Bug#485586: debian-installer: Default to graphical install
Hi,
Cyril Brulebois <kibi@debian.org> wrote:
> Holger Wansing <hwansing@mailbox.org> (2014-08-17):
> > That would lead to more changes to the d-i manual IMO.
>
> Indeed, and since you were updating the manual already I thought it
> might make sense to batch everything together.
>
> > At least:
> > booting of the graphical installer is now only documented in an
> > appendix. If Graphical install is the default, the info about it
> > should be integrated into the regular boot-installer chapter.
> >
> > I could provide a first patch as a proposal, if wanted.
>
> I haven't taken the time to look at what's documented right now, but
> feel free to start updating the doc.
>
> As I see it, the needed modifications should only be about updating the
> menu entry getting selected by default, so that we move from text-mode
> install to graphical-mode install on amd64/i386 architectures.
I have prepared a patch for this (attached) and I would like to receive some
thoughts on it.
I have added Samuel Thibault in CC, since he has also some knowledge and
interest on the d-i manual.
Basically I moved the chapter "Appendix D.6. The Graphical Installer" to
5.1.8 (at the end of "Booting the installer on 32-bit PC"), leaving the
content unchanged.
And I moved chapter "Appendix D.6.1. Using the graphical installer" to
6.1.1 (at the end of "How the Installer Works"), leaving the content
mostly unchanged (only the first line differs).
Holger
--
Holger Wansing <hwansing@mailbox.org>
Index: en/boot-installer/x86.xml
===================================================================
--- en/boot-installer/x86.xml (Revision 69238)
+++ en/boot-installer/x86.xml (Arbeitskopie)
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@
For a normal installation, select either the <quote>Install</quote> or
the <quote>Graphical install</quote> entry — using either the
arrow keys on your keyboard or by typing the first (highlighted) letter, the
-<quote>Install</quote> entry is already selected by default — and press
+<quote>Graphical install</quote> entry is already selected by default — and press
&enterkey; to boot the installer.
</para><para>
@@ -473,3 +473,83 @@
</para>
</sect2>
+
+ <sect2 condition="gtk" id="graphical">
+ <title>The Graphical Installer</title>
+<para>
+
+The graphical version of the installer is only available for a limited
+number of architectures, including &arch-title;. The functionality of
+the graphical installer is essentially the same as that of the regular
+installer as it basically uses the same programs, but with a different
+frontend.
+
+</para><para>
+
+Although the functionality is identical, the graphical installer still has
+a few significant advantages. The main advantage is that it supports more
+languages, namely those that use a character set that cannot be displayed
+with the regular <quote>newt</quote> frontend. It also has a few usability
+advantages such as the option to use a mouse, and in some cases several
+questions can be displayed on a single screen.
+
+</para><para arch="any-x86">
+
+The graphical installer is available with all CD images and with the
+hd-media installation method. To boot the graphical installer simply select
+the relevant option from the boot menu. Expert and rescue mode for the
+graphical installer can be selected from the <quote>Advanced options</quote>
+menu. The previously used boot methods <userinput>installgui</userinput>,
+<userinput>expertgui</userinput> and <userinput>rescuegui</userinput> can
+still be used from the boot prompt which is shown after selecting the
+<quote>Help</quote> option in the boot menu.
+
+</para><para arch="any-x86">
+
+There is also a graphical installer image that can be netbooted. And there
+is a special <quote>mini</quote> ISO image<footnote id="gtk-miniiso">
+
+<para>
+The mini ISO image can be downloaded from a &debian; mirror as described
+in <xref linkend="downloading-files"/>.
+Look for <filename>netboot/gtk/mini.iso</filename>.
+</para>
+
+</footnote>, which is mainly useful for testing.
+
+</para><para arch="powerpc">
+
+For &arch-title;, currently only an experimental <quote>mini</quote> ISO
+image is available<footnote id="gtk-miniiso">
+
+<para>
+The mini ISO image can be downloaded from a &debian; mirror as described
+in <xref linkend="downloading-files"/>.
+Look for <filename>netboot/gtk/mini.iso</filename>.
+</para>
+
+</footnote>. It should work on almost all PowerPC systems that have
+an ATI graphical card, but is unlikely to work on other systems.
+
+</para><para>
+
+Just as with the regular installer it is possible to add boot parameters
+when starting the graphical installer.
+
+</para>
+<note><para>
+
+The graphical installer requires significantly more memory to run than
+the regular installer: &minimum-memory-gtk;. If insufficient memory is
+available, it will automatically fall back to the regular
+<quote>newt</quote> frontend.
+
+</para><para>
+
+If the amount of memory in your system is below &minimum-memory;,
+the graphical installer may fail to boot at all while booting the
+regular installer would still work. Using the regular installer is
+recommended for systems with little available memory.
+
+</para></note>
+ </sect2>
Index: en/appendix/graphical.xml
===================================================================
--- en/appendix/graphical.xml (Revision 69238)
+++ en/appendix/graphical.xml (Arbeitskopie)
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking -->
<!-- $Id$ -->
+<!--
<sect1 condition="gtk" id="graphical">
<title>The Graphical Installer</title>
<para>
@@ -117,3 +118,4 @@
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
+-->
\ No newline at end of file
Index: en/using-d-i/using-d-i.xml
===================================================================
--- en/using-d-i/using-d-i.xml (Revision 69238)
+++ en/using-d-i/using-d-i.xml (Arbeitskopie)
@@ -119,9 +119,45 @@
after the computer has been booted into the installed system.
</para>
- </sect1>
+ <sect2 id="gtk-using">
+ <title>Using the graphical installer</title>
+<para>
+The graphical installer basically works the same as
+the regular installer and thus the rest of this manual can be used to guide
+you through the installation process.
+
+</para><para>
+
+If you prefer using the keyboard over the mouse, there are two things you
+need to know. To expand a collapsed list (used for example for the selection
+of countries within continents), you can use the <keycap>+</keycap> and
+<keycap>-</keycap> keys. For questions where more than one item can be
+selected (e.g. task selection), you first need to tab to the
+&BTN-CONT; button after making your selections; hitting
+enter will toggle a selection, not activate &BTN-CONT;.
+
+</para><para>
+
+If a dialog offers additional help information, a <guibutton>Help</guibutton>
+button will be displayed. The help information can be accessed either by
+activating the button or by pressing the <keycap>F1</keycap> key.
+
+</para><para>
+
+To switch to another console, you will also need to use the
+<keycap>Ctrl</keycap> key, just as with the X Window System. For example,
+to switch to VT2 (the first debug shell) you would use: <keycombo>
+<keycap>Ctrl</keycap> <keycap>Left Alt</keycap> <keycap>F2</keycap>
+</keycombo>. The graphical installer itself runs on VT5, so you can use
+<keycombo> <keycap>Left Alt</keycap> <keycap>F5</keycap> </keycombo>
+to switch back.
+
+</para>
+ </sect2>
+ </sect1>
+
<sect1 id="modules-list"><title>Components Introduction</title>
<para>
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