Re: [Question] Integrating the debian installer in live-build - DVD, multi-arch, custom, etc.

[jnqnfe@gmail.com]

I know that what you wrote was not intended as shouting, I was just
pointing it out that all-caps is typically taken as shouting, in case
you were not aware, and that it is more typical to address someone in
@handle or @name form. We need not bother discussing this aspect
further.

With regards to your "just works" script, did you actually read all of
what I wrote or not? Please go back to your script, with the forward-
slash problem intact, run it, and tell me whether or not you get the "-
-linux-flavours: not found" error at the end of the output. You
obviously will. Perhaps you just failed to notice it before. As I
explained before, this is because your config script IS broken.

If you want another way to prove it's broken, try changing --source
value to "${_T}" and note that the source stage never runs (or to be
more accurate, does nothing).

If you want to just arrogantly dismiss my expertise then fine, it's
your personal config, and I regret wasting my time trying to help you.

As to the multi-arch setup, I explained it perfectly thoroughly in my
last reply. The multi-arch capabilities of live-build are perfectly
adequate; there are no limitations worth change.

Normally I would be perfectly happy to take time to rephrase things to
help someone understand something, but, and I don't know whether I'm
just over tired right now, or maybe I'm judging your attitude perfectly
fairly, but I'm feeling rather frustrated over the broken config
discussion and frankly I'm just not inclined at this point to bother
putting in further effort. I'm going to go shortly to get some sleep,
and I don't know that I'll be bothering to participate further in this
discussion, or at least with yourself.

I don't need to be told the obvious that problems show up in the
result. Clearly you've not paid enough attention to the actual result
produced to recognise that there are indeed problems with your script,
as I'm telling you.

Lyndon.



