Debian with Xqt, Running Debian(complete) & Qtopia Options

[smuelas]

Everything else is working stupendously.
So, please, believe me: IT WORKS !
Just take your time, ask your questions and be patient but confident. :-)
My steps (as of today; I have changed small details from one day to another)
Once in Qtopia and having installed the needed packages from Xqt as I have written on the web-page, I click on the "startx" Icon.
This launches the X's and in a few seconds the Rxvt terminal with no window manager. Then I write in this terminal:

su
/bin/mount -t proc /proc /mnt/cf/debroot/proc
/sbin/chroot /mnt/cf/debroot
/sbin/swapon /myswap
/etc/init.d/ssh start
ln -s /root /home/root
cd /home/root
export DISPLAY=0:0
/usr/bin/icewm &
bash
icewmbg
"Fn+c"
exit

Those are the lines that I write, waiting for each "effect". Then I minimize this Rxvt-term and I forget it "forever and ever", or until doing a reboot.
(I will put a.s.a.p. in the web page a short explanation about the WHY of some of those lines.)

If this is the first time of launching icewm after installation, some things must be "organized" or "inproved". The first thing to do is to install the package for having available Rxvt, that is the simple terminal that works the best with this system. By default, there are other X-terminal that can serve to do this first installation. So launch this first terminal. As you know, you can make visible or not the bottom panel of Qtopia with the menu button. Make it visible and edit with "vi" or "xedit" (in the default installation) a file with the name "resolv.conf" that must be placed in the directory /etc. In this file it is enough to have one line that should be:

nameserver 111.111.111.111

where the 1's should be number of the IP of your DNS. Once done, and having copied to /root directory the file .xmodmaprc from the web-page (I will update it in a few days) write in the terminal:

xmodmap .xmodmaprc
apt-get update

Once finished, write:

apt-get install rxvt

Finished the installation, close the X-terminal, open a new Rxvt, and be prepared to install your packages.
By default, the X-installation from Xqt doesn't use the whole bash, so you must prepare a .bashrc file acording with what I said before, and place it in /root directory. Then, when you open a new rxvt. begin it by writing

bash

to make your .bashrc file active.
From this point, it is important for you to have some clear ideas of how Debian works and the impressive amount of software that you have available and how to install, search, upgrade, deinstall a.s.o your packages.

Someone asked the other day some question about suspend/resume. Now, I have observed that everything works o.k. with this action BUT with one exception: If you have "bash" in a terminal and suspend, the bash is distroyed and the terminal is no more usable. So, exit and close your terminals before doing suspend and DO NOT MAINTAIN applications launched trough a terminal that has been launched with bash.

This message is much too long so I finish now. Please, ask any other thing that is not clear enough or in case you continue to have troubles, but be sure that you will be more than happy in a short future.

Best regards

smuelas

[pelrun]

MSC_Geek, I'm having the same issue as you are with the icewm fonts. I don't have a decent answer yet, but I have a fast workaround. Simply put the below lines into your ~/.icewm/preferences:

TitleFontName = "fixed"
MenuFontName = "fixed"
MinimizedWindowFontName = "fixed"
ActiveButtonFontName = "fixed"
NormalButtonFontName = "fixed"
QuickSwitchFontName = "fixed"
ListBoxFontName = "fixed"
StatusFontName = "fixed"
ToolTipFontName = "fixed"
ActiveTaskBarFontName = "fixed"
NormalTaskBarFontName = "fixed"
ClockFontName = "fixed"
ApmFontName = "fixed"
LabelFontName = "fixed"

Icewm will complain about not finding any of these, but when it loads up you'll get saner fonts. I dunno - maybe it's a freetype configuration problem?

[gab74]

Smuleas I FOLLOW :

For installing swap, first of all you must create a file that can work as swap. This can be done, in the root directory for example, typing
dd if=/dev/zero of=swapfile bs=1024 count=65536
For a swap file of 64Kb. that is enough. (You can also create half this size.) Then for activating the swap you must type:
swapon /swapfile


WHEN I TYPE swapon /swapfile i receive : INVALID ARGUMENT ....

WHY ?

2. Sorry for my ignorance but What type of LOCALES has to be installed ?

There are many types but i don't know what is the one i have to install
and i cannot press the OK during installation....
What is the TAB on the keyboard ?

Thanks !

[pelrun]

You've missed a step - the swap file is created but it isn't formatted yet. Do a

mkswap /swapfile

before running swapon; you only have to do this once.

[smuelas]

Really a forgot a lot of things: thanks pelrun.
smuelas

[gab74]

Smuelas,
Sorry for my ignorance but What type of LOCALES has to be installed ?

