ZOOM 'portable' - currently @ v5.16.6.....with updater!

[ronriel]

- Restart now : runs restartwm straightaway
- Restart later : exits the script and does nothing. This allows the user to close programs/apps, etc. Just remember to re-start "X" later.....either that, or the entries will show up when you next re-boot.

Excellent!

-ronriel

[keniv]

@mikewalsh

I am hoping to run Zoom on my PC using Fossapup64. I've installed the most up to date version of your portable from the first post in this thread. It opens but seems to get no further. I think the problem might be the webcam I'm using. This has both a USB and a microphone plug which I've connected appropriately. I have tested the camera using guvcview. It does not appear to work in Fossapup but does work in Lucid. The version of guvcview in Lucid is 1.4.1 and that in Fossapup is 2.0.6. I used PuppySysInfo get some info on the camera. Below is the info I get in Lucid.

Code: Select all

VendorID=0c45 ProductID=612c Rev=01.01
Product=USB camera
Driver=sonixj

and this from Fossapup.

Code: Select all

VendorID=0c45 ProductID=612c Rev=01.01
Product=USB camera
Driver=sonixj

As you can see they are identical. The VendorID gives Microdia.
I have also looked for the driver, again using PuppySysInfo, but I can't find it in either Lucid or Fossapup even although the camera works with Lucid. I thought of trying to get another camera which is known to work with linux but as the one I've got does work with Lucid it presumably should work with other versions of linux. Is this perhaps an issue with different kernels?
Can I ask if there is a way to get this type of camera to work with Zoom or do you need the kind of integrated camera that you find in some laptops?

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

....I have also looked for the driver, again using PuppySysInfo, but I can't find it in either Lucid or Fossapup even although the camera works with Lucid. I thought of trying to get another camera which is known to work with linux but as the one I've got does work with Lucid it presumably should work with other versions of linux. Is this perhaps an issue with different kernels?
Can I ask if there is a way to get this type of camera to work with Zoom or do you need the kind of integrated camera that you find in some laptops?

Um; neither, Ken. I think what you perhaps need is simply a newer camera.

There are plenty of cameras listed here:-

http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/

.....by 'Sonix Technology', but yours - 0c45:612c - is not one of them. The very fact of working in Lucid, plus the fact that all Sonix IDs are now 'higher-numbered' than yours indicates to me that there's a strong possibility this was supported by older kernels, but has now been dropped by newer ones in favour of much newer chip-sets.

Lucid's kernel was 2-series. Fossa's is 5-series.....and the 6-series are already out. Go figure.

My Logitech c920 HD 'Pro' has been supported since the 2-series, yet is still supported by the 6-series. I guess the reason for this is that the c920 (and subsequent revisions) have been consistently sought-after for years due to their amazing finish & high-quality components, and have been at the top of many people's wish-lists for several years. Admittedly, I probably wouldn't have bought mine were it not for the fact of being under half-price in the Black Friday sale 3 years ago - these usually sell for around the 3-figure mark - I picked mine up for 47.50, but I HAD been after one for years.....

If the kernel doesn't support it, I doubt you'll find a Linux driver anywhere else for it. Everything on that list is guaranteed to work, because they're ALL supported by the UVC (Usb Video Class) driver.....and that's been in the kernel for quite some time. Plug'n'play for Linux!

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hello Mike,
Thanks for your reply and the information therein. As you say it looks like I need a new camera. Thanks for the link to a very extensive list. I remembered I had one of those cameras which can be used to probe into cavity walls and the like. I bought it to look inside a vintage scooter engine though it came from Banggood so it's hardly of the quality of your webcam. However it does work in guvcview in Fossapup. Here is the output from puppysysinfo for it.

Code: Select all

VendorID=1908 ProductID=2311 Rev=01.00
Manufacturer=Generic
Product=USB2.0 PC CAMERA
Driver=uvcvideo

It seems to use the "UVC (Usb Video Class) driver" you mention in your post. I thought I might be able to use it to test to see if there was a chance of zoom working on my system before I bought a webcam. With the camera connected then running zoom I first get a grey box, which looks like the box that appears when I run the camera with guvcview before the video appears. However, no video appears with zoom and the grey box quickly disappears to be replaced by the image shown below. The trouble is that I have not used zoom so I don't know what to expect when it starts up. Can you tell me what I should see with a working camera and a working zoom.

Regards,

Ken.

[rockedge]

Looks like Zoom is working. Once you set up or join a meeting your camera will start.

