SLINT - The Slackware Internationalization Project

Didier Spaier · 06-27-2017, 11:31 AM

Thanks to Patrick Volkerding the Linux kernel packages have been upgraded to version 4.4.74 for Slackware version 14.2 as a security fix, see for instance the Stable ChangeLog for x86_64.

Slint version 14.2 should be upgraded accordingly, but this needs some manual steps as kernel packages are blacklisted in /etc/slapt-get/slapt-getrc. In what follows, all commands are to be typed in a terminal as root:

Update the packages database:
Code:
```
spi -u
```

Make a regular upgrade:

Code:

spi -U

This command will also list the blacklisted kernel-* packages.You can also list them this way:

Code:

kernels=$(spi -U|grep kernel)
echo $kernels

If you didn't remove any package, the output should look like this for Slint64-14.2 (64-bit):

Code:

kernel-firmware kernel-generic kernel-modules kernel-huge kernel-headers kernel-source

And like that for Slint-14.2 (32-bit):

Code:

kernel-firmware kernel-generic-smp kernel-generic kernel-huge kernel-headers kernel-modules kernel-huge-smp kernel-modules-smp kernel-source

If that seems OK upgrade all these packages with a command like:
Code:
```
spi -i $kernels
```
or just substitute $kernels with the blank separated list of packages to be upgraded.

Then, you must upgrade your bootloader, else Slint won't boot anymore!
If you are running the installed huge kernel do this:
- lilo users, be sure that the correct kernel be referred to in /etc/lilo.conf, then check the output of this command:
  Code:
```
lilo -t -v
```
  then if all goes well type:
  Code:
```
lilo
```
- elilo users, to copy the kernel and possibly the initrd to the EFI System Partition type:
  Code:
```
eliloconfig
```

Notes:

If you are using a generic kernel with an initrd you should rebuild the initrd before running lilo and/or elilo. Remember that to use a "generic" kernel instead of a "huge" one you need an initrd, that should be referred to in /etc/lilo.conf.

Always check that /boot/vmlinuz be a symbolic link to the kernel you want to use before running "lilo" or "eliloconfig".

Didier Spaier · 06-30-2017, 10:14 PM

The method described in the previous post is applicable to upgrade the kernel to version 4.4.75.

WARNING

In the same batch of updates there are upgrades for glibc-*

For some reason spkg (used as backend for spi and slapt-get in Slint) fails to run the post-installation script, that makes the system unusable, cf. this post.

To avoid that you need to do what follows before running gslapt or spi or slapt-get:

Download the new most important glibc-* packages for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit)
Install them with upgradepkg

Instructions for Slint64-14.2 (64-bit), if "uname -m" reports "x86_64":
Type in a terminal

Code:

wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-2.23-x86_64-2_slack14.2.txz
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-solibs-2.23-x86_64-2_slack14.2.txz
su # to become root
upgradepkg glibc-2.23-x86_64-2_slack14.2.txz
upgradepkg glibc-solibs-2.23-x86_64-2_slack14.2.txz

Instructions for Slint-14.2 (32-bit), if "uname -m" reports "i686':
Type in a terminal

Code:

wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-i18n-2.23-i586-2_slack14.2.txz
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-solibs-2.23-i586-2_slack14.2.txz
su # to become root
upgradepkg glibc-2.23-i586-2_slack14.2.txz
upgradepkg glibc-solibs-2.23-i586-2_slack14.2.txz

Didier Spaier · 07-06-2017, 01:10 AM

The WARNING in the previous post still applies. Updated instructions below.

WARNING

For some reason spkg (used as backend for spi and slapt-get in Slint) fails to run the post-installation script, that makes the system unusable, cf. this post.

To avoid that you need to do what follows before running gslapt or spi or slapt-get:

Download the new most important glibc-* packages for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit)
Install them with upgradepkg

Instructions for Slint64-14.2 (64-bit), if "uname -m" reports "x86_64":
Type in a terminal

Code:

wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-solibs-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz
su # to become root
upgradepkg glibc-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz
upgradepkg glibc-solibs-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz

Instructions for Slint-14.2 (32-bit), if "uname -m" reports "i686':
Type in a terminal

Code:

wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-solibs-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz
su # to become root
upgradepkg glibc-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz
upgradepkg glibc-solibs-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz

PS This is of course a workaround, Until we find a real solution I will shortly provide updated slapt-get packages without the patch that makes it relying on spkg. This will noticeably slow down some updates (those that remove packages shipping many files), but better safe than sorry.

mralk3 · 07-06-2017, 02:57 PM

So if you failed like I did at reading the forums or change logs, this is what you need to do on your Slint system to fix things:

Boot up your system with the Slint 14.2 installation disc (or stock Slackware disc)
Select language
Select keyboard mapping
Mount your hard drive partition where Slint is installed, mine was sda2
Code:
```
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
```
Bring up networking as root
Code:
```
dhcpcd eth0
```

