Iron 'portable' browser - now at 108.0.5500.0 - 64-bit ONLY (with updater!)

[keniv]

@keniv :-

Quite simple, Ken. SRWare quit building the 32-bit browser after v89. They said, "That's it. 32-bit builds stop HERE. 64-bit ONLY from now on..."

The final 32-bit version is now 'pinned' as a 'legacy' build on their website. I think I warned you a while back this was happening; in fact, I'm sure I did. Yep; here we are:-

http://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.p ... 417#p25417

Yep Mike,
Usually I am looking for 32 bit versions but as you know I've bee trying to move away from my favourite 32 bit pups because of the 32 bit browser issues. In this case the issue is with the 64 bit version of Iron which I was updating. I downloaded the 64 bit version from your link but when I opened it and checked the version it reported as v 89.0.4550.0 and not v 91.0.4650 as the the title of the thread suggests. I then wondered if I'd downloaded the 32 bit version by mistake but I did not think it would have worked in the 64 bit easyOS v2.9 in which I am using it with to make this post. I am pretty sure I'm using the 64 bit version of iron (please see attached image).
Can you tell me if the most up to date 64 bit version of iron is v 89.0.4550.0 (which is the one I've just downloaded from your link) or v 91.0.4650 which is the one mentioned in the title of the thread. I'm sorry if this seems like a stupid question but I am genuinely confused as to whether I should be able to download a 64 bit v 91.0.4650 or not.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

.....

I am SO sorry, Ken. I felt sure I'd uploaded the correct packages to those two cloud folders several weeks ago,
but.....apparently not. So; thanks to your vigilance, the correct, up-to-date packages are now in the appropriate locations.

Try it again (sorry for wasting your bandwidth...)

I knew this would probably happen at some point. I'm maintaining so many packages, plus trying to juggle several commitments here at home, that it's a miracle I don't make more cock-ups than I do!

Apologies all-round, I think....

Mike.

[keniv]

@keniv :-

.....

I am SO sorry, Ken. I felt sure I'd uploaded the correct packages to those two cloud folders several weeks ago,
but.....apparently not. So; thanks to your vigilance, the correct, up-to-date packages are now in the appropriate locations.

Try it again

Hi Mike,
I've just tried again and can report that I have a working v 91.0.4650.0 and am posting from it now. No need for any apologies. I am very grateful to you and others on the forum who maintain and upload packages for people like me to use. I could not do any of this for myself.

it's a miracle I don't make more cock-ups than I do!

Yep, I agree. Given the work that must be involved in doing this plus other things in life it's a wonder that it doesn't happen more often. Thanks for sorting it out.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

Hiya, gang.

FINALLY!!! I was beginning to think the SRWare team had forgotten about us again here in Linux-land. It's once again been almost 3 months since Iron 91 hit the shelves....

Without further ado, here's the Puppy-portable version of v93.9.4750.0, based on Chromium 93.

(As with Chrome, I've left v91 available for those of you running older Puppies. We've reached the limit of my ability to make newer releases compatible with older Puppies; for what the browser now requires, you nearly have to rebuild an older Puppy into a newer one. I ain't going there, I'm afraid. Sorry an' all that.)

------------------------------------------------------

Not much to report, TBH. It's picked up the annoying extra bits'n'bobs from Chromium; the window title bar is back showing by default, until you rt-click on the tab bar and de-select 'Use system title bar & borders'. All the new Chromium 'clones' have now got this; why the Chromium dev team ever thought it a good idea to move this out of the general settings, I'll never know.

There's also the 'Reading List' function, to the right of the 'Other bookmarks' icon on the Bookmarks toolbar. Again, if you want shot of it, rt-click on it and de-select it.

Aside from all this idiocy, everything's as smooth as so much oiled silk, which we've come to expect from the Iron team by now. In that respect, at least, it's all good stuff!

-------------------------------------------------------

As usual, you can find this at the normal link in post #1.

D/l; unzip; move it wherever you want. Click to enter, click the appropriate 'LAUNCH script to fire 'er up. You can add a Menu entry from wherever it's located.

Hasta la vista, mi amigos. Enjoy!

Mike.

[keniv]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the update. Have downloaded and installed v93. Working in Bionicpup, EasyOS 2.9 and Busterdog.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

Evening, gang.

