[aldo_14]

Is it possible to get a copy of Knoppix (that runs of a CD, yeah?) that will allow me to test code, whilst retaining that codebase on a Windows PC?

The problem is that I have to test something that is currently running Windows only; largely because the guy before me had to use a bit of VB code as a plugin to it (it's java code) so we have dependencies.  This thing is being developed as it's being deployed, so I can't do a bit refactoring and just remove the use of plugins for native Java libraries; but we need to also get it running on Unix and Mac for clients, and I need a test environment for the former, except I don't have a Unix box available, nor a spare machine.

So I want to know if I can use knoppix as a sort of portable test environment.  More importantly, perhaps, is whether I can also set it up to load Eclipse and allow me to grab stuff of an NTFS-formatted drive.

[kode]

yeah, it's possible. it involves a bit of work, though, but it should be in the docs.

[WMCoolmon]

Lemme try and give an example of the sort of commands you might have to use under kubuntu. The process'll be a littel different with knoppix, but most of the commands should be the same

(Replace # with partition number with code on it; umask specifies that normal users have read privs, writing to NTFS not supported under Linux)

(~ is a symbol standing for your home directory. i have no idea if knoppix ramdisk will have enough space for copying the code, if not you may have to save only intermediate and output files to /home...something i won't go into)

Code: [Select]

cd ~
mkdir code_temp
cd /media
sudo mkdir code_drive
sudo mount /dev/hda# code_drive -o umask=022
cd code_drive
cd directory/with/code/in/it
cp -R *.* ~/code_temp
cd ~/code_temp
g++ -o program_name *.cpp

All that assumes, in addition to the above stuff, that the program doesn't need any special libs or compile options.

Your best bet, though, would be to set up a 5-10 GB partition and install linux on that, so you could mount stuff on boot and wouldn't have to go through the above every time, could install other programs besides the default knoppix ones, etc etc

[aldo_14]

I'm not sure I can paritition it, natch; the Pcs are also being used for encoding stupidly huge amounts of music (I think there are about 60,000 CDs either ripped or in the process of being ripped), and I have guarantee who or what will need the space.  So I'm trying to avoid impacting that, especially as I only use the Pc 2 days a week anyway.

EDIT; so I want to avoid making any impact on the thing.  Especially as someone else will inevitably screw it up in my absence if I do.....

[kasperl]

Well, you could, in theory, try an external HD, and see if you can boot from that. I know you can boot from an USB stick sometimes.....

I never could compile under Knoppix, but that was my fault. Reading NTFS works fine, writing FAT too. Burning CD's was bit awkward in Knoppix 3.2, but seems fine in newer versions.

If it's Java, can't you try out a compiled version on another platform? Or did I miss a virtual-machine textbook explanation?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by kasperl
Well, you could, in theory, try an external HD, and see if you can boot from that. I know you can boot from an USB stick sometimes.....

I never could compile under Knoppix, but that was my fault. Reading NTFS works fine, writing FAT too. Burning CD's was bit awkward in Knoppix 3.2, but seems fine in newer versions.

If it's Java, can't you try out a compiled version on another platform? Or did I miss a virtual-machine textbook explanation?

Yeah, we can try one out, but if we're having to put in bindings to other platform native code then we can't actually test or debug the thing.  At the moment there's a bunch of window native stuff that's been either licensed or found that we're using to rip cds, encode audio, grab stuff of scanners, etc; all of which needs to be 'replaced' with a set of Mac/Unix equivalents.  (we can't just code java-based replacements because of time.  I'm not sure if some of our requirements are possible within the java security model, either, anyway)

The client  runs a mac only environment, y'see, and although they've offered to test the software, it'd be nearly impossible to properly fix any problems if we don't have some form of same-Os environment to duplicate errors.  (we have an iMac somewhere in the office, although it's also used during office hours for 'stuff', but this needs to also run on Linux, hence the whole Knoppix thing).

[kasperl]

Ehm, there is some dev stuff on Knoppix, so if you've got the time/are paid by the hour and can call this work, you could try just reading all the manuals, and seeing if there is perhaps a Knoppix-like LiveCD distro that has a Java compiler with all the libraries and stuff on it.

Or you could try to get a Knoppix-for-usb thingymagic on an external HD, and then just use it as a regular *nix install, and put all the libraries on it yourself.

[Kamikaze]

You could try the DVD version of Knoppix. I bet it has eclipse and everything you'll need.