View source for Software projects/OS/Slackware

= Disclaimer =
Hi, this is Linux-SWAT.

Welcome to the SL4P, Slackware for Pandora, Wiki page.

The technical forum page is located here:
http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/topic/1524-slackware-inside-pandora/

The 13.37 release page is located here:
http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/topic/7574-rebirth-competition-slackware-for-pandora-pre-release-thread/

I'm the maintainer of this Slackware port, and you can find me here:
http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/user/1035-linux-swat/

SL4P is an ARMedslack overlay.
ARMedslack is the official ARM Slackware port.

Important notes:
SL4P is not affiliated in any way with Slackware or ARMedslack.<br>
Please DO NOT contact any of them if you have problems with it. Contact ME.

SL4P is not affiliated in any way with Open Pandora gmbh or Open Pandora ltd.<br>
Please DO NOT contact any of them if you have problems with it. Contact ME.

This software is distributed as is.
You are on your own responsibility when using it.

= Stable or -current ? =
* -current is a work in progress. Although it's pretty usable, some things may be broken/unstable.
* Stable is for production use, ie. for work, as a server etc..
* ARMedslack stable is armv4t, -current is armv5te, so -current should be a little faster and less battery-greedy.
* I won't rebuild the 13.37, i'll just add important features as packages. Of course, official Slackware updates are available.

= Installation =
* Format a 8G or more SD card with the Ext2 filesystem. To make explanations clear, name it SLACK.
* If you don't know how to format a drive, use GParted under Linux, or run their [http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/files/latest/download?source=files Live-CD]. Here's the [http://gparted.sourceforge.net/display-doc.php?name=help-manual manual.]
* It's highly recommended to have a second partition formated as a swap. 256M or more is a good choice.
* Grab the 13.37 (stable) rootfs [http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=sl4p%2Fsl4p-13.37%2Frootfs here.]
* Or the -current (unstable) rootfs [http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=sl4p%2Fsl4p-current%2Frootfs here.]
* Uncompress the rootfs on your SD. Be root, using su -, or sudo:
 sudo tar jxvfp myrootfs.tar.bz2 -C /media/SLACK/ --numeric-owner

= First run =
* Be sure your Pandora's clock is set. Otherwise, your filesystem will be checked.
* Power down your Pandora, insert the SD card in slot 1, and power on your unit.
* You will be prompted to choose a password for the root user.
* You will be prompted to create an user. At some explicit point, push up to put this user in adequate groups.
* You will be prompted to choose your desktop environment.
* When you log in as an user, the desktop environment is automatically launched.
* To disable this feature, remove your .bash_profile, or comment the startx command in it.
* Note: connecting with ssh will also launch startx. You can use Ctrl+C to kill it in a very dirty way ^^.
 Last minute bug: after login, you can be blocked at a black screen. Use pandora button + power to reboot. Working on this.

= Basic usage =
* In order to type commands as root, you have to type su -. You can use just su, but i don't recommend it because you won't have the full root environment.
* In order to unmount drives or SD cards under Xfce, you have an icon in the bar. You can also manually use pumount as user.
* Power button is disabled for now, so you won't crash your system putting it in ram suspend.
* When using adduser, at some explicit point, push up to put this user in adequate groups.

= Basic tools =
* To enable or disable services at boot, become root, then type pkgtool, then go in setup -> services, check the option with space then push enter.
* Some services are not listed here. To activate nfs server permanently, tweak /etc/exports and /etc/hosts.allow, then:
  chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.nfsd
  /etc/rc.d/rc.nfsd start (not needed after a reboot)
* To choose a window manager, type xwmconfig.

= Installing a program - Tools =
* Slackware archives are .tgz or .txz
* Slackware uses three powerful tools: installpkg, removepkg and upgradepkg.
* A fourth tool named makepkg build packages from compiled sources.

= Installing a program from source =
* The cleanest way to do it is to use a SlackBuild script: http://slackbuilds.org/guidelines/
* Many SlackBuilds for Slackware 13.37 are already available here: http://slackbuilds.org/repository/13.37/
* I shipped a tool named sbopkg, which does the job for you. Become root using su -, then run sbopkg.
* Note that Slackware does not check dependencies, so you have to get the right build orders looking here: http://slackbuilds.org/
* Also note that gnome libraries must be compiled in a certain order. I already did the job, and shipped them in the rootfs.
* If you don't use a SlackBuild script, then the procedure almost always ends like:
 make install DESTDIR=/tmp/whatever/
 cd /tmp/whatever/
 makepkg /tmp/whatever-1.0.0-arm-1.tgz
 installpkg /tmp/whatever-1.0.0-arm-1.tgz

= Installing a program with a precompiled archive=
* I compiled a lot of packages from http://slackbuilds.org/. You can find 13.37 ones [http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=sl4p%2Fsl4p-13.37%2Fpackages%2Fextra here], and -current ones [http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=sl4p%2Fsl4p-current%2Fpackages%2Fextra here.]
* Download what you need, checking the dependencies for your version here:  http://slackbuilds.org/
* Put all needed .tgz or .txz in a folder, go root using su -, then type:
 installpkg /path/to/your/folder/*.t?z

= About SL4P precompiled archives =
* All extra archives are compiled with sbopkg without any modification.
* The links to the sources are located here: http://slackbuilds.org/repository/
* The building order is fixed in queue files, kind of build playlist.
* The queues are located in /var/lib/sbopkg/queues/
* About shipped archives, that you don't need to download as it's already in the rootfs, see [http://pandorawiki.org/Software_projects/OS/Slackware/Build-system this.]

