Kodi flatpak does not work
Balasubramaniam sent me an email, reporting that the Kodi flatpak will not start. Yes, I have confirmed:
# kodi
bwrap: Can't make symlink at /run: File exists
There has been online discussion about this for years, for example:
https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/issues/5255
I don't know if updating EasyOS to a later version of flatpak will help; however, there is a quick hack that fixes Kodi:
# mkdir -p /media
# mv -f /tmp/run /runNEW
# rm -f /run
# mv -f /runNEW /run
# kodi
Folder /run is a symlink to /tmp/run, which confuses flatpak, so the above changes /run to an actual folder. That could be made into a script.
However, I'm not sure what will happen after a reboot; perhaps it would be best to shutdown without saving the session.
This needs to be fixed properly, but will have to be postponed
for awhile.
Tags: easy
EasyOS Kirkstone-series maintenance release 5.8.5
Maintenance release 5.8.4 was on August 14, 2024:
- EasyOS Kirkstone-series version 5.8.4 — August 14, 2024
Version 5.8.5 is another maintenance release. Many fixes applied to EasyOS Scarthgap-series 6.4.5 are applied here also. Some "noarch" PET packages updated.
Download:
https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/kirkstone/2024/5.8.5/
NOTICE:
The latest EasyOS is the Scarthap-series, version numbers 6.x.
Minor fixes of the Kirkstone-series will be continued in 2024
and likely into 2025.
If you have Kirkstone-series installed, it can be transitioned to
the Scarthgap-series as explained here:
https://bkhome.org/news/202406/how-to-update-kirkstone-to-scarthgap-60.html
The latest version in Scarthgap-series is 6.4.5:
-
EasyOS Scarthgap-series version 6.4.5 released — November 27, 2024
...note that Easy Scarthgap version 6.5 is expected to be
released before the end of 2024.
Monitor Barry's blog for announcements of later 6.x releases.
Questions about 5.8.5 may be posted to the forum here; however, as this is a superceded series, there may or may not be any support:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=11398
Tags: easy
Keyboard layout fix in Xephyr server
Forum member Caramel proposed a fix here:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=136739#p136739
I have implemented that, see github commit:
https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/c066880c18335979bd4f393dcb7af1b01532a699
Caramel also reported a problem with a slow computer, switching into a container:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=136796#p136796
Github commit:
https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/b3c80896f997d7da7104be96945d3101f495ff35
Tags: easy
xrdb fixed in container
Alfons reported that pClock (in the Personal menu category) does not work in the daedalus container.
The reason is that /usr/bin/pclock script runs "xrdb -query", which returns nothing, and pclock aborts with a syntax error. This is what xrdb is supposed to return:
...pclock wants that "Xft.dpi" parameter.
When the daedalus container is running, if you look in /mnt/wkg/containers/daedalus/container, you will find these:
.control/ec-run
.control/daedalus
usr/bin/desk-delayedrun
When the container is first started, those three scripts are executed, in that order. The 'daedalus' script has this line:
if [ -f ${HOME}/.Xresources ];then xrdb -merge -nocpp ${HOME}/.Xresources; fi
...that is supposed to load /root/.Xresources, but it doesn't. The Xephyr server should be running at that point in time, so I don't know why xrdb isn't working. What I did as a quick fix is repeat running xrdb at the end of 'desk-delayedrun'; then xrdb works, and pclock works.
Bit of a hack fix, but anyway, it works. Github commit:
https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/0077417e01e33d61483ce3ff6f71232d22717bd1
Tags: easy
Easy Scarthgap print setup broken
EDIT: Fixed
This came as a surprise. My daily workhorse PC has a Brother HL2040 laser printer connected via USB. Printing works, but I have not for quite some time tested setting up a new printer. I have just updated the Easy Scarthgap installation on the PC, with an already-setup CUPS connection with the printer.
Until today. Running the CUPS web interface on a pristine EasyOS Scarthgap 6.4.5, choosing to add a printer, and it is listed:
So far OK. Click on "Continue" and this is what is supposed to be the next window:
However, this is what appears:
...that window should not be appearing, as a local printer was selected by radiobutton.
I booted Easy Daedalus 6.4.1, and printer setup works. Hmmm.
