a cmg in a .desktop file(alpha release)!

**urielka** · 05-21-2005, 03:09 AM

i made few script that are able to take a cmg(a directory with a cmg and zAppRun script) and make it to a .desktop(just like every icon on kde).

so the made .desktop file is all the cmg+.desktop info and it can work by dobule click the icon(the icon is the program and it`s a .desktop file).

so for the end-user he can drag the icon(like every .desktop file it has a icon which can be set at creation of the .desktop(when you run my script it let you choose a icon) to his hard drive from the internet and then run it just like cmg but it has a icon and it doesn`t need zAppRun(coz it`s included in the .desktop file,but the fstab is needed to be with klik paths).

the problem is that i don`t have any web space to host the scripts? does some one have space for it?(i will place a .desktop example of vlc and the scripts).

**probono** · 05-21-2005, 05:50 PM

Sure, you can do that. But this approach violates klik's idea of "1 application = 1 file" (which is useful, e.g., for e-mailing.

You can post your scripts here in this thread if you want.

Greetings,
probono

**urielka** · 05-23-2005, 01:47 AM

you didn`t understood my.
it`s just one file,just one that have all the icon+the cmg and the .desktop info.
the script are a bit long so i preffer to get some webspace to post them and i want to put an example app or maybe a short video that show how is it.
do you know where can i get a free webspace to put files(any files)?

**bfree** · 05-23-2005, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by urielka

you didn`t understood my.
it`s just one file,just one that have all the icon+the cmg and the .desktop info.

Another possible problem, does this make your new file depend even more on kde/gnome/some .desktop compatible software? At the moment you can use command line programs like qemu (for example) with klik, would your method handle this?

Are the scripts really to long to post in here (I've posted some long scripts in forums before myself)?

**probono** · 05-24-2005, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by urielka

it`s just one file,just one that have all the icon+the cmg and the .desktop info.

All in one single file? Cool!

I'm really curious, perhaps you can upload a zip file with the scripts on
a free hosting site like http://www.savefile.com/filehost/ (no signup required)

Greetings
probono

**urielka** · 05-25-2005, 12:51 PM

i will upload it soon.

**spandit** · 05-25-2005, 08:05 PM

iam looking forward to this release

**probono** · 05-27-2005, 05:37 PM

me too

**bfree** · 05-27-2005, 06:12 PM

You didn't like the idea too much when I suggested just putting the AppRun into the cmg (to make it self contained, you need klik to create/get them but nothing to use them) ... add a .desktop and all of a sudden your happy

I have my guesses as to what's going on here, the .desktop file knows to use an offset for both the AppRun and image to mount? My question is, could it also embed menu information in the cmg, so the first time it is run it adds a menu entry (could be one program, could be a whole menu system depending what's in the cmg), and if you attempt to run a non-present menu item it should prompt to delete it, find it or download it again. Basic idea being klik effectively maintains a second copy of the debian menu which just has the klik'd apps in it (the user can of course edit the menus to arrange at will).

A final thought (as I'm rabbitting on about ideas I've had) is that instead of any programs using the real etc and var, should they not create a ~/klik/data/$MD5 , where $MD5 is the MD% of the content, filesize and modification time of the cmg being run, and within this folder the app can have it's own etc and var. End result is that a nw cmg will get a new area (so no cross contamination) and if it also holds a text file of the cmg name/path -> MD5, it would be quite easy for someone to copy their setups across if they wanted (or to create a script to delete unneeded data). Or they can even wipe the whole ~/klik folder and start again! Alternatives would include embedding a second loopback filesystem within the cmg but using it to write to (downsides include sending your data with the app if you copy it and space limitations), storing a second loopback file in parrallel to the app which stores it's data (still space problems and both also would use extra loopback devices), the current method (downside of losing files into your system or not having full control) or some other trick like using unionfs to overlay a directory for each running cmg over the required directories (possible problems and confusion if multiple packages are running which include some of the same packages that require this).

Just floating the ideas more then anything (but as I've done before I'm happy to help coding/testing).

**urielka** · 05-28-2005, 02:45 AM

yes it can!!!
because when the "magic" .desktop untar itself(it`s an uncompressed tar+script) and then run the zAppRun script that the tar contains(plus the cmg of course!).
now i manage to make a .desktop of firefox cmg(the one that probono post few days ago) and more impotant, i manage to find a place to host it so here is it:
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4297c203...Ft8lCBRLbeTDlz
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4297c203...Ft8lCBZJgpeDF5

it`s one zipped file splited into two files using split command.
just wget the two files,join them ,uncommpress them to the Desktop(or any other place on */home),Move Run.sh to /usr/bin and chmod +x him.
and then you need to click the .desktop file and firefox should appear!!!

the script need some work so they can be useful so i will release them later

*Note: the path where the .desktop file can be is set in Run.sh script(for example / include /usr /bin /home ..., /home include /home/user1 /home/user2 ...).
Note2:don`t select properties of the "magic" .desktop file coz it will make the file corrupted(it will resize the file to 4.4MB).
EDIT: there is a problem with the hosting.
so if someone know a good place to host a 9MB file please post here(savefile.com doesn`t work!).