On Tue, 2020-04-21 at 17:05 +1000, Michael . wrote:
> @Lyndon
> No your name hasn't been showing at my end and fwiw I wasn't shouting
> but I'll let you take it whatever way you want to. This is the
> internet if you take 1 thing written in caps lock as shouting then
> imagine how you take an entire paragraph?
> 
> Please understand that if something doesn't work in Live-Build it is
> rather obvious when it doesn't show up in the build. You can pick my
> config apart all you like and ask me to "trust you" all you like but
> lets be clear here and understand that when I said it "just works" I
> mean exactly that. Take me at my word or ignore me altogether, either
> way I'll be a happy camper ;-)
> 
> Let's get back to Sunhani's build efforts for a minute and what my
> understanding of it is. Subhani replied to a thread started by DBGR
> (oops sorry dbgr) about building a system that can install both 32
> and
> 64 bit systems. That is what I am working through. I am not
> interested
> in 1 system that is 32 bit that can install on a 64 bit architecture.
> Can we or can we not create an iso like the netinst but with both
> live
> images that can install a 32 but system on a 32 bit machine and a 64
> bit system on a 64 bit machine? Simple question, hopefully you can
> give a simple answer. If we can, how? if we can't, why not? what is
> lacking in live build and can you rectify it?
> Cheers.
> Michael.
> 
> On 21/04/2020, jnqnfe@gmail.com <jnqnfe@gmail.com> wrote:
> > @michael I always quote (include) the message I am replying to in
> > my
> > message when writing to multiple people or a mailing list, or
> > otherwise
> > use "@person" to address a specific person. When quoting, the quote
> > always starts clearly with an "On [DATE, TIME] Michael wrote" type
> > line
> > (at least in my email program). Sometimes I write my message above
> > the
> > quoted text, sometimes below, sometimes broken up inbetween where
> > bits
> > of my reply need to be associated with specific parts of what I am
> > replying to for clarity. Perhaps the issue lies with the set of
> > email
> > addresses that this thread has accumulated in the 'to' and 'cc'
> > fields,
> > rather than generically being targetted at the
> > 'debian-live@lists.debian.org' mailing list address, or perhaps
> > you're
> > not used to me replying above quoted text rather than below?? I
> > feel I
> > am being perfectly clear; I do not understand why there's any
> > confusion.
> > 
> > btw 'jnqnfe' is my handle, my first name is Lyndon, is this not
> > appearing at your end? I see your name as "Michael ." at my end.
> > Also
> > it's typical to address someone in the form @keltoiboy or @michael
> > rather than just a handle/name in all caps (shouting) fwiw.
> > 
> > Yes I know how to create a multi-arch system, not that I've
> > actually
> > tried it, but I'm very familiar with live-build being a significant
> > contributor to the codebase.
> > 
> > I've already discussed the details a little in this thread tonight,
> > but
> > to repeat a little:
> >  1. You use -a i386 --linux-flavours "686 amd64", replacing "amd64"
> > there with "amd64:amd64" if using live-build version 20191219 or
> > newer.
> > This gets you the correct set of kernels.
> >  2. Having just one single package name like 'firefox:amd64' in a
> > package list in your config is enough for live-build to know to run
> > `dpkg --add-architecture amd64` and thus get a combined i386 and
> > amd64
> > image.
> > 
> > Whether or not you need to have both 'Foo' and 'Foo:amd64' in your
> > package lists for every single package you add to your package
> > lists to
> > get them in both arch forms is a detail I do not know off the top
> > of my
> > head. But just one in the form 'Foo:amd64' is enough to get the
> > additional architecture configured as just stated.
> > 
> > This gives you such a combined live environment, and if you use the
> > "live" version of the installer, you thus also have a means of
> > installing it. If you use the other installer types on the
> > otherhand
> > then you'll only get the one for the base architecture (i386 here)
> > and
> > thus only be able to install i386 (though you can manually add
> > amd64
> > later of course).
> > 
> > Note that having a live environment containing both i386 and amd64
> > architectures like this is the only means of having multiple
> > architectures in a single image. You can **not** have an i386 live
> > OS
> > and an amd64 live OS sat side by side in the same image, selectable
> > from different menu entries.
> > 
> > With regards to your config, note that there is a big difference
> > between appearing to work and actually working. Just because
> > something
> > appears to work does not mean that there is not a problem.
> > 
> > Furthermore your script in fact is **not** working just fine, it IS
> > broken, as I've just confirmed by running it myself (not that I
> > needed
> > the confirmation). A clear example of the problem is that when you
