"BackSeatDriver" : 'Puppy' TeamViewer alternative - v3.24

[Mike Walsh]

Evening, all.

For current, v3.24 packages, see link further down.

**With much appreciation to Smokey01; without Grant's efforts (and those of various others, too), these 'one-click' packages wouldn't exist...**

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I was very taken with Smokey01's efforts with BackSeatDriver.....a super-lightweight alternative to the established 'heavyweights' like TeamViewer; remote desktop operation, along with real-time chat, messaging & file transfers. Grant's taken the idea one step further, however, and integrated operation of Puppy's VOIP 'soft-phone', PSIP, into the application. It's a brilliant idea; even with the necessary dependencies & the recently-coded PSIP 1.4.2 (needed for this to work correctly), the resulting packages still come out at less than 6 MB all-in when packed as a RoxApp (which is what I've standardized these as.)

I didn't want to steal Smokey's 'thunder' with this, since it'll be an integral part of the new FatDog64-800 when it's released in the very near future. However, since Grant's published the scripts in their entirety in recent releases of the Puppy Newsletter:-

http://smokey01.com/newsletters/2019/Ja ... 19.html#14

.....I don't think he'll have any objection to my producing these packages of his 'pet project'. It's my way of saying what a brilliant project I think this is..!

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There's packages available for both 32- and 64-bit Puppies.

For 32-bit, I've tested in Tahrpup, UPup Raring, Slackos 560 & 570, and Precise 571. Other 5-series may well work, and probably many newer Pups, too, since all Puppies seem to be getting bigger as the years pass, partly due to more libs'n'stuff being included as standard.

For 64-bit, I've so far tested only in Xenialpup64.....but I don't see a problem with Bionicpup64, TBH.

Link for downloads as below:-

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Navigate through and help yourselves to the appropriate version, then all you need to do is untar the tarball, and click on the resulting RoxApp to run it. Simple as that... You shouldn't need to change any of the config settings (passwds, etc); it should work as is. If you do want to use your own passwords, you'll need to make sure both you and whoever's at t'other end are using the same ones.

Enjoy using a totally unique, original, home-grown app.....that does 'exactly what it says on the tin'..!


Mike.

[greengeek]

Hi Mike - thanks for this.
I have not used Teamviewer as I have a tendency towards mild paranoia - but the idea of trusting you and smokey comes much easier.

I tried the 32bit Appimage package (haven't got as far as testing actual functionality yet) and seem to have an issue with icons.

Any info i can provide to sort this?

cheers!

EDIT - slacko 5.6 derivative in use here.

[Mike Walsh]

Hi, Ian.

Yeah, there is a wee 'issue' with the icons I've used for the 'Run PSIP' buttons. Simply because I didn't really like the standard PSIP icon, so I chose a more up-to-date one.

I think it's more to do with the location I've used for the icon; it's not where GTK looks for the standard icon set. I'm going to try re-packing the AppImage with it in the 'standard' location, and see if that works. I'll do that this afternoon once dinner's out of the way, and re-upload it.

Watch this space. Functionality isn't impaired at all; it's more of a cosmetic issue than anything, but I'll see if I can get it sorted, since I don't want to let Grant down with this one!

It runs fine in 560; I spend quite a bit of time there myself.... You will need the version for older Pups, however, because there's extra libs'n'stuff in that for the various components to work properly.


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Now then; modifications, and further testing.

@ GG:-

Re; the 'Run PSIP' button icon. This particular icon (I've reverted to a 'standard' Puppy icon) seems to have come into use around the time Upup Raring was released. So, too, did the directory /usr/share/midi-icons, which BackSeatDriver's script references.....this sym-links to /usr/local/lib/X11/pixmaps.

So, for anybody wanting to use this in a Puppy prior to Raring, and who really wants those button icons to be present, I've attached a wee .pet to this post. This puts the icon into the above-mentioned directory, and creates the sym-link for the 'midi-icons' directory in /usr/share.

Just install it prior to using the AppImage or 'portable' script. (As mentioned in the previous post, functionality is not affected by the missing icon; it's merely a 'cosmetic' issue).

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Puppies after Tahrpup are using a newer version of libvncserver and libvncclient; 1.0.0 instead of 0.0.0. However, a simple symlink is all that's required to get BSDrvr running in Xenial/Bionic. Run the following two lines of code in the terminal (one at a time) prior to using the portable/AppImage; this will set up the required sym-links:-

Code: Select all

ln -s /usr/lib/libvncserver.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib/libvncserver.so.0
ln -s /usr/lib/libvncclient.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib/libvncclient.so.0

BSDrvr seems quite happy with this 'workaround'.


Mike.

[fredx181]

Hi Mike, I would fix the icon issue by making some small edits for the icon path in the bsdriver script.
(but that's me, maybe you don't like to edit someone else's script)
On line 549 and 573 there's full path to the Psip.png icon (/usr...), make it relative path (./usr/...) and the missing icon on the buttons will show:

Code: Select all

<input file>./usr/share/pixmaps/Psip.png</input>

Fred

[Mike Walsh]

Hiya, Fred.

A-ha. Thanks for the tip. I'll give that a try, and see what happens. And that Psip.png icon path was my own modification anyway....

