At first, for other cloud related tasks we are using the nova command (which
e.g. has also image-delete, but not add). For uploading we use
glance. I found a few obstacles which I separately describe and also provide
a solution.

Authentication

The first chalenge is authentication, as glance doesn`t use NOVA_*
environment variables. But it allows to use an authentication token. So we
just need to get such a token. With help of Martin Vidner we have this script,
that returns a valid token.

# cloud_auth_token.sh
OS_AUTH_URL="http://cloud.example.com:5000/v2.0"
OS_TENANT_NAME=$NOVA_USERNAME
OS_USERNAME=$NOVA_USERNAME
OS_PASSWORD=$NOVA_API_KEY
AUTH_JSON="{\"auth\":{\"passwordCredentials\":{\"username\": \"$OS_USERNAME\", \"password\":\"$OS_PASSWORD\"}, \"tenantName\":\"$OS_TENANT_NAME\"}}"
curl -s \
    -d "$AUTH_JSON" -H "Content-type: application/json" \
    $OS_AUTH_URL/tokens \
    | python -c "import sys; import json; tok = json.loads(sys.stdin.read()); print tok['access']['token']['id'];"

What does it do? It calls OpenStack Identity API, passes credentials encoded
as JSON. The response is also JSON, so we use python that is already on the
system to parse the response and get the token.

Compressing the Image

The next challenge is compression of the image. We get a raw disk from the
build service and we extend it to have more than 15GB (we mirror there rpms
so we need this space). For resizing we use qemu-img from
virt-utils. If we simply upload this image it means that we send the whole
15GB over the network. Which is fine for one-time tasks, but for regular
testing it is a problem. Thanks to Christoph Thiel we solved it with the
conversion to qcow2. Qcow2 is also supported in OpenStack and qcow2 allows
compression. The final script for conversion:

qemu-img convert -c -f raw -O qcow2 img.raw img.qcow2
qemu-img resize img.qcow2 +10G

Using it Together

Now we have prepared an image and a helper script to get a cloud auth
token. So let’s upload the image.

cat img.qcow2 | glance -H cloud.example.com -A `sh cloud_auth_token.sh` add name='testing_img' is_public=False disk_format=qcow2 container_format=bare

Cleaning Up After Testing

We use it for testing and release new versions of the testing appliance often,
therefore we need cleaning up. It is quite simple with unix text utils:

for i in `nova image-list | grep "image_name" | sed "s/^|[[:space:]]\+\([[:xdigit:]-]\+\).*$/\1/"`; do nova image-delete $i; done

I hope that it helps you with automatic uploading of images to
OpenStack. It works for me with the Diablo release and there is no guarantee that it is the best way

• better UI for header/footer handling
• multi-line input bar in Calc
• Import filter for Microsoft Visio documents
• enhanced custom shapes import
• modeless  word count dialog
• improved font hinting for high quality docs
• more secure encryption algorithm (AES-256) for password protected files
• better displaying of non-printable characters on the end of line
• and much more

The current openSUSE packages are based on the LibreOffice 3.5.2 release. Please, look for more details about the openSUSE LibreOffice build on the wiki page.

The openSUSE LO team hopes that you will be happy with this release. Though, any software contains bugs and we kindly ask you to report bugs. It will help us to fix them in the future releases.

Known bugs:

• problems with KDE 4.8.2 from KDE:Distro:Factory project (bnc#755886)

Other information and plans:

The current LibreOffice-3.5 packages are based on the second bugfix release and should be pretty stable. I want to move them into the LibreOffice:Stable project within next two weeks. I just want to make sure that I did not do any mistake during packaging, e.g. breaking dependencies. Also the KDE4 integration need to be tested because it was not provided by the upstream build. Any feedback is welcome.

openSUSE 12.1 Multimedia 32-bit Base on openSUSE  12.1, using the default desktop  Gnome  3 sprinkled with cinnamon.
openSUSE 12.1 Multimedia  built using susestudio.com, and are designed to be ready to use for users who want to feel the openSUSE but trouble Internet connection, because they have to install codecs mp3, mp4, wmv and some other restricted format http://opensuse-community.org/Restricted_formats.

