v1.0-r12 is now out if you haven't already seen it on the project downloads page. It adds several new features and some minor fixes. There is an upgrade script included in this revision (see UPGRADE.txt in the revision distribution) to convert the wpkgExpress configuration file to a new format/layout used by r12 and newer.
I spent this entire evening and night working on the visualization integration finally. I now have a basic graph showing up, but it still needs some final tweaks before it can be completely finished.
I have also continued to work on wpkgExpress v1.1, which is designed to be compatible with the additions and other changes apparent in the latest stable version of WPKG (1.1.2 as of this writing). Currently, wpkgExpress v1.0 only supports WPKG v1.0 features.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Another new release soon for the masses
The conversion from using CakePHP's XML class to using PHP's SimpleXML class didn't take quite as long as I thought.
After some testing after said conversion, everything seems to be in order now. I'll be posting a new release shortly.
After some testing after said conversion, everything seems to be in order now. I'll be posting a new release shortly.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Another quick status update
I have now pretty much finished up any coding, testing, and debugging for r7 and am looking to have it available tomorrow on the project site.
The next release I have planned (v1.1) will bring wpkgExpress up to speed in terms of some of the new features/changes evident in the latest stable version of WPKG (1.1.2 as of this writing). Previously, wpkgExpress v1.0 has only been compatible with WPKG 1.0.x. I am also planning on having the visualization feature incorporated for this next v1.1 release.
Until then of course, if there are any bugs found in v1.0, I will continue producing minor releases so that fixes can get out there as soon as possible. However, for the most part I will be focusing on v1.1.
The next release I have planned (v1.1) will bring wpkgExpress up to speed in terms of some of the new features/changes evident in the latest stable version of WPKG (1.1.2 as of this writing). Previously, wpkgExpress v1.0 has only been compatible with WPKG 1.0.x. I am also planning on having the visualization feature incorporated for this next v1.1 release.
Until then of course, if there are any bugs found in v1.0, I will continue producing minor releases so that fixes can get out there as soon as possible. However, for the most part I will be focusing on v1.1.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
wpkgExpress 1.0-r7 update
It looks like the r7 release will have to be pushed back a bit. I've just received word of an incompatibility with sqlite, so I am focusing on fixing that as soon as I can. It's mostly just an issue with the pre-made SQL import file used to create the necessary tables and such.
There will also be experimental support for sqlite3 (sqlite2 is the only version officially supported by CakePHP (1.2.x) at the moment) in this next release.
Lastly, I haven't had much time to finish working on the visualization feature, so that will have to wait until the r8 release.
There will also be experimental support for sqlite3 (sqlite2 is the only version officially supported by CakePHP (1.2.x) at the moment) in this next release.
Lastly, I haven't had much time to finish working on the visualization feature, so that will have to wait until the r8 release.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
System Visualization
I've recently started working on creating a visualization feature for wpkgExpress. When finished, you will be able to view dependencies and relationships in a graphical manner. Currently I am planning on having two modes of output: a full view of the entire system (all hosts, all profiles, and all packages) or all relationships and dependencies for a single instance of a certain type/model. The latter will be somewhat configurable, in that you can specify which types/models to show.
For example, you could have it show all of the packages for a certain host or all profiles and all hosts for a certain host. Another example is to show all profiles and/or hosts that a single package exists in.
Initially, I was hoping to be able to write a generic (i.e. no conditionals based on the detection of specific models) CakePHP Helper that would do that job and work at least generically within wpkgExpress (making a generic version outside of wpkgExpress would probably be near impossible). However, I found that writing a generic Helper was not viable, but even writing a non-generic one has proven to be a bit tougher than I expected once I sat down to start coding.
This feature uses GraphViz to do the magic, which means GraphViz has to be installed on the web server where wpkgExpress is installed. I am hoping to have this feature available for the next release.
For example, you could have it show all of the packages for a certain host or all profiles and all hosts for a certain host. Another example is to show all profiles and/or hosts that a single package exists in.
Initially, I was hoping to be able to write a generic (i.e. no conditionals based on the detection of specific models) CakePHP Helper that would do that job and work at least generically within wpkgExpress (making a generic version outside of wpkgExpress would probably be near impossible). However, I found that writing a generic Helper was not viable, but even writing a non-generic one has proven to be a bit tougher than I expected once I sat down to start coding.
This feature uses GraphViz to do the magic, which means GraphViz has to be installed on the web server where wpkgExpress is installed. I am hoping to have this feature available for the next release.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
New wpkgExpress release - v1.0-r6
The new release is out. It fixes several bugs and includes several enhancements as mentioned before.
Take it for a spin and as always feel free to let me know what you think.
Take it for a spin and as always feel free to let me know what you think.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Quick update
I've recently found some time to work on a new wpkgExpress release that fixes several bugs and adds several enhancements. I hope to be able to upload the new release soon.
In other news, I have been playing with my "new" Psion Netbook Pro which I received not long ago, and my Mintpass Mintpad that just arrived just this past week.
The Mintpad is a neat little device I heard about a little while back when it made a splash onto a slough of tech blogs/news sites (Engadget is where I first learned of it). It is made by a Korean company, but the UI on mine is all in English and I was fortunate enough not to have to import it myself (Amazon had a third party seller that was selling them brand new for cheaper that what it would cost to import).
What eventually sold me was that it ran Windows CE 5.0 and the Mintpass website actually advocated using the standard Windows CE applications in addition to the Mintpad applications/UI. Many Windows CE consumer devices out there now, especially many portable GPS systems, force end-users to "trick" the GPS into showing the standard Windows CE desktop instead of the factory default GPS interface in order to have access to the Windows CE environment and run Windows CE applications easily.