I've never been been too proud to accept suggestions. As humans, we learn by trying.....and the whole idea of these forums is that we help each other out.

Watch this space.....


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

@ Fred:-

Well, now; thanks for the suggestion. Where would I be without you, man? I really ought to have figured it out myself, I suppose; after all, it's the exact same thing we do when setting things up in the terminal for compiling. But then, I don't tend to do very much of that.

Following said "tip", and modifying the icon paths like you suggested, there's now four newly-uploaded packages for 32-bit Pups on my Drive. Everything working, too; even the icons (the non-GTK stock ones, that is.....even the icon on the 'Information->About->Credits' tab..!)

The download link is still the same. Navigate through, and help yourselves.

I'll whip up the modified 64-bit versions a bit later tonight before I turn in.

Thanks again!

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As I stated in the first post above, the only thing I'll take any credit for here is the assembling of the packages. Credit for the app's mechanism firmly lies with primarily Smokey01, with assistance from step, MochiMoppel, CatDude and jamesbond (PSIP's creator). I helped a little bit during the 'testing phase', but that's all.

Credit for the packaging mechanism to create AppImages and 'portable', self-extracting scripts goes to Fred.

Definitely a 'joint effort', methinks..... That's what I love about this community of ours; we all help each other out. And the community is the stronger for it.

EDIT:- 2 am - Modified, fully-working 64-bit packages (all icons present and correct!) now uploaded to the Drive. Same link as above; navigate through, and help yourselves.

Enjoy.


Mike.

[fredx181]

Hi Mike, just to inform you, there's still one button icon missing (see pic)
(making line 573 relative path in the bsdriver script should fix it)

Fred

[Mike Walsh]

Ha! I reckon you're my 'guardian angel', aren't you; always 'looking out' for me...

I was using the old Dell lappie in the front room when I did these last night. Because of an 'accident' with a mug of coffee (usual 'geek' sort of thing ) some while ago, I now use a wireless keyboard with it. Some times, it seems reluctant to register things unless you hit the keys quite firmly (it was only a cheap'n'cheerful, 'no-name' special offer one from our local PCWorld).

It's quite possible one of the '.' simply didn't register. Plus, it was getting late... Why do I always seem to be building things when I'm half asleep?

(*jeez*)

You'd think I'd have learnt by now, wouldn't you?

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Anyways; re-built, re-packed, re-uploaded. I expect you'll check 'em over for me again, won't you?


Mike.

[fredx181]

Anyways; re-built, re-packed, re-uploaded. I expect you'll check 'em over for me again, won't you?

Of course, I'll keep chasing you forever !
It's fine now, btw.

Fred

[Mike Walsh]

Of course, I'll keep chasing you forever !
It's fine now, btw.

^^^


Mike.

[greengeek]

Hi Mike - i am keen to get this working with a family member who would benefit from long distance assistance. Would you be happy to coach me through setting up a session so I can understand it?

What would I need to get started? Do i need a sip account (ekiga or similar?)

I have looked at psip briefly before but always been daunted by ignorance and worries about lack of security.

cheers!

[Mike Walsh]

Hi, GG.

Ian, this'll have to be a quick one for now. Weekends are always inconvenient for me, I'm afraid; family popping in & out, other stuff on the go, etc.

Short answer; no, you don't need a SIP account to use PSIP in BackSeatDriver, because it works through an encrypted VPN, regulated by a name & password. The included ones will work, but for greater privacy, you can choose your own; just have to make sure they're the same at both ends, of course. The AppImage contains PSIP 1.42 (or is it 1.43? I can never remember.....but it's the version needed for this to run). The BSD interface will start/stop/control PSIP for this application's purposes.

Yes, I'm happy to try and explain how this works. Probably the easiest way would be for me to put a short video together, showing the steps to take. I'll do that, start of next week, and I'll PM you when I have a link for it. OK?


Mike.

[greengeek]

Awesome, thanks.

Likewise here on the family front. Never enough puppy time

[p310don]

I've been playing with BSD in my home network, and it works no problem.

Today, I've tried it over the internet from separate connections and it doesn't connect.

It seems like the perfect solution to one of my needs, but if I cannot figure out how to make it work over the web. Is there a guide to get it to work somewhere?

[smokey01]

I've been playing with BSD in my home network, and it works no problem.

Today, I've tried it over the internet from separate connections and it doesn't connect.

It seems like the perfect solution to one of my needs, but if I cannot figure out how to make it work over the web. Is there a guide to get it to work somewhere?

There is some help under the information button. Just make sure you use the same script with the same settings on both computers.

[p310don]

Just make sure you use the same script with the same settings on both computers.

Yes, did that. Both virgin installs of the latest Fatdog.

Will try again another time. I used a neighbouring business's wifi whose password I know as the alternate network. I know it is locked down from things like facebook, netflix etc. That may have had an affect on BSD working.

[jamesbond]

n2n uses UDP traffic. If they block UDP traffic then it won't work.

You can try it using your phone's mobile data (set the phone as a mobile hotspot and connect the other computer to it).

[p310don]

You can try it using your phone's mobile data (set the phone as a mobile hotspot and connect the other computer to it).

That is exactly what I'm about to try. Will report back.

[p310don]

That works.

Running FD latest with an older FD (beta maybe) and it worked fine.

Very nice