As for some of the packages included in it are:

A. LibreOffice
2. banshe
3. Amarok
4. Brasero
5. Cheese
6. Empathy
7. Xchat
8. flash-player
9. Gmplayer
10.Gimp
11.Imagewriter
12.k3b
13.Smplayer
14.etc …

If you want to use it please download via http://susestudio.com/a/haHwG8/opensuse-multimedia

Thanks To:  openSUSE Indonesia Team,  Kendari Linux Users Group, and Susestudio.com

Get them now at http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Release:/48/openSUSE_12.1/.

The repository for openSUSE 11.4 is being created at the time of writing at http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Release:/48/openSUSE_11.4

Users who already have the KDE:Release:48 registered in YaST need only zypper up or upgrade with YaST.

As always, have a lot of fun and report bugs!

Quick Résumé about 12.3

AMD rename their installer, So Sebastian did the same for his script.

I will just copy/google translate/paste here the comment made by Sebastian Siebert on his blog :

amd ccc and fgl_glgears running

The packaging script was updated because I have a compile error when building a kernel module fglrx in the kernel 3.2.8+ and 3.3+. Due to the very tight time window, the patches could no longer be incorporated into AMD Catalyst 12.3. Only in the upcoming AMD Catalyst 12.4, the patches from me for openSUSE will be available. AMD Catalyst 12.5 they will be officially included for all other distributions. Yes, with the makerpm-amd script made for you, I can despatch on very simple, convenient and quick patches or missing useful extensions via the script packaging update. Who need to wait months.
Driver support now AMD Radeon HD 7950, HD 7970, HD 7990

See more at Sebastian’s blog.
Don’t be shy, you can leave there the result of test in english too
or ask in forums, irc and ping freespacer.
See below what to do in case of troubles.

The rpms version 8.951 are available from Friday March 30th.

My advise is to firstly remove any existing version with zypper rm, then just zypper in the new version,
even if 8.930 was the first version I’ve seen able to upgrade correctly.
The 8.950 leave a file that need to be manually removed /etc/ati/amdpcsdb. The 8.951 fix that now.

As usual, I let the previous versions in the repository, just in case you need it.

Tested on a fresh 12.1 + updates and kde 4.8.1

12.2 Factory rpms are presently available, use at your own risk, and report bugs in forums and Sebastian blogs.
Anyways, factory and 12.2 should keep their effort on debuging and testing widely the free radeon driver.

One-click-installer

Two one-click-installer are available here :
For 32bits system :

For 64bits system :

(*) To know which kind of system you have, open a console, then run uname -a and look the output if you see x86_64 on the line you are running a 64bits, otherwise a 32bits.

Installation, Caution, Troubles

Installation

Please refer to my previous article where all the installation procedure was explained.

For a first installation, if you don’t remove radeon from the initrd, you will certainly get in trouble. Don’t thanks who removed that from the wiki.

Caution

• Wrong (to my point of view) create an xorg.conf file which is unneeded if you work with /etc/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf and have driver “fglrx” inside
• AMD CCLE didn’t get correctly upgraded if xorg is running during the upgrade. My advise, let’s go to console and as root do the following :

  init 3
  rcatievenstd stop
  zypper ref
  zypper up
  init 6
  

  Let the package rebuild the kernel driver. And for me I always remove the newly xorg.conf file created.
  reboot is mandatory!

Debuging troubles

I recommend in case of trouble the use of his script which can collect the whole informations needed to help you. then you just have to issue a simple commande in console to collect all informations, you can review them, and finally transmit them

su -c 'sh makerpm-amd-12.2.sh -ur'
The sytem report 'amd-report.txt' was generated.                                                                                                                    [ OK ]
Do you want to read the system report 'amd-report.txt' now? yes/no [y/n]: y
Are you sure to upload the above-named system report to sprunge.to? yes/no [y/n]: y

The report was uploaded to sprunge.us.
   The link is:  http://sprunge.us/ZVRP

Copy paste the link in the comment zone of Sebatian post

Statistiques

December 2011 as shown a big bump on the server : 50,212 unique visitor for a roughly 320GB traffic for the rpm

1582GB has been distributed during 2011.

2012

That’s all folks! Have fun!

Have a lot of fun!
My month wishes : Now we get a G+ button spread!

