Dynamic Configuration

[pyfisch]

I want to script my Arch Linux installation process to ensure that I install the OS correctly, apply all my preferences and be able to quickly install it to a new machine.

I originally planned to write my own shell script but I discovered archinstall yesterday and I think it is a much better option for me. I want to fix some installation settings like keymap, locale and installed packages but be able to set some things like passwords and partitions during the actual installation.

AFAIK I have two options with archinstall right now: use the guided install and pass some arguments via the command line, or I can write my own installation script based on the minimal installation. In the latter case I need to write my own input functions while in the former I can't customize the installation as much.

I want to write a script for my installation that looks somewhat like this:

# Create a new configuration, with some values fixed.
# Fields with the value PROMPT are specified during the installation.
config = Configuration(
	keymap="de",
	locale="de_DE.UTF-8",
	timezone="Europe/Berlin",
	encryption=Luks(password=PROMPT),
	# Overwrite "linux" from the default configuration.
	kernel="linux-zen",
	users=[
		User(name="pyfisch", password=PROMPT, sudo=True),
	],
	profile="gnome",
	packages=["firefox", "thunderbird"],
)
# Ask the user for values that aren't specified yet.
# Steps like keymap are skipped because the value is already set.
# Show prompt for packages so the user can add additional packages.
config.prompt(always=["packages"])
# Install the complete configuration without further user input.
config.install()

# Do some post-install steps like copying dotfiles.

Because the configuration and prompt don't change the system it can be tested without a virtual machine as a regular user. The prompt method can have different front-ends e.g. a terminal dialog and a GUI.

The default guided installation would be a file that only contains:

from archinstall import Configuration

config = Configuration()
config.prompt()
config.install()

[Torxed]

I really do like the syntax of this.
We've been discussing declarative configurations for a long time but I never landed on something that looked clean and still supported user-input.. except a very brief experiment with PYSON.

I would be in favor of implementing this type of meta/wrapper around the installation process some how.
And I would also like if it supported taking the JSON output that the users see as a base/input (so we can re-run user reported issues) for faster debugging :)

[l4zy0n3]

Currently, install from config is working ( only format whole device), although I'm facing an issue, looks like it's unable to open fstab for some reason

[l4zy0n3]

logs at https://pastebin.com/puk6Tu9C

[Torxed]

This looks weird:

/usr/bin/pacstrap does not exist.
Could not strap in packages: 1

Not sure why those two pops up

[l4zy0n3]

This looks weird:

/usr/bin/pacstrap does not exist.
Could not strap in packages: 1

Not sure why those two pops up

Now I'm past this issue I was actually testing on a manjaro machine which doesn't have arch-install-scripts by default

Basic installation is working fine now ( only format whole device ) for now

[Torxed]

Basic installation is working fine now ( only format whole device ) for now

That's totally acceptable.
The partitioner logic is getting a re-write for v2.2.0 (next release after v2.1.4), where we'll make it easier to distinguish between the formatting options :)

[Torxed]

I'll add to this discussion, that we haven't been able to conclude that very specific syntax now (/yet).
But we do have more or less full support for JSON definitions now.
--config can swallow /var/log/archinstall/user_configuration.json files.
--creds can swallow /var/log/archinstall/user_credentials.json files.
And --disk_layout can take /var/log/archinstall/user_disk_layout.json files.

Code wise, archinstall.Filesystem() has a function called load_layout() which also takes the above mentioned format.

After the release I'll get around to taking a look at making a config-reading-function for the general options that could be invoked along the lines of the suggestion possibly.

[hkaancaliskan]

--disk_layout not working but --disk_layouts working. I think we should add these arguments to readme.

[Torxed]

Apologies, spelling error. Yes they will be added, they were added not too many commits ago and are new for this upcoming release :)