From: Michele Andreoli (m.andreoli@tin.it)
Date: Tue Feb 08 2000 - 23:01:18 CET
I was waiting for an acute mind!
On Tue, Feb 08, 2000 at 09:15:27PM +0000, Clive Wright nicely wrote:
> Michele
> I think that your dos installation programme for mulinux
> could make someone very angry. That is if they have an
> important file called "\mit" which install.bat ploughs
> through without warning or creating a backup.
You are right. I considered that. But also NT installer or
other MS installer create temporary directory with names
like $$nt$$ etc. Ok, it's also true that these installers
ploughs the entire disk, but this is another question ...
I can use $$mit$$ but character $$ is dangerous in UNIX
script. I can use %mit%, or "-mit-"?
I think, the problem can arise only if someone install muLinux
at M.I.T. in USA :-)
>In that
> situation you are likely to receive a postcard containing
> much more than a timestamp (whatever that may be - do you
> mean postage stamp?).
"postage stamp"? This is the correct expression? Thanks!
Ok, send me the postage stamp, with a nice postcard (optional).
>Your install.bat file will also fail
> if the drive containing the installation files also contains
> an "\mit\" directory and will have to prompt the user for
> the location of these files.
I provided the old mechanism for that.
> Another solution would be to replace \mit with a file name
> containing special characters and/or an unusual sequence of
> letters eg. "\~qmu.tmp". Of course to do that would also
> require the amendment of your linux scripts. Making it a
> .tmp file is also likely to appease the user who with
> hindsight will probably blame himself rather than you for
> the loss of an important file.
Totally true. I think is OK to use the "~" symbol, widely used
in Windows for temporary material.
> A third solution would be to employ belt and braces (to
> hold ones trousers up) by using both methods eg.
>
> @echo off
> :start
> if exist \~qmu.tmp\nul goto err
> if exist \~qmu.tmp goto err
> cd > \~qmu.tmp
> echo The location of the installation files has been saved
> in: \~qmu.tmp
> rem ------------------------------------------
> rem Insert install.bat minus cd > \mit line here.
> rem ------------------------------------------
> goto end
> :err
> if exist \~qmu.___\nul goto err1
> if exist \~qmu.___ del \~qmu.___
> move \~qmu.tmp \~qmu.___ > nul
> echo The file or directory: \~qmu.tmp required by mulinux
> install
> echo already exists and has been renamed: \~qmu.___
> pause
> goto start
> :err1
> echo The directory \~qmu.___ already exists.
> echo You must rename or remove this directory before mulinux
> install can continue.
> :end
>
> I have outlined the problem and suggested some solutions. I
> leave the rest to you.
>
Azz! The install.bat is growing from 3 rows to 30. I hope another
solution have to exists.
What happens if I put the "-mit-" file in c:\tmp or c:\temp?
Ummm ... maybe, it is not granted this directory as really existent.
Ok, I will remove the stupid "mit" mechanism and will introduce
a better probe. What you mean about that:
# /bin/ls -1d */* | grep /mulinuz ??
The command "/bin/ls -1d */*" shows the list of all x/y things in
the DOS disk. If "grep" succeded, there is (almost) a directory
with the mulinuz kernel in it. Can I assume this as the startup
hard-disk?
What you, acutely, think?
Michele
-- I'd like to conclude with a positive statement, but I can't remember any. Would two negative ones do? -- Woody Allen --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: mulinux-unsubscribe@sunsite.auc.dk For additional commands, e-mail: mulinux-help@sunsite.auc.dk
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