[Whonix-devel] whonix-setup-wizard interface - status, done, skip files - was: misc qubes-whonix 11 code review

Sun Jun 7 21:07:15 CEST 2015

Patrick wrote:
> This whole whonix-setup-wizard thing - when to show which wizard page vs
> skip / done status files vs runs in Qubes vs Qubes-Whonix - seems to
> cause great confusion. At least on my side. Maybe let's try to
> define/refactor a better whonix-setup-wizard interface so it can lead to
> a clean, hack-free solution.
>
> Before we start, can you please help fill out this table which pages we
> want to show in Qubes-Whonix and which not?
> https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Dev/whonixsetup
>
> Please try to eliminate all the '?' (as in very unsure how to handle
> this) on https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Dev/whonixsetup.
>
> It tried to define the supposed functionality of a skip / done file.
> Feel free to rewrite these and/or to state any other requirements you
> have for (not) starting whonix-setup-wizard page(s).
>
> The problem is, the 'setup' argument, 'whonix-setup-wizard setup' is too
> clever.
>
> I think the "need to 'touch' that file so whonix-setup-wizard does [not]
> show the repository page" could maybe avoided by a separate
> 'whonix-setup-wizard connection_page' command.
>
> The 'setup' is more like "autostart logic, decide what still needs to be
> answered by the user". What you want/need for Qubes-Whonix is more like
> start 'whonix-setup-wizard connection_page', really, now?
>
> I would like to modify whonix-setup-wizard so the qubes-whonix package
> requires only a very few single lines to start whatever page you need in
> whatever situation. https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Dev/whonixsetup is
> supposed to be a collaboratively written proposal before implementing
> these changes.
>
Tryingto clarify the confusion.

As is, with the status files, whonix-setup-wizard, can handle all the
configurations required in whonix-qubes, or any distribution, for instance.

 From my understanding, the .skip files check was implemented to give the
flexibility to display, or not, whichever page non related to tor
connection
on first boot of the gateway.

/var/cache/whonix-setup-wizard/status-files/disclaimer.skip
/var/cache/whonix-setup-wizard/status-files/first_use_check.skip
/var/cache/whonix-setup-wizard/status-files/whonix_repository.skip

and any new .skip file that might be necessary if we create new pages.

If these files exist before whonix-setup-wizard is run for the first time,
the first displayed page will be the connection page (compulsory because
it's a connection wizard, after all). Any subsequent
command
    'whonix-setup-wizard setup'
will show the connection page only (and will run whonixcheck).

A new argument 'connection_page` is therefore not required, and if the
status
files are created, I do not see the need of using 'touch'.

Jason wrote:

    I can't remember off hand. At some point I had issues with
whonixsetup not
    running unless certain status-files existed.

I have tested some combinations with and without status files (.skip,
.done),
I could not default it. The wizard just does what it's told, skip the step
or not.