FDF / SSP.

#!/bin/sh
#========

# Screaming CuckooBroad Associates 2021
# -=[zkp]=- for gnu/linux/x11
# resides in /usr/bin (in ${PATH} for all users)
# usage: $(zkp) alone returns kpZone path
# user as parm 1 runs the install (requires root)

  UNX=/etc/kpzone/kData/unx

  [ -z $1 ] && echo -n ${UNX} && exit 0
  [ $1 = root ] && HOM=/root || HOM=/home/$1
    
  ln -sfn ${HOM}/kpZone /etc/kpzone
  cp -fp ${UNX}/sh/zkp /usr/bin
  cp -fp ${UNX}/= /usr/bin

exit 0

=========================================================
FrugalDriver Framework w/ SSP : Freqently Asked Questions
 the best live GNU/Linux/X11  :          v0.022
=========================================================

A: The FrugalDriver Framework is a means of administering bootable linux images in a robust, flexible, & secure way. FDF/SSP owes its existence to 3 fortuitous technical achievements of the Linux world, to wit:

  1. The ability of GRUB2 to boot most modern ISO images directly
  2. The practice of running Linux "live", meaning with its root filesystem mounted in RAM
  3. The squashfs technology which can create compressed readonly mountable filesystems from a distros packages

Q: So how does it work ?

A: An ordinary install of GRUB2 is done to a boot partition on any device: harddisk, flashdrive, whatever. A separate partition is established for the ISO images which are written unaltered to a Linux filesystem. Then a 3rd partition is used for the user specific control data, which are (1) salient portions of the ${HOME} directory, (2) packages from the supported repo converted to SSPs (Symlinkable Squashfs Packages) to be hooked into the live system, & (3) a user invoked script to apply the inittime customisations to the vanilla booted image. When a distro is booted, the filemanager is invoked to mount the control partition (if necessary) & drill down to the initthis.cfg script which is executed in a terminal. The script finishes by restarting the X11 session so when you login again you are presented with your fully customised system with your favourite packages & modifications, running live in system memory.

A: First & foremost FDF/SSP completely obviates the need for a conventional install. The system resides in RAM so changes to it arent persistent unless you explicitly want them to be. This results in a great deal of flexibility in the inevitable experimentation with packages & configs, without having to rely on a packagemanagers undo function or full system restores to recover from maladventurous customisations. The completely unaltered as-shipped system is available with every boot for reference, & the supported packagemanager is consulted so that all intended dependencies are met. Acquired packages are converted to SSPs which are mounted readonly & hooked into the live system not by union mounts but by ordinary symlinks.

With a little care FDF/SSP makes system updates swift & trivial. For example when the monthly snapshot of a rolling ISO appears, it is simply dropped into the ISO partition & booted. In many cases user installed packages dont have to be reacquired as there are no changes to them & they continue to work with the new ISO. Until they dont, whereupon its generally pretty obvious & they can be replaced as needed & not until. SSPs often prove to be surprisingly cross-distro, but when they arent you can merely unmount them or at the worst reboot & they are completely uninstalled.

One advantage of running live is being able selectively to backup parts of ${HOME}. At this writing my ${HOME} is nearly 54M [sic] because of the runtime caches & such, much of which is better off in RAM than on physical media. Yet the image of ${HOME} restored at boottime can be less than 800K, because it consists only of tested & necessary configs specifically copied there.

Finally, FDF/SSP works with virtually *any* distro, effectively turning any modern LiveISO into a standalone admin / rescue resource, which can also serve as the principal session. Because unaltered ISOs & a simple GRUB2 config are used, it doesnt matter where the user control data resides. This makes it fairly trivial to set up on-the-metal multibooting systems on any device(s) & migrate them to other media easily along with their succinct collections of user modifications.

Q: How is it done ?

A: Easy. First you need a GRUB2 stanza to boot your ISO. An Xubuntu example would be:

menuentry "-rwxr-xr-x xubuntu-core 22.10 from ISO (loop ISF)" {
    echo ooo
    set isofile="iso/iso2210/xubuntu-22.10-core-amd64.iso"
    loopback aloop (hd0,4)/ini_xubuntu/$isofile
    linux  (aloop)/casper/vmlinuz audit=0 selinux=0 $vomit boot=casper live-media-path=/casper iso-scan/filename=/ini_xubuntu/$isofile fsck.mode=skip
    initrd (aloop)/casper/initrd
}

