Load additonal SFS on a frugal install? (without save file)

[nexussea]

Hi,

I have a couple SFSs I already downloaded before (dev, 32bit, other apps's sfs, etc) and would prefer to load them at bootup.

At first, I vaguely recall doing the following on a frugal install to load additional SFS:
- edit the menu.lst? (couldn't find it on any partition that is on the frugal install drive, since it's running on a drive)
- copy the sfs where the puppy sfs is? (I vaguely recall this works on other puppies, but unsure since It's been a while, so it's probably wrong on my part)

How can I do that?

Btw, by frugal install on a drive, I do mean I'm using pfix=ram, so everything is loaded to ram, but still installed on the drive where it get loaded at bootup. (and I prefer not to depend on a save file for this if possible)

[williwaw]

Not every dog in the kennel loads them the same way. which in particular are you using?
Is there a utility in the menu for loading additional sfs 's at boot?

[nexussea]

Not every dog in the kennel loads them the same way. which in particular are you using?
Is there a utility in the menu for loading additional sfs 's at boot?

I'm using Fossapup9.5. As mentioned, I know how to load them, with or without a savefile (I probably forgot to mention that actually, my bad).

The problem here is, I only know how to load it without savefile, by using the sfs_load/sfs_loadr command, or in the graphical menu, Sfs load app (which is the same thing anyway).

Here, I want to load the SFS files I already downloaded previously, but by either just moving them to a folder on one of the partition where my frugal install is, or/and just editing some menu entries (not sure if grub or something else) and add them to be loaded at bootup there (without having to rely on savefile)

[HerrBert]

If you don't mind copying the sfs files to your frugal install directory, why not use a wrapper script to load an sfs dynamically?
What comes to mind is something i use since i don't use savefiles anymore...
It's the AppRun of an Application Directory that will load an sfs on demand:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
SFS="OpenOffice-4.1.10-de-x86_64.sfs"

_splash() {
	yaf-splash -close never -timeout 8 -bg white -fg black -margin 20 -fontsize 11 -text "$1" &
}

[ ! -x /opt/openoffice4/program/soffice ] && { _splash "${SFS}"; sfs_load -c ${SFS}; }

exec /opt/openoffice4/program/soffice -nofirststartwizard "$@"

(of course, this is just an example - the code i use here is more advanced...)
This reduced code may also work as a standalone script.
The sfs is not loaded at boot, but it loads with just one mouse click and starts the app similar to an app started from the menu.
Sounds weird?

[williwaw]

If you don't mind copying the sfs files to your frugal install directory, why not use a wrapper script to load an sfs dynamically?
What comes to mind is something i use since i don't use savefiles anymore...............

The sfs is not loaded at boot, but it loads with just one mouse click and starts the app similar to an app started from the menu.
Sounds weird?

Not weird at all. I routinely use scripts I keep in the device top level directory to start apps kept in the same place. Keeping the script and (portable) app outside of any save file allows me to launch the app in any frugal install.

[JASpup]

If you can follow HerrBert's advice, that is the direction you're asking for.

I run live most of the time and haven't used it yet, but Boot Manager is the tool I believe for booting additional .sfs, and it requires a pupsave.

pupsave-required.png (17.16 KiB) Viewed 387 times

Think about the logic: You're trying to boot additional .sfs and you want to run live.

The elegant way to do that is to install your chosen apps into a pupsave and convert it into an alphabet drive.

The compromise is it requires a commitment and changes are not easy. The alternative is a new advanced technique.

I'm loading .sfs semi-manually by script. If you don't mind a small wait and are willing to keep all your .sfs where sfs_load -c wants to copy them anyway, it is a solution with an intermediate step.