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#55 French keyboard in G4L
closed
5
2014-08-16
2011-04-10
No
Hi,
I'm using G4L v.0.36. There is apparently no option to change the default US keyboard. Would it be possible to add this, either from command line in Bash or in the menu (using kbdmap.c32 and French keymap fr.ktl in isolinux.cfg)
Cheers,
Chris
There was a thread on this earlier.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/g4l/forums/forum/408762/topic/3799730
G4L uses busybox for the loadkmap command.
I found the binary kmap files that are used, but don't have any non-us keyboards to test it on
ftp://amd64gcc.dyndns.org/bkeymaps/
has the keymap files that can be used to redirect
The fr directory has a number of files, but looks like one could download the correct file using ncftp
loadkmap <fr.bmap
or other file to load the binary keyboard map.
I was thinking of adding an option to the g4l, but without a keyboard or someone to confirm it works, it didn't seem worth going further.
Would probable add something with a timeout that would ask to change keyboard if selected.
The current /etc/init.d/rcS file had a line that shows loading a german keyboard, but the file isn't on the system, so I am guessing it was copied from some other system and just left in by one of the previous maintainers.
I did try the keyboard map option, and it changed keyboard in some way, but without a keyboard don't know if if worked correctly,
Thanks.
Hi,
It works!
I downloaded fr.bmp from ftp, copied it in my USB key, started G4L. At the Bash prompt, I did:
mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/local
loadkmap </mnt/local/fr.bmap
and the new keymap worked successfully at the command line with my French keyboard
Perhaps you could do the following:
-add a variety of *.bmap files (it seems the basic type e.g. fr.bmap works)
- add the instructions above to load the keymap in your help file (preferably at the top of it, because a lot of users sem to stumble of that)
Otherwise G4L seems a good product, at least it worked for me so far. Just a detail in the interface:
- it seems that the mouse (mine is a Logitech) is messing up the ncurses. I had to remove it, and it worked OK.
Hi,
Perhaps a better idea would be to make two scripts from the commands below, one for USB booting and one for CD-ROM booting, and add them in the Utilities menu, with two new menus:
Change keyboard layout (USB booting)
Change keyboard layout (CDROM booting)
Of course, only one USB key (the one with G4L) should be plugged in the machine in case of USB booting (otherwise some key detection will have to be made)
Cheers
Chris
I can add the files to ramdisk image, and have a script to allow for selection. I was testing on the script, and have made the following script that seems to allow for picking a filename.
ftp://amd64gcc.dyndns.org/bkey
Could add it to the rcS startup with a timeout, and also add it as an option on the utility menu...
By adding it to the ramdisk file, there would be no need to mount anything. I generally just ftp it from a server,
Will look at adding it and putting it on the next alpha of 0.37.
I added the script to alpha 74 which I am uploading, But the ramdisk.lzma file is already uploaded.
ftp://amd64gcc.dyndns.org/g4l0.37alpha/
You could copy it to the usb since the 0.36 also uses the ramdisk.lzma file.
Then boot from the flash, and then run bkey from the /bin directory, and pick the keymap.
It isn't added to the rcS or util menu yet, but it should work if I added the final run command to the script.
It does list all the options that were in the keymap files I got.
Don't think it adds a lot to the size.
Thanks for the feedback, and if you test it please let me know.
I have downloaded the new ramdisk.lzma and copied it to my USB, booted to my machine, and run /bin/bkey. The menu works OK, though it fails (error 118), because the map files are not yet present. So, waiting for the alpha74 release...
I think this will be an appreciated enhancement.
Another annoying thing I've noted is that there is no message indicating the backup/restore status (operation successfull, etc) at the end. The startup menu is automatically displayed at the end, leaving the user in expectation as for the results. This issue has been documented, but not resolved, and I think you should do something. Perhaps for the alpha75 release...
Cheers
Chris
The error is a dumb mistake on my part. At the end of the script I mis-entered the directory name. It should be bkeymaps not bkaymap???
You can make the change using nano.
nano /bin/bkey
Page down to end of script, and just insert the s to the two lines that echo and run the loadkeymap.
Then Ctrl X to save the script. Will upload a new version, once the current version finished.
The on success is a difficult one. For most of the backup and restore options, the command is actually run as a background task and is assumed to have finished successfully? Looking at the time option, should show a proper progression to the 100%, a big jump generally means an error has occurred. Even with a proper completion, the best option, is to run a test on the archive that has been created. Using lzop -t archive.lzo will show that the archive is valid, but that would need to be run on the machine or device that has the image.
