How to create a Tagfile for Slackware?

Aquarius_Girl · 01-10-2011, 10:27 PM

Having a habit of reinventing the wheel and inspired by the following quote from this link,

Quote:

Customized Slackware install CD-
1) Obtain/make an ISO image(s) of the Slackware Install CD(s).
2) Using an ISO Editor program, edit each tagfile as you wish.
3) Burn new Install CDs from your modified ISO images.
4) During Slackware installation, choose "CUSTOM" as your install method.
5) Go get a beer because the install does the rest.

I decided to create my own custom Tagfile!

I downloaded ISO Master 1.3.8, installed it successfully and opened the Slackware 13.1 ISO from it.

-There in the folder titled 'Slackware', I found various other folders titled 'a', 'ap', 'd', so on and so forth.
-Inside the folder 'a', there were various files e.g. aaa_base-13.1-i486-2.txt and this is what the file in question contained:

Code:

aaa_base: aaa_base (Basic Linux filesystem package)
aaa_base:
aaa_base: Sets up the empty directory tree for Slackware and adds an email to
aaa_base: root's mailbox welcoming them to Linux. :)  This package should be
aaa_base: installed first, and never uninstalled.
aaa_base:
aaa_base:
aaa_base:
aaa_base:
aaa_base:
aaa_base:

Now the question is:
How I am supposed to edit the Tagfile?
Where is the Tagfile?
Please give an example or a link which demonstrates this.

Aquarius_Girl · 01-10-2011, 10:41 PM

I have just found the Tagfile, it was at the end of the long list, in the same folder 'a'.

BUT I can't edit it??

The terminal shows:

Quote:

ISO Master warning: failed to open config file for reading, trying to create

Perhaps this is a software issue and needs a new thread.

Richard Cranium · 01-11-2011, 01:28 AM

I created a Slackware package for ISO Master, installed it, downloaded a slackware iso image and was able to edit the tagfiles in it without error messages or problems. Perhaps you need to configure an editor for ISO Master in Tools -> Options.

Aquarius_Girl · 01-11-2011, 01:33 AM

Thanks Richard,

Tools->Options->Editor

Default editor was "mousepad" which is not present on OpenSuse, I changed it to "Kwrite", and that did the trick! How could I have guessed that with that error message???

Aquarius_Girl · 01-11-2011, 01:40 AM

I also want to know that when I edit the Tagfile, how should I check whether I have not damaged the ISO file unknowingly?

Richard Cranium · 01-13-2011, 12:36 AM

You can mount it on a loop device to see if it is OK.

See section 3.1.2 in the file /usr/doc/Linux-HOWTOs/CD-Writing-HOWTO

Aquarius_Girl · 01-13-2011, 12:41 AM

Thanks Richard, for following up

I'll try that and post back!

NoStressHQ · 01-13-2011, 04:12 AM

Well just an idea: why just not mirror the slackware repo, and edit the tag simply in that directory and then make an ISO ? (You're even not forced to do an ISO if you install from the local repo...)

Dunno if it can help, but I'd do this way, instead of "hacking an ISO" which is overkill IMHO.

lumak · 01-13-2011, 09:33 AM

Honestly, when messing with personal tag files, I find it best to use a Boot only network installer iso for slackware. Have all the install files already on the computer or accessible over some form of network interface. Then have all your tag files in a completely separate tree with all the sub folders a ap d etc.

Each one should have a customized tag file for that directory. Then the installer gives you the option to setup the location of the tag files. Again, either a premounted network share or locally on the computer... and mounted to the installers filesystem.

Each tag file should contain either <pkgname>:ADD or <pkgname>:SKP... IF you want an unattended install. otherwise you have to sit there with the installer and answer yes or no to each package that is otherwise.... Unless you copy your tag files back over the source tag files, then you get the menu to answer on every package. But I don't recommend replacing the source tag files because if you rsync your files with the server or some other stuff, then your files will be changed back. If you always keep them separate in their own place, you don't have to recreate them next run, only change them for the new packages.

Aquarius_Girl · 02-04-2011, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoStressHQ

instead of "hacking an ISO" which is overkill IMHO.

