feel (it looks more professional).  

In order to do so, I looked around here and found a page on the wiki (http://wiki.tinycorelinux.com/splashy) and in this forum (http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=2638.new;topicseen#new). But the given description is for me to complex or I can't execute the first two steps. So I ask you very polite to help me solving my questions concering the "roadmap to an boot-up-splashscreen".

So, the admin "gutmensch" wrote in the topic (the second link on the top):

1.) Download splashy 0.3.13 and directfb 1.0.1, compile the latter one first, install it, then splashy. As usual use CFLAGS="-Os -pipe -march=i486 -mtune=i686", splashy with --prefix=/ and make DESTDIR=install_dir_path install.

Where to do this step? Can I compile it under Ubuntu or Gentoo? Tiny Core Linux has no compiler. Where to put the CFLAGS? I don't know how to do this step!!!

2.) Recompile the tc kernel with unsetting the option CONFIG_LOGO.

How to recompile the kernel? And how to set this option?

3.) Extract tinycore.gz and copy the files from install_dir_path to the extracted rootfs from tinycore.gz.

This is like remastering. Only follow the instructions on the remastering wiki page and copy the files from the install_dir_path into the extracted tinycore.gz??

4.) Change the file etc/init.d/tc-config in the extracted rootfs folder to startup splashy and do some screen updates while following the commands in the file. For example /sbin/splashy boot, /sbin/splashy_update "progress 10", /sbin/splashy_update "progress 20", and so on.

So I have to "register" it and I have to set the progress output so that the progressbar will move on(?).

5.) Be sure to start splashy not too early, depending on your hardware the first entry point can be the section after WAITUSB in the tc-config, otherwise you will get an framebuffer not configured correctly error.

Okay. Clear.

So my problems are step 1 and step 2. The other steps are clear. Could you give me a detailed explanation of step 1 and step 2.

Best greetings from Germany,
mythbu

[h00k]

I'm with you on this one, I'd like to get a nice splashy and make it look good, but the instructions intimidate me a little.

[Guy]

If you install Tiny Core using the installer

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_hd_net
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_hd_offline
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb_net
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_usb_offline
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:start

It is very easy to set up a background image in extlinux

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:extlinux

[gutmensch]

@Guy: I think both are referring to a boot splash like in other distros (ubuntu, fedora, etc.) with some sort of picture and a progress bar instead of the tc style with text messages.

@mythbu:
1. Tinycore has a compiler, you will need the compiletc.tcz extension. CFLAGS is an environment variable, you can set it globally with export CFLAGS=... or you set it right in front of the calling command, e.g. CFLAGS=... make. Then you download the sources, extract them and start with ./configure --prefix=/ or ./configure --prefix=/usr. DESTDIR is a variable for "make install", which installs the files in a given folder instead of the root fs.

2. Howto recompile a kernel - just search in the forum, it's mentioned a dozen times ;-) However, you might not even need this step, you can use the boot code logo.nologo, if it is set at all.

3. Right, it's like remastering, you have to put splashy and directfb into your .gz file.

4. Right. Your remastering requires changing of /etc/init.d/tc-config. There you have to start splashy and move on with the progress through the whole file. When you first call "exec >/dev/null" right after the shebang it will suppress the tc messages. Now you only have to run splashy somewhere in the file.

[cURIOUSgEORGE]

 Another for a booting splash screen with a nice loading bar of some sort, ALL the boot codes can still be shown right under neath the loading bar FLICKERING ONE BY ONE so it's neat, just a thought, I don't understand how to do it.

[gutmensch]

well splashy supports dynamic onscreen text messages, so this can be achieved, however... since tinycore usually boots up within only a few seconds, it sometimes takes more time to setup the framebuffer by the kernel and to display some sort of an image than to load the entire OS. that's basically one reason I didn't make further investigations. however it might be interesting if you have slow devices or some slow loading/waiting procedures in a special tc setup, where the user should at least see some progress.