Now then; following successful implementation of an included updater script in my Chrome-portable builds, I've managed to obtain a correct download URL for the SRWare Iron .deb packages. Accordingly, I've whipped up a similar updater script for the 64-bit Iron browser, which appears to work every bit as effectively.

This is only for the 64-bit browser package. There is no point in building one for the 32-bit version, because this has been pinned at version 88, and labelled "legacy". It will not be receiving any further updates, so a script would be a complete waste of time.

Apart from Chrome, Iron is the ONLY other Chromium-based 'clone' where the download package constantly retains the same name all the time. It's only this retention that enables the script to work effectively.

All the other 'clones' either obscure the actual download URL via multiple redirects, or else the package name changes to reflect the version number with every release. So this is the only other one I shall be able to do this with. But, as the saying goes, "Every little bit helps....." (and if you guys can perform your own updates, even manually, then it'll help to cut down on my workload!)

-------------------------------------------------------

PLEASE NOTE:- Before running the updater, the devX SFS package will need loading. This is because the "ar" utility used by the update script is part of the binutils package.....which in turn is part of the devX.

Puppy's default dpkg-deb can't really be used very much longer.....not without being re-compiled. Debian are very soon moving to a new type of compression for their .deb packages, and Puppy's default version will soon no longer work until it's been re-built on a per-Pup basis. Besides, every command-line tutorial I investigated when formulating the original Chrome updater recommends "ar" as the preferred utility for unpacking .deb packages. Dpkg-deb doesn't often get mentioned, if at all.

Every Puppy does have access to "ar".....by loading the devX SFS. Which is very simple to do in Puppy, and takes no time at all really.

---------------------------------------------------

The current release, v93, has been re-packed with the addition of the new updater script, and will be found at the usual link in post #1.

Hope y'all find this useful...

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,
Have installed v93.0.4750.0 and have it working on Busterdog, EasyOS 2.9, Fossapup, Bionicpup and Slako. Posting from it now.

PLEASE NOTE:- Before running the updater, the devX SFS package will need loading.

I have had to load the devx.sfs to do things before though currently I can't remember why so I think you could deduce I don't have a lot of experience using them. Here come the potentially stupid questions.
1. I presume I only need to have the devX.sfs for one of the above OS as the "update" will become part of the portable and all the above OS use the same portable. Is this correct?
2. I thought of using the devX.sfs from Fossapup as it is up to date and seems popular (though I have not found it yet). Is this version OK?
3. I assume I can load it using "SFS Load on the fly" when it's needed for an update then unload it again. Is this correct?
4. Will Iron come up with "an update is available" or do I check in "About Iron" or do I have to check on the Iron website from time to time?

Regards,

Ken.

[mikeslr]

@mikewalsh
... Here come the potentially stupid questions.
1. I presume I only need to have the devX.sfs for one of the above OS as the "update" will become part of the portable and all the above OS use the same portable. Is this correct? Yes.
2. I thought of using the devX.sfs from Fossapup as it is up to date and seems popular (though I have not found it yet). Is this version OK? Yes, if sfs-loaded into Fossapup. I think devx's are "Puppy-specific" and am almost certain they are 'kernel-specific' Edit. Had second thoughts. Hopefully, someone who knows will respond. I updated google-chrome using Bionicpup64 with its devx.sfs loaded.
3. I assume I can load it using "SFS Load on the fly" when it's needed for an update then unload it again. Is this correct? Yes. And it unloaded without any complications.
4. Will Iron come up with "an update is available" or do I check in "About Iron" or do I have to check on the Iron website from time to time? Probably the latter. You'll recall the Iron doesn't rush to constantly update. I suspect a small staff with little free time for non-essentials. But that may also lead them to 'automation' so they don't have to update their Web-site.

Regards,

Ken.

Regard, T'other Mike, standing in for MikeWalsh who IIRC is about to be shot. On second thought, 'standing in' may not be my best idea.

[mikewalsh]

@mikeslr / @keniv :-

About to be shot...huh?? Coo. Damn me. There's gratitude for ya....