Thanks for replying, but that hacking method has been advised in the link of the first post here from the slackwiki.org!

lumak,

Thanks to you for the detailed post, but I must admit, I didn't understand much of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumak

I find it best to use a Boot only network installer iso for slackware.

Now, what is a boot only network installer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumak

Have all the install files already on the computer or accessible over some form of network interface.

I have an ISO DVD, is that what you meant here?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumak

Then have all your tag files in a completely separate tree with all the sub folders a ap d etc.

I can keep them in a pen drive?

Smokey_justme · 02-05-2011, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul

Now, what is a boot only network installer?

In simple terms: It's an installer that just boots your computer, enters the setup and asks where the install files are. It is small because it doesn't contain the actual slackware packages.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul

I have an ISO DVD, is that what you meant here?

No. He means that you should have your files ready on another partition that you don't intend to format when setting up slackware or on another computer on your network. You just need the "slackware" directory tree (the one that contains "a", "ap", etc).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul

I can keep them in a pen drive?

Actually, yes.. You would just have to mount your pen drive when installing. I'm not actually sure if this is now done automatically but if it isn't you can just switch to a different console (e.g. by pressing ALT + F2) during setup and mount it (I recomend creating a new directory in "/" and mount in that one -- it's just safe not to mount in any existing directory). Afterwhich you just select that directory as your source when asked. This is by far the most elegant way to keep a slackware installation with customized tagfiles, in my opinion.

Aquarius_Girl · 02-05-2011, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey_justme

No. He means that you should have your files ready on another partition that you don't intend to format when setting up slackware or on another computer on your network. You just need the "slackware" directory tree (the one that contains "a", "ap", etc).

Thanks for replying, did you mean here that I should keep the tagfiles folder on a separate partition?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey_justme

Actually, yes.. You would just have to mount your pen drive when installing. I'm not actually sure if this is now done automatically but if it isn't you can just switch to a different console (e.g. by pressing ALT + F2) during setup and mount it (I recomend creating a new directory in "/" and mount in that one -- it's just safe not to mount in any existing directory). Afterwhich you just select that directory as your source when asked. This is by far the most elegant way to keep a slackware installation with customized tagfiles, in my opinion.

Thanks for the information,
I was thinking of burning another ISO disk with the new tagfiles, but your said method seems also easy!

Smokey_justme · 02-06-2011, 12:37 AM

Your tag files need to be with the packages. So if you choose to hold the slackware directory (the one with the "a","ap",etc. -- with all the actual packages) on a another partition, the tag files should also be there (each of the "a","ap, etc. directory should have one tagfile). If you choose to hold the slackware directory on a pen drive, the tag files should be on the pen drive. It all depends on how you want to do the install.

P.S. Try it once or twice.. It will get clearer afterwards.

Aquarius_Girl · 02-06-2011, 02:24 AM

Smokey_justme,

I am thankful to you for explaining the details, but I'll understand more clearly what you have said when I have that ISO with me which will be tomorrow, I'll soon bug you again

Slax-Dude · 02-06-2011, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey_justme

Your tag files need to be with the packages. So if you choose to hold the slackware directory (the one with the "a","ap",etc. -- with all the actual packages) on a another partition, the tag files should also be there (each of the "a","ap, etc. directory should have one tagfile). If you choose to hold the slackware directory on a pen drive, the tag files should be on the pen drive. It all depends on how you want to do the install.

P.S. Try it once or twice.. It will get clearer afterwards.

Not quite so.
The tagfiles don't need to be on the same directory (much less the same partition) where the packages are located.

The tagfiles do need to be located within the same directory structure as the packages ("a", "ap", etc...).

All you have to do is create that directory structure on a pen drive and put your tagfiles in it, then boot the slackware cd / dvd and mount your pen drive and point to it using the "tagpath" option on the installer.

I do agree with NoStressHQ and lumak that putting the tagfiles on a separate media (pen drive, a network share or in my case a web server) is much simpler than editing an .ISO file and re-burning it (which would be overkill IMHO).

Once again, if you don't want to go through the trouble of creating the directory structure with your tagfiles in it, use mine by unpacking the file into your pen drive and edit the tagfiles to suit your needs.