easyurpmi via gui tool urpmi.setup

[aRTee]

There's a tool for CLI-phobic users, to setup urpmi.

 

Try this:

urpmi urpmi.setup

 

(Yeah, I know, for the CLI-phobic, this should read: MCC -> software -> software installation, search for 'urpmi', select the package 'urpmi.setup' for installation and confirm to install it.)

 

Now, if you run, as root:

urpmi.setup

it will start a nice multibutton config gui, which actually expects something on some website.

 

It's that something at some website that it doesn't get, and of which I don't know what it is. But it's the equivalent of the easyurpmi config page.

 

My point is this:

if we can create a page that contains the info that this GUI tool expects, and make sure it gets mirrored, just as easyurpmi gets mirrored, there will be no more meddling with the command line for the CLI-phobic. At all.

 

 

Sure, currently they can just go through the routine with the 3 steps of the easyurpmi webpages (such as the one of which you can see a link here at the top of each page), and then copy the relevant info into the MCC - software - media manager --- add media - dialog....

 

But imagine: tell people to install urpmi.setup, then tell them in the GUI to select the configuration option, input the web address (Url for server list), click save and validate, then have them add media etc, all graphically...

 

The reason I'm asking for this is the following: I recently had an email exchange with a guy who's in touch with people of the German Easylinux magazine, and their standpoint is to avoid use of the command line as much as possible.

 

 

I know that the CLI is easier once you know it, but if you don't want to know it, this tool is the way to go.

 

Let's not forget there are many who would favour the GUI method, and perceive having to use the CLI as a weakness.

 

 

It's written in perl, so it should be fairly easy to figure out what kind of webpage it expects, by someone who knows perl of course (which currently excludes me).

 

Lastly, it doesn't show up in my menu, but that's something the packager should fix.

[Guest anon]

So, much like the update/security source in mcc eh? you select a pre-configured mirror and away you go. What if the mirror(s) is down and you urgently need some_package? how you going to add another source without editing the source list or copy/paste into a consol?

I agree that some people don't wan't to learn the cli , and the more wizards there are to do this the easier it will be for newbies, and probably promote desktop Linux further.

But hey! how difficult is it to use something like easy-urpmi? you just select your system and copy/ paste the output.

[aRTee]

Actually, this tool gets the full mirror list.

 

I think that since the mirrors are a weak link of urpmi, it should be possible to switch mirrors without redownloading the hdlist.

Not sure if this tool can do that yet, don't think so.

But I think mdk developers should enhance urpmi in this way- have alternative mirrors to download from for the same rpms.

Let's face it, in case of troubles with urpmi, it's very often that mirrors are not up to date or down.

 

 

BTW the point is, that if you say: "the CLI is really not that hard", you've already lost part of your audience.

Sure, all who are on this board can manage. They also found this board. Whatabout those people who go for Linspire due to the clicknrun?

Wouldn't they be able to be perfectly happy with mdk?

I'm not talking about linspire users, but that type of users.

[scoopy]

CLI-phobic windows users ? I remember someone like that

 

Just tell them you can just download the RPM file instead of the EXE and just double click it to install --- the same way they would with windows ? No need to confuse them with CLI, URMPI, sources, etc.

[Guest anon]

BTW the point is, that if you say: "the CLI is really not that hard", you've already lost part of your audience.

I was only refering to the use of the easy-urpmi tool, where you don't have to know anything, just copy /paste into a consol. And if people can't work out how to do that simple thing...........

[Guest anon]

This is a quote from the only Linux Guru i know, Tom Berger

The Ultimate Power Tool

 

Every once in while you get to hear the litany that 'the command line' is 'out of date', 'arcane' and so on. And that people and operating systems should get rid off it.

 

The truth is: you can use Linux without knowing anything about the shell. You can boot your system directly into X and shut it down from there. You can use the Mandrake Control Center and Webmin to configure all and every aspect of your system.

 

It is my conviction, however, that using Linux without the shell is like driving your car in first gear only. Sure, it's easier at a first glance and you get where you want most of the time. But it's slow and takes the fun out of driving.

And that's it: the command line is fun. It's like the biggest collection of building blocks you've ever seen. And these blocks can do the most amazing things and what's more, you can make them cooperate, thus achieving highly complex tasks within a few lines. This is because in Unix the shell isn't just a simple command interpreter like DOS in Windows, but a fully fledged programming environment.