[keniv]

Once you set up or join a meeting your camera will start.

As I've never used zoom before I don't know how to do either but my son-in-law uses zoom so I'm hoping to get that information from him. Don't think it would work with the second camera I mentioned as it doesn't have a microphone though I suppose I could use a separate one for testing.

Regards,

Ken.

[rockedge]

I am using a cheap (as in inexpensive) Logitech web cam and a $9 microphone that plugs into the audio device microphone port. Actually works really well.

What happens is your son-in-law will set up a "meeting" and you will get a code meeting number via email that you will put into the input form field after you press the "Join Meeting" button.

Then it will start up. You can then select viewing options, like a grid or individual or pop up when speaking...you'll get the hang of it.

@mikewalsh offers an alternative package to ZOOM called Jitsi that looks easy to use as well.

[keniv]

I am using a cheap (as in inexpensive) Logitech web cam and a $9 microphone that plugs into the audio device microphone port. Actually works really well.

That sounds similar to the webcam I have in that it also a USB and a 3.5mm stereo microphone plug but it has been shown to be too old to work in Fossapup. Would you be good enough to look at your Logiteck webcam/microphone and see if it has a name/number and if it does could you tell me what that is. It would be good to be able to get one that somebody like yourself has told me that it "works really well" in linux using zoom not to mention the fact that it looks like a really good price.
Thanks for the information on how it works.

@mikewalsh offers an alternative package to ZOOM called Jitsi that looks easy to use as well.

I've found Mikes thread on Jitsi and bookmarked it to look at later. However, my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters have many devices between them but they are either windows, iOS or android. Even if Jitsi would run in any of these I don't think they would be keen so I think it's got to be zoom.

Regards,

Ken.

[rockedge]

@keniv I am using a LogiTech C120 Webcam. This camera has worked in every Puppy Linux I've installed using Guvcview or VLC.

Guvcview, VLC, Skype, ZOOM, Jitsi, Zoneminder are some of the programs I've used it with. Though it has no built in microphone, the external mike works fine with it.

This is though an older model but I think there are newer very similar cams. I have a LogiTech Quickcam which is also a circa 2009 model. This camera has been upgraded and is available still but I have had not the same success with it across as many different distro's as the C120 though. Different stream format I believe between the 2 models.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Mm. I agree with Erik. If you're getting a picture in guvcview, then it sounds like it's functioning.....the more so, since PupSysInfo says it's using the uvcvideo driver. That's what you want. That being the case, it should work with most Puppies.

Um; OK. Zoom. Well, it's obviously running OK, since you've got the log-in screen. Now; Zoom is one of those apps.....if you don't have an a/c, you don't get to use it! I'm afraid that's how they've set it up. So; if you don't already have a Zoom a/c, the first thing you're going to need to do is to create one.

You can "join" somebody else's meeting without an a/c, by simply entering the link they will have sent you. You can't, however, initiate your own meetings (which is the only way to really test if your cam works) until you're logged-in.

You can create a Zoom a/c here:-

https://explore.zoom.us/docs/en-us/freesignup.html

(A word of warning. Don't try & sign-up from the log-in screen. It doesn't work in Puppy, and simply jams the app up. Better by far to create an a/c on the Zoom website first.)

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

Once you've done that, and signed-in with the new details you've just set up, you'll see this:-

This is the initial main screen. (It's the shape it is because it's designed for smartphones). From here, you can start your own meeting, or you can join somebody else's meeting. However, before you do anything I would advise clicking on the wee gear icon up the top right corner, and setting-up video & audio as far as you can first.

On the 'Audio' tab, check the box for "Automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting". If you do this, it saves Zoom constantly badgering you with pop-ups, wanting to know if you want to turn your audio on!

Once you've done that as far as you're able, by clicking on the "New meeting" icon, you should get the main meeting window come up, and get the feed from your webcam showing.....

Okay?

When you click on "End meeting", you're back at the initial screen. When you click the 'X' to close this, Zoom is minimized down to an icon in the notification area, over on the right-hand side of the tray. A left-click brings it back up again. To actually exit, you need to right-click->Exit.

Let us know how you get on, please.

Mike.

[keniv]

@rockedge
Thanks for the information on the webcam you're using. I will have a look on the net and see what I can find. I can also check them out against the list to which Mike posted a link. I'm not worried if they have an internal mic. I used to use Skype with a separate mic though this was quite a while ago. I think it was on my wife's machine. The one she had then ran XP or earlier. From what you've said about the LogiTech Quickcam I'm thinking I might be better to avoid this one if it's a bit hit and miss as to whether it works or not. Thanks again for your help with this.