So far my only complaint is that I wish it had a higher capacity battery and that I could somehow minimize (or close) the Mintpad UI application and be able to view the entire Windows CE desktop. There may be a way to do it, but the one task manager application I've ran hasn't been able to kill the Mintpad UI process and emailing the Mintpass support team about it has only resulted in useless solutions due to a language barrier and/or misunderstandings of what I'm asking.
In other news, I have been playing with my "new" Psion Netbook Pro which I received not long ago, and my Mintpass Mintpad that just arrived just this past week.
The Mintpad is a neat little device I heard about a little while back when it made a splash onto a slough of tech blogs/news sites (Engadget is where I first learned of it). It is made by a Korean company, but the UI on mine is all in English and I was fortunate enough not to have to import it myself (Amazon had a third party seller that was selling them brand new for cheaper that what it would cost to import).
What eventually sold me was that it ran Windows CE 5.0 and the Mintpass website actually advocated using the standard Windows CE applications in addition to the Mintpad applications/UI. Many Windows CE consumer devices out there now, especially many portable GPS systems, force end-users to "trick" the GPS into showing the standard Windows CE desktop instead of the factory default GPS interface in order to have access to the Windows CE environment and run Windows CE applications easily.
So far my only complaint is that I wish it had a higher capacity battery and that I could somehow minimize (or close) the Mintpad UI application and be able to view the entire Windows CE desktop. There may be a way to do it, but the one task manager application I've ran hasn't been able to kill the Mintpad UI process and emailing the Mintpass support team about it has only resulted in useless solutions due to a language barrier and/or misunderstandings of what I'm asking.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Zaurus reborn
Recently I re-found my old Zaurus C-1000 that I forgot I still had. A long while ago I had planned on selling it since I no longer used it after getting my iPaq h4350 and later on my n810. However, that never happened, so it's been sitting in the original box in a drawer for several years now or so.
I had reflashed Cacko on the internal flash but thought I'd take the plunge and try something different again (I had tried pdaxii13 before). Awhile back I heard about someone porting Android and Ubuntu to the clamshell Zaurii and so I thought that'd be a good place to start.
I'm happy to say I've successfully installed Zubuntu based on Jaunty (9.04). I did find I had to make some modifications to some of the files on the rootfs I downloaded from the oesf forums, including modifying the display-brightness.sh file and copying over firmware files for my symbol low power CF wifi card. After that however, I was online and updating/upgrading via apt-get in no time!
Currently there's only a 2GB SD card being used on my Zaurus, but since I'm only going to have Zubuntu on it, there's plenty of space for it and a swap partition.
It's amazing the work that people are continuing to put into these neat little devices. It's a real shame though that Sharp officially discontinued (including support for recently) the Zaurus line, I can only imagine the possibilities of having newer hardware in a form factor like this.
I had reflashed Cacko on the internal flash but thought I'd take the plunge and try something different again (I had tried pdaxii13 before). Awhile back I heard about someone porting Android and Ubuntu to the clamshell Zaurii and so I thought that'd be a good place to start.
I'm happy to say I've successfully installed Zubuntu based on Jaunty (9.04). I did find I had to make some modifications to some of the files on the rootfs I downloaded from the oesf forums, including modifying the display-brightness.sh file and copying over firmware files for my symbol low power CF wifi card. After that however, I was online and updating/upgrading via apt-get in no time!
Currently there's only a 2GB SD card being used on my Zaurus, but since I'm only going to have Zubuntu on it, there's plenty of space for it and a swap partition.
It's amazing the work that people are continuing to put into these neat little devices. It's a real shame though that Sharp officially discontinued (including support for recently) the Zaurus line, I can only imagine the possibilities of having newer hardware in a form factor like this.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
First update
I've uploaded a new release of wpkgExpress 1.0 to the project site. Apparently a fix I had applied the other day just about at the last minute before announcing v1.0 ended up not fixing the infinite redirect bug. However, the new release (1.0-r2) seems to fix this problem (and possibly also a file/directory permissions problem) after testing it locally on a fresh installation on a different OS and machine.
I'd also like to let you all know I have setup a wpkgExpress Google group that can be used for wpkgExpress-related discussions. The link to the discussion group is on the front page of the project site.
I'd also like to let you all know I have setup a wpkgExpress Google group that can be used for wpkgExpress-related discussions. The link to the discussion group is on the front page of the project site.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Ta-da!
Well, after mucking around with Mercurial and the google code project site settings, I've finally managed to get something together for a first release.
You'll have to excuse the funky Mercurial commits and stuff since I'm new to it and VCS in general, but I'm slowly learning the basic commands and such.
I've marked the first release as 1.0, as from my testing (even through tonight) it seems stable enough at the moment. I realize there are some parts that could use a little work already and I'll get to some of those sometime. In the meantime, feel free to suggest changes (especially bug reports/fixes) and I'll do what I can to incorporate those changes.
I have yet to put anything in the wiki or upload a tutorial of sorts (if necessary) to the project site, but I will tackle those in the week or so to come.
Anyhow, I'm signing off now. Feel free to download the first version and please report any bugs you may stumble upon to the issue tracker on the project site.
wpkgExpress project site
You'll have to excuse the funky Mercurial commits and stuff since I'm new to it and VCS in general, but I'm slowly learning the basic commands and such.
I've marked the first release as 1.0, as from my testing (even through tonight) it seems stable enough at the moment. I realize there are some parts that could use a little work already and I'll get to some of those sometime. In the meantime, feel free to suggest changes (especially bug reports/fixes) and I'll do what I can to incorporate those changes.
I have yet to put anything in the wiki or upload a tutorial of sorts (if necessary) to the project site, but I will tackle those in the week or so to come.
Anyhow, I'm signing off now. Feel free to download the first version and please report any bugs you may stumble upon to the issue tracker on the project site.
wpkgExpress project site
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