drwxrwxrwx  9    1000    1000 4096 Aug  2 12:16 .
drwxr-xr-x  3    1000    1000 4096 Jul 31 07:16 ..
drwxr-xr-x  3 xubuntu xubuntu 4096 Aug  2 11:56 repo_deb
drwxr-xr-x 10 xubuntu xubuntu 4096 Aug  7 12:12 repo_ssp
drwxr-xr-x 17 xubuntu xubuntu 4096 Jun 24 12:10 xubuntu
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root    root      37 Jul 31 07:16 initthis.cfg -> xubuntu/kpZone/kData/unx/initthis.cfg

drwxrwxr-x 8 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Nov 12 05:53 .
drwxrwxr-x 3 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Oct 18 09:42 ..
drwxrwxr-x 2 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Oct 19 08:08 .gftp
drwxrwxr-x 2 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Oct 18 12:27 .gkrellm
drwxrwxr-x 2 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Oct 18 10:21 .hexchat
drwxrwxr-x 2 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Oct 18 09:53 .mc
drwxrwxr-x 2 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Nov 12 05:51 .openbox
drwxrwxr-x 2 xubuntu xubuntu   4096 Oct 18 09:42 .vfu
-rw-r--r-- 1 xubuntu xubuntu  38304 Aug 13 16:18 chkservice_0.1-3_amd64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 xubuntu xubuntu  62608 Apr  5  2018 qiv_2.3.1-1build1_amd64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 xubuntu xubuntu 729348 Jun 21  2018 rxvt-unicode_9.22-4_amd64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 xubuntu xubuntu  78532 Apr  5  2018 xfishtank_2.5-1build1_amd64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 xubuntu xubuntu 733712 Jun 25  2013 xfwm4-themes_4.10.0-2_all.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 xubuntu xubuntu 171144 Jan 31  2018 xpenguins_2.2-11_amd64.deb

#!/bin/sh
#========

# fdfctl for frugaldriver framework

# script to perform a function
# on a directory of packages

# functions (parm 1):
#   ssp : generate SSPs
#   sym : (default) establish symlinks one dirlevel up
#   del : delete symlinks one dirlevel up
#   get : acquire repo package (parm 2)
#   tgz : extract all tarballs
#   deb : install all packages: deb
#   rpm : install all packages: rpm
#   pac : install all packages: pkg.tar.xz
#   uid : recursively normalise ownerships
#   act : activate all SSPs @ optional subdir (parm 2)

  echo ooo
  echo fdfctl v0.24
  date +%G%b%d%a.%P%H:%M:%S
  uname -srm

[ ! -z $1 ] && FNC=$1 || FNC=sym
[ ! -z $2 ] && MDR=$2 || MDR=ssp

case ${FNC} in
  get ) $(zkp)/sh/fdfget $2 ;;
  deb ) sudo dpkg --install *.deb ;;
  rpm ) sudo rpm -v --install *.rpm ;;
  tgz ) find . -name "*.tgz" -exec sudo tar -C / --overwrite -xzf {} \; ;;
  pac ) sudo pacman -U --noconfirm --noprogressbar --cachedir . * 2>/dev/null ;;
  uid ) sudo chown -R $(id -u):$(id -g) . ;;
    * ) for i in *
        do
          case ${FNC} in
            del ) rm -f ../${i} ;;
            ssp ) $(zkp)/sh/mksspfs ${i} ;;
            act ) sudo $(zkp)/sh/fdfact ${MDR} ${i} ;;
            sym ) [ -f ${i} ] && ln -sf ${PWD##*/}/${i} ../${i} ;;
              * ) echo "$0: read source for doc" ;;
          esac
        done ;;
esac

exit 0

#!/bin/sh
#========

echo ooo
echo mksspfs v1.027
date +%G%b%d%a.%P%H:%M:%S
uname -srm

# script to rebundle software from gnu/linux repos
# creates SSP: symlinkable squashfs package
# (with no parm merely gens from prebuilt sspbuild)

TMPDIR=/tmp/sspbuild

if [ -z $1 ]; then
  PKG=sspbuild
else
  rm -rf ${TMPDIR} ; mkdir ${TMPDIR} ; DIR=${PWD}

  for i in .tar.xz .tar.zst .deb .xpak .rpm .tbz2 .tazpkg .eopkg .xbps
  do
    if echo $1 | grep -i ${i}$ ; then
      PKG=${1%%${i}} ; cd ${TMPDIR}
      case "${i}" in

