scripts/mkimage: Add run mode, remember default selection, resize gpt…

[MilhouseVH]

… partitions

This has been discussed previously (#582).

The run mode will persist storage across boots, and can be useful as a "portable" solution, or when the live mode (which doesn't persist any storage) is not enough but users still don't want a full/permanent installation.

The last selected option (installer, live, run) will be remembered, simplifying subsequent boots (particularly without a keyboard) - ie. if you boot once into run mode, next time you boot the default boot will be run etc. There will still be a 5 second prompt for every boot.

Resizing of gpt partitions is now fixed, and they should be resized correctly. The first time run is selected it will resize the /storage partition on the USB drive.

[lrusak]

If it works then I'm happy 👍

[lrusak]

extra space needed?

[MilhouseVH]

Fixed, force pushed.

[chewitt]

I'm not sure I see the point of having separate live/portable options when you could have a single mode with persistence on /storage. We're not Ubuntu where people want the USB for emergency maintenance tasks. Why would anyone want to boot LE without persistence?

[MilhouseVH]

I don't know, why was it ever provided in the first place if nobody wanted it?

[MilhouseVH]

If you're saying we should remove the live mode, then we can do that, although I don't see it as a huge overhead and it's an alternative mode for those who (presumably) find it useful. Given the "stickiness" of the prompt with this change, it shouldn't even be an issue once the user has selected "run" the first time.

[chewitt]

That's the issue. Extra choice at 1st run is nice for developers who understand the choices. Extra choice for a noob means they pick the wrong option 50% of the time and must reinstall to get persistent storage. If nobody can clearly articulate why the non-persistent mode exists or what advantages it brings we should remove the opportunity for confusion.

[vpeter4]

Live mode is still good use to very quickly test if whole system works (kodi loaded, gpu supported, network works). Confirmed today on IRC. So I see no real reason why remove it. Maybe only removing it from the message to a user and leave only installer/run.

[MilhouseVH]

I've used live to recover a non-booting installation - it's quicker than booting from a System Rescue CD or similar.

If we drop live, we might as well make run the default, and forget about trying to persist the last selection. Installing requires a keyboard, and it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask the user to type install in order to get the installation process going.

Personally, though, I don't see the problem with keeping live distinct from run, as (to me, anyway) they serve two different purposes.

However this PR is about adding the run mode - if we want to remove a different mode perhaps leave that for a separate PR (not that I'd be in favour of it).

[lrusak]

go to go?

[vpeter4]

I would say yes.