Re: Custom gtk installer similar to Proxmox VE installer
On Sun, Mar 17, 2024 at 03:35:15AM +0000, pve-hgoi9uef wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have been attempting to package my software (.deb packages served
> by a repository) into a custom Debian GNU/Linux installer for
> redistribution. I have been using the GTK netboot installer with a
> preseed file packaged into the initrd.
>
> I did run into limitations with preseed though:
> 1. Install packages into /target before d-i apt-setup/local[0-9]
> repositories are loaded. (one being ca-certificates)
> 2. Run custom scripts at certain points in the installation process.
> 3. Change/add questions, display some text (put locale/language/kbd
> map all in one step, change the layout)
>
> I tried debconf but it seems that I was not able to completely solve
> the problem, only ask custom questions.
>
> I've done some research and found the Proxmox Virtualization Environment
> installer (https://git.proxmox.com/?p=pve-installer.git). My knowledge
> in this area of OS installers is very little, and after two weeks or
> so of attempting to get this to work (without much success), I thought
> that I would ask for help.
>
> The Proxmox VE installer seems to be a customized one built with GTK3,
> html/CSS, and Perl. My question: How would I go about making a similar
> installer?
Start with just rebuilding that installer. Verify that it is working.
Then change some text string and rebuild. Verify that it is still
working and your change is visible.
That known good point is starting point for further changes.
> Preferably, I would want to be able to customize how it looks with
> html templates, similar to what Proxmox does. There are many videos
> online of people going through the installer.
>
> Here is my workflow for building the ISO (in a bookworm Docker container):
> 1. install dependencies
> 2. run debootstrap
> 3. fetch initrd from
> http://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/[version]/main/installer-[arch]/current/images/netboot/gtk/amd64
> 4. extract, add custom files, archive it back
> 5. use grub-mkrescue to create the ISO
>
> Thank you very much for your help. I can attach a 'bounty' of some sort
> to be paid in cryptocurrency if this is a very hard task to accomplish.
Yeah, expressing the value of libre software is a challenge.
Groeten
Geert Stappers
--
Silence is hard to parse
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