Re: lilybuntu 2

[Phil Holmes]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graham Percival" <address@hidden>
To: "Phil Holmes" <address@hidden>
Cc: "Colin Campbell" <address@hidden>; <address@hidden>
Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 10:25 AM
Subject: Re: lilybuntu 2


> On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 09:44:06AM -0000, Phil Holmes wrote:
> > Just come across another issue you may want to document.  It's not
> > trivial to get stuff on and off the VM.  If you install the Guest
> > additions, copy and paste works fine.  However, I wasn't able to
> > find an easy way to transfer files (e.g. patches).
>
> Does the phrase "easy file sharing between host and client
> operating systems" help?  well, if nothing else, I should change
> that to match the "shared folders" terminology that virtualbox
> uses.

Once I'd set my network up as described below, then there is easy file 
sharing.  Until I did, it was not possible to see the Windows network at 
all.

> > I was initially
> > able to use the Windows network, but at some point that stopped
> > working - I think it must have been when I went from live to the
> > installed version.  I couldn't get ftp to work. In the end I
> > resorted to Google and the VBox manual and it said that to get ftp
> > working you need to change the setup from NAT network to Bridged.  I
> > did this and lo - Windows network is back, as is ftp.  Might be
> > worth a line in the CG to set up the VM as bridged.
>
> Hmm.
>
> I'm not certain that's the best solution, both for lilybuntu
> networking (presumably you could reach the outside world if you
> downloaded the source?), or for transferring files (some people
> might not be familiar with windows networking?).

The "standard" VM set up uses NAT between the VM and the host - it sets 
itself up on a 10.2 private network.  Therefore you can do things that 
require access to the outside world, like http, but not things that require 
inward connections, like ftp, windows file sharing.  Therefore, as far as 
I'm aware, with the default set up there's simply no way to get stuff off 
the VM and on to the windows box, which most windows users will need to do - 
to send a patch to the mailing list, for example.  I'm assuming Trevor and 
James may not be affected by this since they don't use the VM for doc 
builds.

> Ultimately, we're not going to reproduce all the virtualbox
> documentation.  As long as it's obvious when something is a
> general virtualbox question and people are directed to that (or
> google), then I'm not too chuffed.  (did I use that word
> correctly?)

The VBox manual is 248 pages, and it took me a while to work out how to do 
this - I'm (despite occasional appearances) pretty good at this stuff.  I'd 
suggest a line saying "In the settings for the virtual machine, set the 
network to Bridged mode to allow you to access shared folders on your 
Windows host." or somesuch.

Chuffed - in English English - means pleased.  In English English we'd say 
"bothered" or "worried".

> I've tried to clarify this somewhat in the version of the
> instructions I'm working on now; please wait a few hours for the
> next annoucement and then check that.
>
> Cheers,
> - Graham


--
Phil Holmes