6 grml-live - build process script for generating a (grml based) Linux Live-ISO
10 grml-live [-c <classe[s]>] [-t <target_directory>] [-F] [-h|--help]
12 *******************************************************************************
13 Important! grml-live is under heavy construction, your feedback is highly
14 appreciated. This document is growing as requested. If you have questions which
15 aren't answered by this document yet please let me (mika@grml.org) know!
16 *******************************************************************************
21 grml-live provides the build system for creating (a grml based) live-cd. The
22 build system is based on link:http://www.informatik.uni-koeln.de/fai/[FAI]
23 (Fully Automatic Installation).
25 FAI uses a class based system. This gives you the flexibility to choose the
26 packages you would like to include on your very own Linux live-cd without having
27 to deal with all the details of a build process.
29 CAUTION: grml-live does not use /etc/fai for configuration but instead provides
30 and uses /etc/grml/fai. This ensures that it does not clash with default FAI
31 configuration and packages, so you can use grml-live and FAI completely
35 Please notice that you should have a fast network connection as all the Debian
36 packages will be installed via network. If you want to use a local mirror
37 (strongly recommended!) checkout
38 mkdebmirror (see /usr/share/doc/grml-live/examples/mkdebmirror)
39 debmirro(1) and reprepro(1) (check out
40 /usr/share/doc/grml-live/examples/reprepro/ for a sample configuration).
41 To avoid downloading of the base system check out FAI's
42 NFSROOT (check docs for ../fai/nfsroot/live/filesystem.dir/var/tmp/base.tgz).
49 Specify the CLASSES to be used for building the ISO via fai. By default only
50 the classes GRML and I386 are assumed, resulting in a small base system (being
51 about ~150MB ISO size).
53 -t **TARGET_DIRECTORY**::
55 Output directory of the build process of FAI - being the chroot
56 used for building the ISO.
60 Force execution and do not display summary of configuration details.
64 Display short usage information and exit.
66 additional_arguments_for_fai::
68 Any additional argument(s) to grml-live will be given to the FAI commandline
69 (being basically "fai dirinstall ...). This might become a temporary solution
70 (due to security reasons), if you need an option please let us know so we can
73 How to get your own live-cd - the easy, fast and simple way
74 -----------------------------------------------------------
76 To get a small, Debian-stable and grml based live-cd:
78 # TARGET="/grml/grml_uncompressed"
79 # CDDIR="/grml/grml_cd"
80 # grml-live -c GRML -t $TARGET
81 # mksquashfs $TARGET/* $CDDIR/live/grml.squashfs -noappend
83 # mkisofs -V "my personal grml" -l -r -J -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 \
84 -boot-info-table -c boot/isolinux/boot.cat \
85 -b boot/isolinux/isolinux.bin -o /grml/grml.iso .
87 (TODO: provide the content of /grml/chroot/grml_cd through the package
88 grml-live, in the meanwhile get the content from a current grml-ISO)
93 grml-live uses FAI and its class based concept for adjusting configuration
94 according to your needs. This gives you flexibility and strength without losing
95 the simplicity in the build process.
97 The main and base class provided by grml-live is named GRML. It's strongly
98 recommended to **always** use the class GRML when building an ISO using
99 grml-live as well as the architecture dependend class (being 'I386' for x86_32
100 currently only). The following files and directories are relevant for class GRML
103 /etc/grml/fai/config/scripts/GRML/
104 /etc/grml/fai/config/debconf/GRML
105 /etc/grml/fai/config/class/GRML.var
106 /etc/grml/fai/config/hooks/instsoft.GRML
107 /etc/grml/fai/config/package_config/GRML
109 Take a look at the next section for information about the concept of those
112 If you want to use your own configuration, extend an existing configuration
113 and/or add additional packages to your ISO just invent a new class. For example
114 if you want to use your own class named "FOOBAR" just extend CLASSES="GRML" inside
115 /etc/grml/grml-live.conf to CLASSES="GRML,FOOBAR" or invoke grml-live using
116 the classes option: "grml-live -c GRML,FOOBAR ...".
