slaxworkshop
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Netwizard
Well, I am totally disgusted with the state of Linux Wireless card configuration and decided to do something about it. Additionally, Linux Live setups are a bit different as well so I figured I would address those needs as well.
I am working on a "dialog wizard" for wireless configuration and module creation. I am calling it NetWizard. As part of a sister project, I modified netconfig to be KDE kdialog based... I call it knetconfig. I also intend on modifying netconfig to actually DO something such as CONFIGURE and BRING UP the interface! As it stands now, netconfig is almost worthless so I made a few tweaks that I will back port to netconfig from knetconfig. If you want a copy of knetconfig, PM me.
Netwizard
I have most of it roughed out and it works for my configurations. I will release it into the wild most likely via speedyshare first then via a module. Anyone who would like to try it out sooner or beta test for me can PM me. Right now my focus is ndiswrapper configurations and DHCP. Hopefully after this weekend I will have the ndiswrapper/DHCP part ready (I just want to test some more). I am also almost done with ndiswrapper with StaticIP configurations as well but I want to spiff it up some more. Then I will focus on kernel network driver stuff.
Right now the real issue with Static configurations is what framework to use. I think I will use the ndiswrapper-framework I put in place... but I am not sure since everyone seems to have their own way.
Time passes...
Well I made much progress with NetWizard this weekend. I have reengineered it to utilize Kommander. My main issues with Kommander is the fact that the project seems to progress very rapidly and the documentation about it does not.
BOOO! Also, the rapid development of Kommander made the one shipped with the latest KDE very out of date.
I experimented a great deal with it and came up with a Frontend that I like better than the "dialog wizard" approach. The "dialog wizard" approach actually works very well... but it gets a little tiresome to answer 30 questions instead of filling out 4 or 5 panels.
My next step is that I will reengineer the code for NetWizard and knetconfig to just process the options passed to it.
The Project Benefits
A few good things should come from this project:
1) a good parameter based network configuration program is always a nice thing.
2) The back-end parameter based network configuration program can be used with any front-end.
3) The front-end Kommander project can be used with any backend program.
4) The front-end Kommander project can be used as a template for others to learn from, hopefully helping people to make their own Wizards for SLAX.
5) Features that I am not supporting (e.g. WPA encryption), can be added by someone with the need to add those particular features.
6) The parameter parsing code can be helpful for other scripts.
First releases Features (soon I hope):
1) Easy to use Wizard for configuring SLAX network interfaces.
2) NDISWrapper driver configuration for: DHCP and Static configurations.
3) Front-end produces output file of options chosen within the Wizard.
4) back-end program will use config file or parameters to setup network adapters and make a SLAX module of the configuration.
5) back-end program can be used by any frontend.
6) Kommander front-end will be available also as a binary.
Future Features:
1) Database of known working configurations to allow "auto" config. This location of known drivers will be in the DB.
2) "Database" tool to allow adding to the configuration knowledgebase. Many contributors makes for rapid grown and for easier auto config for the populace at large.
3) Auto driver download from known sites hosting drives. This is just an automated extension of #1's location information.
4) Kernel driver configuration for: DHCP and Static configurations. Both existing supported drivers and newly compiled drivers will be supported.
I am working on a "dialog wizard" for wireless configuration and module creation. I am calling it NetWizard. As part of a sister project, I modified netconfig to be KDE kdialog based... I call it knetconfig. I also intend on modifying netconfig to actually DO something such as CONFIGURE and BRING UP the interface! As it stands now, netconfig is almost worthless so I made a few tweaks that I will back port to netconfig from knetconfig. If you want a copy of knetconfig, PM me.
Netwizard
I have most of it roughed out and it works for my configurations. I will release it into the wild most likely via speedyshare first then via a module. Anyone who would like to try it out sooner or beta test for me can PM me. Right now my focus is ndiswrapper configurations and DHCP. Hopefully after this weekend I will have the ndiswrapper/DHCP part ready (I just want to test some more). I am also almost done with ndiswrapper with StaticIP configurations as well but I want to spiff it up some more. Then I will focus on kernel network driver stuff.
Right now the real issue with Static configurations is what framework to use. I think I will use the ndiswrapper-framework I put in place... but I am not sure since everyone seems to have their own way.
Time passes...
Well I made much progress with NetWizard this weekend. I have reengineered it to utilize Kommander. My main issues with Kommander is the fact that the project seems to progress very rapidly and the documentation about it does not.
BOOO! Also, the rapid development of Kommander made the one shipped with the latest KDE very out of date.I experimented a great deal with it and came up with a Frontend that I like better than the "dialog wizard" approach. The "dialog wizard" approach actually works very well... but it gets a little tiresome to answer 30 questions instead of filling out 4 or 5 panels.
My next step is that I will reengineer the code for NetWizard and knetconfig to just process the options passed to it.
The Project Benefits
A few good things should come from this project:
1) a good parameter based network configuration program is always a nice thing.
2) The back-end parameter based network configuration program can be used with any front-end.
3) The front-end Kommander project can be used with any backend program.
4) The front-end Kommander project can be used as a template for others to learn from, hopefully helping people to make their own Wizards for SLAX.
5) Features that I am not supporting (e.g. WPA encryption), can be added by someone with the need to add those particular features.
6) The parameter parsing code can be helpful for other scripts.
First releases Features (soon I hope):
1) Easy to use Wizard for configuring SLAX network interfaces.
2) NDISWrapper driver configuration for: DHCP and Static configurations.
3) Front-end produces output file of options chosen within the Wizard.
4) back-end program will use config file or parameters to setup network adapters and make a SLAX module of the configuration.
5) back-end program can be used by any frontend.
6) Kommander front-end will be available also as a binary.
Future Features:
1) Database of known working configurations to allow "auto" config. This location of known drivers will be in the DB.
2) "Database" tool to allow adding to the configuration knowledgebase. Many contributors makes for rapid grown and for easier auto config for the populace at large.
3) Auto driver download from known sites hosting drives. This is just an automated extension of #1's location information.
4) Kernel driver configuration for: DHCP and Static configurations. Both existing supported drivers and newly compiled drivers will be supported.
posted by TheGuardian # 9:02 AM 
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