ppckitchen - Tips and Tricks - Share YOURS here!

[gguruusa]

Originally Posted by rstoyguy

This tutorial will show you how to create different OEM packages for buildos.

Moving from dogguy's kitchen I had one major challenge. At any one time I had 8-15 kitchen's on my hard drive. Different projects such as, stock roms for helping folks, other chef's roms so I could help them, and different roms I was working on. So I needed a way if I was going to switch to also have that flexibility. I couldn't have just one place (USER_OEM) to put a variety of OEM's and keep my sanity... It's actually quite easy, here is what I did to include all my OEM_MegaPacks into my rom:

1. Archive your OEM's into an archive with a unique name. I chose USER_megapack.rar

2. In the ppckitchen install directory make a directory called "USER_OEM2" and copy your new USER_megapack.rar into it.

3. Edit your selections.txt and include that enrty. Here is a basic build and I have highlighted my entry in yellow. I add my entries right after PPCGeeks_OEM.rar. (and don't forget the ":" to indicate a .rar archive!!)

 
SelectionsVersion=.90.04
KitchenDir=Kitchens\Vogue_Core.rar:;
ModuleDir=kitchens\SYS_20273_QVGA.rar:
ModuleDir=kitchens\Generic_OEM.rar:
ModuleDir=kitchens\Drivers_Vogue.rar:
ModuleDir=kitchens\Carriers_Vogue.rar:
ModuleDir=kitchens\000_Shareware.rar:
ModuleDir=kitchens\PPCGeeks_OEM.rar:
ModuleDir=USER_OEM2\USER_megapack.rar:
ModuleDir=USER_OEM
OutputDir=kitchens\RUU
.
.
.

4. Now, restart buildos and it will find your entries!

I chose the directory USER_OEM2 just to limit the clutter in the other ppckitchen directorys, but keep it in the root directory where you installed BuildOS originally.

Way to much work for me. Why are you going to the trouble to .rar it up for your own use?

[rstoyguy]

Originally Posted by gguruusa

Way to much work for me. Why are you going to the trouble to .rar it up for your own use?

As it is, my current oem collection I transfered to the user_oem directory is 92 megs, packaging it helps me maintain hdd space, clutter, and it will also help me in distributing my rom templates. And the 92 megs compressed down to 26 megs... I also have a couple "sets" of the same OEM's (rguid too) with different skins/regedits so I can easily seperate stuff for a couple different roms.

The 4 megapacks I did were 13 megs, compressed they were 5 megs. Saving precious space on my laptops hdd. I would eventually have had to delete the old kitchens, my music or save space this way...work, yes, but it helped me.

And when I release a decent/stable/skinned rom and share my work, I can have folks just unrar an archive into the kitchen directory and it will place the selections.txt file and the version_oem.rar into the correct directories and that'll be a lot less work for them. I don't mind working, I dig this stuff!

[boggsie]

Originally Posted by gguruusa

Way to much work for me. Why are you going to the trouble to .rar it up for your own use?

In my case, this was the easiest and most straightforward method to get items to show up where I wanted in the start menu. I extract the OEM from PPCGeeks_OEM.RAR and into the USER_OEM folder. I change the guid (*.rar & *.rgu) and update the option.xml with the new guid and change the group to boggsie and checked to true.

At this point I didn't need PPCGeeks_OEM.RAR, so I removed it from my selections.txt.

Of course, theis seemed great at first, but each time PPCGeeks_OEM.RAR gets updated, I have to migrate updates.

I had also tried to manage start menu location via provxml ... I put all of the move, copy, delete file operations into _setup.xml and put that into a cab and ran it as part of sdconfig.txt customizations. The problem there is that the process is very fragile. If a shortcut isn't there or is not named exactly right, the entire cab fails to install.

Best regards,
-boggsie

[rstoyguy]

Glad to hear someone else saw the potential of that boggsie! I plan to copy ppcgeeks_oem.rar later to ppcgeeks2_oem.rar later and thin it out the stuff I don't use, and renaming it should keep the updater happy as well... Good call, but I could probably do without 90% of that long list that I have to sort through now...While it's great to have a such a great list of programs to choose from, it can also be a pain....

[rstoyguy]

While the "bork" stuff is cool, I can see it getting annoying early in the morning after a bar night. And buildos doesn't like it when you remove them. So edit your favorite wav file and replace the ones in the ..\kitchen\buildos\sounds directory. They must be the same type and have the same filename, you can have some fun with the contents though!

Here are the files:

Cooking.wav
Cooking-Finish.wav
Error-ChefBoingBoing.wav
Error-Uh-Oh.wav
Error-WhatHappened.wav
Login-WelcomeBack.wav
Login-Wierdo.wav

If you have used the kitchen, you know what they are for...

Here is a link to a cool Text to Voice .wav generator on the www.
http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php

Who will be the first to upload a "sound" update?

CAUTION: This may ruin any warranty claims in chat!

[gguruusa]

Originally Posted by rstoyguy

As it is, my current oem collection I transfered to the user_oem directory is 92 megs, packaging it helps me maintain hdd space, clutter, and it will also help me in distributing my rom templates. And the 92 megs compressed down to 26 megs... I also have a couple "sets" of the same OEM's (rguid too) with different skins/regedits so I can easily seperate stuff for a couple different roms.

Wait...so you keep it in .rar form all the time? You need to explore the Compress setting in your folder properties. Having multiple copies of the same OEM in different archives...that is a maintenance nightmare. I suggest you explore breaking your .rars up a little so that you don't have the same OEM in two places.

The 4 megapacks I did were 13 megs, compressed they were 5 megs. Saving precious space on my laptops hdd. I would eventually have had to delete the old kitchens, my music or save space this way...work, yes, but it helped me.

