Support including extra .deb packages which should be installed in the target system only

Asked by Laércio de Sousa

I'm building a custom Xubuntu ISO for my project. In this project, I have some custom .deb packages which doesn't make sense to be available in the live system. I wonder if cubic could have an option to let me include these extra .deb files in the ISO, but only install them in the target system.

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Laércio de Sousa (lbssousa) said :
#1

It was asked me to convert it

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Cubic PPA (cubic-wizard) said :
#2

@Laércio, thanks for posting your question here.

I can think of a few of ways to do this:

1.
1st. Place the *.deb files in a generic place (perhaps /opt) so they are included on the installed machine.
Then create a script that runs from the startup applications.
You can setup startup applications for users from in the /etc/skel folder.
Make sure the script checks if the package is already installed.
If not, the script should ask the user for admin password, and install the *.deb file(s).

2.
1st. Place the *.deb files in a generic place (perhaps /opt) so they are included on the installed machine.
Leverage apt post processing.
You can setup a script to run after each invocation of apt install.
Make sure the script checks if the package is already installed.
If not, the script will install the *.deb file(s).
A drawback of this approach is that it will only install the *.deb files when the user (first) runs apt install on the new machine.
Search online on how to do apt post processing.
I'll also add some high-level instructions to this question, when I get a chance.

3.
It is possible to provide a "seed" file for the Ubiquity.
There are a few ways to include the seed file into your generated iso.
The approach that leverages a grub boot parameter to point to the seed configuration file seems most promising.
I am not sure if you can use the seed file can be used to install a *.deb file; it may work better if you include a ppa in your customized iso, and install your software from a repository.
The documentation seems sparse, but see if you can search for how to do this.
If I get a chance , I will look into this a little more and add some high level instructions.

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Launchpad Janitor (janitor) said :
#3

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.

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Laércio de Sousa (lbssousa) said :
#4

I've found an old post about customizing an Ubuntu Server ISO. Please take a look at subsection "Offline installaton": could you automate those steps in Cubic?

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Laércio de Sousa (lbssousa) said :
#5
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Cubic PPA (cubic-wizard) said :
#6

Laércio,

Thanks for the link.
I see what you want to do.
(May be I can add this feature to Cubic around the time the 18.10 Ubuntu release comes out).

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Cubic PPA (cubic-wizard) said :
#7

The newest version of Cubic allows you to edit Preseed (Kickstart) files and Boot (grub) Configuration files.
(This feature is only available in Cubic running on Ubuntu 16.04 and subsequent Ubuntu-based releases).

Simply upgrade to the latest release:

    $ sudo apt-add-repository ppa:cubic-wizard/release
    $ sudo apt update
    $ sudo apt install cubic

    $ sudo dpkg -l cubic
    # (Should show release version 2019-03-49 or greater).

Regarding copying the extra *.deb onto the new disk, for now you will need to manually copy these into:
    <your_cubic_project_folder>/custom-live-iso/pool
Be sure to reference them correctly in your preseed files.

(In the future, I may add the ability to manage these extra *.deb files directly from Cubic).

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