118 More details regarding the class concept can be found in the documentation of
119 FAI (available at /usr/share/doc/fai-doc/).
124 Notice that grml-live ships FAI configuration files that do not use the same
125 namespace as the FAI packages itself. This ensures that grml-live does not
126 clash with your usual FAI configuration, so instead of /etc/fai/fai.conf
127 (package fai-client) grml uses /etc/grml/fai/fai.conf instead. For more details
128 see below. To get an idea how another configuration or example files could look
129 like check out /usr/share/doc/fai-doc/examples/simple/ (provided by Debian package
130 fai-doc). /usr/share/doc/fai-doc/fai-guide.html/ch-config.html also provides
131 documentation regarding configuration possibilities.
135 Script for the main build process (being a wrapper around FAI currently).
136 Requires root permissions for execution.
138 /etc/grml/fai/fai.conf
140 Main configuration file which specifies where all the configuration files and
141 scripts for FAI/grml-live can be found. By default it is
142 FAI_CONFIGDIR=/etc/grml/fai/config, a directory shipped by grml-live
143 out-of-the-box so you shouldn't have to configure anything in this file.
145 /etc/grml/fai/make-fai-nfsroot.conf
149 /etc/grml/fai/NFSROOT
153 /etc/grml/fai/apt/sources.list
155 This file specifies which mirrors should be used for retreiving the Debian
156 packages used for creating the ISO. If you want to use a local mirror you have
159 /etc/grml/fai/config/
161 The main directory for configuration of FAI/grml-live. More details below.
163 /etc/grml/fai/config/class/
165 This directory contains files which specify main configuration variables for the
168 /etc/grml/fai/config/debconf/
170 This directory provides the files for preseeding/configuration of debconf
173 /etc/grml/fai/config/hooks/
175 This directory provides files for customizing the build process through hooks.
176 Hooks are user defined programs or scripts, which are called during the
177 installation process.
179 /etc/grml/fai/config/package_config/
181 File with lists of software packages to be installed or removed. The different
182 classes describe what should find its way to your ISO. When running 'fai -v -C
183 /etc/grml/fai -cGRML dirinstall ...' only the files from the directory GRML/
184 will be taken, if you use 'fai -v -C /etc/grml/fai -cGRML,FOOBAR dirinstall ...'
185 then the files of GRML/ **plus** the files from FOOBAR/ will be taken. So just
186 create a new class to adjust it to your needs. Please notice that the directory
187 GRML contains a package list defining a minimum but still reasonable package
190 /etc/grml/fai/config/scripts/
192 Scripts for customising the ISO within build process.
194 /etc/grml/fai/live-initramfs/
196 This directory provides the files used for building the initramfs/initrd via
199 Requirements for the build system
200 ---------------------------------
202 * any Debian based system should be sufficient (if not please send a bug
203 report), for example a grml2hd harddisk installation ships all you need
205 * enough free disk space, at least 700MB are required for a minimal grml-live
206 run (~400MB for the chroot [$CHROOT_TARGET], ~150MB for the build target
207 [$BUILD_TARGET] and ~150MB for the resulting ISO [$ISO_TARGET]).
209 * fast network access for retreiving the Debian packages used for creating the
210 chroot (check out "local mirror" and "NFSROOT" to workaround this problem as far
216 * extend the grml-live wrapper script so it runs all the necessary command in a
217 single run (boot/isolinux, mksquashfs and mkisofs stuff is missing currently)
219 * really support signed apt repositories
221 * explain (and provide configuration for) the use of NFSROOT
223 * support setting stuff like ISO name, version,... (especially for stuff inside
224 x86_files/boot/isolinux)
226 * identify all packages that are arch specific
228 * support different flavours and architectures of Debian (currently it defaults
229 to Debian/stable x86_32)
231 * use hooks of FAI in grml-live script?
233 * the GRML class(es) should send output as used inside FAI as well (so it's not
234 as verbose unless you specify it)
236 * provide possibility for cleanup of all created build directories
241 Please report feedback, link:http://grml.org/bugs/[bugreports] and wishes
242 link:http://grml.org/contact/[to the grml-team]!
246 Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org>.