Have uploaded the ramdisk.lzma that should be corrected..
It's me again,
I have downloaded and tested the new ramdisk.lzma. It works OK, I've tried the various fr keymaps, they work with some differences. The best for me is fr.bmap.
When I click OK, I exit to the bash prompt. I hope I will resume to G4L in the next version, without needing to enter g4l.
Concerning the "on success" issue, you could display a message "Operation completed in <hh.mm.ss>. Check the results", just to let the user know that the task is finished, and possibly a success by checking the indicated duration, but that the result must be checked anyway, locally or remotely.
Cheers
Chris
The ideal will be to add it as part of the rcS script which would then continue on to the g4lmenu script and then g4l.
Also, add it as a called script from the g4l script.
Yes, a completed message could be added when the progress script ends.
Thanks for the info.
Still me,
Some remarks concerning menu contents:
In MAIN menu, RAW mode should be IMAGE mode (users usually know disk imaging, but not "raw" mode)
In LOCAL USE menu, you have three options: Pick Local Mount (should be Image Location), Config filename, and Set Local path. In fact, there should be only one menu chaining the scripts of the two others in the following order: Pick Local Mount>Set Local Path>Config filename, i.e select partition>directory>file. This way, you are presented with all the files that are in the directory selected by Set Local Path. If you don't activate the menus in this order (which is probably the case for most users, since the menus are set apart), you cannot display the files graphically.
Another thing: directories like "Program Files" are split into two or more separate options. Blank spaces in names should be removed at some point for displaying.
Finally, the G4L Boot Menu. In my opinion, the ordinary users should not be faced with kernel selection. You should have e.g a /current directory, and G4L will boot the bz file present in this directory. If adavnced users want to change kernels, they replace the one in /current with the others put at the root, which is easy when booting from USB keys. The other options of this menu should be put in Utilities menu (unless there is a specific reason). This way, when you run G4L, you start directly with the main menu, which makes more sense to me.
Cheers
Chris
The latest ramdisk.lzma has the bkey added to the rcS and the Utility menu. The 0.76 has this, and the iso file is already uploaded, but the development kit file is still uploading. It is 2:28am here, so might not have that available till later. Have not tested the new files, so will wait till I can fully test it at work tomorrow.
Thanks.
I've tested the new ramdisk.lzma. It works OK and is correctly chained to the rest of the menu.
Thank you and have a good night
Chris
I'm back again,
Concerning the menus, in order to let the ordinary users have a continuous GUI experience and spare them the command line (for basic tasks), you should insert a menu between the keymap selection menu and the instruction for using G4L menu (should be renamed Command-line mode), with two options:
G4L (assistant mode)
G4L (command-line mode),
the first option pointing to the main menu (mode selection), and the second to the Basic instruction for using G4L. In the latter, the line Option 1: Enter G4L and use menus... should be removed, and the other options renamed accordingly.
This way, if you apply all the changes described here, the ordinary users may use G4L in full GUI mode without using the command line (at least for basic local backup/restore tasks). This will appeal to beginners (especially the non-Linux ones), and the advanced users will still have all functionalities available, including booting alternate kernels.
Hope this will help
Chris
As I see it, the first option is to just type g4l, which then continues onto the menu and one can then fill in all the options one by one. Could add a timeout option to this that would automatically run the g4l script??
Showing the user that they can pre set a number of parameters at one time, or create there own front end scripts to further improve the effectiveness.
Will have to think about this.
Comments on an earlier message that I had missed, since you had placed two messages, and I just saw the latest one.
The RAW is reference to the image being a bit by bit /sector backup as compared to a file level backup. Using the dd command to create a raw image backup of the disk/partition as contrasted to a file level backup of parted, ntfsclone, fsarchiver.
Originally, the Local menu only did backups to a local partition, so it was mounting a local partition to the mount point, then I was able to add the option to mount not only local partitions, but sshfs, cifs, and nfs file systems to the same mount point. Secondly, if someone leaves the default local path there is no reason to have to change it.
Blank spaces are not allowed in names, since the dialog gui doesn't support it. Some options will take them but others don't. Also, some special characters cause problems like $.
One must note that this is not really for advanced users, it is more that some hardware doesn't work with the default kernel, but will work with older kernels. If one puts it on a flash, it is easier to change, but many users don't have that options, and if they burn a cd, they can not easily change the cd image.
Again, Thanks for the comments.
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