For what it's worth, I have done some searching and it looks like there may be a couple ways around the 4GB file size limit.
One possibility appears to be putting the squashfs file on a second partition (either directly or in a ext2 filesystem). This would be problematic for actual optical disks, but should work on USB devices. It also looks like there is a way to make files larger than 4GB on iso9660 filesystems with some limits on non-Linux compatibility (but this is probably not an issue if only Linux needs to read the squashfs file). I am not sure if this would break the iso-hybrid compatibility with USB images. Just throwing these out there as possibilities to start thinking about how we might get past the 4GB limit. I obviously haven't had a chance to test anything yet. On Mon, Jul 2, 2018, 10:36 James Klassen <[email protected]> wrote: > Right... I think I knew that once upon a time. > > On Mon, Jul 2, 2018, 10:29 Angelos Tzotsos <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> The hard limit for the live system is 4.2GB. The reason is not the iso >> size, but the way the live system works: it is based on a FAT file system, >> where maximum file size is 4GB. Everything we add is stored on a virtual >> file system built on a squashfs file (compressed file system used by ubuntu >> for the live system). If we add too much in the customization, the >> squashfs goes over 4GB and cannot be stored in the USB, causing a fatal >> error. >> >> In order to move away from this limit, we would need to stop distributing >> a live system and only produce a VM version. >> Another option would be to distribute a light live version in iso format >> (excluding big projects from it) and a full version (VM only) that could go >> over 4GB in size. >> >> Best, >> Angelos >> >> >> On Mon, Jul 2, 2018 at 5:47 PM, Basques, Bob (CI-StPaul) < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Jim, >>> >>> Good points all, and this seems be in line with other list conversations >>> related to setting up video tutorials for OSGeo stack items. >>> >>> bobb >>> >>> >>> >>> On Jul 2, 2018, at 9:01 AM, James Klassen <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>> I can't make the meeting, but I have been wondering for awhile if the >>> target should be moved to a 8GB USB stick (or DL DVD). >>> >>> I am not sure if this holds World wide, but locally 4GB and 8GB USB >>> sticks are essentially the same price and 8GB sticks are much easier to >>> find. Again locally, from 4GB to 32GB the bigger price difference is USB2 >>> vs USB3 rather than based on the capacity. >>> >>> There is certainly benefit in the discipline gained by being forced to >>> be efficient with software size. And I know as someone who has been >>> involved in making Live USBs for several conferences that even slight >>> increases in cost with limited budgets means less copies can be given out. >>> But given at least my local observations, I no longer see the gain in >>> limiting ourselves to 4GB and I worry if we are forced to exclude >>> projects that provide good examples of the rich selection of the FLOSS >>> geospatial ecosystem based on what may well be an outdated limit. >>> >>> On Mon, Jul 2, 2018, 07:23 Angelos Tzotsos <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi all, >>>> >>>> We have received a pull request from gvSig to upgrade version from 2.2 >>>> to 2.4 >>>> As can be seen here https://github.com/OSGeo/OSGeoLive/pull/206# >>>> issuecomment-401786071 this will double the installation size of gvSig. >>>> >>>> Lets discuss this tonight, so we can make a decision. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> Angelos >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Angelos Tzotsos, PhD >>>> OSGeo Charter Member >>>> http://users.ntua.gr/tzotsos >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> osgeolive mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/osgeolive >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> osgeolive mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/osgeolive >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> "In the end, everything is a gag."- Charlie Chaplin >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Angelos Tzotsos, PhD >> OSGeo Charter Member >> http://users.ntua.gr/tzotsos >> >
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