> > run
> > it you will see a final output line that ends with "--linux-
> > flavours:
> > not found". This is an error, caused by some of the problems I
> > previously stated, and is explained further below.
> > 
> > Another problem I spot with your config script that I did not
> > notice
> > before due to the mess around the variable initialisation,
> > especially
> > with the forced line-wrapping done by your email editor, is that
> > for
> > some reason you're sticking backslashes on the ends of every line
> > setting a variable. Understand that ending a line with a backslash
> > is
> > done to tell the shell that what is on that line up to the
> > backslash is
> > not the complete string/command, that it continues on the next
> > line. It
> > thus has no business being on the end of the variable
> > initialisation
> > lines in your script. It is necessary for the `lb config` stuff so
> > that
> > the shell knows that "lb config noauto" is not the complete
> > command,
> > that it continues on the next line, then the next and so on. Also,
> > the
> > lines with comments will not work if the leading '#' were removed,
> > you
> > need to replace the '\' in them with a '#'.
> > 
> > i.e.
> > _D="Rugged" \
> > 
> > should be
> > _D="Rugged"
> > 
> > and
> > #_D="Rugged" \ Debian Derivative Distro e.g. Cobber or Rugged
> > should be
> > #_D="Rugged" # Debian Derivative Distro e.g. Cobber or Rugged
> > if you want to be able to uncomment it and have it work, i.e.:
> > _D="Rugged" # Debian Derivative Distro e.g. Cobber or Rugged
> > 
> > or better, you'd just avoid repeating the variable initialisation
> > bit
> > and simplifying as:
> > # Debian Derivative Distro e.g. Cobber or Rugged
> > _D="Rugged"
> > 
> > This is extremely basic shell scripting stuff though, and the
> > mistakes
> > you're making suggest that it might be worthwhile for you to re-
> > read
> > the manual/book/tutorial/whatever-you-learned-from.
> > 
> > Btw, your variables do not need to all start with an underscore,
> > and
> > creating variables for "true" and "false" makes things excessively
> > confusing.
> > 
> > You need to trust me and fix your script, since as pointed out
> > about it
> > IS broken.
> > 
> > Consider for instance this line that I pointed out mistakes with in
> > the
> > last email:
> > --keyring-packages "mx19-archive-keyring" "antix-archive-
> > keyring"/
> > 
> > 1) "mx19-archive-keyring" is the only package that will be used,
> > "antix-archive-keyring" will be ignored because of the quoting
> > issue.
> > 2) The forward slash (which should be a space then a backslash)
> > will be
> > taken to be a part of the string argument it follows (the fact that
> > it
> > is not within the quotes is not a problem in this shell script
> > language), i.e. is the same as "antix-archive-keyring/", which is
> > obviously the wrong package name, not that this matters since the
> > quoting issue means this package name is ignored anyway.
> > 3) Furthermore, the lack of a space-then-backslash on the end of
> > that
> > line means that the shell thinks that the `lb config` command ends
> > on
> > the end of that line. The `--linux-flavours` bit on the next line
> > will
> > be taken by the shell as being the start of an entirely new
> > command,
> > thus results in an "--linux-flavours: not found" error because "
> > --linux-flavours" of course is not a name of a real binary. So the
> > latter third of your config is actually being completely ignored!!!
> > 
> > Please, just trust me and fix the issues I've pointed out.
> > 
> > Lyndon
> > 
> > On Tue, 2020-04-21 at 14:41 +1000, Michael . wrote:
> > > JNQNFE I think you need to make it clear who you are replying to.
> > > At
> > > one stage I thought you were talking to me so I replied but
> > > looking
> > > back it is not clear if you were talking to me or someone else.
> > > 
> > > With regards to my config it "just works" as it is. With regards
> > > to
> > > the keyring slash I noticed it as I pasted it into the email but
> > > I
> > > didn't change it because guess what it still "just works".
> > > 
> > > If you know how to build a multi arch system please share exaclty
> > > how
> > > to do it. I ask this because it has been brought up a few times
> > > over
> > > the years and Subhani is the only one that has said he has it
> > > working.
> > > 
> > > Cheers.
> > > Michael.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > On 21/04/2020, jnqnfe@gmail.com <jnqnfe@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > I've not taken a detailed look at this, but some things stand
> > > > out:
> > > > 
> > > > 1) if you're using live-build version 20191219 or newer, add an
> > > > architecture specifier to the secondary kernel flavour.
> > > > 
> > > > -  _FL="686-pae amd64" \
> > > > +  _FL="686-pae amd64:amd64" \
> > > > 
> > > > 2) with bootloaders you're mixing comma AND space separation.
> > > > this
> > > > may
> > > > work, but it might not. i'd air on the side of caution and just