Ken:-

Mike's answered what you need to know. Yes, the update does become part of the portable - the "iron64" directory is the only bit that's updated, anyway. Nothing else is touched. I'll just add this; it doesn't matter which Puppy you're in when updating (obviously, it needs to be A 64-bit Puppy), so long as you use that Puppy's devX package. As Mike says, however, unlike some SFSs - which complain about not being able to unload (for whatever reason) - I, too, have never known a devX refuse to unload when asked to do so. In that respect, they're usually as good as gold.

Rt-click->SFS load-on-the-fly will work. Simply left-clicking on it will also bring the same dialogs up, and guide you through the load or unload process, whichever applies.....

It's a little bit of extra messing-about, perhaps, but I feel it's worth it to give folks a bit more control over (and responsibility for) their own updates, instead of waiting for somebody else to produce the packages for you. And it gives me a bit more breathing-space, an' all.....along with giving me more time for other stuff).

Best place to check for updates is the SRWare Iron forums, here:-

https://www.srware.net/forum/index.php

You'll find the Iron forums near the top of the main page. (You'll want the English language one, obviously; they also have German & Russian language Iron forums too). Once you've entered here, you'll usually find sticky notifications of new releases near the top of the Iron forum page; they produce Iron for Windoze, Mac, Linux and Android. The main forum has other items, too, because they also produce their own WAMP & LAMP packages (server stuff).....for those wanting to do the same kinda thing that Erik does in running the forums for us.

Hope that helps anyhow.

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikeslr

Regard, T'other Mike, standing in for MikeWalsh who IIRC is about to be shot. On second thought, 'standing in' may not be my best idea.

Hi T'other Mike
Thanks for answering my questions. Perhaps @mikewalsh will be glad that he didn't have to answer, what I am sure some must see as pretty dumb questions, for a change.

Probably the latter. You'll recall the Iron doesn't rush to constantly update.

Yes, I'll wait for a while before I check for updates. At least I'll be ready to update when the next one comes along.

Regards,

Ken.

Edit: I downloaded the devX.sfs for Fossapup 9.5 using Install>Install Applications>Choose an SFS file from the official repro. I then loaded it. The attached image shows what I got. Can you suggest which of the three buttons in the image I should select to "run" in order to use the Iron updater. I tested that the devX.sfs unloaded and this seemed to work OK.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
I think our posts may have crossed. Thanks for all the information.

It's a little bit of extra messing-about, perhaps, but I feel it's worth it to give folks a bit more control over (and responsibility for) their own updates, instead of waiting for somebody else to produce the packages for you. And it gives me a bit more breathing-space, an' all.....along with giving me more time for other stuff).

I'm quite happy to be able to do this little bit of "updating" for myself and I'm glad this takes a bit of the workload away from you. I always feel slightly guilty that I have largely to rely on others to produce most of the stuff I use. The only thing I feel I can do is test the stuff I use from the non-expert point of view and report back.
Have just used your link and found SR Ware Iron Support in English and have included it in bookmarks bar.

Thanks again,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

With regard to loading an SFS, do what I do. Especially with the devX.

I don't think I have ever started any SFS package immediately from the 'load' window. I always hit the 'Quit' button, then go to see if there's a Menu Entry, and if it'll start from that.

This is all the more true for the devX SFS. It's not an application, per se, that you hit the 'Run' button and it starts doing something. It's a collection of all the required utilities, etc, that could possibly be needed for carrying out any kind of development work, including compiling, programming, background odds'n'ends, anything that can be used to help the user achieve a finished product of some kind.

When you've loaded the devX, and it asks what you want to do, just hit the 'Quit' button. Puppy will be aware the development tools are there, 'cos it will find them if, as & when it needs them. If it can't find them, I guarantee you'll soon know all about it!

So; load the devX, and hit the 'Quit' button. Open the portable, and run the updater script. When it tells you it's finished - and you've checked the version number, naturally! - unload it again, since you're now finished with it. Simples!

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
OK Mike, thanks again for the information and a comprehensive explanation. The "irony" of all of these questions is I can't just go ahead and update Iron until there's an update but I think at least I'm ready to do it when one comes along.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

'Kay, gang. It's update time.

For those of you running the current portable - with updater - shut it down first. Load your DevX, then run the update script. After this, you can unload the DevX again.....and fire up the new version!

If you're not running the portable with updater, download it from the link in post #1. Once you've unpacked it & put it where you want, load your DevX & run the updater first. Then unload your DevX, and you can launch the new release.....

