[Shift2] GUI Installer

By n_K
in Linux

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Grand Master

n_K

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So there was a discussion the other night about the GUI installer so I thought heck, let's try php...

So I looked for php-qt, it exists! But it haven't had any development done to it in years and isn't compatible with php 5.4 or 5.3..

So I looked back at php 5.3 and php-gtk that I remember using on windows years ago... Tried the 2.0.1 version and after fixing a few bugs with the build, it compiled. The bad thing is that it was completely broken, things opened but what was meant to change the look of things didn't change anything at all, so I tried the SVN version... It needed php-cairo so I got that and got it build, easy! But alas now trying to get php-gtk SVN to build is proving to be a pain in the arse, it's using PHP 5.4's files in /usr/include, etc. and ignoring that I said to use files in /tmp/BB so I've given up with it temporially, I'll blast out a VM on my server sometime with arch, get the PHP pkgbuild and change it to build PHP 5.3 not 5.4, make it then have a go at making the SVN extension and seeing how useful/working it is.

So if that goes well, we can stick PHP 5.3 on the live cd somewhere and use it to make/run an installer, though we'll need to code it :p.

Anyway I'll do that another time but wanted to update on it here. (Unless anyone else wants to give it a try)

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Kami-

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Nope only the GUI written in PHP, then just use it to make a list of things to run (like pacman) and run them in the background.

That sounds like most installers; GUI which kicks off some code to do other stuff :p (yes, I understand the technical detail, just felt like being an ass)

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+Frank B. Subscriber²

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PHP for an installer? I'm by no means a coding expert, but even I know that's not a good idea.

See, this is why I voted for Debian as a basis. They have a GUI installer already which could have been modified for Shift. Writing a GUI installer from scratch for a distribution like Arch is going to be a nightmare...

Grand Master

+Majesticmerc MVC

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Still though, why use PHP? Seems like the wrong tool for the job to me, and an unnecessary dependency. Why not pick Python or a Mono-based language, something more oriented toward desktops?

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Grand Master

firey

Posted
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well.. if you wanted.. we could make it C# Based but with your interface. I could do the C# code to your layout/design/control. Basically you would tell me/design how you want it to look/act and I can do the C# to make it do it. I've written pre-installers for apps at work using C#. Installers that install pre-requisites and such.

Grand Master

Noir Angel

Posted
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Using a server side scripting language for a GUI based operating system installation sounds like a questionable choice to me. There are so many good Linux installers already available, why not re-purpose them to fit your needs?

Grand Master

n_K

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Probably be quite a few weeks till it happens...

Waiting for parts for new-server to arrive, then internets getting switched, then gotta move data and parts from old sever to new server, then get the internet routing setup and then finally try out PHP-GTK!

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

firey

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I've been working on a basc framework/set of files. going to try and make a mono included live CD tonight and see if I can get an automated/graphicall installer made. I have installing files from the official repo done so not a crazy amount of code needed to do it assuming I can get the live CD made. as mono will be required.

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threesixtyflip

Posted
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I've been working on a basc framework/set of files. going to try and make a mono included live CD tonight and see if I can get an automated/graphicall installer made. I have installing files from the official repo done so not a crazy amount of code needed to do it assuming I can get the live CD made. as mono will be required.

Nice one fiery! Keeps us updated! :)

Grand Master

firey

Posted
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Nice one fiery! Keeps us updated! :)

Will do, I feel once I get the installs of .TAR.GZ files working then a bulk of the hard work is done. Then it's just a matter of doing other things, such as built-in repo editor, etc. For tar.gz files they will be meant for use with the AUR ones.. it will extract the .tar.gz, run a makepkg -s, accept the download of required dependencies, then once the install is built, run pacman -U (file). So pretty straight forward.

Going to look at the mono stuff tonight, and see if I can give a live-cd made with the mono, once I get that.. it's just a matter of writing the code and yea. Definitely going to need some graphics artists and the sort for the interface.. but I definitely think it's doable. It is more or less just running through all the steps of a standard arch install with an interface.

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