R Procedural Language for PostgreSQL

Introduction

PL/R is a library which allow you to add the power of R statistical engine in your database.
This article will show you how to add it and basic usage on a 12.1 installation.
(The package is also available for 11.4)

Become familiar with the project and how it can help you.
The homepage project : www.joeconway.com/plr/

We admit here, that you are able to manage a posgreSQL server instance, and have already one running.

Installation

Actually the pre-packaged rpms are available at
Repository for openSUSE 12.1:

http://software.opensuse.org/repositories/server:database:postgresql/openSUSE_12.1

Repository for openSUSE 11.4:

http://software.opensuse.org/repositories/server:database:postgresql/openSUSE_11.4

Packages are composed of postgresql-plr (containing only the necessary lib) and postgresql-plr-doc (the whole documentation and samples)

Disclaimer/Warning

This repository is the devel (but stable) repository for postgresql, using it can ask you to upgrade your postgresql installation to new version.
Take care to be sure, you can safely upgrade it (backups before), other software you need that are linked to previous version etc…

Submission to factory/12.2 is pending …

Adding the repository

zypper ar -f -c -n "server-database-postgresql" http://software.opensuse.org/repositories/server:database:postgresql/openSUSE_12.1 "server-database-postgresql"

If postgresql is already installed
Check upgrade process

zypper -v dup -D -r server-database-postgresql

Do the upgrade

zypper -v dup -r server-database-postgresql

Add postgresql-plr to the installation

zypper in postgresql-plr postgresql-plr-doc

Create a PLR ready database

As postgresql superuser

createdb plrtest

Create the plr extension

psql -d plrtest

CREATE EXTENSION plr;

Quick test if it works

-- first, define the language and functions.  Turn off echoing so that expected file
-- does not depend on contents of plr.sql.
--
\set ECHO none
-- check version
SELECT plr_version();

 plr_version
-------------
 08.03.00.13
(1 row)

Work with

If you install the package postresql-plr-doc you will have a file named plr.out which contain a lot of usefull examples.

Connect to your plr ready db

psql -d plrtest

And run some of the example like

--
-- test aggregates
--
create table foo(f0 int, f1 text, f2 float8) with oids;
insert into foo values(1,'cat1',1.21);
insert into foo values(2,'cat1',1.24);
insert into foo values(3,'cat1',1.18);
insert into foo values(4,'cat1',1.26);
insert into foo values(5,'cat1',1.15);
insert into foo values(6,'cat2',1.15);
insert into foo values(7,'cat2',1.26);
insert into foo values(8,'cat2',1.32);
insert into foo values(9,'cat2',1.30);
create or replace function r_median(_float8) returns float as 'median(arg1)' language 'plr';
select r_median('{1.23,1.31,1.42,1.27}'::_float8);
 r_median
----------
     1.29
(1 row)

CREATE AGGREGATE median (sfunc = plr_array_accum, basetype = float8, stype = _float8, finalfunc = r_median);
select f1, median(f2) from foo group by f1 order by f1;
  f1  | median
------+--------
 cat1 |   1.21
 cat2 |   1.28
(2 rows)

create or replace function r_gamma(_float8) returns float as 'gamma(arg1)' language 'plr';
select round(r_gamma('{1.23,1.31,1.42,1.27}'::_float8)::numeric,8);
   round
------------
 0.91075486
(1 row)

CREATE AGGREGATE gamma (sfunc = plr_array_accum, basetype = float8, stype = _float8, finalfunc = r_gamma);
select f1, round(gamma(f2)::numeric,8) from foo group by f1 order by f1;
  f1  |   round
------+------------
 cat1 | 0.91557649
 cat2 | 0.93304093
(2 rows)
\q

Play more

Have a look and build your own benchmark

• http://www.postgresonline.com/journal/archives/188-plr_part1.html
• http://www.postgresonline.com/journal/archives/189-plr_part2.html
• http://www.postgresonline.com/journal/archives/190-plr_part3.html
•  
• http://www.postgresonline.com/journal/archives/67-Build-Median-Aggregate-Function-in-SQL.html

Failures, bugs

If you find a defect in the package, please use traditional bug reporting at

bugzilla.novell.com

This link contain the already pre-filled form and should help you to get quick answer.

News, the build -3 now should build perfectly with kernel 3.2+ & 3.3, Thanks to Sebastian for the patch

Quick Résumé about 12.2

AMD rename their installer, So Sebastian did the same for his script.