Use wget to download glibc && glibc-solibs (as described above):
x86

Code:

cd /tmp
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-solibs-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz

x86_64

Code:

cd /tmp
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz
wget http://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.2/patches/packages/glibc-solibs-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz

Then as root run below:

Code:

ROOT=/mnt removepkg glibc-solibs
ROOT=/mnt removepkg glibc

For x86:

Code:

installpkg --root /mnt /tmp/glibc-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz
installpkg --root /mnt /tmp/glibc-solibs-2.23-i586-3_slack14.2.txz

For x86_64:

Code:

installpkg --root /mnt /tmp/glibc-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz
installpkg --root /mnt /tmp/glibc-solibs-2.23-x86_64-3_slack14.2.txz

Then reboot into your normal system

Thanks to Didier for pointing out that upgradepkg does not work, as it does not ship with the Slackware or Slint ISOs!

bormant · 07-07-2017, 08:50 AM

installpkg also can be launched with:

Code:

ROOT=/mnt installpkg /tmp/...

Reinstalling glibc-solibs is enough to restore. If you don't use glibc then no need to install it. If you use glibc, you can reinstall it after reboot.
And yes, "something-solibs" is only SO-libraries part of "something" package, only one of them is good enough.

Didier Spaier · 07-07-2017, 09:41 AM

In one of the ChangeLogs:

Code:

Friday 07 July 2017
slapt-get-0.10.2t-i586-5slint.txz: Rebuilt.
Use upgradepkg instead of spkg as back end of 'slapt-get --upgrade' to
avoid that upgrading the package glibc-solibs fails.
Install it with these commands:
slapt-get -u
slapt-get -s -i slapt-get # to check the version of the new package
slapt-get -i slapt-get
+-------------------------+

slapt-get -i|--install normally installs a package, but in case an upgrade is available it upgrades it instead.

This comes handy in some situations:

If you want that some package be upgraded before any other (as above).
It allows to upgrade a package blacklisted in /etc/slapt-get/slapt-getrc, as a kernel package.

Didier Spaier · 07-07-2017, 02:11 PM

Thanks to George Vlahavas aka gapan the problem with glibc-solibs is now fixed in spkg 1.1

George has tested the new version in Slint 14.2 (32 and 64-bit.)

The curious among us can see the main commit.

The new spkg packages have been uploaded and should hit the mirrors in the coming hours. Slint users will get them as a regular update.

I also plan to provide as a regular update in a few days slapt-get packages built with spkg as back-end in all cases as previously.

Darth Vader · 07-07-2017, 06:49 PM

Didier, I have a question, which asked me a friend (who do not speak English).

Your SLINT has support for the Chinese? If I understand right, they use a specific keyboard where combination of keys are used to write the ideograms.

Didier Spaier · 07-07-2017, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth Vader

Your SLINT has support for the Chinese? If I understand right, they use a specific keyboard where combination of keys are used to write the ideograms.

Once installed and under X, there is support for the SCIM input method (as in Slackware) and some software are available in Chinese out of the box. For instance Thunderbird has an UI in Chinese if LANG is set to zh_CN.utf8 or zh_TW.utf8 the UI will be in Chinese and the same could be done for Firefox, others need to add a language pack. More on this page in Japanese and for configuration post installation for Japanese for Salix in this other page (I assume that most of the info is also valid for Chinese, and we use the same tools in Slint).

The author of these pages has also uploaded a video of Slint installation and setup for Japanese users. Thanks Keiichi!

During installation in Slint 14.2 Chinese can't be used, as we use a plain Linux console, not a framebuffer terminal. This is an issue for displaying more than for typing, as only alphabetic characters are expected as input. fbterm was included in 14.1 installer but due to some limitations we tentatively renounced to use it for ideographs and complex scripts.

For the future:

A live Slint is in the making, which should allow to make the proper settings in a GUI then install in Chinese and other languages keeping these settings. More on that in a few weeks.
I consider using mlterm during installation in next Slint version, that could allow to use more languages including Chinese, Japanase and Korean. I still have to check the feasibility though.

Didier Spaier · 07-08-2017, 04:50 AM

I forgot to tell:

if you didn't update your system recently, to avoid any issue type as root (before upgrading the system as a whole):

Code:

slapt-get -u
slapt-get -i spkg

PS alternatively, you can update slapt-get (slapt-get -i slapt-get), the effect is the same.

Darth Vader · 07-08-2017, 08:27 AM

Thanks for details, Didier!

So far so good, for this particular "project", the lack of Chinese support in installer would not be a problem, because I would be myself the one which will install Slackware for my Linux rookie friend who speaks Chinese (and fortunately for me, also a bit of Romanian).

Also, I am glad about what I seen supported (in a simple way?) as internationalized packages.

Long story short, this setup would be about "a bare desktop used for checking mails and reading news and/or news sites on web". Then, Thunderbird and Firefox would be stars.

I guess also that going KDE would be safe, as weapon of choice for giving to my friend his Chinese desktop.

