The VL-hot thread

[caitlyn]

There are many bugs in Xfce 4.3.99rc2 which is why I went to 4.4.0.  The most common one is that trying to change the icon theme in 4.3.99 will crash Xfce and leave some config files in an unusable state which leaves you without a working Xfce desktop.  There are also issues with xfmedia under 4.3.99rc2 which will cause slowness, stutter in playback, etc...

-Cait

[easuter]

Joe1962, the vl-hot 1.0.3 FAT12 mounting isn't working

I managed to get my parent's camera-card today (FAT 12 formatted by the camera) to test with, and this is my dmesg and /var/log/messages output:

dmesg

Code:

usb 4-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 7
usb 4-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
scsi6 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usb-storage: device found at 7
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-CF      1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi removable disk sda
sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
scsi 6:0:0:1: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-MS      1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 6:0:0:1: Attached scsi removable disk sdb
sd 6:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
scsi 6:0:0:2: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-SM      1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 6:0:0:2: Attached scsi removable disk sdc
sd 6:0:0:2: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
scsi 6:0:0:3: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-SD/MMC  1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
SCSI device sdd: 125440 512-byte hdwr sectors (64 MB)
sdd: Write Protect is off
sdd: Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
sdd: assuming drive cache: write through
SCSI device sdd: 125440 512-byte hdwr sectors (64 MB)
sdd: Write Protect is off
sdd: Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
sdd: assuming drive cache: write through
 sdd: sdd1
sd 6:0:0:3: Attached scsi removable disk sdd
sd 6:0:0:3: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
usb-storage: device scan complete

tail -f /var/log/messages

Code:

Jun 26 10:01:04 vector kernel: usb 4-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 7
Jun 26 10:01:04 vector kernel: usb 4-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jun 26 10:01:04 vector kernel: scsi6 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-CF      1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi removable disk sda
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: scsi 6:0:0:1: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-MS      1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:1: Attached scsi removable disk sdb
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: scsi 6:0:0:2: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-SM      1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:2: Attached scsi removable disk sdc
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:2: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: scsi 6:0:0:3: Direct-Access     F Generi 6 IN  HS-SD/MMC  1.97 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: SCSI device sdd: 125440 512-byte hdwr sectors (64 MB)
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sdd: Write Protect is off
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: SCSI device sdd: 125440 512-byte hdwr sectors (64 MB)
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sdd: Write Protect is off
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel:  sdd: sdd1
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:3: Attached scsi removable disk sdd
Jun 26 10:01:09 vector kernel: sd 6:0:0:3: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Starting vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: devname: sdc
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: volname: vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Mounting /dev/vl-hot/sdc on /mnt/vl-hot/sdc/vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Starting vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: devname: sda
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: volname: vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Mounting /dev/vl-hot/sda on /mnt/vl-hot/sda/vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Starting vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: devname: sdb
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: volname: vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Mounting /dev/vl-hot/sdb on /mnt/vl-hot/sdb/vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Starting vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: devname: sdd
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: volname: vol
Jun 26 10:01:10 vector vl-hot_mount: Mounting /dev/vl-hot/sdd on /mnt/vl-hot/sdd/vol
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: /dev/vl-hot/sdc not mountable...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Finishing vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: /dev/vl-hot/sda not mountable...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Finishing vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: /dev/vl-hot/sdb not mountable...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Finishing vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: /dev/vl-hot/sdd not mountable (MBR) ...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Finishing vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Starting vl-hot_mount...
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: devname: sdd1
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: volname: vol1
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Mounting /dev/vl-hot/sdd1 on /mnt/vl-hot/sdd/vol1
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: /dev/vl-hot/sdd1 Filesystem is FAT12
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: mounting FAT12 filesystem: /dev/vl-hot/sdd1 on /mnt/vl-hot/sdd/vol1
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: mounting /dev/vl-hot/sdd1 failed, not showing desktop icon for /mnt/vl-hot/sdd/vol1
Jun 26 10:01:11 vector vl-hot_mount: Finishing vl-hot_mount...

I'm not getting codepage errors like I used to in vl-hot 1.0.2 and lower, but it still doesn't mount.
Also, when vl-hot 1.0.3 fails to mount the device, it leaves an empty sdd/vol1 directory in /mnt/vl-hot.

The card mounts fine manually, with no special arguments to mount.

[Joe1962]

Thanks for testing this easuter, I had no card small enough for FAT12. Turns out I missed the ending quote after removing the codepage stuff from the FAT12 part. Can you download and replace a fixed (I hope) vl-hot_functions to test? I don't want to roll another version till I'm sure this time.

http://jjrweb.byethost.com/vl/dev/vl-hot/downloads/development/vl-hot_functions

It goes in /lib/udev and has to be executable, owned by root and permissions set to 755.

[easuter]

I downloaded the file directly into /lib/udev, set the permissions, and its working great now.

[Joe1962]

Great, thanks! I should have an updated package up tonight.

[Joe1962]

Package is up: http://vectorlinux.osuosl.org/veclinux-5.8/patches/base/vl-hot-1.0.4-noarch-1vl58.tlz

[caitlyn]

One suggestion for whatever version ends up in VL 6.0:

/mnt/vl-hot/sdc/vol1 is long and not terribly intuitive. 

Other distros (Wolvix is a great example) use HAL but keep the path simple, something like:
 /media/disk-1

Any chance the vl-hot path can be simplified?