        ".tar.xz" | ".tar.zst" ) #--( archlinux )--#
          for SUF in tar.xz tar.zst
          do
            case "${SUF}" in
              "tar.xz"  ) TYP="-J" ;;
              "tar.zst" ) TYP="-I zstd" ;;
            esac
            tar ${TYP} -xvf ${DIR}/$1 && rm -f .* >/dev/null 2>&1
          done
        ;;

        ".deb" ) #--( debian )--#
          for SUF in gz xz lzma zst
          do
            case "${SUF}" in
              "gz"   ) TYP="-z" ;;
              "xz"   ) TYP="-J" ;;
              "lzma" ) TYP="--lzma" ;;
              "zst"  ) TYP="-I zstd" ;;
            esac
            ARG=data.tar.${SUF}
            ar -xv ${DIR}/$1 ${ARG} ; tar ${TYP} -xvf ${ARG} 2>/dev/null && rm -f ${ARG}
          done
        ;;

        ".xpak" ) #--( gentoo )--#
          tar -xvf ${DIR}/$1
        ;;

        ".rpm" ) #--( red space hat )--#
          command -v bsdtar && bsdtar -xf - <${DIR}/$1 || rpm2cpio ${DIR}/$1 | cpio -idm
        ;;

        ".tbz2" ) #--( sabayon )--#
          tar -xjvf ${DIR}/$1
        ;;

        ".tazpkg" ) #--( slitaz )--#
          cpio -iF ${DIR}/$1 && unlzma fs.cpio.lzma && cpio -iF fs.cpio && rm -f * ; mv fs/* . && rmdir fs
        ;;

        ".eopkg" ) #--( solus )--#
          unzip ${DIR}/$1 && unxz install.tar.xz && tar -xvf install.tar && rm -f *.xml install.tar
        ;;

        ".xbps" ) #--( void )--#
          tar -I zstd -xvf ${DIR}/$1 && rm -f *.plist >/dev/null 2>&1
        ;;

        * ) #--( oops )--#
          echo error: ${i}
        ;;

      esac
    fi
  done

fi

# singlethreaded tar
  while KPID=$(pidof tar)
  do
    :
  done

# here we go ...
  chmod 755 ${TMPDIR}
  rm -rf /tmp/${PKG}.ssp
  echo 'executing mksquashfs ...'
  mksquashfs ${TMPDIR} /tmp/${PKG}.ssp -all-root -comp xz
  ls -al /tmp/${PKG}*.ssp*

exit 0

#!/bin/sh
#========

# fdfact v0.03 for frugaldriver framework
# activates specified SSP (parm 2)
# at specified mountpoint below /var/fdf (parm 1)

# run as root

  MPT=/var/fdf/$1/$2
  mkdir -p ${MPT}
  mount -t squashfs -o ro $2 ${MPT} 2>/dev/null
  $(zkp)/sh/fdflnk ${MPT}

exit 0

#!/bin/sh
#========

# echo ooo
  env printf "fdflnk v0.08 : $1\n"
# date +%G%b%d%a.%P%H:%M:%S
# uname -srm

# run as root
# script to symlink a directory tree to root filesystem

[ -d $1 ] && cd $1 || exit 1

for i in $(find)
do

  if [ "${i}" != "." ]; then
    RES=$1/${i}
#   echo ${RES} ${i}
    if   [ -h ${RES} ]; then
      cp -fpP ${RES} /${i}
    elif [ -d ${i} ]; then
      [ ! -d /${i} ] && mkdir /${i} && chmod 755 /${i}
    else
      ln -sf ${RES} /${i}
    fi
  fi

done

exit 0

#!/bin/sh
#========

# fdfget for frugaldriver framework
# script to acquire &/or activate an optional package

# echo ooo
  msgtag="fdfget v0.10 :"
# date +%G%b%d%a.%P%H:%M:%S
# uname -srm

  [ -z $1 ] && exit 1 || pkg_name=$1

  fdf_base=/tmp/.X11-snog/init
  rssp=${fdf_base}/repo_ssp/.optional

# no ssp means reacquire
  if [ ! -d ${rssp}/.${pkg_name} ]; then

# determine & profile the distro
    pmdir1=/var/cache/dnf           # fedora
    pmdir2=/var/cache/pacman/pkg    # arch btw
    pmdir3=/var/cache/zypp/packages # opensuse
    pmdir4=/var/cache/apt/archives  # debianesque