= Updates =
* Plug the net, become root using su -, then type:
 slackpkg update
 slackpkg upgrade-all
* Slackware usually provides updates during 10 years.
* Do not do this when using a -current. Instead, look at the [ftp://ftp.armedslack.org/armedslack/armedslack-current/ChangeLog.txt changelog], download packages from [ftp://ftp.armedslack.org/armedslack/armedslack-current/slackware/ here], become root using su -, then type: 
 upgradepkg /path/to/the/updates/*.t?z

= SL4P-specific updates =
* I provide Pandora fixes, available as Slackware archives.
* 13.37 fixes are located [http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/index.php?dir=sl4p%2Fsl4p-13.37%2Fpackages%2Fupdates here.]
* Grab them, become root using su -, then type:
 upgradepkg /path/to/the/updates/*.t?z

= Installing KDE =
* Plug the net, become root using su -, then type:
 slackpkg update
 slackpkg install kde
* Note that although i already slimmed down KDE configuration files, the 512M Pandora is recommended to run the full desktop.
* Anyway, you can run any KDE application (konqueror, kwrite...) flawlessly with the 256M version.

= Fast boot tweak =
* I moved some of the boot stuff (ldconfig, font cache, mime database) in /etc/rc.d/rc.local_shutdown.
* The reboot/power off process is slowered, but the OS integrity is safe.

= Autologin =
* As i didn't succeded to compile the Slim display manager, no clean auto logger is available at this time.
* KDM works, but is too heavy. You have to edit /etc/rc.d/rc.4 in order to use it.

= PND compatibility list =
* SL4P supports .pnd files.
* Due to 3.2 kernel and dynamically linked libraries, all .pnd are not compatible.
* The list is located here: http://pandorawiki.org/Software_projects/OS/Slackware/PND-compatibility-list

= Automounting a SD card or an USB drive =
* No system-wide automounter is enabled for now. It's still a wip and not perfect so i don't include this for now.
* Only Xfce automounts.
* As Xfce mounts devices at insertion, if you booted with a second SD card or an USB drive plugged in, you have to remove, then plug back the device.
* If you plan to use Minimenu, you currently have to automount under Xfce, run xwmconfig, then log out to run Minimenu. This is the best method to save RAM.
* You can also launch Minimenu under Xfce. Open a terminal and type:
 mmwrapper -fmmenu

= Booting another kernel =
* I provide kernel updates, and also a real time kernel.
* If you use the 13.37 or -current-1, grab the latest kernel pack from [http://slackware.openpandora.org/pandora/sl4p/sl4p-13.37/packages/index.php?dir=kernels here.]
* Install it with:
 su -
 upgradepkg --install-new kernels-20120407-1-arm.tgz
* If you use the latest -current-2, it's already shipped in the rootfs.
* To enable the new 3.2.14 or the 3.2.14-rt, boot the rootfs, then:
 cd /boot
 rm uImage
 cp uImage-3.2.14 uImage
or:
 cd /boot
 rm uImage
 cp uImage-3.2.14-rt uImage

And reboot.
* If lsmod reports that no modules are loaded, then run as root:
 depmod -a

And reboot again.
*You can switch back to the old slow kernel with:
 cd /boot
 rm uImage
 cp uImage-3.2.1 uImage

= Xfce layout chooser =
* The icon is located in "System".
* I'm developing it, it's currently in beta stage.
* You can save your own Xfce configuration, and load others.
* If you want to use it, please use the save feature prior to anything else.
* Only one custom layout is available right now.

= Build system =
* I distribute it under the GPL 3 license.
* It may look a bit messy for now (and indeed, some part have to be cleaned), but it's versatile, as i intended from the start.
* It's mainly two bash scripts.
* You need a Pandora to run the second one.
* Depending on what you comment/uncomment, you can produce an alpha build, very minimal, or a full build.
* Depending on what you edit, you can use it to port any *NIX to Open Pandora, and maintain your build very easily.
* Get it [http://pandorawiki.org/Software_projects/OS/Slackware/Build-system here], along the more detailed instructions.

= Ask a question/Report a bug =
* You're welcome, and please post here: http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/topic/1524-slackware-inside-pandora/



[[Category:Development]]
[[Category:Software]]
[[Category:Slackware]]