Re: Debian woes

[Dale Scheetz <dwarf@polaris.net>]

On Sun, 15 Jun 1997, Tim O'Brien wrote:

> 
> It looked like it might work, but it crapped out big-time when it cam time
> to install X. In fact, errors to the degree that there were missing links,
> and xf86config couldn't run. 
> 
> I've used debian before, and it worked great! I like it! Is there something
> I've done wrong? All I did was a new install...
> 
I can offer several suggestions...

I did about 5 installs from scratch during pre-release testing with
varying degrees of smoothness. However, I was always able to complete the
installation. Here is what I have found:

1. Depending on which packages are chosen, the order of installation will
be different, resulting in different degrees of success satisfying
dpendencies. When the X installation is attempted along with the
"standard" installation the order of installation causes dependency
failures. The most important of which is that, because of missing
libraries, the configuration programs will not execute successfully. There
are two solutions to this:

	A. After a failed intallation pass with dselect, make a
	   "configure" pass followed by another installation pass. Repeat
	   until all packages successfully install.

	B. Install the "standard" packages in one run, and the X packages
	   only after the standard installation is complete.

The second method (B) provides a smoother installation path and is the
recommended path.

Method A is the "proven method" for dealing with dependency ordering
problems in dselect. At times the error messages look un-recoverable, but
succeeding passes will eventually resolve the problems and allow complete
installation. Simply have faith and keep plugging. (Note: if the same
error occurs over and over even after several passes, and is the only
error occuring, then there is a "real" problem with that package that
should be asked about on the list.

2. Several X packages have "hidden" dependencies on other packages, so it
is possible to select a set of packages that dselect thinks are fine but
where there is actually a dependence on a package not yet selected. My
testing experience produced the following list:

	Required Packages:

		xbase			Basic X programs
		xserver-vga16		Configuration server
		xserver-<your choice>	Operational server 
		xfntbase		Basic Font set
		xlib6			Library provided in "standard"

	Recommended Packages:

		Some Window Manager:
			fvwm2		A window manager
			xpm4.7		Pixmap runtime libraries
			fvwm-common	Files common to fvwm2 and fvwm
			xloadimage	A suggested graphics viewer

		Additional Fonts:
			xfnt100		100dpi fonts
			xfnt75		75dpi fonts
			xfntbig		Large fonts
			xfntcyr		Cyrillic fonts
			xfntil2		ISO 8859-2 fonts
			xfntpex		Pex minimal font support
			xfntscl		Scalable fonts

		Available Window Managers in Debian 1.3
			9wm		Plan 9 Window Manager
			afterstep	NextStep look and feel WM
			ctwm		Claud's Tab WM
			fvwm		F Virtual WM
			fvwm2		F2 VWM
			fvwm95		F VWM with Win95 look and feel
			gwm		Generic WM
			olvwm		OpenLook VWM
			wm2		Small unconfigurable WM

Many of the "hidden" dependencies are being worked out for the 1.3.1
release, and this should make X easier to install.

Hope this is of some help,

Dwarf
-- 
_-_-_-_-_-_-                                          _-_-_-_-_-_-_-

aka   Dale Scheetz                   Phone:   1 (904) 656-9769
      Flexible Software              11000 McCrackin Road
      e-mail:  dwarf@polaris.net     Tallahassee, FL  32308

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