Solution to App Catalog Installation Limit

Based on rwhitby's findings that temporarily moving /var/usr/palm/applications will allow installing apps from the App Catalog, here's a permanent way to keep the apps on (much larger) /media/internal by using links. This will permanently save space on /var.

It's unfortunate that Palm has not resolved the issue in the 1.2 update. This is a workaround that could work long term, also saving space on /var, but this needs support by the homebrew community to add in the homebrew installer apps.

Overview

This solution involves creating a (hidden) directory in the /media/internal area, moving selected applications to the newly created directory, and then creating a symbolic link in the /var/usr/palm/applications directory pointing to the new location. This frees up the disk space from the relatively limited /var volume to the larger /media/internal. The included script (which must be created) will move the files and create the appropriate link. It will also provide information on the size of the applications stored in the /var/usr/palm/applications directory.

Solution (symbolic link method)

- create a script to move apps to new home and create link

mount -o remount,rw /

vi /usr/bin/mvapp

---

#!/bin/sh

# This code is open for re-use with no restrictions.  xorg

#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# variables: these are globally available to all functions
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
COMMAND=$1
APP=$2
MEDIA=/media/internal/.apps
VAR=/var/usr/palm/applications

#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# function: usage - show command usage options
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
usage () {
   echo "Usage: mvapp link com.org.appname   - move app to media and link"
   echo "Usage: mvapp unlink com.org.appname - restore app to var and remove link"
   echo "Usage: mvapp list                   - list all apps sorted by size"
   echo "Usage: mvapp clean com.org.appname  - remove app dir and links"
   exit 1
}
# end of usage function

#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# function: cleanapp - removes symbolic links and folder in media and var
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
cleanapp () {

 mount -o remount,rw /
 
 # exit to usage if no app name supplied
 if [ ! $APP ]
 then
   usage
 fi

 # Optional
 echo "This will remove $APP from both $VAR and $MEDIA."
 echo "You should first attempt to remove the app using the official Pre methods."
 echo "Are you sure you want to remove $APP? [y/N]: "
 read answer
 case $answer in
   [Yy]*) continue;;
       *) exit;;
 esac

 if [ -d $VAR/$APP ]
 then
   echo "Removing all traces of $APP."
 else
   echo "$APP does not exist..."
   usage
 fi 

 echo "Size of $VAR before cleanup... "
 du -sh $VAR

 if [ -d $MEDIA/$APP ]
 then
      rm -r $MEDIA/$APP
      echo "Removed directory" $MEDIA/$APP
 fi
 if [ -d $VAR/$APP ]
 then
      rm -r $VAR/$APP
      echo "Removed directory" $VAR/$APP
 fi
 if [ -L $VAR/$APP ]
 then
      rm -r $VAR/$APP
      echo "Removed link" $VAR/$APP
 fi
 
 # rescan luna in case it's needed
 luna-send -n 1 palm://com.palm.applicationManager/rescan {} >/dev/null 2>&1

 echo "$APP directories and links removed."
 echo "Size of $VAR after cleanup... "
 du -sh $VAR
 exit 0
}
# end of cleanup function


#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# function: listapps - list the size of each app, sort showing largest last
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
listapps () {

 du -s $VAR/* | sort -n
 exit 0
}
# end of listapps function


#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# function: linkapp - move the app to media and create symbolic link
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
linkapp () {

 if [ ! -d $MEDIA ]
 then
      mkdir $MEDIA
 fi

 if [ -h $VAR/$APP ]
 then
      echo "Link already exists for... ${APP}"
      exit 1
 fi

 if [ -d $VAR/$APP ]
 then
   echo "Moving $APP to $MEDIA..."
 else
   echo "$APP does not exist..."
   usage
 fi

 mount -o remount,rw /

 echo "Size of $VAR before move... "
 du -sh $VAR

 # move over to USB drive
 cp -r  $VAR/$APP $MEDIA
 if [ $? != 0 ]
 then
  echo "Copy failed. Leaving app in $VAR."
  exit 3
 fi

 rm -r $VAR/$APP
 if [ $? != 0 ]
 then
  echo "Remove failed. Leaving app in $VAR."
  rm -r $MEDIA/$APP
  exit 4
 fi

 # create the symbolic link
 ln -s $MEDIA/$APP $VAR/$APP

 # rescan luna in case it's needed
 luna-send -n 1 palm://com.palm.applicationManager/rescan {} >/dev/null 2>&1

 echo "$APP moved and linked."
 echo "Size of $VAR after move... "
 du -sh $VAR
}
# end of linkapp function