Regards,

Ken.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,
I thing our posts must have crossed when I was replying to @rockedge.

Mm. I agree with Erik. If you're getting a picture in guvcview, then it sounds like it's functioning.....the more so, since PupSysInfo says it's using the uvcvideo driver. That's what you want. That being the case, it should work with most Puppies.

As I've said the camera I was using for this is one of those you use to look down holes. It's about 8mm in diam and about 20mm long. One end is the lens and the other is connected to the cable. I think before I can go any further I'll have to get a proper webcam. I have thought of using tape/bluetack or the like to attach the one I've just described to the top of the screen and align it using guvcview. This would at least give me "proof of concept" Thanks for producing what amounts to a "Tip and Tricks" in starting and using Zoom.

However, before you do anything I would advise clicking on the wee gear icon up the top right corner, and setting-up video & audio as far as you can first.

I did wonder about how this was done as I had to do this in guvcview to get acceptable video (it was a bit yellow though this could have been due to lighting).

you should get the main meeting window come up

Yeah, liked your "main meeting window".

Let us know how you get on, please.

Yes will do though it might be after Christmas now.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

Right, gang.

I've rather neglected this particular portable recently, in favour of using the Chrome "web-app" instead. Anyways....

Here's an update for y'all. The current release, v5.8.6, packed as a Puppy-portable app.

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

Recent versions of this had included two launcher scripts, because Bionicpup64 was always "awkward" where its own Qt5 stuff was concerned. A 'workaround' was found & reported by one of our forum members, whose name I'm ashamed to say escapes me ATM.

Until very recently the two launcher scripts existed because each one was already using multiple "if....then....else" statements anyway, and I didn't know how to combine two or more of these into one. Well, just this afternoon I've learnt all about "nesting' if....then statements, so there's now just a single launcher, which detects if Bionicpup64 is in use and uses the appropriate code to launch it. The 'standard' code launches Zoom in all others....

As always, d/l; unzip; put it where you like, though preferably outside the 'save'. Click to enter, click 'LAUNCH' to fire it up. Scripts permit the addition of a Menu entry from wherever you've located it.

You can find this at the updated link in post #1. Hope it's useful for some of you.

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike,
As I hope to be able to use zoom I thought it best to get the most up to date version. I downloaded and "installed" v5.8.6. I first ran it in Fossapup and the image named zoom-fossapup1.png appeared on the screen. I did not think anything was amiss as this was a new version.

so there's now just a single launcher, which detects if Bionicpup64 is in use and uses the appropriate code to launch it.

As I also had Bionicpup installed I thought I try v5.8.6 with it. However the box which appeared on the screen was the "normal" one which I'd seen before. I the went back to Fossapup and ran zoom again. This time it also came up with the "normal" box (please see zoom-fossapup2.png). As you can see it shows the new version number. I did not have any webcams, working or not, plugged in when I did this. Don't know if this is of any significance but I thought it worth reporting.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Um.....you did uninstall the previous .pet that Oz linked you to first, I take it?

Mike.

[keniv]

Hi Mike,
I didn't have the pet installed but instead had your previous portable installed instead. Before installing your updated portable I renamed the previous portable (I did this as I thought it prudent to keep a working version in case I had problems with the new version) and deleted the the symlink to LAUNCH from the desktop. I made a new one of these to launch the new version of zoom from the desktop.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

I've done a re-write of the "LAUNCH" script this afternoon, for the new release. The original script dated from my very early experiments with "if....then....else" statements, and TBH it was a bit "messy". It worked, but it wasn't very tidy, and was unnecessarily complicated....and I do like to make a neat job of things. Always have.

I'm steadily re-writing a number of portable LAUNCH scripts to clean things up, simplify them as much as possible, and make them more efficient. The K.I.S.S principle works very well for so many things!

So; do me a favour? Download the new version. When you've got the download unpacked, click to enter the Zoom-portable directory, so the LAUNCH script and other stuff is showing. Rt-clk on an empty space->Window->Terminal here. Type in

Code: Select all

./LAUNCH

.....and hit 'Enter'. Do you get the new version showing now?

Mike.

[keniv]

@keniv :-

So; do me a favour? Download the new version. When you've got the download unpacked, click to enter the Zoom-portable directory, so the LAUNCH script and other stuff is showing. Rt-clk on an empty space->Window->Terminal here. Type in

Code: Select all

./LAUNCH

.....and hit 'Enter'. Do you get the new version showing now?

