Command line question

satimis · 09-19-2004, 11:39 AM

Hi folks,

If I want to create an ISO image from files in several folders say

/path/to/folder-A
/path/to/folder-B
/path/to/folder-C
etc.

Instead of copying all of them to a directory can I use following command line

# mkisofs -R -o Image.iso -J -hide-rr-moved "/path/to/folder-A /path/to/folder-B /path/to/folder-C"

TIA

B.R.
satimis

gypsy_rabbi · 09-19-2004, 03:06 PM

Yes. Here's what the manpage says:

SYNOPSIS
mkisofs [ options ] [ -o filename ] pathspec [pathspec ...]

DESCRIPTION

[...]

pathspec is the path of the directory tree to be copied into the
iso9660 filesystem. Multiple paths can be specified, and mkisofs will
merge the files found in all of the specified path components to form
the cdrom image.

[...]

satimis · 09-19-2004, 08:16 PM

HI gypsy_rabbi,

Tks for your advice.

That is what I got. All files in 3 directories merged together, not under 'Direcotry-A', 'Directory-B', 'Directory-C', etc. separately. So in the past I have to do the stupid way copying all of them to a NEW directory for creating ISO image. If there are 40+ directories, it will take a lot of work.

I'm now searching an easy way to eliminate copying steps.

B.R.
satimis

gypsy_rabbi · 09-19-2004, 09:28 PM

Ah, I see. The way you do that is using graft-points. There's more info in the mkisofs manpage and also on these two pages:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/history/195035
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/f...er/029909.html

Basically, you say A=/path/to/A B=/path/to/B etc.

HTH.

satimis · 09-19-2004, 10:28 PM

Hi gypsy_rabbi,

Tks for your further advice.

I solve my problem with -graft-points. It can handle multiple directories, not only one directory, which I did not know in the past.

Now I'm searching how to create a shortcut to execute following command, ON TERMINAL;

mkisofs -R -o Image.iso -J -graft-points -hide-rr-moved dir-A=/path/to/dir-A dir-B=/path/to/dir-B dir-C=/path/to/dir-C

creating an ISO image to a pre-selected directory, say ~/ISO_image/ and with variable for adding additional directories.

TIA

B.R.
satimis

gypsy_rabbi · 09-20-2004, 12:23 AM

Hi satimis,

I'm not quite sure I understand the question. Are you asking how to automate this with an unspecified number of directory arguments and with a variable path to the ISO image?

If so, you might want to check out the following sections in the bash manpage (which is worth flipping through anyway): aliases, functions (shell functions), parameter expansion (specially ##, %%), etc.

So you could have something like this:

Code:

function make_iso_file ()
{
    # first argument is the path to the iso file
    iso_file_path=$1; shift

    # initialize the following loop
    # we're going to build the args to mkisofs, set it to the empty string
    mkisofs_args=""
    # and set the paths variable to all the remaining command-line arguments
    paths="$@"
    # and now iterate through all paths given on the command-line
    for path in $paths
    do
        # for each path given, add the appropriate graft-point to mkisofs's arguments
        mkisofs_args="${mkisofs_args} ${path##*/}=${path}"
    done

    # and now call mkisofs
    mkisofs ....
}

I'm not sure if this is the sort of thing you were asking for. Hope this helps!

satimis · 09-20-2004, 01:56 AM

Hi gypsy_rabbi,

Tks for your assistance.

Quote:

...... Are you asking how to automate this with an unspecified number of directory arguments and with a variable path to the ISO image?

Yes
1) I expect to embed the command to a desktop icon, executed with a click. OR the command to be executed on Terminal with a WORD, e.g mozilla <ENTER> to start Mozilla browser.
2) The directory for keeping ISO image is fixed.
3) Number of directories is variable, i.e further directories can be added in addition to pre-fixed directories
4) Paths to pre-fixed directories fixed. Paths to added directories being variable

Code:

function make_iso_file ()
{
    # first argument is the path to the iso file
    iso_file_path=$1; shift

What is $1? Is it an argument for entry, i.e. requesting to enter the /Path/to/dir-ISO_image. It is fixed. I suppose this line can be erased.