So, I tested older versions of Easy Scarthgap, pristine installs to USB-stick. Tried 6.3.1; fail. Then 6.2; fail.
Then Easy Scarthgap 6.0.4; success.
Right now, I have no idea what is causing the problem. It isn't kernel version, have eliminated that.
How does that saying go; "It never rains but it pours"
Oh well, will try and track down the cause. Maybe a hint: see the above photos, the window that works shows CUPS 2.4.7, the bad one is 2.4.10.
EDIT 2024-11-30:
Yes, the problem is cups 2.4.10. I tested 2.4.9, still fail.
Then 2.4.7, works.
Cups 2.4.7 is in Easy Scarthgap 6.0.4. Later on, cups got bumped to 2.4.9, then 2.4.10 (r2 and r3 builds in OE).
I don't know why, but right now just
want printing to work, so have rolled back to cups 2.4.7. A
wild stab in the dark is that cups is configured in my OE
recipe to not use libusb, which might be a deprecated choice
-- that goes a long way back, cannot recall the details.
Tags: easy
Linux kernel 6.6.61 compiled
The latest is 6.6.63; however, the aufs patch fails, as reported here:
https://github.com/sfjro/aufs-standalone/issues/48
I examined the kernel changelog, and it looks like 6.6.61 is ok, and yes, the "6.6.54" aufs patch works. So, have compiled the kernel 6.6.61.
Forum discussion about aufs is here:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=643
Unfortunate, also have a problem with compiling latest Chromium,
as reported yesterday, here.
Tags: easy
Chromium 130.0.6723.91 compiled in OpenEmbedded
I attempted to compile 131.0.6778.85 in OE; however, fail. I sent a report to Max, scroll down this page:
https://github.com/MaxIhlenfeldt/meta-browser/commit/7c0a4e42698da69de504799038417a375777b1dd
Max explained that the Scarthgap version of OE has rust 1.75, but Chromium 131.x now requires at least version 1.78; discussion here:
https://github.com/OSSystems/meta-browser/pull/852#issuecomment-2490746158
Back when compiling OE Kirkstone, I did bump the rust version,
but now on Scarthgap, will wait for these guys to get it sorted.
Compiled Chromium 130.0.6723.91, which is likely to be in the
next release of EasyOS.
Tags: easy
EasyOS Scarthgap-series version 6.4.5 released
This is the countdown to releasing version 6.5, that I hope to release as a (early) Christmas present and announce on Distrowatch.
What has been happening recently is Easy Containers has undergone major improvements, especially running Easy Daedalus in a container. The release notes has links to posts that document this:
https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.4.5/release-notes.htm
if you are going to update an installation of Easy Scarthgap, usual process, click on the desktop "update" icon; from 6.4.4 it is only a 3.2MB download.
What I request though, if you have been testing Daedalus in a container, to firstly delete it. You can do that by clicking the desktop "setup" icon, choose "EasyOS" tab, then "Easy Containers" button, then you can see how it can be deleted.
After updating to 6.4.5, click on desktop "pkg" icon, then
"SFSget" and click on "easyos/devuan/daedalus" and install
'daedalus_6.4.5_amd64.sfs'
Alternatively, you can directly download
'daedalus_6.4.5_amd64.sfs', 'daedalus_6.4.5_amd64.specs' and
'daedalus.png' from here:
https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/packages/sfs/easyos/devuan/daedalus/
...download them to /mnt/wkg/sfs/easyos/devuan/daedalus, then run SFSget to install.
My request is to "kick the tyres" of Daedalus running in a container. Install some apps from the Devuan Daedalus (Debian Bookworm) repository, let me know of any issues. Video, sound, language issues, let me know.
Newcomers, the full 'easy_6.4.5_amd64.img' drive-image file is here:
https://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.4.5/deltas/
Fast mirror in Europe, courtesy of NLUUG:
https://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2024/6.4.5/
...there is also a help file, in case you are unfamiliar how to write a .img file to a usb-stick, or how to install it directly to internal drive.
Feedback welcome here:
https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=136571#p136571
For anyone interested in the technical details, here are the latest github commits:
https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commits/1649ad1b5dd6d9d580127acaad1db12635e59e69/
Have fun!
Tags: easy