I also received these errors :

CANNOT SET LC_CTYPE
CANNOT SET LC_MESSAGES
CANNOT SET LC_ALL


Why ? Any helps.....

[smuelas]

Gabriele, when installing locales, Debian will ask you wihch one do you want, so choose spanish, french, english or german....as you prefer. If you try to encode the UTF-8 type of the ones choosed, be aware to have already swap. Otherwise your 6000 will give up.
smuelas

[suid]

Sorry if you all already realise this but I thought it was worth pointing out.

It is possible to mount proc and swap within the Qtopia environment, which saves you from having to type it all in once you've started debian.

I made sure to create my swapfile within debroot. Not sure how the chroot environment will manage an area of swap it can no longer see.

The mount/unmount process can be automated by editing /etc/sdcontrol. I followed the Stubear XQt/Debian route of running the post-install script, then modifying the VNC startup files to not use VNC, but I should think the same applies if you follow the smuelas method.

My sdcontrol file now looks as follows (you might want to replace the zdebian start/stop commands with a simple mount/umount of proc) :-


#!/bin/sh
#
# sdcontrol 1.0 2001/8/8 21:33:19 (Hideki Hayami)
#
# Initialize or shutdown a SD card device
#
# The first argument should be either 'insert' of 'eject'.
#

ACTION=$1
DEVICE=/dev/mmcda1
MOUNT_POINT=/mnt/card
SMB_MOUNT=/home/samba/SD_Card
INSTALL_DIR=Documents/Install_Files
#FSTYPE="-t vfat"
FATOPTS="-o noatime,quiet,umask=000,iocharset=utf8"
EXT2OPTS="-o noatime"

###### for QPE ######
get_pid()
{
echo $1
}

wait_release()
{
count=1
while true
do
umount $MOUNT_POINT
if [ $? = 0 ]; then
#echo umount >> /tmp/sd
return
fi
echo count=$count >> /tmp/sd
if [ `expr $count \>= 500` = 1 ]; then
#echo time out >> /tmp/sd
return
fi
count=`expr $count + 1`
usleep 200000
done
}

kill_task()
{
ps_line=`ps ax | grep -w 'qpe$'`
qpe_pid=`get_pid $ps_line`
#echo qpe_pid = $qpe_pid >> /tmp/sd
target_pids=`fuser -m $DEVICE | cut -d : -f2`
#echo $target_pids >> /tmp/sd
if [ "$target_pids" = "" ]; then
return
fi
is_exist_qpe=`echo $target_pids | fgrep -w $qpe_pid`
if [ "$is_exist_qpe" = "" ]; then
kill -9 $target_pids
#echo kill -9 $target_pids >> /tmp/sd
else
#echo "found qpe!!!" >> /tmp/sd
target_pids=`echo $target_pids | sed -e "s/$qpe_pid//"`
if [ "$target_pids" != "" ]; then
kill -9 $target_pids
#echo kill -9 $target_pids >> /tmp/sd
fi
wait_release
exit 0
fi
}
###### for QPE ######


case "$ACTION" in
'insert')
mount $FSTYPE $FATOPTS $DEVICE $MOUNT_POINT
MOUNT_RES=`mount | grep $DEVICE`
if [ "$MOUNT_RES" = "" ]; then
mount $FSTYPE $EXT2OPTS $DEVICE $MOUNT_POINT
swapon /mnt/card/debroot/swapfile
/etc/rc.d/init.d/zdebian start
fi
chkmntsh ${MOUNT_POINT}
if [ -d $SMB_MOUNT ] ; then
rm -rf $SMB_MOUNT
fi
ln -s $MOUNT_POINT $SMB_MOUNT
mkdir -p $MOUNT_POINT/$INSTALL_DIR
#echo mount $? >> /tmp/sd
;;
'eject')
if mount|grep "debroot/proc" >/dev/null
then
swapoff /mnt/card/debroot/swapfile
/etc/rc.d/init.d/zdebian stop
fi
fuser -s -m $DEVICE
if [ $? = 1 ]; then
umount $MOUNT_POINT
rm $SMB_MOUNT
else
exit 1
fi
;;
'compeject')
is_mount=`mount | fgrep $DEVICE`
if [ "$is_mount" = "" ]; then
exit 0
fi
kill_task # for QPE
#fuser -k -m $DEVICE > /dev/null
umount $MOUNT_POINT
if [ $? != 0 ]; then
usleep 500000
umount $MOUNT_POINT
#echo umount $? >> /tmp/sd
#else
# echo umount >> /tmp/sd
fi
rm $SMB_MOUNT
;;
'change')
$0 compeject
$0 insert
;;
'*')
exit 1
;;
esac

exit 0


-----------------------------------

I'm sure that this could be improved upon, but it works for me. If you're starting up services like sshd as well, you'll need to stop them before trying to eject the card. A quick "sdcontrol compeject" should remove any stubborn processes.