I will just copy/google translate/paste here the comment made by Sebastian Siebert on his blog :

amdccle

AMD has released some time later the driver. The only reason was the fact that AMD has jumped over the version 8.94 because of possible driver issues with some graphics cards. I’ve also updated the packaging script because AMD had unfortunately not include my changes in their AMD installer. (Remember? No time? Who knows … Especially since AMD closed mailing list was down.) It affects even the atieventsd.sh init script. There has been specified for the start of the script in run level 3 and also the XDM (X window manager) provided what IMHO makes no sense. On the other hand, the power mode script (ati powermode.sh) kicked out for good. Since the driver already supports the suspend mode and does not require a helper script anymore.
Driver support now AMD Radeon HD 7950, HD 7970, HD 7990

See more at Sebastian’s blog. Don’t be shy, you can leave there the result of test in english too
or ask in forums, irc and ping freespacer.
See below what to do in case of troubles.

The rpms version 8.950 are available from Thursday March 8th.

fgl_glxgears

My advise is to firstly remove any existing version with zypper rm, then just zypper in the new version,
even if 8.930 was the first version I’ve seen able to upgrade correctly.
The 8.950 leave a file that need to be manually removed /etc/ati/amdpcsdb.

As usual, I let the previous versions in the repository, just in case you need it.

Tested on a fresh 12.1 + updates and kde 4.8.1

Factory rpms are not presently available, I’ve not been yet able to successfully build the package (remember the merge of /bin /sbin with /usr/bin /usr/sbin? )
Anyways, factory and 12.2 should keep their effort on debuging and testing widely the free radeon driver.

One-click-installer

As nobody killed me about the one-click-installer, I upgrade its status to final stable (feedback are always welcome)
For 32bits system :

For 64bits system :

(*) To know which kind of system you have, open a console, then run uname -a and look the output if you see x86_64 on the line you are running a 64bits, otherwise a 32bits.

Installation, Caution, Troubles

Installation

Please refer to my previous article where all the installation procedure are explained.

For a first installation, if you don’t remove radeon from the initrd, you will get in trouble. Don’t thanks who removed that from the wiki.

Caution

• Wrong (to my point of view) create an xorg.conf file which is unneeded if you work with /etc/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf and have driver “fglrx” inside
• AMD CCLE didn’t get correctly upgraded if xorg is running during the upgrade. My advise, let’s go to console and as root do the following :

  init 3
  rcatievenstd stop
  zypper ref
  zypper up
  init 6
  

  Let the package rebuild the kernel driver. And for me I always remove the newly xorg.conf file created.
  reboot is mandatory!
  upgrading from 8.930 to 8.950 the file /etc/ati/amdpcsdb could be erased it will be recreate on next reboot

fglrx 12.2 with flash benchmark

Debuging troubles

I recommend in case of trouble the use of his script which can collect the whole informations needed to help you. then you just have to issue a simple commande in console to collect all informations, you can review them, and finally transmit them

su -c 'sh makerpm-amd-12.2.sh -ur'
The sytem report 'amd-report.txt' was generated.                                                                                                                    [ OK ]
Do you want to read the system report 'amd-report.txt' now? yes/no [y/n]: y
Are you sure to upload the above-named system report to sprunge.to? yes/no [y/n]: y

The report was uploaded to sprunge.us.
   The link is:  http://sprunge.us/ZVRP

Copy paste the link in the comment zone of Sebatian post

Statistiques

December 2011 as shown a big bump on the server : 50,212 unique visitor for a roughly 320GB traffic for the rpm

1582GB has been distributed during 2011.

2012

That’s all folks! Have fun!

Among other improvements to KDE3 is the possibility to resize tray icons by editing (or creating) the config file ~/.kde/share/config/systemtray_panelappletrc with the following section:

[System Tray]
systrayIconWidth=XX

where XX is the preferred icon size. While in the previous KDE3 releases the icons would got cut, they are scaled now. I changed the default size of the tray icons to 18 px so that they could fit in two rows at medium panel size (see the screenshot).

I also removed the annoying arrows from the applet handles so they not to damage the common style. The applet menu still can be called by right-clicking on the handle.
One additional improvement is that kpdf now got the ability to rotate the document.