Code:

# initialize the following loop
    # we're going to build the args to mkisofs, set it to the empty string
    mkisofs_args=""

Can I change it to read
mkisofs=/path/to/dir-ISO_image

Code:

# and set the paths variable to all the remaining command-line arguments
    paths="$@"
    # and now iterate through all paths given on the command-line
    for path in $paths
    do
        # for each path given, add the appropriate graft-point to mkisofs's arguments
        mkisofs_args="${mkisofs_args} ${path##*/}=${path}"
    done

Here I'm a little bid confusing. Suppose I have 3 pre-fixed directories, say.
/path/to/dir-A
/path/to/dir-B
/path/to/dir-C

Plus a number of directories to be added later which are variable including their path

Code:

    # and now call mkisofs
    mkisofs ....

Is it the number of dots must be four (4) otherwise 'mkisofs' can't be called.

TIA

B.R.
satimis

gypsy_rabbi · 09-20-2004, 06:48 PM

Hi Satimis,

If you're going to be delving into this stuff I strongly recommend that you read some sort of shell-scripting manual. Check out the appropriate howtos at tldp.org: http://www.google.com/search?q=site%...hell+scripting (TLDP is The Linux Documentation Project). Or even just the section on bash in the O'Reilly Unix in a Nutshell book.

Yes. $1 is the first argument to a function or script, in this case the ISO image file's full path (including filename). You can hardcode that if you like -- if it's not going to change and doesn't need to be a command-line parameter.

The initial value of mkisofs_args can be either blank or the basic stuff that's not going to change (in your case all this: -R -o Image.iso -J -hide-rr-moved A=/path/to/A B=/path/to/B)

The for loop in the function I gave you adds the appropriate graft-point for each additional pathspec that you give the function.

The four dots just indicated "whatever you want to call mkisofs with."

So this might work for you:

Code:

function make_iso_file ()
{
    # initialize the following loop
    # we're going to build the args to mkisofs, set it to the empty string
    mkisofs_args="-R -o Image.iso -J -hide-rr-moved A=/path/to/A B=/path/to/B"
    # and set the paths variable to all the remaining command-line arguments
    paths="$@"
    # and now iterate through all paths given on the command-line
    for path in $paths
    do
        # for each path given, add the appropriate graft-point to mkisofs's arguments
        mkisofs_args="${mkisofs_args} ${path##*/}=${path}"
    done

    # and now call mkisofs
    mkisofs $mkisofs_args
}

Now if you call make_iso_file without any arguments it'll do just the standard thing (A, B, etc.); if you add any more arguments it'll add those into the ISO image as well.

satimis · 09-25-2004, 03:18 AM

Hi gypsy_rabbi,

Tks for your advice and assistance.

Quote:

If you're going to be delving into this stuff I strongly recommend that you read some sort of shell-scripting manual. Check out the appropriate howtos at tldp.org: http://www.google.com/search?q=site%...hell+scripting (TLDP is The Linux Documentation Project). Or even just the section on bash in the O'Reilly Unix in a Nutshell book.

Tks for your advice and links.

Quote:

Yes. $1 is the first argument to a function or script, in this case the ISO image file's full path (including filename). You can hardcode that if you like -- if it's not going to change and doesn't need to be a command-line parameter.

The initial value of mkisofs_args can be either blank or the basic stuff that's not going to change (in your case all this: -R -o Image.iso -J -hide-rr-moved A=/path/to/A B=/path/to/B)

The for loop in the function I gave you adds the appropriate graft-point for each additional pathspec that you give the function.

The four dots just indicated "whatever you want to call mkisofs with."

Noted with tks.

Quote:

So this might work for you:

Code:

function make_iso_file () { # initialize the following loop # we're going to build the args to mkisofs, set it to the empty string mkisofs_args="-R -o Image.iso -J -hide-rr-moved A=/path/to/A B=/path/to/B" # and set the paths variable to all the remaining command-line arguments paths="$@" # and now iterate through all paths given on the command-line for path in $paths do # for each path given, add the appropriate graft-point to mkisofs's arguments mkisofs_args="${mkisofs_args} ${path##*/}=${path}" done # and now call mkisofs mkisofs $mkisofs_args }

I shall perfom follow;

# touch /usr/sbin/make_iso_file
(without extension/argument)

use 'nano' to edit /usr/sbin/make_iso_file
copying your codes to this file and save it.

# chmod +x /usr/sbin/make_iso_file

Run follow to start it
# /usr/sbin/make_iso_file <ENTER>

Then it will popup a window for me to enter addtional directories.

If I'm wrong please advise.

TIA

B.R.
satimis