> > > > use
> > > > comma separation.
> > > > 
> > > > -  --bootloaders "syslinux, grub-efi" \
> > > > +  --bootloaders "syslinux,grub-efi" \
> > > > 
> > > > 3) "config" in --bootappend-live needs to be replaced with
> > > > "components"
> > > > (for live-config 4.x+ compatibility)
> > > > 
> > > > -   --bootappend-live "boot=live config quiet splash keyboard-
> > > > layouts=us" \
> > > > +   --bootappend-live "boot=live components quiet splash
> > > > keyboard-
> > > > layouts=us" \
> > > > 
> > > > 4) i would not recommand caching the chroot stage
> > > > 
> > > > -  --cache-stages "bootstrap chroot" \
> > > > +  --cache-stages "bootstrap" \
> > > > 
> > > > (or just remove it, thus leaving it as default)
> > > > 
> > > > 5) --fdisk "fdisk" is an old hack, you should just remove this
> > > > 
> > > > 6) --gzip-options "-6 --rsyncable" is the default, so just
> > > > remove
> > > > it
> > > > 
> > > > 7) bad quoting in --iso-publisher and --iso-volume
> > > > 
> > > > -   --iso-publisher ""${_D}" GNU/Linux" \
> > > > +   --iso-publisher "${_D} GNU/Linux" \
> > > > 
> > > > -   --iso-volume ""${_D}" "${_DE}" "${_BIT}" $(date +%Y%m%d)" \
> > > > +   --iso-volume "${_D} ${_DE} ${_BIT} $(date +%Y%m%d)" \
> > > > 
> > > > 8) bad quoting for keyring packages and wrong slash at end of
> > > > line
> > > > 
> > > > -   --keyring-packages "mx19-archive-keyring" "antix-archive-
> > > > keyring"/
> > > > +   --keyring-packages "mx19-archive-keyring antix-archive-
> > > > keyring"
> > > > \
> > > > 
> > > > 9) --tasksel is an obsolete option, remove it
> > > > 
> > > > there are other options using defaults, but no particular needs
> > > > to
> > > > remove them.
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > On Tue, 2020-04-21 at 12:47 +1000, Michael . wrote:
> > > > > This is the config I have used when I had the error and
> > > > > subsequent
> > > > > failure. It is a modified version of what used to be use by
> > > > > Ozzie
> > > > > (STAR Linux). This configuration works for everything I have
> > > > > done
> > > > > until the 2nd flavour as per Subhani's suggestion is added
> > > > > and
> > > > > that
> > > > > breaks this configuration.
> > > > > 
> > > > > #!/bin/sh
> > > > > 
> > > > > set -e
> > > > > 
> > > > > #_A="amd64" \ CPU Architecture i386 = 32 BIT (686 and 686-
> > > > > pae)
> > > > > amd64
> > > > > =
> > > > > 64 BIT. It would be great if we could build ARM images for
> > > > > RPi.
> > > > > _A="i386" \
> > > > > #_AA="main contrib non-free" \ Archive Areas must have at
> > > > > least
> > > > > main,
> > > > > contrib and non-free are optional
> > > > > _AA="main contrib non-free" \
> > > > > #_BIT="x86-64" \ x86 = 32 BIT system x86-64 = 64 BIT system
> > > > > _BIT="x86" \
> > > > > #_DD="buster" \ Debian Distribution e.g. buster
> > > > > _DD="buster" \
> > > > > #_D="Rugged" \ Debian Derivative Distro e.g. Cobber or Rugged
> > > > > _D="Rugged" \
> > > > > #_F="false" \ When the answer to a question is false
> > > > > _F="false" \
> > > > > #_FL="amd64" \ Linux Flavour as in BIT. Options (currently)
> > > > > are
> > > > > 686
> > > > > 686-pae amd64. Flavor MUST match _A="" (CPU Architecture) to
> > > > > work
> > > > > _FL="686-pae amd64" \
> > > > > #_MB="http://deb.debian.org/debian/"; \ Repository Mirror to
> > > > > be
> > > > > used
> > > > > _MB="http://deb.debian.org/debian/"; \
> > > > > #_MS="http://security.debian.org/"; \ Security Repository
> > > > > Mirror,
> > > > > this
> > > > > is usually always http://security.debian.org/ unless you are
> > > > > building
> > > > > a non Debian system
> > > > > _MS="http://security.debian.org/"; \
> > > > > #_T="true" \ When the answer to a question is true
> > > > > _T="true" \
> > > > > #_DE="builder-choice" \ Desktop Environment or Window Manager
> > > > > used in
> > > > > the build. Choices are Cinnamon, Gnome, KDE, LXDE, LXQT,
> > > > > Mate,
> > > > > TDE
> > > > > (Trinity), XFCE, etc etc etc.
> > > > > _DE="Mate" \
> > > > > #_WM="builder-choice" \ Window Manager used in the build.
> > > > > Choices
> > > > > are,
> > > > > currently, Fluxbox.
> > > > > _WM="Fluxbox" \
> > > > > 
> > > > > lb config noauto \
> > > > > 	--apt "apt" \
> > > > > 	--apt-indices "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--apt-options "--yes" \
> > > > > 	--apt-recommends "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--apt-secure "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--apt-source-archives "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--aptitude-options "--assume-yes" \
> > > > > 	--architectures "${_A}" \
> > > > > 	--archive-areas "${_AA}" \
> > > > > 	--backports "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--binary-filesystem "fat32" \
> > > > > 	--bootappend-live "boot=live config quiet splash
> > > > > keyboard-
> > > > > layouts=us" \
> > > > > 	--bootappend-live-failsafe "boot=live components
> > > > > memtest noapic
> > > > > noapm
