Remastersys or Relinux

[silverwolf5]

Hi. I'm trying to create my own Linux distro for a college project, from Xubuntu 64 bits (Raring Ringtail).
But I'm having issues with both Remastersys and Relinux when creating the ISO file, they won't save my custom theme (bar colors, menu font color), background image, booting and shutdown custom splash screen and won't save any file that I may have on the "Images" folder. It just saves the original Xubuntu desktop theme. The installed programs appear correctly though.
I've tried this but doesn't work: http://lkubuntu.wordpress.com/2011/1...f-your-system/
Any help from someone more experienced I would be very grateful.


This is a plus, does anyone knows modifications to the kernel that may improve multithreading/multicore performance? Thank you.

[lkjoel]

The issue you're having is because ubuntu makes the temporary guest account (the account that you use when you boot the CD) based off of a folder named /etc/skel. In fact, whenever ubuntu needs to make a new user account, it will copy the contents of /etc/skel to the folder of the new user account.

So whatever you want to be copied to the home folder of the installed/live user (such as the theme configuration files/folders, your "Images" directory, etc...), you need to copy it to /etc/skel. Just treat it as a home directory and then you should be fine (as long as you don't copy over your web browser history and such ).

I figured out a trick a while ago that helps with copying the correct files (as it can be hard to figure out which configuration files to copy over), I don't know if it could help you too. It's to run any configuration programs you use (such as ubuntu-tweak, gnome-control-center, or ccsm) like this (replacing insert_program_name_here with the name of the program, of course), under a terminal window:

HOME=/etc/skel insert_program_name_here

It will then run that program, making it think that your home folder is actually /etc/skel, so it will modify that instead (and then will modify the correct configuration files).

Anyways, hope this helps!! Let me know if I'm not clear or anything

[silverwolf5]

You're telling me to treat /etc/skel just as a normal "home" folder is that right? As it will used by the new distro for the live user and the one created afterwards. How about modifications to system files? I mean, I copied the original XFCE theme, modified it and created a new theme with a different folder name, I believe it is not on the user "home" folder.
I will test it later tonight and let you know of the results.
Thanks for your help.

[silverwolf5]

I copied the folder "Images" from my home folder to /etc/skel, as well all hidden files starting with "."
No luck, after creating the ISO the live user still uses the same default XFCE desktop theme, but the files in the "Images" folder are placed correctly.
Do you have any other solution that may help or am I missing some step?

[lkjoel]

You're telling me to treat /etc/skel just as a normal "home" folder is that right? As it will used by the new distro for the live user and the one created afterwards. How about modifications to system files? I mean, I copied the original XFCE theme, modified it and created a new theme with a different folder name, I believe it is not on the user "home" folder.

yes, that's correct. About your second point, you have to make sure that the theme is not under any of these folders, because relinux will exclude them:

• /dev
• /home
• /media
• /mnt
• /proc
• /sys
• /run
• /tmp

If it is, then simply copy it somewhere else (maybe to /usr/share/themes?), and tell XFCE of its new location (don't copy it to /etc/skel though).

[silverwolf5]

Hi again.
The theme is located in a folder with the name /etc/share/themes/ISPGAYA for my current user, but it still defines the default XFCE theme when creating the ISO.
How do I associate this theme to be default for all new accounts created and for the live user? Also I do I set the plymouth splash screen I created for both of them?

[lkjoel]

/etc/share/themes? Are you sure it's not /usr/share/themes? If it really is in /etc/share/themes, move it to /usr/share/themes (and update XFCE about it).
Also, run this in a terminal:

HOME=/etc/skel xfce4-settings-manager

then edit your default theme there.

For plymouth, see this: http://www.ubuntugeek.com/quick-tipp...ucid-lynx.html.

[silverwolf5]

Sorry my mistake, the theme is indeed in /usr/share/themes.
I've run the code you provided, selected the default theme and wallpaper, created the ISO and it's still not working. I end up with the default XFCE theme and wallpaper in the live user. I am able to choose my custom theme in the control panel, but I would like it to be the default when the system first starts.
Thank you for your patience, I believe I'm becoming a bit annoying with this issue but I really need it to work. I'm rather new to Linux.

[lkjoel]

okay, great, I thought so
That's very interesting... and I presume that when you re-run that command, your settings are saved, right?

Just wondering, what would happen if you ran this in the booted ISO:

xfce4-settings-manager

It should show the default theme, right? Now what would happen if you did this:

HOME=/etc/skel xfce4-settings-manager

Does it also show the default theme? Or does it show your theme?

Also, just make sure that your theme, in the booted ISO, is indeed in /usr/share/themes (just to make sure it wasn't excluded or something).

[silverwolf5]

When I execute the first code it appears the default theme as being "Greybird", but no console warnings.

Whe I execute the second it appears the default theme "Greybird" too, but I get these warnings:


(xfce4-settings-manager:3054): libxfce4util-WARNING **: Invalid XDG_CACHE_HOME directory `/etc/skel/.cache', program may behave incorrectly.

(xfce4-settings-manager:3054): libxfce4util-WARNING **: Invalid XDG_DATA_HOME directory `/etc/skel/.local/share', program may behave incorrectly.

(xfce4-settings-manager:3054): libxfce4util-WARNING **: Invalid XDG_CONFIG_HOME directory `/etc/skel/.config', program may behave incorrectly.

(xfce4-appearance-settings:3057): libxfce4util-WARNING **: Invalid XDG_CACHE_HOME directory `/etc/skel/.cache', program may behave incorrectly.

(xfce4-appearance-settings:3057): libxfce4util-WARNING **: Invalid XDG_DATA_HOME directory `/etc/skel/.local/share', program may behave incorrectly.

(xfce4-appearance-settings:3057): libxfce4util-WARNING **: Invalid XDG_CONFIG_HOME directory `/etc/skel/.config', program may behave incorrectly.


In both situations, my custom theme is there if I wish to choose, the name is ISPGAYA.