Raspbian Lite questions

[J_mie]

Hi folks,

Questions re: Raspbian Lite; is it possible to launch Apps with GUIs from the command line with the default build or would the user need to install a full desktop environment to enable this i.e. RPD, LXDE etc.

Thanks in advance,

[MaxTheSpy]

Im pretty sure the best UI your going to get from commandline is going to be

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sudo raspi-config

this menu is about as good as your going to get maybe other than

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top

Either way I would recommend downloading the desktop IP and only turn it on if you need a UI

[ghans]

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sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-all  xserver-xorg-video-fbdev libx11-6 x11-common x11-utils x11-xkb-utils x11-xserver-utils xterm lightdm openbox

should install a basic X11 environment which might or might not be enough to start most X11 applications.

ghans

[J_mie]

Thanks, I think this was the answer I was looking for. I'll give it a shot.

Is it standard practice to install a full desktop and then disable it as opposed to installing only the components needed to run X11 apps?

Thanks,

[ghans]

Nope, this is just a kludge because fat images are so popular with Raspberry Pi users.

ghans

[MaxTheSpy]

Nope, this is just a kludge because fat images are so popular with Raspberry Pi users.

ghans

If you have the space on your SD card Im not sure I see the problem, It is nice to have every once and a while.

[SOCSBC]

I think I understand where you're coming from. I had the idea to install Raspbian Stretch Lite on a Pi Zero W, and thereafter live in the CLI, only installing programs that were relevant to that environment (e.g., cmus, ELinks, rtv, mc, etc.). I'm new to GNU/Linux, and wanted to totally immerse myself in the CLI, only touching a GUI when absolutely necessary. Since I'm still learning the command line, I experiment with commands like "cat" and "see", but find certain problems along the way: opening .pdf's, mounting a usb drive to transfer files, etc. As mentioned above, "raspi-config" is a great tool for the basic set-up. My short term solution, until I get a better handle on the CLI and Bash shell scripting, is to install the full Raspbian," sudo apt-get remove --purge" all of the educational programs and games, and then adjust the settings to boot to the command line, upon starting. In the meantime, I'll peruse the "man", "info", and "apropos" pages, learning as I go.

This approach reminds me of a mechanic, popping the hood, and revving the engine from the other side of the accelerator.

[J_mie]

Nope, this is just a kludge because fat images are so popular with Raspberry Pi users.

ghans

I see, I think a compromise between the two would be to install Raspbian Lite and then add RPD as per GhostRaiders guide This way any apps I use would have the necessary dependencies already rather than having to install them as I go.

[MaxTheSpy]

This approach reminds me of a mechanic, popping the hood, and revving the engine from the other side of the accelerator.

as a mechanic by day I feel this statement!

[Man in a van]

. My short term solution, until I get a better handle on the CLI and Bash shell scripting, is to install the full Raspbian," sudo apt-get remove --purge" all of the educational programs and games,
This approach reminds me of a mechanic, popping the hood, and revving the engine from the other side of the accelerator.

i have tried this approach in the past and found it difficult to remove all the "not wanted on voyage" stuff. I now find it is much simpler with a RPI 3B+ and the latest version of Stretch-Lite to just do

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 sudo apt install raspberrypi-ui-mods

and add the few extra bits I need, Chromium, Piclone and VNC Server

Ronnie

[SOCSBC]

Piclone

Piclone is really brilliant, isn't it? I can now keep copies of my copies, and backups of my backups!

[Man in a van]

@SOCSBC

Piclone has certainly proved usefu,l but my top ten tip is pishrink

Ronnie

[SOCSBC]

Piclone has certainly proved usefu,l but my top ten tip is pishrink

Ronnie

*Bookmarked*

Thanks!

[DougieLawson]

@SOCSBC

Piclone has certainly proved usefu,l but my top ten tip is pishrink

Ronnie

Where's the URL for PiShrink?

[Man in a van]

Hi Dougie

I got it from here,

https://github.com/Drewsif/PiShrink

I have a rpi 3B+ with a 64Gb card and mostly use it to reduce the file size on any OS images I make for different media servers (mostly for LMS).

I just make a new directory on the pi, do the install and chmod and then add which ever file I want to shrink.

Then run

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sudo ./pishrink.sh name of file.img

The shrink time is not so long as the time to transfer the file in and out of the pi but as I don't do it very often it's no real problem.

I think it will run on a Linux set-up (inside a VM as well) but I haven't tried that yet, also, on the pi, it might be able to run on a file on an external USB stick, but again, I have not tried.

I have found it very useful, hence the more detailed answer, as that might help others.

Regards

Ronnie

Edit: Ashamed by displaying my laziness I copied a file to a usb stick, popped it into the pi and, indeed, it does work.

[SteveSpencer]

[insert web search engine of choice here] is your friend.

https://github.com/Drewsif/PiShrink

[n67]

The obvious answer to this question is: OF COURSE, it is possible to run X applications (i.e., X clients) on a CLI-only machine without installing an X server. I do it all the time.

Have people forgotten how the X computing model is defined?

[SOCSBC]

...Have people forgotten how the X computing model is defined?

Go on...

[J_mie]

The obvious answer to this question is: OF COURSE, it is possible to run X applications (i.e., X clients) on a CLI-only machine without installing an X server. I do it all the time.

Have people forgotten how the X computing model is defined?

Could you expand on this? The kind of X apps I'd be running would be GUI driven office apps

[ghans]

I believe he is talking about X forwarding. You install an X server on Windows (XMing).
Then you SSH into your Raspberry Pi. You start an X client on the Raspberry (almost all graphical programs on Raspbian are X clients by definition). With X forwarding, the graphical output (window) will pop up on your Windows machine, since the X server provides a surface for X clients to draw on. This terminology is the opposite of what people used to VNC or RDP expect.

This should of course also work without any X server running on the Pi itself.

ghans

[n67]

Not necessarily.

But, yes, that is one way to do it.

[J_mie]

Not necessarily.

But, yes, that is one way to do it.

Helpful...

[ghans]

Here is a simple guide for X forwarding (with screenshots !).
https://www.cpdforteachers.com/resource ... spberry-pi

ghans