> > > > > nodma nomce nolapic nomodeset nosmp nosplash vga=normal" \
> > > > > 	--bootloaders "syslinux, grub-efi" \
> > > > > 	--cache "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--cache-indices "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--cache-packages "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--cache-stages "bootstrap chroot" \
> > > > > 	--checksums "md5 sha1 sha256" \
> > > > >     --chroot-filesystem "squashfs" \
> > > > >     --debian-installer "live" \
> > > > > 	--distribution "${_DD}" \
> > > > > 	--debian-installer-distribution "${_DD}" \
> > > > > 	--debian-installer-gui "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--fdisk "fdisk" \
> > > > > 	--firmware-binary "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--firmware-chroot "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--gzip-options "-6 --rsyncable" \
> > > > > 	--hdd-label ""${_D}"Live" \
> > > > > 	--initramfs "live-boot" \
> > > > > 	--initramfs-compression "gzip" \
> > > > > 	--iso-application ""${_D}"-Live-"${_DE}"" \
> > > > > 	--iso-preparer "Michael" \
> > > > > 	--iso-publisher ""${_D}" GNU/Linux" \
> > > > > 	--iso-volume ""${_D}" "${_DE}" "${_BIT}" $(date
> > > > > +%Y%m%d)" \
> > > > >     --keyring-packages "mx19-archive-keyring" "antix-archive-
> > > > > keyring"/
> > > > > 	--linux-flavours "${_FL}" \
> > > > >     --linux-packages "linux-image" \
> > > > > 	--mirror-binary "${_MB}" \
> > > > > 	--mirror-bootstrap "${_MB}" \
> > > > > 	--mirror-debian-installer "${_MB}" \
> > > > > 	--parent-mirror-binary-security "${_MS}" \
> > > > > 	--parent-mirror-bootstrap "${_MB}" \
> > > > > 	--parent-mirror-chroot-security "${_MS}" \
> > > > > 	--quiet "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--security "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--source "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--source-images "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--system "live" \
> > > > > 	--tasksel "apt" \
> > > > > 	--uefi-secure-boot "enable" \
> > > > > 	--updates "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--verbose "${_T}" \
> > > > > 	--win32-loader "${_F}" \
> > > > > 	--zsync "${_T}" \
> > > > > "${@}"
> > > > > 
> > > > > After reading Subhani's latest reply, and Subhani please
> > > > > don't
> > > > > call
> > > > > anything MichaelOS, there is much more to it that just a
> > > > > regular
> > > > > live
> > > > > build.
> > > > > Cheers.
> > > > > Michael.
> > > > > 
> > > > > On 21/04/2020, jnqnfe@gmail.com <jnqnfe@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > I've not really been following this thread, I've just
> > > > > > previously
> > > > > > given
> > > > > > it a brief read.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I noticed this in the example config given:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > --linux-flavours 686 amd64
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > This is obviously wrong, there needs to be quoting here!
> > > > > > Could
> > > > > > that
> > > > > > be
> > > > > > the source of your problem?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Also, I'm not entirely familiar with using the multi-
> > > > > > flavour
> > > > > > feature,
> > > > > > but I recall a mention of "686 amd64:amd64".
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > On Tue, 2020-04-21 at 10:07 +1000, Michael . wrote:
> > > > > > > I just tried Subhani's tip and it failed with
> > > > > > > E: Error reading the CPU table
> > > > > > > P: Begin unmounting filesystems...
> > > > > > > P: Saving caches...
> > > > > > > E: Error reading the CPU table
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > ...
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > > > > > > > lb config --binary-images iso-hybrid --mode
> > > > > > > > > > > > > debian
> > > > > > > > > > --architectures i386
> > > > > > > > > > > > > --linux-flavours 686 amd64 --distribution
> > > > > > > > > > > > > buster
> > > > > > > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > > > > > > archive-areas
> > > > > > > > > > "main
> > > > > > > > > > > > > contrib non-free" --updates true --security
> > > > > > > > > > > > > true
> > > > > > > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > > > > > > cache
> > > > > > > > > > > > > true
> > > > > > > > > > > > > --apt-recommends true --debian-installer live
> > > > > > > > > > --debian-installer-gui
> > > > > > > > > > > > > true
> > > > > > > > > > > > > --win32-loader true --iso-application
> > > > > > > > > > > > > PakOS10.3
> > > > > > > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > > > > > > iso-
> > > > > > > > > > > > > preparer
> > > > > > > > > > > > > subhaniminhas-
> > > > > > > > > > > > > https://sourceforge.net/projects/pakos/
> > > > > > > > > > --iso-publisher
> > > > > > > > > > > > > subhaniminhas-
> > > > > > > > > > > > > https://sourceforge.net/projects/pakos/
> > > > > > > > > > --iso-volume
> > > > > > > > > > > > > PakOS10.3