OpenSuse
The observatory's servers and control computers run on the openSuse distribution of Linux-based software. New systems are built with the 64-bit version 12.2 with xfce4. We then add all the options for software development. Prior versions 12.1 with xfce4, and 11.4 with Gnome remain in use on some systems.
During installation:
The initial splash screen may need boot parameter "nomodeset" if a recent NVidia graphics card or GPU is present.
Select Xfce as default environment. Do not use Gnome.
Select almost all packages including PHP, MySQL, and Apache except those clearly not needed. Decline KDE and Gnome desktop but add development code.
From openSUSE using YAST:
Remove DVD from source
Update NVidia drivers and kernel if NVidia hardware is present
Reboot and configure display
Perform all updates based on default respositories as needed
Remove annoying pk-update-icon
Include the repository for gnome applications
Include the repository for education
Include the repository for vlc
Add findutils-locate
Add lsb
Confirm gfortran
Add apache
Add php and packages
Add gsl and gsl-devel
Add nano
Add timidity
Add audacity
Add celestia (KDE bindings)
Add stellarium
Add galculator
Add gnome-disk-utility
Add gnome-media
Add gnumeric
Add netpbm
Add libnetpbm-devel
Add python-dateutil
Add python-distribute
Add python-distutils-extra
Add python-Distutils2
Add python-cairo-devel
Add python-idle
Add python-imaging
Add python-imaginglib
Add python-matplotlib and related packages
Add python-numpy
Add python-numpy-devel
Add python-qt4
Add python-scipy
Add libevent-devel
Add fftw3-devel, fftw3-threads, and fftw3-threads-devel
Add xfig
Add ufraw
Add gimp-ufraw
Add gphoto but not gphotofs
Check for ffmpeg and ffpmeg-devel
Add vlc
Add qiv
Add luvcview
Add openmotif
Add openmotif-devel
Add openmotif-devel-32bit
Add opemotif-libs
Add openmotiv-libs-32bit
Add yasm
Add yasm-devel
Add fltk
Add fltk-devel
Add libpng12-devel
Add libpng14-devel
Add fxload (used by SBIG cameras)
From source or binaries in /usr/local:
Install nedit from rpm
Install hal from KDE rpm (needed for DRM management with Adobe Flash 11.2)
Use YAST to set sysconfig to start hal daemon
Use YAST to set NTP
Install mplayer
Install ds9
Install xpa
Install cfitsio
Install grace (with local FFT modifications for normalization)
Install xephem
Install pyephem (easy_install pyephem)
Install pyfits (easy_install pyfits)
Install numpy
Install scipy
Install astrometry.net
Install swarp
Install sextractor
Install cinepaint if available or if it will build from sources
Install moodle (depends on mysql, apache, and php) on educational servers
Install mediawiki on servers as needed
Install bbcp for multi-stream copy between servers if needed (requires port 5031 open).
From local software in /usr/local:
Install AstroImageJ
Install ImageJ
Install Aladin
Install alsvid
Install xpa
Install cfitsio
Install sidereal
Install xephem
Install xmtel (if needed)
Install xmccd (provides libcfitso and xpa if needed)
Update /etc
Copy motd
Edit HOSTNAME
Comment out 127.0.0.2 in hosts if it exists
Add entries to /etc/rc.d/boot.local
Add profile.local
Edit /etc/dnsmasq.conf as needed
Edit /etc/sysconfig/locate to run as root
Settings
Configure network as needed for additional cards defined for internal zone
Add masquerade to firewall settings if internal zone present
Start dnsmasq
Desktop
Run nvidia-settings to set display for a system with nvidia hardware
gPhoto2
The gphoto2 application runs Nikon DSLR cameras for real-time observing, scripted imaging, and called by cgi routines from a web server. To give the USB device the proper permissions without invoking unwanted software (the default for a Gnome installation in OpenSuse), we make sure that libgphoto2 is installed, but not the file system. In OpenSuse 12.2 there will not be a udev rules file installed by default.
As root user,
cd /etc/udev/rules.d
/usr/lib64/libgphoto2/print-camera-list udev-rules version 0.98 group video mode 0666 > 90-gphoto.rules
where the version given has to be high enough to work with udev and still be recognized by libgphoto2. This version works with OpenSuse 12.2's default installation.
Add the video group to users who will be observers, and to the user wwwrun by editing /etc/group or by using YAST.
With this, when a camera is connected or turned on, it will accessible by an user in the video group, including the cgi applications used for remote operations.