Here's the background to this question:

Canola2 has a recent update that sucks. People want to go back to the prior version. Or someone flashed his device and now wants to re-install Canola (but with the old version).

Problem: there is no .deb, or at least no repository with all the dependencies, for doing a standard installation.

However, I still have the "good" Canola2 installation on my N800.

The gist of the question:
Is there any way I can "package" what I have to send to other users?

Here's the thread where this problem has arisen:

You could start with Post #1: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=33799

Then, if you want, you might read #42 thru #49: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=33799&page=5

I've specifically stated this with respect to Canola, but it is a problem that could come up again with other programs.

I think wajig will do what you want? http://www.togaware.com/linux/surviv..._Overview.html


I know I did something to repackage the chinook browser for use on diablo because the dpad behavior with the diablo browser irritated me.

Do you know what version you are looking for?

Several versions are online at http://repository.maemo.org/extras-d...ree/c/canola2/

I am not sure how many files were included in the .deb you are looking for. I believe that you can run "dpkg --listfiles canola" in a terminal to see a list of the files included in your package. You could then transfer those files to your friend who would install them in the same locations.

dpkg-repack (no package available for maemo)

Johnx's dpkg-repack looks exactly like what I had in mind.

It would be great if someone would port dpkg-repack to maemo (and either make a GUI for it or provide really simple Xterm directions). With the N8x0's development virtually abandoned (even Mer looks pretty debatable), and early indications that not all the Diablo-compatible installation files are going to be kept available, I think the community might really appreciate such a port over time.

Sarahn, maybe I'm wrong but Wajiq doesn't look like it's for Maemo, and, frankly, I couldn't understand it. (I should also point out that I'm not a Linux user; so all this might just be over my head.)

Bruce, the problem with that repository is that it looks like none of the debs are for the last problem-free Canola2 installation, which wasn't a RC but rather was beta11.

Thanks to all of you!

Hopefully once the sheen has worn off the N900, people will be able to get some work done on our "legacy devices". Or not!

Here's hoping for the best, although I knew this day would come eventually. It's a hazard I took purchasing a tech gadget (in December 2008) that was already a year and a half into its lifespan. I think that's the equivalent of an 80-year-old person, as measured in "device years".

dpkg-repack is just the one, as Johnx said. I had it running on my N800 on OS2007, it wasn't too difficult. It's a Perl script. So, I had to install Perl (which wasn't there in that first OS2007 install I had), and I believe I had to do a few adjustments -- it ends up calling some other applications, and IIRC some of them are busybox versions (i.e. may not have the options used). But in the end it worked fine.

I don't have it installed anymore, it went away when I flashed the device with an upgrade. But it wasn't difficult, so if the OP wants to have a try then just grab this file: http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/ma...ck_1.31.tar.gz
Unpack it with 'tar xzvf', and the script is dpkg-repack/dpkg-repack
Try to execute it, and fix all the problems as you go along. Usage: dpkg-repack name-of-package

Said OP may give it a try, but he is neither a Linux user nor a coder.

Ideally, this program would be very simple to use, so that as time goes by we could all help each other when someone needs a no-longer-available install file. You know, as time goes by and us N8x0 users look like Atari aficionados to the outside world

I'm assuming you're running Diablo (or OS2008 anyway), so it probably won't be much use if I tried to make an installable dpkg-repack - I'm on OS2007. But there must be others out there who could do this reasonably easily.

I've run dpkg-repack on OS2008 when trying to bring Wayfinder Maps to the N900; as has been said - it's pretty trivial. I'll see if I've still got it on my N810 (won't be for days, though).

But getting it running is the smallest part of it.