    if   [ -d ${pmdir1} ]; then pm_base=${pmdir1}
      pkg_suf=rpm
      clean_command="dnf clean packages"
      get_command="dnf install --downloadonly"
    elif [ -d ${pmdir2} ]; then pm_base=${pmdir2}
      pkg_suf=zst
      clean_command="rm -f ${pm_base}/*.${pkg_suf}"
      get_command="pacman -Syw"
    elif [ -d ${pmdir3} ]; then pm_base=${pmdir3}
      pkg_suf=rpm
      clean_command="rm -rf ${pm_base}/*"
      get_command="zypper in -d --no-recommends"
    elif [ -d ${pmdir4} ]; then pm_base=${pmdir4}
      grep -iq altlinux /etc/os-release
      [ $? = 0 ] && pkg_suf=rpm || pkg_suf=deb
      clean_command="rm -f ${pm_base}/*.${pkg_suf}"
      get_command="apt-get install -d"
    else
      echo unknown distro ; exit 1
    fi

# clear fdf/pm & install
    rm -f /tmp/*.ssp
    sudo ${clean_command}
    echo ${msgtag} issuing command: ${get_command} ${pkg_name}
    sudo ${get_command} ${pkg_name}
    return_code=$?
    echo ${msgtag} received return code: ${return_code}
    if [ ${return_code} = 0 ]; then

# populate the packages
      rpkg=${fdf_base}/repo_${pkg_suf}/.void
      rm -rf ${rpkg}/.${pkg_name} && mkdir -p ${rpkg}/.${pkg_name}
      cd ${rpkg}/.${pkg_name} && find ${pm_base}/ -name *.${pkg_suf} -exec cp -fp {} . \;
      if [ $(ls | wc -l) != 0 ]; then

# gen & deploy the ssps
        $(zkp)/sh/fdfctl ssp && mkdir -p ${rssp}/.${pkg_name}
        cd ${rssp}/.${pkg_name} && cp -fp /tmp/*.ssp .

      fi

    fi

  fi

# activate the ssps
  echo ${msgtag} activating ${pkg_name}
  cd ${rssp}/.${pkg_name} && $(zkp)/sh/fdfctl act

# clean up
  rm -f /tmp/*.ssp

exit 0

A: On Xubuntu-core, for example, it would look like this:

#!/bin/sh
#========

# initthis.cfg for Xubuntu-minimal 24.04
# runs xubuntu in frugal mode from live install media
# user invoked via Thunar from partition mounted via udisksctl mount -b
# customises session from persistent user settings, repos, & scripted configs

# =================
# standard prologue
# =================
env printf "...\n"
env printf "initthis.cfg in progress\n"
# echo -e  "\033[1;34m$(date +%G%b%d%a.%P%H:%M:%S)\033[0m"
env printf "\033[1;34m$(date +%G%b%d%a.%P%H:%M:%S)\033[0m\n"
env printf "\033[1;32m .SNOG is Not Overwhelmingly GNUlike. \033[0m\n"
env printf "\033[1;32m  _______  _______  _______  _______  \033[0m\n"
env printf "\033[1;32m |     __||    |  ||       ||     __| \033[0m\n"
env printf "\033[1;32m |__     ||       ||   -   ||    |  | \033[0m\n"
env printf "\033[1;32m |_______||__|____||_______||_______| Linux \033[0m\n"

# =============================
# ${HOME} directory linkage &c.
# =============================
# snoginit
  sudo pkill -x Thunar
  sudo pkill -x xfconfd
  cd $(dirname $0) ; INI=/tmp/.X11-snog ; mkdir ${INI} ; ln -sfn ${PWD} ${INI}/init
# homedir
  cp -fpr ${USER} /home
  sudo ${HOME}/kpZone/kData/unx/sh/zkp ${USER}
# sysreq
  sudo sysctl kernel.sysrq=1

# =========================
# boottime package installs
# =========================
# tarballs
  cd ${INI}/init/repo_tgz && $(zkp)/sh/fdfctl tgz >/dev/null 2>&1
# packages
  cd ${INI}/init/repo_deb
  ls -ahlGL *.deb 2>/dev/null && $(zkp)/sh/fdfctl deb >/dev/null 2>&1 &
# ls -ahlGL *.deb 2>/dev/null && xterm -geom -264-100 -fg blue -e sudo dpkg --install *.deb
# symlinkable squashfs packages
  cd ${INI}/init/repo_ssp && $(zkp)/sh/fdfctl act

# ============
# user configs
# ============
# systemwide
  sudo $(zkp)/sh/rc_init
# thunar pugd fail
  udisksctl mount -b /dev/sdb1

