Hi Jeremy, > On Nov 16, 2024, at 1:54 PM, perditionc--- via Freedos-devel > <freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > > Note these questions most likely have already been answered and/or are in my > mailbox or on github or gitlab, but I'm going to be lazy and ask here anyway. > Feel free to ignore, I'll find them. > > country.sys, are there pending changes not already merged with source > included in kernel git or does it just need a release? off hand I think it's > the latter.
Possibly. W.Spiegl and Lacca provided an update to COUNTRY.SYS around 11/3/2024 that was integrated into the package on GitLab at: https://gitlab.com/FreeDOS/base/kernel However, I do not know if they provided you with these changes Upstream at: https://github.com/FDOS/kernel > kernel.sys, new release way overdue and ever imminent. What do you need > from me once it's released to update rbe? I.e. how best to update gitlab for > inclusion in next test build? The RBE pretty much takes care of itself and will base its OS builds on wether or not it is a “Release” or “Interim” build. For Interim builds, it will pull the packages from GitLab. When there is an “unstable” branch, it will use that branch to generate packages for an Interim Build. For Release builds, it will only pull from the default branch of packages (either master or main) to create those packages. That being said. At present for various reasons, there are a handful of very special projects/packages that require special care and attention when updating. It is a fairly short list from most to least: FDI, FDI-x86, FDNPKG, FreeCOM and Kernel. FDI is the worst of those. Basically, the RBE modifies so much of that is almost like comparing source files to binaries. Although the Kernel package is special, it is not too bad. As long as it contains binaries in the same location with the same function, no problem. At present, the compiled versions are under the BIN directory. Along with CONTRY.SYS, SETVER.SYS and SYS.COM there are 3 kernel versions. KERNL386.SYS and KERNL86.SYS have FAT-32 support. KERNL86N.SYS without FAT-32 support is also included. FreeCOM is similar. There is the default XMS version under BIN. Under BIN\FREECOM are a number of derivatives for various XMS/DISK Swap and alternative languages. At some point in the future, after FreeDOS1.4 someday, this should be made more efficient. There is not really a need to “ship” around 30+ FreeCOM binaries for each variation. It would save space to have the installer(s) glue the various translations onto the different FreeCOM stubs during installation. Or, have it done through other means. Although all other projects have had their unstable branches merged into their master branch in preparation for 1.4-RC1, we would want to place the new kernel or FreeCOM in an unstable branch during testing. As I mentioned in a reply on this list to Willi, there is the SETLANG.BAT. That is still in its very early stages. However, it gets used by the Floppy Edition (FDI-x86) installer to switch between its available languages. It is also present on the LiveCD to change languages on the fly when running the Live Environment. This would be a create place to implement such NLS glueing and switching/installation Command Shells. But, that will need to wait. Other more important priorities come first. > format.exe, new release with latest translations hopefully released this > weekend, I should have some time again today after work. Are there any new > translations that weren't emailed to me or posted to github? > > Freecom could probably use a new release before 1.4. Haven't looked at it in > a while, so not sure where it stands. > > I'd like to make a new release of tree, but that may just be wishful > thinking. > > Jeremy > Side note… Packages will become far less "special” when we eventually move to the “Release Build Environment, 4th Edition”. But, that will not occur for a while. The RBE4 will definitely not be in use before FreeDOS 1.4. While the RBE3 (current edition) works great and is a marvel to watch in action, it is not as efficient as it could be and has a several limitations. Like the 1st and 2nd editions, the RBE3 was not needed immediately. It was absolutely needed and required before it was even created and it shows. RBE4 is a very different animal. It is not needed yesterday, today or even anytime soon. It is a “long-term” project that will be ready when it is ready. No rush, no hurry. Although far more complex than its predecessors, it will have a far more logical structure and be much easier to maintain. Once done, it should serve us well for the foreseeable future. The 4th Edition is being created from the start to support Containerization, Virtual Machines and Bare Metal deployment. It has support for building release using the command line or using a web interface. Eventually, it will be capable of being deployed to a public facing web server and support user customizable operating system builds. It is a massive undertaking. At present, RBE4 does very little and it will be some time before it is actually usable. But of the things it already does, it is pretty neat. :-) Jerome _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list Freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
