How this works…

This is a nice project, I used dietpi-software to install a few packages & was surprised that they were auto configured (things like OpenVPN’s easy-RSA was built during install).

It led me to poke into the shell script that does the work. It is nice that items are auto configured but I can’t see any explanation of editing that setup on this site.

I think you may want to consider a link or brief explanation on the dietpi.com/software page. I’m guessing it is OK to modify the script to setup our own preferred config? I understand my changes will be overwritten if I update the tools.

Thanks

Hi Henry,

DietPi is GPLv2, you are free to edit the sourecode as needed.

It is nice that items are auto configured but I can’t see any explanation of editing that setup on this site.

If I read you correctly, you would like information on where the configuration files are located for the software you install? If so, this is a great idea but very time consuming. Ideally, we would need someone to pick up this task and help contribute to DietPi.

DietPi mostly uses the default configuration file location for that software. Example, Lighttpd .conf is located in /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf. So a online Google search of distro + software should provide the correct location. eg: Debian Transmission config location

I don’t think I explained myself clearly, sorry.

I’d like to know if all the setup for installation is done from the /DietPi/dietpi/dietpi-software script when using it to install packages. Is most of the configuration work contained in that file?

For example installing OpenVPN sets up easy-rsa & also makes keys, builds a server config file, creates client keys… None of that is standard as behaviour for the packages and it is great that DietPi automates it, I just wasn’t expecting it.

I think it would help to mention just a basic overview of how that works at the start of the software page…
https://dietpi.com/forum/t/dietpi-software-details-for-all-installation-options/22/1

Hi Henry,

Yep, DietPi-Software does all the configurations and installations.

Here is the install section for DietPi optimized software: DietPi/dietpi/dietpi-software at master · Fourdee/DietPi · GitHub

Here is where DietPi creates and applies the configurations:

I just wasn’t expecting it.

I think it would help to mention just a basic overview of how that works at the start of the software page…

Great idea. I’d appreciate your input, do you have any suggestions for what we can write, to try and explain this better?

Maybe something along these lines…

DietPi has several tools to help install software packages & configure them after install. They are managed by system commands that are stored inside /DietPi/dietpi/

‘dietpi-software’ is used to do the initial configuration based on the settings in /DietPi/dietpi.txt. These settings are applied on first boot and can be used to automate many parts of first setup, like adding wifi passwords, installing and configuring services etc.

‘dietpi-config’ can also edit the settings after initial setup, run dietpi-config to change config options or just edit the settings as you normally would on Debian.

‘dietpi-software’ can also install, remove and configure many common packages with general settings, even after installation has been completed. Run dietpi-software to select the packages.

If you want to use your own custom configuration you can still use apt-get install & all the other tools that come with Debian. You can also modify the DietPi scripts inside /Dietpi/. Just be aware that running ‘dietpi-update’ will overwrite your changes to the DietPi scripts. Please post a pull request on github if you have improvements to DietPi > GitHub - Fourdee/DietPi: Lightweight justice for your single-board computer!

I’m not sure if that is concise enough, hopefully it clarifies some of what this project can do. I’m new to this project, so maybe I have misunderstood parts of it?

Hi Henry,

Perfect. :slight_smile:
This is exactly what I was after, a new user’s perspective of what DietPi is. This should allow us to better explain DietPi for new users. Thank you!

Excellent, I’m glad it helped.

I was unclear on what DietPi did when I began, hopefully it will become clearer as time passes, it looks like I’ll be using it in future. Thanks for your work on this project, it’s neat.

Thanks Henry.

For reference and tracking, Git Ticket for this: https://github.com/Fourdee/DietPi/issues/470