As life plays along …: 2015

In this post I describe step by step how to install a GNUstep development environment on FreeBSD 10.1. I used VirtualBox 4.3.26 in 64bit Mode for this so that you can run GNUstep alongside your favorite desktop. First I show the installation of FreeBSD inside VirtualBox over network including Guest Additions from a FreeBSD port. Then I continue with installing the FreeBSD's ports of GNUstep in the System domain and after that installing GNUstep from SVN trunk into the Local domain.

Setting up the VirtualBox VM

I am using VirtualBox 4.3.26 which is at the moment the latest version of VirtualBox. But this is not critical, a bit older versions of VirtualBox will do it too.

FreeBSD is supported by VirtualBox right away

I am giving it quite a bit more RAM than the recommended 128MB

Now create a dynamically allocated disk image

Also, I make the virtual hard disk big enough that I don't need to resize it later

After creating the VM click on "Settings" since there are a few things to change before starting with the actual installation.

I always use the bridged network adapter so I can easily SSH from other machines into the VM

Don't be so parsimonious with your VRAM, give it the full 128MB

Some more cores also won't do bad if you're having to share enough of them

Installing FreeBSD 10.1 over network

At first you need to download a bootable ISO image of FreeBSD. I've chosen a network based install since it downloads only what you need. Download for instance ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/amd64/amd64/ISO-IMAGES/10.1/FreeBSD-10.1-RELEASE-amd64-bootonly.iso

Select the downloaded image at boot time

FreeBSD booting (nothing to do here)

Select Install

Choose a keymap here. I went with the default keymap.

Choose the hostname, I've chosen "freebsd10"

Now I selected to install everything, you might choose differently, but be sure to select "System source code" since you need it later to install the VirtualBox guest additions.

Don't forget to select "System source code"

Setting up the network connection for a network based install

Now the installation process of FreeBSD will guide you through the network setup. I had nothing to change here.

If your screen looks now something like this, e.g. you have got an IP address, everything is fine.

Now select the mirror to install from.

Partitioning the disk

Here I went with the default options. You can of course partition the disk differently, if you know what you're doing.

The installation itself

Now the installation process starts …

Do not select the ntpd demon since the VirtualBox guest additions will conflict with this.

Adding users to the system

I added the following users to the system:

user: root
pass: freebsd

user: gnustep
pass: gnustep

For now I use sh as the shell until bash is installed

Finishing the Installation

reboot

First login after the installation

Installing FreeBSD ports

For installing the required ports at first update the ports tree.

As user root do a:

 # portsnap fetch extract update

Then install the portmaster port which will make installing subsequent ports easier:

 # cd /usr/ports/ports-mgmt/portmaster && make install clean

enable bash and zsh completion in the options

To update outdated ports later do a

 # portsnap fetch update

to update the ports tree and

 # pkg version -l "<"

 # portmaster -L

to check for outdated ports,

followed by a

 # portmaster -a

 # portmaster -af

(if some port fails) on a regular basis.

Install bash

as root do:

 # portmaster shells/bash

I've chosen the default options for bash and all its dependencies

Change the default shell for user gnustep:

see: https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/articles/linux-users/shells.html

see: https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/shells.html

as user gnustep do:

 # chsh -s /usr/local/bin/bash

install x11/xorg

as root:

 # portmaster x11/xorg

Choose the default options except for:

llvm35-3.5.2

[x] CMAKE

xorg-server-1.14.7_4,1

(*) HAL

cairo-1.12.18_1,2

[x] OPENGL

freetype2-2.5.5

[x] PNG

Installing the VirtualBox Guest Additions port

see: http://wiki.freebsd.org/VirtualBox#Installing_Guest_Additions_for_FreeBSD_guests

as root:

 # portmaster emulators/virtualbox-ose-additions

Choose the default options except for:

virtualbox-ose-additions-4.3.26

[x] OPENGL

Configuring the Guest Additions

add user gnustep to group wheel to enable sudo later

 # pw groupmod wheel -m gnustep

enabling Guest Additions:

Add this to /etc/rc.conf in the FreeBSD guest:

 vboxguest_enable="YES"
 vboxservice_enable="YES"

Xorg uses HAL to autodetect keyboards and mice. The sysutils/hal and devel/dbus ports are installed as dependencies of x11/xorg, but must be enabled by the following entries in the /etc/rc.conf file:

 hald_enable="YES"
 dbus_enable="YES"