Ian

[gab74]

Some impressions :

I've installed Debian ( base package not full) on my 512 MB CF (Lexar 12x)

Then i :
UPGRADE ICEWM
INSTALL NAUTILUS
INSTALL MOZILLA-THUNDERBIRD
INSTALL MOZILLA-FIREFOX

All is fantastic, and full functional but TOO TOO SLOW !!! to be used as a standard work ambient.

I've made 64MB swap too.

When Firefox has started and i press a menu bar, the response is slow ( 1 / 2 seconds before something heppens )...

I Do not know if Debian will be quick on SL6000....and i do not know if ZAURUS CPU fits Mozilla's hardware request.....or NAUTILUS and so on...

May be having only Debian whitout qtopia running, improves performances ... i do not know.. is it possible?

Smuleas, you say apps runs well so what are your answers' times for an application like Firefox or Nautilus...
am i missing something for improving apps response ?

Thanks...

[smuelas]

Hi Gab,
I have answered you a long message but "zusergroups" has not wanted to upload. So now, I'll be short.
Don't use nautilus. Nor Thunderbird but Sylpheed. Firefox is a wonder but it takes a whole minute to launch on mine. After it goes very well.
After a couple of months, try to own a microdrive. Prices are coming down very quickly. Flash memories are not good for swap.
smuelas

[gab74]

Thanks Smuleas,
I'd be grateful if you sent me the long message on my Private Zaurus Message Box.. you can try again putting the message on a txt file and then try to upload.
or paste the message in the box.
i'm very interested in your experiences using Debian on Zaurus.

Thanks again..


PS :

I WANT TO BUY A :

2.2GB IBM/MagicStor MicroDrive IS it a good CHOICE ?

[cdollar393]

When i start icewm  no desktop appears but there is only rxvt terminal ...

Why there isn't no desktop icons ??? I see in the screenshots there is icewm desktop but on my sl6000l i can only see rxvt terminal

I FOLLOW THE INFOS ON SMULEAS SITE and on thi topic too why this ??

Thanks FOR YOUR HELP

Gabriele

I am having the same proble. I can get the x session to start and the terminal to open, but when I start icewm I get the rxvt terminal with the scrollbars but no menues or background or anything.

I think I must be missing something, but I'm not sure what. I've done an apt-get install icewm which has not fixed it. Anyone have any ideas?

[gab74]

When i start icewm  no desktop appears but there is only rxvt terminal ...

Why there isn't no desktop icons ??? I see in the screenshots there is icewm desktop but on my sl6000l i can only see rxvt terminal

I FOLLOW THE INFOS ON SMULEAS SITE and on thi topic too why this ??

Thanks FOR YOUR HELP

Gabriele

I am having the same proble. I can get the x session to start and the terminal to open, but when I start icewm I get the rxvt terminal with the scrollbars but no menues or background or anything.

I think I must be missing something, but I'm not sure what. I've done an apt-get install icewm which has not fixed it. Anyone have any ideas?

As MSC_Geek told me :

>I found that to see the menu bar and such, you have to press the dropdown key >(the button between the home and email button on the keyboard cover thingie) >and then select fullscreen. Then you can see the icewm bar at the bottom of >your screen.

[hannibal]

Hi all, I'm new to the Zaurus community, having bought a SL-6000 off Amazon for cheap a while back. I'm following this route and have it going pretty good so far. I have a 512 MB SD card with pocketworkstation on it, and am right now updating Debian on it (took all night to update everything... it's still going but almost done).

I've seen the icewm problem withe the fonts as well but I haven't thought about fixing it as I don't know if I'll be using it.

Right now the only real problems I have are that if I start X using startx, it switches resolutions to the old smaller res whereas just using the other Xqt shortcut (that just starts X) doesn't. So I do the latter and then run xterm in a (non-X) konsole. Also sometimes the mouse input screws up, like right now for some reason the mouse is stuck on some other button than left-click as all I get when I click on an xterm is some menu called "Main Options" that I have never seen before. (I think it's something xqt specific)

Looking forward to doing all sorts of things with it later (the remote root and swap over NFS sound nice) but right now I don't have the facilities (I'm on a business trip with just my laptop and the Z and only dial-up internet access). I've been using Debian on my other computers for years now and it is nice to have something handheld that runs it as well

[hwkeye]

Hi all,

I am trying to install Mozilla, Nautilus, but font is bigger in menu and I dont know how to make them smaller.
Same thing when I upgrade Debian, my IceWm taskbar becomes big.

anyone find an issue for this ?