antiX "GUI" updater

[PPC]

Hi, everyone. It recently downed on me that I updated my Mx OS but never my antiX OS... I know the apt-get update and upgrade commands and I dabble on the terminal and know how to do that...
But I do try to make my system as user friendly to use as possible, avoiding using the cli, unless it's more productive than just clicking icons.
So I wrote a small script that I called "update.sh", made it excutable and I have it in my desktop. I just click it and, if needed, it asks for the user password and then runs apt-get update and apt-get upgrade... I did not automate the upgrade confirmation, as a double security meassure the user still has to confirm, again, that the packages will be upgraded, but you can easily change that ...
I'm not a techie, so probably there's plenty of room for improvement, but I guess this script would be a nice addiction to antiX, out of the box, to appeal to users that shy away from the cli, or just as a faster way of upgrading system packages...

Here's my script:

Code: Select all

#! /bin/bash

# get confirmation

yad --notebook $STYLE --title="Update antiX" --text=" Do you want to try to update antiX packages? " \
--button=gtk-cancel:1 \
--button="Yes":2 \

foo=$?

[[ $foo -eq 1 ]] && exit 0

### after confirmation ask user password, via GUI, if needed
if gksu Update-antiX ; then lxterminal -e sudo echo "Password entered"; fi ;

### upgrate and upgrade
if [[ $foo -eq 2 ]]; then 
			if sudo lxterminal -e sudo apt-get update; then
		lxterminal -e sudo apt-get dist-upgrade; 
		fi ; 
	
#&& exit 0

fi

[BitJam]

Did you try using the cli-aptiX program? Synaptic is available on full systems but for base and core we provide cli-aptiX which I believe is extremely easy to use even though it is command line based. If Synaptic is not installed then we fall back to cli-aptiX in the antiX Control Centre. It should also be available in the Applications menus.

[PPC]

Hi. Thanks for the reply.
I did test cli aptiX, but I wanted to avoid the terminal as much as I can... And synaptic is fully gui but, to upgrade we have to press 3 buttons... This script is a one click only fully dedicated way to upgrade the installed packages... Which I belive antix lacks...

[skidoo]

we have to press 3 buttons

What I like to do is hold off updating until a day after I've had an extra couple hours sleep.
That way I'm sure I'll have the energy to press all 3 of those buttons without straining myself too much.

[male]

When I update the system, I do it with the terminal. A GUI shows me:

-no errors
-no dependency problems
-She doesn't show me apt's suggestions on what to do.
-from the GUI I can't provide anything to possible helpers in a forum

For this I also click 5 times...

[KoO]

Maybe you should go the MX way. antiX lacks absolutely zero.

[PPC]

@ skidoo- the script on my post was made for my personal use, but I thought it may also appeal to users that shy away from the terminal or newbies that hear that you no longer need to use the terminal on linux. Yet, still sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade, via the terminal is the fastest and cleanest way I know to upgrade antiX system packages. My script is not meant to be used by tech geeks that know how to compile stuff, I sugested it for folks that don’t like to or simply are afraid/ don’t know how to use the cli.
Sure, users thay don’t want to use the cli can simply upgrade by click away on the fully gui synaptic, but most commonly used distros do have a dedicated and easy gui way to upgrade. Newbies should not need to know that, in debian linux based systems you need to run 2 separate commands, or click click to different buttons to update their computer. Most newbies comming from other OS's don't even really know what a package is. I remember having to learn all that the hard way...
A simple script with the apt commands would sufice, my script is little more than that. If users and the dev team don’t like the idea, fine, don’t use it, it was just a idea aimed to make antiX at tiny bit more user friendly, I don’t belive people need to waste sarcasm simply because they don’t like a construtive suggestion.

@ male - Thanks for the constructive reply. You make some perfecly valid points, logs can be usefull to troubleshoot problems. The script I use patched together simply automates apt-get update and apt-get upgrade, nothing more, so everything should be correctly logged under /var/log/apt/. If the devs feel like adding something like my script they can add a button that makes geany open the log files, if the user wants to see all that information… Because the script does show lxterminal windows running both the update and upgrade processes (you simply don’t have to do more that just type y/n etc for confirmation, when prompted to), you can still see errors/dependency problems/ suggestions on what to do…
Newbies that just want to keep their OS up to date, I belive would pay no attention to logs and stuff like that, but thats the way I was and still am, some newbies can be quite curious, and try to inovate or troubleshoot any problem by themselves- users confortable with the cli really have no need to use scripts to update their systems, unless, they find clicking a icon more confortable...

@ KoO – thanks for the sugestion, I’m already a MX user, but antiX runs best on a particular computer I use. I’m glad you think antiX lacks nothing. I love antiX yet I run a heavy personalized version of it, to each it’s own, I guess...

[seaken64]

Well, I for one had huge laugh over the sarcasm. I little joking is alright and adds some levity.

Thank for your script. I see no problem with it and reminds me of when I used to write batch files in DOS to help me automate stuff. Still, I don't see a need for it in antiX. "Newbies" does not necessarily mean unable or unwilling to open a terminal and type. It may not be for you but I was a newbie once and I hated the gui interfaces and avoided them. I still prefer the command line for jobs such as updating packages. I'm not discounting your effort and contribution I just disagree that it's a "newbie" thing.

Seaken64

[skidoo]

PPC, I agree that it's a good script. Above, I should have mentioned that along with a thank you for caring to share it.
The joking sarcasm was specific to the 3-clicks "reason" offered. Reading that really made me chuckle.

[rokytnji.1]

Thanks. I'll try this on my autistic grandsons Laptop. Next time I visit.

Edit> I have coached and wrote on paper for him and his mom basic commands and am phone support.
Just adding another tool for his laptop is not a bad idea .