Re: Preseeding questions
On Mon 11 Nov 2019 at 10:13:05 -0600, Richard Owlett wrote: > On 11/11/2019 08:53 AM, Jonas Smedegaard wrote: > > Quoting Richard Owlett (2019-11-11 14:34:53) > > > When I first used Debian, I found preseeding could handle the many of > > > my needs/desires. I wish to explore further. > > > > > > Where my might I find an exhaustive list of questions which may be > > > preseeded? > > > > Since debconf values are defined and processed by each package, you can > > only find an exhaustive list inside the complete package set to be > > installed on the target system - e.g. by installing a draft system and > > query the debconf database there. > > > > Beware that some debconf processing done by by debian-installer is > > declared by special "udeb" packages normally only installed temporarily > > during install, and therefore will only appear in debconf database of > > systems actually installed using debian-installer - not e.g. if creating > > a draft system in a chroot using debootstrap, multistrap, mmdebstrap or > > some of the related tools skipping the use of those udeb packages. > > > > Thank you. > > Preseeding can evidently used in ways I never thought of. > What I thought I was asking for was a list of all questions I would *see* > while running the installer in "Expert" mode. I suspect the > 'special "udeb" packages' are the key. The udebs used in an ISO may be copied from it with bsdtar. Templates files in the udebs can be extracted using apt-extracttemplates and then processed to obtain the information you want. -- Brian.
Re: Preseeding questions
On 11/11/2019 08:53 AM, Jonas Smedegaard wrote: Quoting Richard Owlett (2019-11-11 14:34:53) When I first used Debian, I found preseeding could handle the many of my needs/desires. I wish to explore further. Where my might I find an exhaustive list of questions which may be preseeded? Since debconf values are defined and processed by each package, you can only find an exhaustive list inside the complete package set to be installed on the target system - e.g. by installing a draft system and query the debconf database there. Beware that some debconf processing done by by debian-installer is declared by special "udeb" packages normally only installed temporarily during install, and therefore will only appear in debconf database of systems actually installed using debian-installer - not e.g. if creating a draft system in a chroot using debootstrap, multistrap, mmdebstrap or some of the related tools skipping the use of those udeb packages. Thank you. Preseeding can evidently used in ways I never thought of. What I thought I was asking for was a list of all questions I would *see* while running the installer in "Expert" mode. I suspect the 'special "udeb" packages' are the key. Browsing the debconf related man pages was eyeopening.
Re: Preseeding questions
Quoting Richard Owlett (2019-11-11 14:34:53) > When I first used Debian, I found preseeding could handle the many of > my needs/desires. I wish to explore further. > > Where my might I find an exhaustive list of questions which may be > preseeded? Since debconf values are defined and processed by each package, you can only find an exhaustive list inside the complete package set to be installed on the target system - e.g. by installing a draft system and query the debconf database there. Beware that some debconf processing done by by debian-installer is declared by special "udeb" packages normally only installed temporarily during install, and therefore will only appear in debconf database of systems actually installed using debian-installer - not e.g. if creating a draft system in a chroot using debootstrap, multistrap, mmdebstrap or some of the related tools skipping the use of those udeb packages. - Jonas -- * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt * Tlf.: +45 40843136 Website: http://dr.jones.dk/ [x] quote me freely [ ] ask before reusing [ ] keep private
Preseeding questions
When I first used Debian, I found preseeding could handle the many of my needs/desires. I wish to explore further. Where my might I find an exhaustive list of questions which may be preseeded?
Re: Preseeding questions - primarily configuration related
Richard Owlett wrote: Andrei POPESCU wrote: 3. How to configure individual programs? In particular: a. gedit - font size b. nautilus 1. Tree view in left panel 2. List view in main panel I don't think you can directly preseed something that isn't configured via debconf. That's fine. ... unless you want to do all the configuration in a script called from your preseed file. No problem. I suggest writing a script to be called during the late_command that either does the configuration you want right then and there or plants a second script to do the configuration after the initial system reboot. In order to write that script you will need to know what changes you want to make to the system. And then script those changes. Preseed that in as the late_command. Bob signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Preseeding questions - primarily configuration related
I am doing a series of experimental installs to a test machine for the purpose of deciding what will work best for my particular goals. Using preseed.cfg files allows me to keep a record of what did or didn't work. My work environment consists of: a laptop whose hard drive is intentionally wiped with each install. a USB flash drive for current/past *.cfg files. a set of DVDs as install medium. *NO* network connectivity of any sort. QUESTIONS 1. In the apt setup phase I wish the option to scan all the DVDs as in the manual install. How? 2. How do I preseed system wide configuration values. My current problem is setting system font - size and font family. 3. How to configure individual programs? In particular: a. gedit - font size b. nautilus 1. Tree view in left panel 2. List view in main panel 4. Where would I have found detailed answers? TIA -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/50ddc654.1050...@cloud85.net
Re: Preseeding questions - primarily configuration related
On Vi, 28 dec 12, 10:18:28, Richard Owlett wrote: 1. In the apt setup phase I wish the option to scan all the DVDs as in the manual install. How? Not sure this can work, since the scanning of all DVDs has to be interactive. 2. How do I preseed system wide configuration values. My current problem is setting system font - size and font family. Do you mean console font? Look for preseeding individual packages, in this case console-setup. 3. How to configure individual programs? In particular: a. gedit - font size b. nautilus 1. Tree view in left panel 2. List view in main panel I don't think you can directly preseed something that isn't configured via debconf. You probably need something like puppet for this, unless you want to do all the configuration in a script called from your preseed file. 4. Where would I have found detailed answers? Most of the information is in the Installation Guide, but possibly not as clear as it should be. Kind regards, Andrei -- Offtopic discussions among Debian users and developers: http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/d-community-offtopic signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Re: Preseeding questions - primarily configuration related
Andrei POPESCU wrote: On Vi, 28 dec 12, 10:18:28, Richard Owlett wrote: 1. In the apt setup phase I wish the option to scan all the DVDs as in the manual install. How? Not sure this can work, since the scanning of all DVDs has to be interactive. I was working by analogy. If preseed.cfg does not contain a legal answer to a question that would have been asked, that question appears as if the preseed.cfg file never existed. I wanted to force the issue if possible. Triggering a script at a later time would be acceptable. 2. How do I preseed system wide configuration values. My current problem is setting system font - size and font family. Do you mean console font? YES Look for preseeding individual packages, in this case console-setup. A Google search implies what I want is possible. Unfortunately all my initial search revealed were old bug reports re when things went wrong. I haven't yet found relevant instructions. Emphasis on *YET* ;/ 3. How to configure individual programs? In particular: a. gedit - font size b. nautilus 1. Tree view in left panel 2. List view in main panel I don't think you can directly preseed something that isn't configured via debconf. That's fine. You probably need something like puppet for this, Puppet UNACCEPTABLE - it presumes network. unless you want to do all the configuration in a script called from your preseed file. No problem. 4. Where would I have found detailed answers? Most of the information is in the Installation Guide, but possibly not as clear as it should be. *LOL!!!* More seriously, if things go as planned in the next week, I'll have an outline of suggested improvements. And to ease the qualms of geeks reading this, I'll focus more on a companion document than on changing the current contents. Kind regards, Andrei -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/50de1826.8000...@cloud85.net