 

That isn't to say it is easy learning your ways around the shell. Well, it's learning, so what do you expect? ;-) But believe me that it can be highly rewarding. And you will be regarded as a Unix wizard by most outsiders in a rather short period of time *grin*.

If you want to read more on this : http://mandrakeusers.org/old_docs/basics/bshell.html

[aRTee]

Maybe most people want to drive only in first gear.

 

Don't forget, only a very small subset of computer users are actually computer enthusiasts.

If not, there would be many more on Linux - with all the control and openness Linux offers.

 

There is no convincing me about the CLI. I have trouble with GUI file navigation... And on Win, I feel helpless... but I'm sure that's common.

 

 

Again, this is not for me, but for those who don't want to use the CLI.

 

Downloading the rpm would have them subsequently download all dependencies...

It must be with urpmi.

[adamw]

urpmi.setup was actually originally written as a frontend for easyurpmi. I don't know if it still just parses the easyurpmi site for its mirror list, as it originally did, but it certainly does something at least equally functional, it doesn't have a static list.

 

the basic problem with urpmi.setup is that it's not installed by default and I don't think it's even on the three CDs. which means you need to setup urpmi sources before you can use urpmi.setup, which renders it rather stinking pointless. If we can get it cleaned up and turned into a really Mandrakeified tool then get Warly to put it on the first three CD images, it'll really be a good thing.

[aRTee]

It's on cd1. At least, that's where my gui says it is.

 

And I tried pointing it to easyurpmi.zarb.org and to the mdkusers.org mirror that's at the top of each page - to no avail.

 

If that can be fixed, by creating the right page format, it can be used...

 

Then it would have to be extended to have the option to choose which mirror to use, or even better, urpmi c/should be extended to have a list of mirrors for the same repository, and check which ones are updated and up, etc....

[Guest anon]

And I tried pointing it to easyurpmi.zarb.org and to the mdkusers.org mirror that's at the top of each page - to no avail.

You say you pointed it at my version of easy-urpmi and it didn't work? what file did you edit and where exactly did you point it to?

I may be able to help.

 

Going for a beer now, be back in a while.

[adamw]

artee: really? that's neat. must admit I didn't check the CDs for a bit. Now to get Warly to make it a default selection!

 

I guess its easyurpmi kung fu might have been broken by the redesign on that page, or even by one of the many mirror rearrangements? I don't know how long it is since it was actually updated properly.

[Guest anon]

I don't know how long it is since it was actually updated properly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Despite the last update date on their website, they actually updated the mirrors list on the 28-feb-2005

(I did our own version update today.)

[aRTee]

Give it a try:

urpmi urpmi.setup

(should tell you where the package is coming from, shouldn't it? Anyway, feel free to check where it's from.)

 

and do a

less /usr/sbin/urpmi.setup

to see the code.

 

My problem: I have no clue what the format is that it expects, and my perl skills are non-existant.

 

So anon, I don't think it's your version of the easyurpmi site - works great for me.

 

The perl code just expects something else, or I'm doing something wrong.

 

In any case, it would really be neat if we could figure out what kind of page it expects and feed it that, based on the standard easyurpmi page.

Hmm, maybe we have to get some perl specialist to comment on this, ... how's aru's perl knowledge..?

[Guest anon]

Well i installed urpmi.setup and looked at the code, yea i could easily change it given enough time, say a few years

aru could probably do it while drinking a cup of coffee. :D

 

Don't know if this is any help to you, but for our easy-urpmi page to work it needs this file: http://www.mandrakeusers.org/easyurpmi/mdkmirror.php which reads off a file in a dir called mirror.list which looks like this; http://www.mandrakeusers.org/easyurpmi/mirror.list/

[aRTee]

Woah, that's it:

this link:

http://www.mandrakeusers.org/easyurpmi/mdkmirror.php

was actually what it needed.

And to put

10.1 official

as Mandrake version (hey, shouldn't that read 'Mandrakelinux'? ;) )

and

i586

as Architecture, all the above in the configuration thingy.

 

But then: it only allows to add ftp servers for main, contrib and updates....

And, it doesn't read the current settings, for instance it tells me I have not set anything for main, contrib, or updates, whereas I have...