xorg tools = power tools for power users

[joshewah]

I saw this thread and thought this had something to do with the Xorg GUI. Kinda confusing name.

[dbtrade]

Originally Posted by xorg

^Great, you are the first person to report doing backup to non-Windows. So did you just setup a cifs sharename of 'mediabackup'? Did you have to do anything else?

Thanks for reporting.

(I added an error just discovered at the end of the message)


I loosely followed your directions for Windows, but of course using the OpenSolaris methods of doing that.

Set the Folder to appear as 'mediabackup' and create the permissions.

Of course I aready had shares going with Windows machines, so most of the setup was already done.


Edit: Whoops, spoke too soon.
On the second backup I receive this type of error...

rsync: failed to set times on "/mnt/mediabackup/xorgtools/tmp": Permission denied (13)

I'll have to look further later to see what I can do about that, but I think rsync may need to run with the -O option to ignore times

[xorg]

^Yeah, since I turned on 'preserve times', it will show some errors on trying to do change time on '.' directories. They are harmless errors because it just couldn't change time, but the errors do show up. The files should still backup. I'd rather have the preserved timestamps personally but could make that as an option. I'm working on restructuring the plugin stuff so that everything can be more customized in an etc config file, such as rsync flags, etc. You can turn off maintaining times in a config file. You could alter it in the code, but will be overwritten with next plugin update.

[xorg]

Originally Posted by rlanza1054

So my question is this, is there anyway you can have a notification screen pop up that it's kicked off a CRON schedule, so we can know it's started.

I do like the idea of a notification message when a job is triggered. I'll look into that. I should be able to do it through luna-send.

[xorg]

I won't be releasing another xt til probably Sunday night. Am restructuring a few things to allow more personal customization. I'm also changing cifs mount so that it doesn't use /etc/fstab, which will likely be overwritten with next webOS update. I'll be storing alot of config stuff in an etc config file so that users can make their own config changes.

The plugin stuff is also reworked so that anyone could copy a plugin (such as media backup) and create a separate copy that shows up as another menu item in the plugin menu. You can then customize the copy. It will make it easier for other scripters to do their own thing yet not collide with xt plugin updates that would otherwise overwrite changes.

[rlanza1054]

Just reading something on another thread:

Is it possible to have xorg tools, do the setup and install of the 'svnc' client that is available on WebOS Internals.

It would be nice to have a VNC client available, I have purchase the RemoteWin by a developer has did his own version, but seems everyone want the standard VNC protocol to work and not something else they have to install on the PC side of it.

Thanks, just another idea!

Rob

[Veritas06]

I just wanted to ask, has anyone had an issue with reboot since installing Xorg Tools? I must have done something wrong somewhere, but cannot figure out where. I posted here asking if anyone else had the same issue, or knew how to fix it.

~Thanks in advance.

[xorg]

^When you setup xt reboot in cron, it simply runs /sbin/reboot command. You can test a reboot manually in terminal. If it still doesn't shutdown properly, you may have other issues with webos.

[xorg]

Originally Posted by rlanza1054

Is it possible to have xorg tools, do the setup and install of the 'svnc' client that is available on WebOS Internals.


Rob

isn't there a vnc client on preware?

[Veritas06]

Originally Posted by xorg

^When you setup xt reboot in cron, it simply runs /sbin/reboot command. You can test a reboot manually in terminal. If it still doesn't shutdown properly, you may have other issues with webos.

Thanks. I've tried reboot in Terminal & still have problems, so i obviously must have messed something up along the way. Thanks for the reply.

Is it possible /sbin/reboot is corrupt or something similar? Just trying to think if i could possible replace the it with a copy from the latest Doctor.

[xorg]

A new version of xt has been posted: xt 0.1.1g

New:
- plugins restructured to allow scripters to easily make their own plugins or customize existing ones (more in a later post)
- dropbox and wifi media backup restructured to no longer use /etc/fstab or /etc/hosts (recommended by webos-internals crew)
- dropbox and wifi media backup now have user configurable files in xorgtools/etc
- media backup now has exclude file in xorgtools/etc/backup-exclude.cfg; add files/directories you'd like to exclude from backup
- ping before mount is now an option (mount timeout however is 90 seconds)
- preserving times on backup is coded to be an option but not activated yet, it still preserves timestamps of original files.

Next version:
- Tar backup/restore of the app directory, /media/cryptofs/apps. It's mostly scripted but not ready yet. Next version should have this.
- Preserving timestamps of files for media backup will be an option

Update
Can update by doing 'xt upd' twice, but best if all users upgrade by pasting this in a terminal session...

cd /tmp && wget -qO- http://tinyurl.com/xt-setup | /bin/sh

And then run an xt update to make sure you get latest plugins...

xt upd

For those who are using dropbox or wifi media backup, you'll need to go into those respective menus, remove the dbx/backup setup and then do the initial setup over again. While not necessary, a reboot after setup is recommended.


New 'xt' Users
See first post of this thread to see features and how to install.

[rlanza1054]

Originally Posted by xorg

isn't there a vnc client on preware?

Actually, there is this RemoteWin but it doesn't use the VNC protocol, so you have to install his client on the PC.

And I made a spelling error, it is called SDLVNC.

Application:SdlVNC - WebOS Internals

It's not very user friendly just yet, if you look at what's needed to get it working.

And it might not even be something that can be setup with Xorg Tools, but I was hoping that you might give it a look.

There is also a message thread here on Precentral, but I'd have to find it again, and it's were people talk about wanting that more than using RemoteWin.

Rob

PS Will be installing upgrade in a few minutes! Thank you!