Mike.

Hi Mike,
I got no output following your instructions above to launch the new version of zoom in Fossapup and the "normal" box appeared on the screen. However, I did get the output above when I clicked the cross in the top right hand corner to close the box. I am guessing it's because as I haven't used zoom properly and so I haven't made this file but as I don't know this for sure I thought I'd report it.

Code: Select all

root# ./LAUNCH
rm: cannot remove '/root/.config/Unknown Organization/zoom.conf': No such file or directory

I'll try with Bionicpup and add anything I get as an edit to this post.

Regards,

Ken.

Edit Got the output below with Bionicpup, however , "normal" box did eventually open. Was much slower to open than in Fossapup. Hope this helps.

Code: Select all

root# ./LAUNCH
mkdir: cannot create directory ‘/initrd/mnt/dev_save/Portables/Zoom-portable/CONFIG/.zoom’: File exists
mv: inter-device move failed: '/root/.cache/zoom' to '/initrd/mnt/dev_save/Portables/Zoom-portable/CONFIG/.cache/zoom'; unable to remove target: Directory not empty

[keniv]

One further step along the road with this. My wife bought me a webcam from Tesco. Came with the rest of the shopping. A pretty hit and miss way of getting one but it does work with guvcview in Fossapup. Also has the magic uvcvideo driver (please see below).

Code: Select all

VendorID=0c45 ProductID=62c0 Rev=01.00
Manufacturer=Trust Webcam
Product=Trust Webcam
SerialNumber=Trust Webcam
Driver=uvcvideo

Has it's own mic but I might use a separate one depending on how good the one in the camera is.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

I wouldn't worry about that 'Unknown Organization'' item, Ken. It creates the thing every time it starts, and all it contains is one wee text file.....which contains config information, apparently for business organisations who want to set up permanent large-scale company conference calls. I just let it create the thing, and tell it to delete it again when it shuts down.....simplest way of dealing with it.

(*shrug*)

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
High Mike,
Thanks for the information. I've arranged with my son-in-law to try this over the holidays. I've had a look at the zoom site you linked to in an earlier post here https://explore.zoom.us/docs/en-us/freesignup.html. Just a quick question on this. The opening page of this site looks as if it's for corporate users of zoom. It asks for a "work email". Am I on the correct page? If so, as I am retired, is it OK to enter a normal email address? Is it looking for a gmail address or will any address do? Sorry about the, no doubt, very elementary questions but I know virtually nothing about using zoom.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Yeah, I know; it looks that way, but I just used one of my alternative e-mails - gmx.com, I believe - it was quite happy with that.

I think it comes across the way it does because all these video-chat apps - Google 'Duo', Google 'Meet', Jitsi Meet, Zoom, Skype, etc., etc., have over the last 18 months been heavily promoted as usable by companies with all this work-from-home stuff going on. So, many have re-designed their websites specifically to appeal to company bosses and heads of HR & IT......given them a "professional" makeover, if you like.

Signing-up shouldn't present any issues, Ken. It didn't for me.

Mike.

[keniv]

OK Mike,
Thanks yet again for the information. Very helpful.

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

Afternoon, gang.

After some experimentation, I've discovered that Zoom is another app where the download package always has the same name; perfect for scripting an updater. So, I've modified the update script I put together for the Chrome- and Iron-portables.

All works very nicely, and means you can keep on top of the constant updates to this thing by yourselves. Just make sure to completely shut it down - tray icon, too! - before running the updater. (At least this one tells you itself when it needs updating.)

No need to have to load the devX any more; everything is taken care of & works automatically.

You can find the new version at the usual link in post #1; it's now at the current v5.9.1. Enjoy!

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh
Hello Mike,
I finally got round to testing v5.8.6 in Fossapup. Last night my Granddaughter sent me an "invitation" to join a zoom meeting with an ID and a Passcode. Had some initial problem with the audio in that my Granddaughter could see but not hear me though I could both see and hear her. I tried changing the audio settings in zoom without success. I also tried shutting down changing the mic and starting again but this did not solve the problem. Then I tried alsamixer and saw there were settings for both a front and rear mic. I only have a rear mic but the front mic seemed to be the default. To cut a long story short I used menu>setup>puppy setup> sound>adjust levels to setup my mic and all started to work. Was even able to test it with more than one other person as other members of the family joined in on their machines. One thing that they could do that I could not was to produce a virtual background. As far as I am concerned this is a trivial problem but I would be interested to know if you think it should work. We now intend to have a zoom meeting with other members of the family, around the country, tomorrow night so this should allow a bit more testing. I have downloaded v5.9.1 but will not install it until after tomorrow night.