We're now at Iron v96.0.4900.0.

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,

'Kay, gang. It's update time.

For those of you running the current portable - with updater - shut it down first. Load your DevX first, then run the update script.

I followed your instructions. When I clicked on UpdateIron! the .deb was downloaded. After a short while a box appeared telling me that the update was taking place. After this a green box appeared telling me the update was complete. I thought all looked good. I started Iron and went to "About Iron" to check the version which was shown to be 96.0.4664.45 and not 96.0.4900.0. So it looks to me as if it has not updated or that "About Iron" is not reporting the version correctly. Is there another way to check the version?

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Hiya, Ken.

Nah, I wouldn't worry. It's showing exactly the same for me.

It's been released on the SRWare website as 96.0.4900.0, but for the first time ever I think they've forgotten to edit the version details! What you're seeing is the version of Chromium this build has been based on, so it's definitely v96.

I might drop the devs a line on their forum, to point out that they've forgotten this ONE small detail.....

It's unquestionably a new version, 'cos there's certain features that have only been present since Chromium 95; Iron 93.0.4750.0 didn't have them. It's their boo-boo, so nothing to worry about.

I may enjoy this. It's not often you can make a developer eat humble pie..! Although I can sympathise; it's easy to forget stuff when you've got a lot on your plate..... (I do it all the time! )

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,

Nah, I wouldn't worry. It's showing exactly the same for me.

It's been released on the SRWare website as 96.0.4900.0, but for the first time ever I think they've forgotten to edit the version details!

Thanks for the above information. I was beginning to get paranoid as everything I've tried recently I seem to have had a problem with.

Although I can sympathise; it's easy to forget stuff when you've got a lot on your plate

Yep, I agree with that.

Regards,

Ken.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,
I've just read your last post about an "ar" .pet here.
viewtopic.php?t=4673

What I've built here are .pet packages that will install the 'ar' utility (+ dependencies) into each of the main successive 'flagship' releases.....Tahr64, Xenial64, Bionic64 & Fossa64. This is all that's needed for the Chrome/Iron-portable 'updater' to work, and will obviate the need to load the devX in order for the updater to function & do its job.

As you know I used Fossapup with it's devx.sfs loaded to update to the most recent version of your Iron portable. Am I right in thinking that If I install this .pet in Fossapup I would not need to load the devx.sfs to update any of your portables based on Chrome that have an updater? I think that's what you've said in the quote above. I just want to double check.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Yep, that's right, Ken. Since the updater makes use of 'ar', this .pet will give you what's needed for it to work, instead of having to load the devX every time.

I tested these in each respective Puppy last night, running each one in pristine trim with "pfix=ram". In every case, the 'test' version of Chrome 93 - the first one to contain the update script - upgraded flawlessly.

----------------------------

Dpkg-deb & ar are closely linked together, since they're both .deb package utilities. However, dpkg-deb has got to be updated by someone that is good at compiling, and really knows what they're doing.....and that ain't me, I'm afraid.

It's going to need doing sooner or later; dpkg-deb is the general-purpose, cover-all-the-bases .deb extraction/installation utility. Ar, it seems, is more for extraction than anything else....but it's all that's needed for the portable-browser updater.

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh

Yep, that's right, Ken. Since the updater makes use of 'ar', this .pet will give you what's needed for it to work, instead of having to load the devX every time.

Thanks Mike,
I've downloaded and installed the fossa version of your .pet. I think I'll keep the devx.sfs but unloaded just in case I ever need it again.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikeslr]

Iron remains my favorite among the 'chromium-clones'. The only fault I've found with it is that it did not have a builtin "undo closed tab" tool. Not infrequently, having several tabs open, I've clicked the 'x' in the wrong tab.
Well, adding this "Undo Closed Tabs Button" https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... e-ntp-icon works fine. Remember to 'pin' it to your tool bar.

[Amaponian]

I'm new testing this Iron Portable Browser.
I followed the steps, but my LAUNCH file doesn't seem to launch anything.
I run it from the terminal and got this error:

Code: Select all

[1216/202354.980770:ERROR:icu_util.cc(249)] Couldn't mmap icu data file
/tmp/runinterminal-29968: line 3: 29973 Trace/breakpoint trap   "/root/Downloads/DATA/Iron-portable64/LAUNCH"
Script completed hit RETURN to close window.