#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# function: unlinkapp -  restore the app to var and remove symbolic link
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
unlinkapp () {

 mount -o remount,rw / 

 if [ -d $MEDIA/$APP ]
 then
   echo "Restoring $APP..."
 else
   echo "$APP does not exist..."
   usage
 fi 

 echo "Size of $VAR before move... "
 du -sh $VAR

 # remove the old symbolic link
 rm -r $VAR/$APP

 # move to original location
 cp -r  $MEDIA/$APP $VAR
 if [ $? != 0 ]
 then
  echo "Copy failed. Leaving app in $MEDIA."
  exit 3
 fi

 rm -r $MEDIA/$APP
 if [ $? != 0 ]
 then
  echo "Remove failed. Leaving app in $MEDIA."
  rm -r $VAR/$APP
  exit 4
 fi

 # rescan luna in case it's needed
 luna-send -n 1 palm://com.palm.applicationManager/rescan {} >/dev/null 2>&1

 echo "$APP moved and unlinked."
 echo "Size of $VAR after move... "
 du -sh $VAR
}
# end of unlinkapp function


#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Main - Begins Here
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------#

case $COMMAND in
"clean")
   cleanapp
   ;;
"list")
   listapps
   ;;
"link")
   linkapp
   ;;
"unlink")
   unlinkapp
   ;;
*) 
   usage
   ;;
esac

---

chmod 777 /usr/bin/mvapp

Commands

To find the largest apps in /var/usr/palm/applications

mvapp list

It shows the largest apps last... IE....
8352 com.apnews.webos
8512 com.fandango.app.fandango
8672 com.palm.app.musicplayerremix
10304 com.shortcovers.palm.pre
10432 com.fusioncreativestudios.deadman
10656 com.ulocate.app.where


To move and link com.ulocate.app.where, use the script

mvapp link com.ulocate.app.where

It should now work in the new location thanks to the link. Test each app to make sure it works before doing another. I don't recommend looping the script to do every app in the dir or to link the entire app dir. File attributes are lost on the move, which some apps may need. You need to test each app after a move.

To revert the move and delete the link command, use this script

mvapp unlink com.ulocate.app.where

The application will then be placed back in the original directory. File attributes are lost on the move, which some apps may need. You need to test each app after a move.

To cleanup and remove directories and symlinks

If you have any issues, issuing the following command will remove the applications directories at both locations and also the symlink. While this may not solve all the problems, it does give you a fresh start.

mvapp clean com.ulocate.app.where

Contingency Plan

If you have issues with an app, remove it completely and reinstall through the respective app catalog or homebrew installer app.

If not completely removed, use the command... mvapp clean com.appname

Proposal to Dev Community

This is a formal proposal to the Dev Community suggesting that PreWare, WebOS Quick Install and other Pre installer apps provide an option to move any app in /var to the /media fs and create a link similar to the code above.

The Homebrew Community somewhat created part of the storage problem so needs to come up with their own solution. We propose that Homebrew apps be moved with a link to /media/internal by default and physically use /var only if needed (per conditions stated below). The developer would put a flag in the package (or some other method during submission) to state their app is able to run linked to /media or if it specifically needs to physically be on /var. Will propose additions to Packing Standards to support /media links. The homebrew installer apps could then automatically do the move/link if the package is flagged for it.

Candidate apps for moving to /media - apps that do not depend on file attributes (such as executable bit) - apps that do not perform data operations to home app directory when device is USB mounted

Exceptions for maintaining apps on /var - apps that depend on file attributes - apps that won't work well when device is USB mounted, such as performing data or DB operations in home app directory

(Please update with other known candidates/expections)

Benefits over other methods

Resizing /var. One challenge with resizing /var is that it will still have a fixed static limit - how do you decide how much to increase it? Many will still probably hit the limit. The link method allows to dynamically use the /media partition, so there is no need to set a specific size dedicated to apps. If the USB drive is filled, users can decide if they use the space for media or apps on the fly.

AppPath in /etc/luna.conf. I proposed a while back adding an AppPath to luna.conf and moving the apps to /media. Some apps would not work because some apparently reference /var. IE, the vampire/mafia/quest series could not access graphics. The symbolic link fixed this because apps think they are in /var.

Link/mount all of /var/usr/palm/applications/ to /media/internal. If some apps rely on file attributes this won't work since file attributes are lost when moved to FAT fs. Probably isn't wise to force all /var apps to /media. Moving apps one at a time is less risky.

Risks, Issues, Dependencies

- File attributes of linux fs are not copied over to fat fs. May not work with apps that rely on file attributes. In general, javascript apps will likely work fine located on /media.

- Some apps may not behave well if USB drive is mounted to computer, though I've tested several that behaved fine. Linux type background services probably would not work well so probably should not be moved.

- Jason Robitaille has indicated that a future version of WebOS Quick Install will include a routine to resize the /var partition. He has also indicated that doing so will wipe the /media/internal area, so any applications stored there would need to be backed up first. It might be good to be able to reverse the process of this solution. This could be done either by adding to this mvapp script, or creating a new one.

Discuss

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http://forums.precentral.net/web-os-development/205649-resolution-app-catalog-install-limit-proposal.html