Reboot or start both services by hand:

 /usr/local/etc/rc.d/dbus start
 /usr/local/etc/rc.d/hald start

see:

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/x-config.html

https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/virtualization-guest.html

Installing the Window Maker port

as root:

 # portmaster x11-wm/windowmaker

Choose the default options except for:

jasper-1.900.1_14

[x] OPENGL

webp-0.4.3

[x] X11

enabling Window Maker

In order to run wmaker, a user needs to have an ~/.xinitrc file consisting of something similar to

 #!/bin/sh
 exec wmaker

add this for both user root and gnustep

see:

http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/ports/x11-wm/windowmaker/

http://windowmaker.org/installation.php

http://windowmaker.org/FAQ.php?chapter=4#57

Launching Window Maker

launch Window Maker to check if everything works so far

Success!

A right click onto the background brings up Window Makers menu

Installing GNUstep from FreeBSD ports into the System Domain

Installing the necessary tools

Installing the Subversion port

Subversion is needed to check out the sources from GNUstep SVN.

as root:

 # portmaster devel/subversion

Choose the default options

Installing the Sudo port

sudo is needed during the GNUstep installation process.

as root:

 # portmaster security/sudo

Choose the default options

now logout/login

as root:

 # visudo

uncomment the line:

 # %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL

to enable sudo for the group "wheel" and so for the user gnustep (which is part of the wheel group)

Installing the GNUstep libraries and framewoks

I've chosen the way of installing the GNUstep ports into the System domain so I don't need to look after the right dependencies for myself but let the FreeBSD's port system handle this.

Installing the Objective-C 2 runtime

as root:

 # portmaster lang/libobjc2

use the default options

Install GNUstep make

 # portmaster devel/gnustep-make

use the default options

install GNUstep base (Foundation)

 # portmaster lang/gnustep-base

Choose the default options except for

gnustep-base-1.24.6_6

(*) MDNS

Install GNUstep gui (AppKit)

 # portmaster x11-toolkits/gnustep-gui

Choose the default options except for

gnustep-gui-0.24.0_5

[x] ASPELL

Install GNUstep back

 # portmaster x11-toolkits/gnustep-back

use the default options

Optional: Trying to install the GNUstep examples port (currently broken)

GNUstep examples are a collection of simple GNUstep apps to guide you into developing for GNUstep.

see: http://www.gnustep.org/experience/examples.html

 # portmaster misc/gnustep-examples

this port is currently broken

Installing the System Preferences port

System Preferences' purpose is to control certain settings of your GNUstep environment.

see: http://www.gnustep.org/experience/systempreferences.html

 # portmaster deskutils/systempreferences

use the default options

Installing the GWorkspace port

GWorkspace is GNUsteps Workspace manager.

see: http://www.gnustep.org/experience/GWorkspace.html

 # portmaster deskutils/gworkspace

use the default options

Installing the Terminal.app port

Terminal.app is GNUstep's terminal emulator.

see: http://wiki.gnustep.org/index.php/Terminal.app

 # portmaster x11/terminal.app

use the default options

Installing the ProjectCenter port

ProjectCenter is GNUstep's integrated development environment (IDE).

see: http://www.gnustep.org/experience/ProjectCenter.html

 # portmaster devel/projectcenter

use the default options

Installing the GORM port (Graphical Object Relationship Modeller)

GORM is GNUsteps Interface Builder clone.

see: http://www.gnustep.org/experience/Gorm.html

 # portmaster devel/gorm

Setting up the GNUstep environment

as root and as gnustep:

 $ echo . /usr/local/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh >> ~/.profile
 $ echo gdnc >> ~/.profile

or, when using csh (root uses this maybe):

 # echo source /usr/local/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.csh >> ~/.cshrc
 # echo gdnc >> ~/.cshrc

as root and as gnustep, edit the .xinitrc file:

 $ vi ~/.xinitrc

that it looks like this:

 #!/bin/sh
 exec wmaker &
 gpbs
 GWorkspace

Launching GWorkspace inside Window Maker

 $ startx

the tools and services from the System domain are in use

Installing GNUstep SVN trunk source into the Local Domain

Now continue to install the latest GNUstep from SVN trunk into the Local domain which supersedes the stuff in the System domain.