Delete all that work stuff. It gets in the way of your cooking anyway

And when I release a decent/stable/skinned rom and share my work, I can have folks just unrar an archive into the kitchen directory and it will place the selections.txt file and the version_oem.rar into the correct directories and that'll be a lot less work for them. I don't mind working, I dig this stuff!

.rar is unquestionably the way to distribute. It's just a poor way of developing.

Originally Posted by boggsie

In my case, this was the easiest and most straightforward method to get items to show up where I wanted in the start menu. I extract the OEM from PPCGeeks_OEM.RAR and into the USER_OEM folder. I change the guid (*.rar & *.rgu) and update the option.xml with the new guid and change the group to boggsie and checked to true.

Why are you changing the guid? You need to break some old habits.

I had also tried to manage start menu location via provxml ... I put all of the move, copy, delete file operations into _setup.xml and put that into a cab and ran it as part of sdconfig.txt customizations. The problem there is that the process is very fragile. If a shortcut isn't there or is not named exactly right, the entire cab fails to install.

There really isn't a great way of handling this, but there are better ways. The best way would be to not have the start menu locations in the wrong place to start with...

[boggsie]

Why are you changing the guid? You need to break some old habits.

If for some reason I decide to use PPCGeeks_OEM.rar, a duplicate guid has, in the past, caused problems. It may be that BuildOS can now handle a duplicate guid?

There really isn't a great way of handling this, but there are better ways. The best way would be to not have the start menu locations in the wrong place to start with...

Well, I don't know if right vs. wrong would characterize the feeling, but that could be seen as being arguementative. I mention it because virtually all of the OEMs are dropping the shortcuts into Start Menu\Programs which is, by all accounts, the correct/right location.

The only ways I can think to handle this is to:
a) edit the OEM
b) move the files via provxml
c) move the files manually with Total Commander, etc.

You mentioned better ways and I am completely open to alternate methods.

I wonder if you could create individual USER_OEMs for each of the application? Say, you create a USER_OEM to move the TV_Guide shortcut from Start Menu \ Programs into Start Menu \ Programs \Media ... if you select this USER_OEM, it then requires the PPCKitchen_OEM item TV Guide.

Eventually, you could create a StartMenuMove_OEM.RAR with OEMs that provide a single purpose ... to move or relocate shortcuts that are typically dropped into Start Menu \ Programs ... and if you select that particular OEM, it automatically requires the PPCKitchen_OEM program.

Of course, ideas are easy, even if they are crackpot ... the real key is having the knowledge, skill, ability and perseraverence to pull off creating such an OEM ... which I do not!

Best regards,
-boggsie

[gguruusa]

Originally Posted by boggsie

If for some reason I decide to use PPCGeeks_OEM.rar, a duplicate guid has, in the past, caused problems. It may be that BuildOS can now handle a duplicate guid?

Well, I don't know if right vs. wrong would characterize the feeling, but that could be seen as being arguementative. I mention it because virtually all of the OEMs are dropping the shortcuts into Start Menu\Programs which is, by all accounts, the correct/right location.

desired and undesired work better for you?

The only ways I can think to handle this is to:
a) edit the OEM
b) move the files via provxml
c) move the files manually with Total Commander, etc.

ew, ew, and EW.

You mentioned better ways and I am completely open to alternate methods.

I wonder if you could create individual USER_OEMs for each of the application? Say, you create a USER_OEM to move the TV_Guide shortcut from Start Menu \ Programs into Start Menu \ Programs \Media ... if you select this USER_OEM, it then requires the PPCKitchen_OEM item TV Guide.

d) create a package w/ desired initflashfile.txt that has original oem as a requirement

Eventually, you could create a StartMenuMove_OEM.RAR with OEMs that provide a single purpose ... to move or relocate shortcuts that are typically dropped into Start Menu \ Programs ... and if you select that particular OEM, it automatically requires the PPCKitchen_OEM program.

Exactly.

Of course, ideas are easy, even if they are crackpot ... the real key is having the knowledge, skill, ability and perseraverence to pull off creating such an OEM ... which I do not!

Sure you do. Super trivial. It's a little labor intensive, but you'd only have to do it once per oem/guid.

[gguruusa]

Originally Posted by rstoyguy

Post #2: Links to the "how to tidbits" and other good info

Maybe the right way to get the creative juices flowing is to think of typical problems you encounter during ROM design/construction, and see if anyone has a solution.

Post #3: Basic Rom links. By this I mean a selections.txt and OEM package of what you used. (See post #4 for an idea)

I would love someone take the ideas here and actually implment them. It is possiblel to make a .rar/selections.txt combo that when plugged into the kitchen pops out a fully customized work of art - not the I poked a few buttons and here is what I got type premade roms we typically see these days.

[boggsie]

Well, now this sounds interesting. I apprecaite the feedback AND the encouragement.

Example: 1-Calc Lite

The default initflashes.txt for 1-Calc Lite copies while renaming the program shortcut from
SOURCE: \Windows\Program.1-Calc.lnk
TARGET: \Windows\Start Menu\Programs\1-Calc Lite.lnk

Directory("\Windows\Start Menu\Programs"):-File("1-Calc Lite.lnk", "\Windows\Program.1-Calc.lnk")

So, without going into PPCGeeks_OEM.RAR, I am trying to override this particular action. Do I do this by moving the item? If so, what is the syntax for moving an item via initflashes.txt

SOURCE: \Windows\Start Menu\Programs\1-Calc Lite.lnk
TARGET: \Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\1-Calc Lite.lnk

I guess you could also just redirect the initial item and then delete the one created by the PPCGeeks_OEM.rar? In this case, what would be the syntax for deleting an item?

Directory("\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories"):-File("1-Calc Lite.lnk", "\Windows\Program.1-Calc.lnk")

Best regards,
-boggsie