After some experimentation, I've discovered that Zoom is another app where the download package always has the same name; perfect for scripting an updater. So, I've modified the update script I put together for the Chrome- and Iron-portables.

I think I read in the Google-Chrome thread that it was now not necessary to have an ar.pet installed to update. Can I ask if this is now the case with both the Iron and Zoom portables as well?

Regards,

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

That's correct, Ken. I've built things so that everything necessary is "on-board" (it adds very little in the way of size, and also means it'll work between multiple Pups/machines, especially if run as a true 'portable', i.e., from a flash-drive), and just sym-links into Puppy when required. It's all 'un-linked' again when the updater's finished.

Chrome, Iron and Zoom all work the same way so far as the updater is concerned. I thought Zoom, in particular, would benefit from this because updates are so frequent, and it does at least tell you if it's out of date. No need to look on the web-site to see if a newer one's available.....that information is there at your fingertips.

Mike.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

One further step along the road with this. My wife bought me a webcam from Tesco. Came with the rest of the shopping. A pretty hit and miss way of getting one but it does work with guvcview in Fossapup. Also has the magic uvcvideo driver (please see below).

Code: Select all

VendorID=0c45 ProductID=62c0 Rev=01.00
Manufacturer=Trust Webcam
Product=Trust Webcam
SerialNumber=Trust Webcam
Driver=uvcvideo

Has it's own mic but I might use a separate one depending on how good the one in the camera is.

Regards,

Ken.

Heh. Ken, if this is the camera I think it is, I've just picked myself up one. Tesco were selling them off at £8 apiece, so I thought "Hmmm...."

However; this is not my first brush with the Trino! I picked one up in Morrisons, I think it was.....'bout 3½ years ago. This was a few months before I managed to grab the c920 in that year's Black Friday sale at Curry's PCWorld.

Damn thing was a complete waste of time. I was running the old rig, with the newest Puppy being Xenial64. This is obviously a kernel support issue, 'cos Xenial's k4.9.58 doesn't "see" it..... I'm in jrb's 'lite' spin on Barry's old Quirky April 701 ATM; originally, it came with the Tahrpup k3.14.56 kernel, but I'm running it with Bionic's k4.19.23.....and guvcview is seeing BOTH cams!

(Like I said, the uvc driver might have been in the kernel for a long time, but it's obviously been adding support for more devices as time goes by. The Trino must be a more recent addition to the "supported" list.....)

I gotta confess, it's not a bad picture, either. The only thing it doesn't have is a zoom facility, but I think I can live without that; it's not like it gets used much anyway.

The first Trino, I cannabilized; scrapped the cam, but kept the flexi-grip stand & attached my Microsoft HD3000 to it.....the OE stand on that thing is diabolical. Used it on the old Dell lappie for a long time, though that's since "retired". But I now have 3 of the things.....

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh

Heh. Ken, if this is the camera I think it is, I've just picked myself up one. Tesco were selling them off at £8 apiece, so I thought "Hmmm...."

No your looks better than mine and seems to have a higher resolution. Mine is only 640x480. I've taken a picture of the booklet that came with it using guvcview and the camera then cropped it. It's attached below. As far as yours is concerned for £8 with the right driver you can hardly go wrong.

Regards

Ken.

[mikewalsh]

@keniv :-

Hey, so long as it works, and does what ya want, that ain't to be sneezed at either.

From what I can figure out via some research over the last couple of years, Trust are one of those companies that build exclusively for the Windows market (and sometimes MacOS), and don't even pretend to try & support anything else.

I'm very pleased somebody made the chip in this thing work via the UVC driver module though, I must say..... Either that, or the one I bought today is now using a different chip to the one I bought 3 or 4 years ago.

(*shrug*)

No telling!

Mike.

[keniv]

@mikewalsh

Hey, so long as it works, and does what ya want, that ain't to be sneezed at either.

Well I'm quite happy with it particularly since my wife just bought it because I said I'd need a new one to have a chance of getting zoom working. She had no idea what to buy and bought it from Tesco's website with the shopping. I was just glad it worked. I think the resolution is good enough for what I am likely to be doing with zoom. After using it for the first time on the 28th Dec and again tonight I think I'll already have had my moneys worth out of it though I have to concede you got the better buy.

Regards,

Ken.