Checking out the sources from SVN trunk

as gnustep:

 $ mkdir GNUstep-sources
 $ cd GNUstep-sources/

check out all sources from GNUstep SVN:

 $ svn co svn://svn.gna.org/svn/gnustep/trunk .

Building libobjc2 (GNUstep Objective-C 2.0 runtime) from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/dev-libs/libobjc2/

for now use:

 $ CC=clang CXX=clang++ make
 $ sudo -E make install

enter gnustep user's password

in the future this will be the way to go:

 $ mkdir Build
 $ cd Build/
 $ cmake .. -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=clang -DCMKAE_CXX_COMPILER=clang++
 $ make && sudo -E make install

enter gnustep user's password

Building GNUstep make from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/core/make/
 $ ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/GNUstep --with-config-file=/usr/local/GNUstep/GNUstep-trunk.conf --enable-objc-nonfragile-abi --enable-native-objc-exceptions --with-layout=gnustep --enable-debug-by-default CC=clang CXX=clang++
 $ sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Don't forget to source GNUstep.sh and make sure this is done on every login:

 $ . /System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh
 $ echo . /System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh >> ~/.profile

Building GNUstep base from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/core/base/
 $ ./configure --disable-mixedabi CC=clang CXX=clang++
 $ gmake && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Building GNUstep gui from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/core/gui/
 $ gmake && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Building GNUstep back from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/core/back/
 $ gmake -j 8 && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Building GNUstep examples

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/usr-apps/examples/
 $ gmake -j 8 && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Trying Calculator.app from the Examples

Building Developer Tools and GDL2 (Enterprise Objects Framework (EOF) clone)

Building GDL2 dependencies

as root: install PostgreSQL (needed for GDL2):

 $ su -
 # portmaster databases/postgresql94-server

use the default options

as root: install PostgreSQL ODBC support:

 # portmaster databases/postgresql-odbc

use the default options

as root: configure PostgreSQL:

 # echo postgresql_enable=\"YES\" >> /etc/rc.conf
 # /usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql initdb
 # /usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql start

as gnustep: install renaissance (needed for GDL2):

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/dev-libs/renaissance/
 $ gmake -j 8 && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Building GDL2 from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/dev-libs/gdl2/
 $ ./configure CC=clang CXX=clang++
 $ gmake -j 8 && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Building ProjectCenter from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/dev-apps/projectcenter/
 $ gmake -j 8 && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Building GORM from source

 $ cd ~/GNUstep-sources/modules/dev-apps/gorm/
 $ gmake -j 8 && sudo -E gmake GNUSTEP_INSTALLATION_DOMAIN=LOCAL install

Now the tools and services in the Local domain take precedence

That's it for now.

Have fun developing with and for GNUstep!

20151207

20151205

20151202

20151117

20151115

20150502

Setting up the VirtualBox VM

Installing FreeBSD 10.1 over network

Setting up the network connection for a network based install

Partitioning the disk

The installation itself

Adding users to the system

Finishing the Installation

Installing FreeBSD ports

Install bash

install x11/xorg

Installing the VirtualBox Guest Additions port

Configuring the Guest Additions

Installing the Window Maker port

enabling Window Maker

Launching Window Maker

Installing GNUstep from FreeBSD ports into the System Domain

Installing the necessary tools

Installing the Subversion port

Installing the Sudo port

Installing the GNUstep libraries and framewoks

Installing the Objective-C 2 runtime

Install GNUstep make

install GNUstep base (Foundation)

Install GNUstep gui (AppKit)

Install GNUstep back

Optional: Trying to install the GNUstep examples port (currently broken)

Installing the System Preferences port

Installing the GWorkspace port

Installing the Terminal.app port

Installing the ProjectCenter port

Installing the GORM port (Graphical Object Relationship Modeller)

Setting up the GNUstep environment

Launching GWorkspace inside Window Maker

Installing GNUstep SVN trunk source into the Local Domain

Checking out the sources from SVN trunk

Building libobjc2 (GNUstep Objective-C 2.0 runtime) from source

Building GNUstep make from source

Building GNUstep base from source

Building GNUstep gui from source

Building GNUstep back from source

Building GNUstep examples

Building Developer Tools and GDL2 (Enterprise Objects Framework (EOF) clone)

Building GDL2 dependencies

Building GDL2 from source

Building ProjectCenter from source

Building GORM from source