Maybe a common known error happening to a beginner?
Help to fix it would be appreciated.
Greetings from Venezuela.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,
After updating portable googlechrome and firefox (both 64 bit) it struck me that I had not updated portable iron for a while. I went to the directory and clicked on UpdateIron. All seemed to go well in that the .deb file downloaded, the box with something like "updating" appeared followed a bit later by something like "update complete enjoy using the update". However, when I clicked on LAUNCH nothing happened. I then right clicked in the directory and chose Window>Terminal Here and ran ./LAUNCH. the output is shown below.

Code: Select all

./LAUNCH
./LAUNCH: line 14: /initrd/mnt/dev_save/Portables/Iron-portable64/iron64/chrome: No such file or directory

The files contained in the Iron-portable directory are shown below. Have you any ideas as to whats gone wrong here?

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Don't see an attachment, Ken. Anyway, if you're on Iron 97.0.4950.0 then you're still on the current one.....they haven't yet updated the Linux version since mid-January.

Looking through the updater and the Iron forums, I notice one small change; they've now gone fully "https", so I don't know if that would affect the download. (Open the UpdateIron! script with Geany; on line 12, change

Code: Select all

wget http://www.srware.net/downloads/iron64.deb

.....to read:-

Code: Select all

wget https://www.srware.net/downloads/iron64.deb

.....instead.)

I may need to re-write the Update script to include a 'sanity check', see that the download actually exists before letting it proceed. We had to do this with the Chrome one, so it's possible that mod is needed here.

Let me see a screeny of those files, will you?

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike

Don't see an attachment, Ken.

Yep, my bad. Took a shot of it but forgot to attach it. Have renamed it as Iron-portable_directory1 and attached it. It does not seem to have the iron64 directory contained within it after the update. Have downloaded and installed the version from your first post. It is v 96.0.4664.45. I'm posting from it now. I've attached it as Iron-portable_directory2. It does have the iron64 directory contained within it. I'll save a copy of v 96.0.4664.45 then make your suggested changes to the UpdateIron! script then attempt to update to v 97.0.4950.0 and report back.

Regards,

Ken.
Edit: Made the change to the UpdateIron! script then updated. All worked as normal. I'm now posting from v 97.0.4950.0. Thanks again for your help with this.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Hm. Yeah; amazing the difference a single letter can make, isn't it? Mind you, that's something Linux users are used to....

Long as you're sorted, that's all that really matters.

Mike.

[mikewalsh]

Afternoon, gang.

Now then; AT LONG LAST, the new version of Iron for Linux has finally been released.....after very nearly 5 months!! Actually, this was a week ago, but I've got so fed-up with checking the site and not finding anything, I don't look so often anymore.

Version 101.0.5150.0 is based around Chromium v101. All you need to do is to shut Iron down, then go into your Iron-portable directory.....and run the updater script. That's it. You should soon have a fully-functional NEW release of Iron!

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the heads up on the update which I've just done. I'm posting from it now. Have note done much testing but it seems to be working as normal.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

Afternoon, gang.

I'm posting an update to the Iron-portable64 package after a LONG hiatus. With the Updater mechanism now taking care of new versions as they arrive, that side of things doesn't need refreshing.

I'm posting this new version due to the recent requirement for some additional libs which are needed for the thing to run. Hence, v108.0.5500.0 has now been uploaded to the usual location.....so you'll just need to download this one, then the updater should take care of it after that. (Remember, this one doesn't auto-check like the Chrome & Edge versions will, so you need to check the SRWare forum page from time to time. Or, you can simply run it periodically when you think about it, and it WILL fetch the current version and install it.)

---------------------------------------------------

Download from the link in post #1. Usual caveats apply:-

• Download

• Unzip

• Place it wherever you want, though outside the 'save' IS preferable

• Click to enter

• Click 'LAUNCH' to fire it up

The usual scripts will add/remove a Menu entry if one is required.

Enjoy!

Mike.

[mikeslr]

Great job building version 108.xxx, Mike. Not only has the problem I emailed you about under Fossapup64-9.6 evaporated, but for the first time since version 93 Bionicpup64 can run the current Iron. I'm posting from F96 using Iron 108xxx now.

Version 108.xxx accepted the PROFILE from my prior Iron.