Try using easier to type machine names. Fixes: #78

NEWS.md

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
   instead of manually invoking the package manager in the maintscript
 * Propagate options to subcommands, so they can be used anywhere in the command
   line
+* Try out easier to type machine names (#78)
 
 # Version 0.7
 

moncic/container.py

@@ -13,13 +13,14 @@
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import time
-import uuid
+from collections import Counter
 from typing import (TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, ContextManager, Dict, Iterator, List,
                     NoReturn, Optional, Protocol, Tuple)
 
 from .nspawn import escape_bind_ro
 from .runner import RunConfig, SetnsCallableRunner, UserConfig
 from .deb import apt_get_cmd
+from . import libbanana
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .system import System
@@ -28,6 +29,16 @@
 
 re_split_bind = re.compile(r"(?<!\\):")
 
+# Per-pid sequence numbers used for machine names
+machine_name_sequences: Dict[int, int] = Counter()
+
+# Convert PIDs to machine names
+machine_name_generator = libbanana.Codec(
+        alphabets=(
+            "bcdfgjklmnprstvwxz",
+            "aeiouy",
+        )).encode
+
 
 @dataclasses.dataclass
 class BindConfig:
@@ -381,7 +392,12 @@ def __init__(self, system: System, config: ContainerConfig, instance_name: Optio
         self.system = system
 
         if instance_name is None:
-            self.instance_name = str(uuid.uuid4())
+            current_pid = os.getpid()
+            seq = machine_name_sequences[current_pid]
+            machine_name_sequences[current_pid] += 1
+            self.instance_name = "mc" + machine_name_generator(current_pid)
+            if seq > 0:
+                self.instance_name += str(seq)
         else:
             self.instance_name = instance_name
 
@@ -513,6 +529,7 @@ def get_start_command(self):
                 cmd.append("--ephemeral")
         if self.system.images.session.moncic.systemd_version >= 250:
             cmd.append("--suppress-sync=yes")
+        cmd.append(f"systemd.hostname={self.instance_name}")
         return cmd
 
     def forward_user(self, user: UserConfig, allow_maint=False):

moncic/libbanana.py

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# Convert numbers to/from base banana. See https://basebanana.org/
+#
+# Code from https://git.lattuga.net/itec/banana
+#
+# MIT License
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2020, itec
+#
+# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+# of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+# in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+# to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+# copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+# furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+# copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+# SOFTWARE.
+
+"""Main module."""
+import logging
+import random
+
+log = logging.getLogger("libbanana")
+
+
+class Codec:
+    def __init__(self, shiftalpha=0, alphaend=0, minlength=0, alphabets=None):
+        self.shiftalpha = shiftalpha
+        self.alphaend = alphaend
+        if alphabets is None:
+            self.alphabets = [list("bcdfglmnprstvz"), list("aeiou")]
+        else:
+            self.alphabets = alphabets
+
+    def encode(self, num, minlength=1):
+        alphabets = self.alphabets
+        numalpha = len(alphabets)
+        v = num
+        st = ""
+        length = 0
+
+        idx = (numalpha - 1 + self.shiftalpha + self.alphaend) % numalpha
+        while not (
+            v == 0
+            and idx == (numalpha - 1 + self.shiftalpha) % numalpha
+            and length >= minlength
+        ):
+            r = v % len(alphabets[idx])
+            v = int(v / len(alphabets[idx]))
+            st = alphabets[idx][r] + st
+            idx = (idx + numalpha - 1) % numalpha
+            length += 1
+
+        return st
+
+    def decode(self, word):
+        alphabets = self.alphabets
+
+        numalpha = len(alphabets)
+        if (len(word) - self.alphaend) % numalpha != 0:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid banana")
+        v = 0
+        for i in range(len(word)):
+            r = (numalpha + i + self.shiftalpha) % numalpha
+            try:
+                v = v * len(alphabets[r]) + alphabets[r].index(word[i])
+            except (ValueError, KeyError):
+                raise ValueError("Invalid character in position %d" % i + 1)
+
+        return v
+
+    def is_valid(self, word):
+        alphabets = self.alphabets
+
+        numalpha = len(alphabets)
+        if (len(word) - self.alphaend) % numalpha != 0:
+            return False
+        for i in range(len(word)):
+            r = (numalpha + i + self.shiftalpha) % numalpha
+            if word[i] not in alphabets[r]:
+                return False
+
+        return True
+
+    def random(self, minlength=6, prng=random.Random()):
+        numalpha = len(self.alphabets)
+        word = ""
+
+        if minlength < 1:
+            return ""
+
+        curr_alpha = (numalpha - 1 + self.shiftalpha + self.alphaend) % numalpha
+        final_alpha = (numalpha - 1 + self.shiftalpha) % numalpha
+        while curr_alpha != final_alpha or len(word) < minlength:
+            word = prng.choice(self.alphabets[curr_alpha]) + word
+            curr_alpha = (curr_alpha - 1) % numalpha
+
+        return word
+
+
+class BananaCodec(Codec):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    print("Hi I'm the basebanana library")