# ==============================
# give control to the ui session
# ==============================
# pause
  grep -iq fdf.log /proc/cmdline && read aparm
# refresh
  xfce4-session-logout
# sudo pkill -x xfce4-terminal
# sudo pkill -x lightdm

env printf "\033[1;34minitthis.cfg complete\033[0m\n"
  exit 0

A: One difference visavis a conventional install is that the installed packages are mounted as loop devices:

Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev            939M     0  939M   0% /dev
tmpfs           193M  1.3M  191M   1% /run
/dev/sda5       110G   93G   12G  89% /isodevice
/dev/loop0      1.5G  1.5G     0 100% /cdrom
/dev/loop1      1.4G  1.4G     0 100% /rofs
/cow            962M   43M  919M   5% /
tmpfs           962M  1.7M  960M   1% /dev/shm
tmpfs           5.0M  8.0K  5.0M   1% /run/lock
tmpfs           962M     0  962M   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
tmpfs           962M  240K  962M   1% /tmp
/dev/loop2      384K  384K     0 100% /opt/ssp/amx-ristretto_0.8.0-0mx150+1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop3      128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/arc-beaver-0.4.1-3-x86_64.pkg.ssp
/dev/loop4      128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/chkservice_0.1-3_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop5      1.2M  1.2M     0 100% /opt/ssp/chromium-codecs.ssp
/dev/loop6      640K  640K     0 100% /opt/ssp/gftp-common_2.0.19-5_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop7      256K  256K     0 100% /opt/ssp/gftp-gtk_2.0.19-5_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop8      128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/gftp-text_2.0.19-5_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop9      128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/gftp_2.0.19-5_all.ssp
/dev/loop10     768K  768K     0 100% /opt/ssp/gkrellm_2.3.10-2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop11     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/gkrellmoon64.ssp
/dev/loop12     1.3M  1.3M     0 100% /opt/ssp/hexchat-common_2.14.2-2_all.ssp
/dev/loop13     384K  384K     0 100% /opt/ssp/hexchat_2.14.2-2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop14     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libgnutls-openssl27_3.6.4-2ubuntu1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop15     256K  256K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libgtksourceview2.0-0_2.10.5-2ubuntu2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop16     640K  640K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libgtksourceview2.0-common_2.10.5-2ubuntu2_all.ssp
/dev/loop17     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libncurses5_6.1+20180210-4ubuntu1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop18     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libntlm0_1.5-1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop19     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libobrender32v5_3.6.1-7ubuntu2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop20     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libobt2v5_3.6.1-7ubuntu2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop21     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/libssh2-1_1.8.0-2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop22     1.8M  1.8M     0 100% /opt/ssp/mc-data_3%3a4.8.21-1_all.ssp
/dev/loop23     512K  512K     0 100% /opt/ssp/mc_3%3a4.8.21-1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop24     256K  256K     0 100% /opt/ssp/obconf_1%3a2.0.4+git20150213-2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop25     384K  384K     0 100% /opt/ssp/openbox_3.6.1-7ubuntu2_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop26      78M   78M     0 100% /opt/ssp/opera-sandbox.ssp
/dev/loop27     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/qiv_2.3.1-1build1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop28     1.3M  1.3M     0 100% /opt/ssp/rxvt-unicode_9.22-4_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop29     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/trcm-customstylescript.ssp
/dev/loop30      18M   18M     0 100% /opt/ssp/trcm-opera1216.ssp
/dev/loop31     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/trcm-theme_NOX.ssp
/dev/loop32     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/trcm-theme_zoncolorEvening.ssp
/dev/loop33     1.8M  1.8M     0 100% /opt/ssp/trcmcore.ssp
/dev/loop34     256K  256K     0 100% /opt/ssp/vfu_4.15-trcm_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop35      67M   67M     0 100% /opt/ssp/vivaldi-sandbox.ssp
/dev/loop36     128K  128K     0 100% /opt/ssp/xfishtank_2.5-1build1_amd64.ssp
/dev/loop37     256K  256K     0 100% /opt/ssp/xpenguins_2.2-11_amd64.ssp
tmpfs           193M  8.0K  193M   1% /run/user/999
/dev/sdb1       2.3G  1.9G  398M  83% /media/xubuntu/UD01_sys

A: FDF/SSP is the result of running GNU/Linux/X11 according to the time tested & venerable principles:

  1. Solve the Right Problem
  2. Start with Something You Know Works
  3. Always be Able to Go Back, & Failing that, be Able to Start Over

GPL	@ 2024 TRCM TranceRave Capital Management

part of the CircleOmega organisation

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