Finally, I noticed that your Japanese friend talked about LibreOffice, which looks also a big plus, if it can be Chinese-ized, and probably I need to install too.

Doing further readings, looks like that in this case, the real war is to setup SCIM and the fonts right. True?

PS. This Cyberkit is required in today Slackware? Looks like no. https://giovanni.wordpress.com/2007/...-on-slackware/

Didier Spaier · 07-08-2017, 10:41 AM

You are welcome, Darth. Sorry for the delay in responding, I wanted to taste the food in a VM before serving it.

Choose English (US) as installation language.
You can use cfdisk to format the target device, even if you plan to use UEFI (then choose a gpt, of course)
At end of installation, when asked choose the locale for the new system. I chose zh_TW.utf8. Additional packages will be then installed that fit this choice.

You will get an UI in Traditional Chinese for XFCE , KDE, Calligra and Thunderbird out of the box. Libreoffice will also be installed.

Now, get the updates. In a terminal as root type:

Code:

slapt-get -u
slapt-get -i spkg # You know why, right?
slapt-get --upgrade
dotnew # to take care of the .new files. Or use dotnew-gtk

Remember, kernel packages are blacklisted, so get their updates with "slapt-get -i <package name>". And don't forget to check the link /boot/vmlinuz then to run lilo and/or eliloconfig after that

Then, get the additional packages you need. To find their names, either type "gslapt" as root (or start it from the Slint Control Center, that you can also display typing "qcontrolcenter" as regular user) and use the search feature, or in a terminal type e.g. "slapt-get --search libreoffice". I did this after that:

Code:

slapt-get -i libreoffice-l10n-zh-TW
slapt-get -i mozilla-firefox-l10n-zh-TW

As long as LANG stays set to zh_TW.utf8, the UI of libreoffice and Firefox will be in Traditional Chinese.

For SCIM, just start gtkkeyboardsetup from the Slint Control Center or type the command in a terminal as root (you can also use keyboardsetup) and choose to activate SCIM at startup.

This is enough for the daemon. To display the widget in the tray type in a terminal "scim &".

I do not use it, so having the widget displayed in the tray as soon as X is started is left to the reader as an exercise.

PS 11 July 2017. I forgot this: for SCIM read /etc/profile.d/{scim.sh,scim.csh} and make them executable.

Darth Vader · 07-08-2017, 10:49 AM

Brilliant!

So, my friend asked for the "Mainland" variant, and after a short search, that's would be the usage of zh_CN.utf8, but I guess that beyond that your tutorial would apply literally.

Tomorrow is the day when I would execute this installation, but on this evening I will do a preliminary test on a VM for "training my hand".

Yet, I guess there would not be problems, as I understand at all your brilliant tutorial.

Again, thanks for your efforts, Didier!

PS. Those are the proper ISOs for start the show, right? http://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/sli...int64-14.2.iso and http://slackware.uk/slint/i586/slint...slint-14.2.iso

Didier Spaier · 07-08-2017, 12:13 PM

Yes, those are the proper ISOs. Alternatively you can get them from Sourceforge. Let us know how that goes, suggestions for enhancements are warmly welcome.

Darth Vader · 07-09-2017, 10:10 AM

Didier, I managed to finish this installation of a Chinese desktop for my friend.

In the end, using a standard Slackware 14.2 with updates, initially in English, using KDE and the LibreOffice made by Eric and the single real struggle was with Firefox, where I used an addon for changing the language. In the end, after configuring SCIM, switching to zh_CN.utf8, and a reboot, everything gone fine, at least according with my friend, I have no clue if the texts are proper in Mainland Chinese, as he claim.

This localized installation was much more simple than I thought initially, and I like to thanks very much for your efforts, which made me to figure out about the context of using Asian Languages in Slackware.

BUT, for me, the SLINT, your SLINT is a bit disappointing, and that's why I ended to not using it in the final...

Didier, I consider you a good friend, and permit me to talk like a old Romanian geezer to a old French geezer friend.

Look at the title of this pinned-up thread from the official Slackware forum: SLINT - The Slackware Internationalization Project

One expects from this project a Slackware installer or liloconfig, up to a shiny desktop in Russian, Arabic or Chinese, BUT you push also tools which are not agreed and are not in the "official vision" of Slackware.

What you ship is not a heavy internationalized Slackware, but a derivative distribution loose based in Salix, with graphical tools, with slapt-get, which is by definition a dependency aware package installer, with a package manager written in C/C++.

Please be ensured that I have nothing against those tools, and I have all appreciation for them and their authors effort.

BUT, you assumed a very specific duty: Slackware for those who do not speak English.

Please do this, and get rid off, at least for SLINT, as starting with Slackware initial letter, by slapt-get, slapt-src, spkg, graphical tools and so on.

At least until Patrick Volkerding discover his sudden love for them and adopt them at whole in Slackware.

Long story short: stay close to Slackware, man!