On Sun, 26 May 2002 23:26:21 +0200
Hans Ottevanger <hansot@iae.nl> wrote:
> Randy Pratt wrote:
> >
> > When I configure XFree86(4.2.0) using the sysinstall options, it
seems to always
> > produces an error messages that the XFree86 Configuration process
seems to have
> > failed when it tries to test the configuration. However, when I
exit sysinstall
> > and use the configuration file that was produced, it works. This
leads me to
> > think that its not a configuration issue.
> >
> > I'm beginning to wonder if anyone has gotten XFree86 configured
successfully
> > using sysinstall. I'd appreciate confirmation that it has been
used to configure
> > XFree86 without problems using sysinstall.
> >
> > My concern is that when a new user attempts to install and runs
into this,
> > they're going to give up.
> >
> > I'd appreciate any comments on this since I'm trying to update the
> > handbook/install section for 4.6-RELEASE. It makes it pretty
difficult to document if I can't seem to make it work.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Randy
> >
>
> When using sysinstall to configure XFree86 in 4.6-RC2, I found that
the
> results of both the graphical and ncurses based config programs need
> some tweaking to
> be acceptable. And indeed, both config options produce error
messages
> and make sysinstall fail over and over, just like you found, and as
far
> as I know, this has nothing to do with the configuration.
>
> I have taken a look in the source code and found that sysinstall
assumes
> that XF86Config is written into /etc, while the graphical and
ncurses
> based programs by default save XF86Config in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11 and
> /etc/X11, respectively. As an additional complication, the ncurses
based
> config program assumes that the directory /etc/X11 exists, so you
must
> create it manually, if it is not there (like with a fresh install).
This is where a large part of the problem is at. Typically, a user
will
think (as did I), that accepting a default location is okay. If
all of the configuration utilities are forced to write to
/etc/XF86Config,
sysinstall will work as it is written.
> You can choose other locations in both config programs, but I tried
to
> change sysinstall to look for XF86Config in the alternative
locations
> (added some code at line 709 in
/usr/src/release/sysinstall/config.c),
> and now my sysinstall continues with the desktop selection after X
> configuration, as it should. Of course, all this does not help
during a
> fresh install.
I also tried a modification to this area and got sysinstall to accept
the default location of xf86config (/etc/X11/XF86Config).
> I share your concern about new users just giving up, and I think
> sysinstall needs to be updated, and at least somewhat tested before
> 4.6-RELEASE hits the streets.
An alternative might be to add a message to indicate that the
configuration
file should be written to /etc/XF86config although this might take
more space
than just having sysinstall check for different locations. I'm not a
proficient coder so I'm not one to make this call.
I really appreciate your taking the time to look at this and confirm
what I
was seeing. I had one other private reply in which they seen the same
issue.
Thanks!
Randy
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