[tcurtin]

A few comments on this:

First, great idea. I like the fact that you've collected a lot of useful operations in one app. If nothing else, its a good way for power users to discover some things they didn't know existed.

I had previously attempted to set up a cronjob or two, but it didn't work. (I hadn't done anything to enable cron, just edited my crontab. Duh.) However, after running xt sch, cron looks to be enabled, but it seems to have deleted my crontab. Don't know if that's a step you can prevent, but it would be nice.

Any chance you could add a module for a *full* device backup? I'm going to have to return my phone soon, and it still kills me that there's no simple way to insure that you get back a new device with all of the old bits intact. I've been using an rsync script like this to backup to a local machine. Note that I haven't needed to try a restore yet, so who knows how that will go...
root@palm-webos-device:/# cat /usr/local/bin/RsyncToSolidDaily
#!/bin/sh

rsync -avz --exclude proc/ --exclude sys/ --exclude dev/ --progress / tcurtin@192.168.1.240:/Volumes/Bruno/Backups/Pre/Daily

At the very least, after this command runs you know you have the latest PalmDatabase.db3 stored off-phone someplace safe, along with all the apps. Now, getting it all *back* to the phone, there's another question...

[xorg]

Originally Posted by tcurtin

I had previously attempted to set up a cronjob or two, but it didn't work. (I hadn't done anything to enable cron, just edited my crontab. Duh.) However, after running xt sch, cron looks to be enabled, but it seems to have deleted my crontab. Don't know if that's a step you can prevent, but it would be nice.

Were you using crontab -e to edit? For some reason, you can't use that. Have to directly edit... /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root Then restart cron using...

initctl stop mod-crond
initctl start mod-crond

As far as backing up all filesystems, I wasn't going there as a reliable restore isn't likely. I am releasing a backup to do /media/cryptofs to a tar file. It could easily be modified in config file to do all filesystems or specific files within any filesystem. Might be posted by next weekend. I'm reluctant to get into the backup business.. it's good to use if needing file/folder restores but relying on xt backups to do reliable full system restore is a road I don't want to go down. XT backups are good for getting some data back, not intended to be a complete way to bring back a phone from the dead.

Thanks much for the feedback and comments. Keep the ideas coming. These comments will likely improve xt as it matures. It's still in the early stages of where I want to take it and youse guys can inflence the direction.

[xorg]

Originally Posted by rlanza1054

Actually, there is this RemoteWin but it doesn't use the VNC protocol, so you have to install his client on the PC.

And I made a spelling error, it is called SDLVNC.

Application:SdlVNC - WebOS Internals

Seems like there is fairly broad interest in this so I might raise the priority if it doesn't make it packaged for Preware.

[rlanza1054]

Haven't heard anything from thread in a day or two. So I guess things are working for most. I know they are working for me.

The one thing that I haven't been able to work is Samba, but I don't think you want us to play with that too much.

It installed OK and I modified the conf file so as to have the correct Workgroup name, mine is: 'MSHOME'.

But for some reason from the PC side, I can't see the Pre.

Now I fully understand that you have incorporated features that are in the WebOS Internals, but you are not the one that is responsible for supporting those features.

Believe it or not, for the first few days of playing with Xorg Tools, I thought you wrote those routines, but then I realized you made Xorg Tools so we could easily use those routines in a automated install process but in no way are trying to support each of those tools, that you did not write yourself.

That's why when you told a user that you did not want to get into the backup business, I totally understand where you are coming from. That would be daunting to support in the long run, unless you wanted to go into that business and make a ton of money on it. Which, maybe you should consider down the road. Your work so far is good!

But support is a harder job than writing an app! It can be all consuming.

As an idea, maybe you could include some links to contact the proper people to get help with things like Samba, the Dropbox, etc. This way, we would not be asking you for help with those problems but directing us to the people that do support those functions.

Just a thought!

Rob

[Veritas06]

Has anyone else had trouble upgrading from 0.1.1g to 0.1.1h? Everytime i type "upd" i still end up at 0.1.1g. I've tried removing & reinstalling but still stuck at 0.1.1g.

[xorg]

^That was intentional to ensure plugins would get updated. It has been update now to match versions on update.

[xorg]

Originally Posted by rlanza1054

Haven't heard anything from thread in a day or two. So I guess things are working for most. I know they are working for me.

The one thing that I haven't been able to work is Samba, but I don't think you want us to play with that too much.

As an idea, maybe you could include some links to contact the proper people to get help with things like Samba, the Dropbox, etc. This way, we would not be asking you for help with those problems but directing us to the people that do support those functions.

Rob

I was more focused on the client side of samba than the server side. xt does create the inital files to get started with server side and is intended for those already familiar with using samba. I've created a separate thread just for samba so that those familiar with using samba can help those new to it.

http://forums.precentral.net/webos-i...rt-thread.html

Yeah, xt is a setup of tools for power users. Functions that I write specific to xt will be supported in this thread. I don't have the resources/time to support pre-existing tools like samba. But xt will continue to install many pre-existing tools to help power users get started.

I'm reluctant to release xt to Preware even in the long term for this reason. It really is for power users and if installing xt via the command line is too much of a pain, then maybe those users shouldn't be getting into it. I might post it in Preware's developer feed and keep it there for a while.

What I could potentially do is structure the menus to divide basic/advanced functions with a word of warning for advanced functions. Then it might be usable for Preware users. The diag and email linking functions are something I'd like to be available for everyone.

[Veritas06]

Originally Posted by xorg

^That was intentional to ensure plugins would get updated. It has been update now to match versions on update.

Okay, thanks. I was waiting to setup Backup & Dropbox again till i got it worked out.