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Arabic LiveCD - Slax - Documentation

Created by: Showayb A A Zahda


Shuaib85@yahoo.com

Purpose of the project


The main purpose of the Arabic LiveCD project is to come out with a
portable operating system which suits the Arab users in general. In order to
facilitate the use of computers in public places. In other word, you can use
an alternative operating system without affecting or harming others
computers. Moreover, to offer a free of charge system in Arabic language.
Appendix1: Step by step manual
1. Select the distribution of Linux so as to be customized to
Arabic.
2. Reading the tutorials on the Internet and consulting experts.
3. Downloading Slax ISO file
4. Mount the ISO copy to the harddisk using …
5. Downloading Slax modules from www.slax.org.
6. Adding the modules to modules folder in the slax directory
(This property makes the customization easier).
see appendix 3
7. Changing the configuration files in order to boot the system to
Arabic and some other files. (The files are provided with
explanation to each in the next pges)
NOTE: All the configuration files are stored in rootcopy
folder, this folder works as root or (/). When the system
switches on, the files are replaced with the default ones.
8. Designing some wallpapers and adding backgrounds
9. Adding 14 surahs of the Quran in the root folder
10. Storing all the files in one folder
11. Make the ISO file using an existed shell script with Slax.
Here is the way
cd slax
./makeiso.sh </root/slax.iso> (/root/slax.iso: can be changed)
12. Burn the CD and check it.

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Appendix 2: Modified Files
NOTE: All the files below are stored in the rootcopy folder.

• /etc/inittab
This file changes the run level from the text-based on to the
graphical. By default the value is id:3:initdefault:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)


id:4:initdefault:

• /etc/issue
This file has a drawing for Slax logo in the text based screen it is in
run level 3. Just in case the user would switch to this level, the user
will get this screen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
:: SLAX 5.0.7 :: Arabic Interface ::
Standard Edition ::
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
_[1;32m :cCCCo:. _[0;39m
_[1;32m .:::cOCCOOCCOC. .. _[0;39m
_[1;32m .oOCCCOOOC: :c :COCCCOc. _[0;39m
_[1;32m :CCCOc. .CCc::cOCCC: _[0;39m
_[1;32m .cOC: :o. oCO: _[0;39m slax
login:_[1;34m root _[0;39m
_[1;32m :oO: :c oCCCC: _[0;39m
password:_[1;34m toor _[0;39m
_[1;32m .:..:cc: .oCCCc _[0;39m
_[1;32m :oOOc :: :oCCC _[0;39m
_[1;32m .CCOc . cOOC. _[0;39m
_[1;32m CCCC: .:co:. :: _[0;39m
_[1;32m cOCCC: :. .oOc _[0;39m
_[1;32m cOo: o. cCO: _[0;39m After login try
following commands:
_[1;32m cOCCc. :oO :CCCo: _[0;39m
_[1;32m :COCCOOC: c .ooooCCCOo. _[0;39m startx ....
run Xwindow and KDE
_[1;32m .:: :CoccoCCCCc:::. _[0;39m xconf ....
detects gfx hardware

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_[1;32m :cCOOCoc _[0;39m

Customized by SHOWAYB A A ZAHDA 0416871


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
*** When finished, hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete and wait until the computer
reboots ***
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------

• /etc/profile.d/lang.sh
This is the most important file which allows the system to boot to
the language. In my case the language is Arabic and the shortcut
for it is ar, SA means Saudi Arabia

# en_US is the Slackware default locale:


export LANG=ar_SA
export LC_COLLATE=ar_SA

• Start-up sound file


The file was a music and I changed it to Bismilah Alrahman
Araheem. (Of course the paper cannot show you the sound).
The extension of the sound file is .ogg (oggVorbis)
/opt/kde/share/sounds/KDE_Startup_1.ogg

• Wallpaper
This is the background of the Slax
/opt/kde/share/wallpapers/slax-wallpaper.jpg

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• /opt/kde/share/config/kdm/backgroundrc
This is the login background (The address can be changed)
[Desktop0]
Wallpaper=/opt/kde/share/wallpapers/flower.jpg
WallpaperMode=Scaled

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• Boot Image
Here is the first image you see once you boot the system, the boot
image has special extension which is .lss. To edit this image you
need to do the following
Convert the splash.lss file to ppm using
Lss16toppm < splash.lss > splash.ppm
Then you need to convert ppm to jpg using
convert splash.ppm splash.jpg
Edit the picture using any designing programme (in my case The
Gimp) and save it.
Then you need to reverse the previous conversion
convert splash.jpg splash.ppm
ppmtolss16 < splash.ppm > splash.lss
The address of the file: /boot/splash.lss

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• /boot/splash.cfg
This is a welcoming messages appears under the image boot. (you
can change the text).
_boot/splash.lss
_0f Welcome to Arabic Live CD -SLAX-. Hit
Enter to continue booting or press F1 for
help...

• /root/.kde/share/config/kdeglobals
This file has the native country of the language (in my case Saudi
Arabia) and the language as well.
[Locale]
Country=sa
Language=ar_SA

• /root/.kde/share/config/kxkbrc
This file has the responsibility of the input method from the
keyboard. Additional field has the default languages you might
need, you can add more languages if you need. Layout field has the
default layout of the keyboard.
[Layout]
Additional=ar,us
Layout=ar
Variants=ar(basic),us(intl)

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• configsave
This command allows you to modify the desktop and many other
things, and then you save the file into the driver or any storage device
(you can use this command while you are running the system).
Configsave /mnt/usb/slaxconf.mo
When you reboot the system you have to click enter to confirm the
saving of the changes.
Then add this file to the modules directory and burn the new CD,
you will get the new changes.

Appendix 3: Modules have been added to the system


1. Arabic Language Interface
2. OpenOffice 2.0
3. Acrobat Reader 7.0
4. Programming languages compilers such as c++, c, and
others.
5. Java Standard Edition 1.5.4
6. Games (chess, pacman, and others)
7. Mozilla, FireFox
8. Giam (Messenger)
9. The Gimp (Designing)
10. MPlayer The Movie Player.
11. KDE Edutainment (Educational package)

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12. KDE Screen Saver
13. 14 Surah of Quran
14. Arabic fonts

References

1. www.slax.com
2. www.arabeyes.org

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