[Joe1962]

Caitlyn, I posted once asking for suggestions on this, but I can't find that post now. Anyway, I'm open as long as it meets 2 criteria:

- under /mnt, not /media (at least until the FHS changes on this).
- the naming convention can properly handle multiple partitions in an external HDD.

Just to explain things a bit, the vl-hot subdir was conceived as a way to keep things organized, that is to separate them from mounts that were done manually or via /etc/fstab. Also it could be used linked by a desktop icon, which would open up a sort of "External Drives Neighborhood"...

[Joe1962]

Well, after a long time I finally got to hacking away on vl-hot again...

The bad news is I can't use my Google Projects svn or filehosting anymore ("You are accessing this page from a forbidden country"), and my free website host has done something so files can't be directly linked to for download...

The good news is, I have an alpha version of what will hopefully be vl-hot 2 for you brave testers to muck about with, and I put up a package on Hyperupload (link below)...

http://hyperupload.com/download/027000ed89/vl-hot-1.9.0-noarch-1vl59.tlz.html

What's new:

• Mounts directly inside /mnt/vl-hot now (or whatever you configure in vl-hot-config)
• Uses the label name of the partition as mountpoint
• You can override this by setting a name for a given device in the new /etc/udev/vl-hot-names.conf
• if none of the above is set, it falls back to sda1 type names
• new config setting (ICON_SHOW=1) in /etc/udev/vl-hot.conf, set to 0 to disable the desktop icons

Caveats:

• vlh-umount not thouroughly tested, but seems to work
• please don't set device names in vl-hot-names.conf for a device with multiple partitions
• no gui settings in vl-hot-config for new stuff yet
• changing mountbase in vl-hot-config not tested yet

TODO:

• add partition number if device with multiple partitions named in vl-hot-names.conf
• add gui settings in vl-hot-config for new stuff

HOWTO set up a device in vl-hot-names.conf:

• plug in the device
• open a console
• run: udevinfo --query=env --name=/dev/sda (or whatever the device is)
• get the device index from the ID_SERIAL_SHORT value
• open /etc/udev/vl-hot-names.conf for editing
• add a line like 5B790A8F7123="MyKingston" (there are examples already there)
• unmount the device the vl-hot way...
• save the changes to /etc/udev/vl-hot-names.conf
• plug in the device and check for the new name

OK, so testers are essential, coders welcome... with a little luck we can get this into VL 5.9 Light final!!!

[nightflier]

Great! I will be testing this one out on Light. 

[Joe1962]

Now that you mention that, I only tested on Standard, but I expect it will work on Light too.

EDIT: also only tested on FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS devices so far.

[rbistolfi]

Wow Joe, my favorite software will have another version, awesome!
Can we post feature requests here?

• An option to run custom commands on mounting and umounting
• Nothing else, SMF adds two li tags

The new features are exciting, you have a tester here

PS:

The bad news is I can't use my Google Projects svn or filehosting anymore ("You are accessing this page from a forbidden country"), and my free website host has done something so files can't be directly linked to for download...

Unbelievable 

[uelsk8s]

I am testing it on soho now.
the launcher for vl-hot-config doesnt work here.
the vl-hot-config window says version 1.0.4
everything else seems good so far

[Joe1962]

Can we post feature requests here?

Of course! I always left this thread sticky for that reason.

• An option to run custom commands on mounting and umounting

Actually I was only thinking of an option to open your fav filemanager window on mount, you went much further. Regarding on unmount, I've tried to chain exec commands with && in the unmount desktop icon, but it doesn't work. So it would mean redesigning the exec logic to call a script instead. However, it wouldn't be too complicated to do something on mount. Let me think about it, but only after the new stuff is stable and tested.

• Nothing else, SMF adds two li tags

So delete one line, lol. I had to copy/paste lots of li tags for my first post above...

I am testing it on soho now.
the launcher for vl-hot-config doesnt work here.

Strange, I didn't change any of the launchers.

the vl-hot-config window says version 1.0.4

Yes, it's still 1.0.4, haven't got around to it yet, still working on the bash part of vl-hot.

[rbistolfi]

Actually I was only thinking of an option to open your fav filemanager window on mount, you went much further. Regarding on unmount, I've tried to chain exec commands with && in the unmount desktop icon, but it doesn't work. So it would mean redesigning the exec logic to call a script instead. However, it wouldn't be too complicated to do something on mount. Let me think about it, but only after the new stuff is stable and tested.

Sure the fm will be handy for many ppl. I thought about that because I use awesome window manager which doesn't do icons, so I mod vl-hot functions to show the vl-hot icon in the awesome statusbar. Well mod is too much, I just append one line for mounting and one line for umounting (so the icon disappears). Then I started to think, people may want to launch file managers or gqview for photos in a sd, maybe a player for listening music from a mp3 player, etc.

Let me think about it, but only after the new stuff is stable and tested.

Of course...
 

So delete one line, lol. I had to copy/paste lots of li tags for my first post above...

I know I just love stupid jokes

I am testing it on soho now.
the launcher for vl-hot-config doesnt work here.
Strange, I didn't change any of the launchers.

Quote from: uelsk8s on May 27, 2008, 11:25:02 PM
the vl-hot-config window says version 1.0.4
Yes, it's still 1.0.4, haven't got around to it yet, still working on the bash part of vl-hot.

It is working fine here, maybe because I used upgradepkg? May be you have some old files still there.