Re: Integrating new console colors in D-I (was Re: Call for testing: Aubergine-love for Server folks!)

[Scott Kitterman]

Dustin Kirkland <kirkland at canonical.com> wrote:

>On Sat, Mar 26, 2011 at 10:21 AM, Colin Watson <cjwatson at ubuntu.com>
>wrote:
>> It would have to go on the kernel command line, not in the CD preseed
>> file.  The latter is read too late for this.
>>
>> It would probably be better to add new values for the existing
>> FRONTEND_BACKGROUND environment variable (which can also go on the
>> kernel command line) rather than inventing a new preseeded template
>> which would basically just be a synonym for it.
>
>Great idea, Colin.  I have this now working, with an upload of
>cdebconf-0.154ubuntu2 to Natty archive.  This will not make Beta1, but
>should absolutely land in Beta2, and will need release-team approval.
>Note that it will also require a re-spin of debian-installer.  I'm
>tracking this in Bug #730672.  There's a debdiff for cdebconf there.
>
>As of that upload, any user of the text installer will be able to
>optionally specify a FRONTEND_BACKGROUND value on the kernel command
>line.  The cdebconf-newt-udeb package provides the following:
> * dark -- high contrast, accessibility theme
> * original -- the traditional, legacy newt theme
> * ubuntu -- the aubergine theme (basically, s/blue/magenta/g)
>
>These are installed to:
> * /etc/newt/palette.dark
> * /etc/newt/palette.original
> * /etc/newt/palette.ubuntu
>
>By default, there is a symlink installed by cdebconf-newt-udeb in the
>ISO filesystem:
> * /etc/newt/palette -> /etc/newt/palette.ubuntu
>
>At debian-installer/cdebconf initialization of the newt frontend, if a
>kernel parameter FRONTEND_BACKGROUND=<whatever> is found, then the
>symlink at /etc/newt/palette is broken and replaced with a symlink to
>/etc/newt/palette.<whatever>.
>
>In this way, any derivative of Ubuntu can ship their own palette in a
>udeb that's included in their ISO build, install that palette at
>/etc/newt/palette.kubuntu, for example, and append
>FRONTEND_BACKGROUND=kubuntu to the kernel parameters.
>
>If you (or your Ubuntu derivative) just want the legacy behavior, then
>don't bother shipping your own palette, but simply append
>FRONTEND_BACKGROUND=original to the kernel parameters.
>
>I hope this helps with your calls for reconfigurability!  I've enjoyed
>working with everyone on this ;-)
>
Could we please make the post-freeze design changes opt-in instead of opt-out so other teams don't have to keep getting distracted from their planned work?

Scott K