LIVE-CONFIG(7)

📦
version 20190301-lts1 · 3 versions
, in debian bookworm, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute

🎀 NAME 🎀

okay bestie, welcome to live-config(7) from the Live Systems Project 💖 this is the manual for System Configuration Components — the backstage crew that sets up your live system. periodt.

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

live-config contains the components that configure a live system during the boot process (late userspace). it's giving late-stage boot glam ✨

✨ CONFIGURATION ✨

so live-config can be configured through boot parameters or configuration files. if both mechanisms are used for a certain option, the boot parameters take precedence over the configuration files. when using persistency, live-config components are only run once. no reruns, no drama.

if live-build(7) is used to build the live system, the live-config parameters used by default can be set through the --bootappend-live option, see lb_config(1) manual page. iykyk.

🧩 Boot Parameters (components) 🧩

live-config is only activated if boot=live is used as a boot parameter. additionally, live-config needs to be told which components to run through the live-config.components parameter or which components to not run through the live-config.nocomponents parameter. if both live-config.components and live-config.nocomponents are used, or, if either one is specified multiple times, always the later one takes precedence over the previous one(s). later = main character, earlier = background extra.

  • live-config.components | components — all components are run. this is what live images use by default. slay.
  • live-config.components=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn | components=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn — only the specified components are run. note that the order matters, e.g. live-config.components=sudo,user-setup would not work since the user needs to be added before it can be configured for sudo. look at the filenames of the components in /lib/live/config for their ordering number. order is the blueprint, bestie.
  • live-config.nocomponents | nocomponents — no component is run. this is the same as not using any of live-config.components or live-config.nocomponents.
  • live-config.nocomponents=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn | nocomponents=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn — all components are run, except the specified ones. it's giving "everyone but you" energy.

💅 Boot Parameters (options) 💅

some individual components can change their behaviour upon a boot parameter. not all, just the ones with main character syndrome.

  • live-config.debconf-preseed=filesystem|medium|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn or debconf-preseed=medium|filesystem|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn — allows to fetch and apply one or more debconf preseed files to be applied to the debconf database. note that the URLs must be fetchable by wget (http, ftp or file://). if the file is placed on the live medium, it can be fetched with file:///lib/live/mount/medium/FILE, or with file:///FILE if it is in the root filesystem of the live system itself. all preseed files in /lib/live/config-preseed/ in the root filesystem of the live system can be automatically enabled with the keyword filesystem. all preseed files in /live/config-preseed/ of the live medium can be automatically enabled with the keyword medium. if several mechanisms are combined, then filesystem preseed files are applied first, then medium preseed files, and last the network preseed files. first, second, last — lineup is locked. 🔥
  • live-config.hostname=HOSTNAME | hostname=HOSTNAME — allows to set the hostname of the system. the default is debian.
  • live-config.username=USERNAME | username=USERNAME — allows to set the username that gets created for autologin. the default is user.
  • live-config.user-default-groups=GROUP1,GROUP2 ... GROUPn | user-default-groups=GROUP1,GROUP2 ... GROUPn — allows to set the default groups of the users that gets created for autologin is member of. the default is audio cdrom dip floppy video plugdev netdev powerdev scanner bluetooth. yes, that's the whole group chat.
  • live-config.user-fullname="USER FULLNAME" | user-fullname="USER FULLNAME" — allows to set the fullname of the users that gets created for autologin. on Debian the default is Debian Live user.
  • live-config.locales=LOCALE1,LOCALE2 ... LOCALEn | locales=LOCALE1,LOCALE2 ... LOCALEn — allows to set the locale of the system, e.g. de_CH.UTF-8. the default is en_US.UTF-8. in case the selected locale is not already available on the system, it is automatically generated on the fly. glow up on demand. ✨
  • live-config.timezone=TIMEZONE | timezone=TIMEZONE — allows to set the timezone of the system, e.g. Europe/Zurich. the default is UTC.
  • live-config.keyboard-model=KEYBOARD_MODEL | keyboard-model=KEYBOARD_MODEL — allows to change the keyboard model. there is no default value set. no default, no problem.
  • live-config.keyboard-layouts=KEYBOARD_LAYOUT1,KEYBOARD_LAYOUT2 ... KEYBOARD_LAYOUTn | keyboard-layouts=KEYBOARD_LAYOUT1,KEYBOARD_LAYOUT2 ... KEYBOARD_LAYOUTn — allows to change the keyboard layouts. if more than one is specified, the tools of the desktop environment will allow to switch it under X11. there is no default value set.
  • live-config.keyboard-variants=KEYBOARD_VARIANT1,KEYBOARD_VARIANT2 ... KEYBOARD_VARIANTn | keyboard-variants=KEYBOARD_VARIANT1,KEYBOARD_VARIANT2 ... KEYBOARD_VARIANTn — allows to change the keyboard variants. if more than one is specified, the same number of values as keyboard-layouts values should be specified as they will be matched one-to-one in the order specified. blank values are allowed. the tools of the desktop environment will allow to switch between each layout and variant pair under X11. there is no default value set. matching sets, one-to-one, periodt.
  • live-config.keyboard-options=KEYBOARD_OPTIONS | keyboard-options=KEYBOARD_OPTIONS — allows to change the keyboard options. there is no default value set.
  • live-config.sysv-rc=SERVICE1,SERVICE2 ... SERVICEn | sysv-rc=SERVICE1,SERVICE2 ... SERVICEn — allows to disable sysv services through update-rc.d.
  • live-config.utc=yes|no | utc=yes|no — allows to change if the system is assuming that the hardware clock is set to UTC or not. the default is yes.
  • live-config.x-session-manager=X_SESSION_MANAGER | x-session-manager=X_SESSION_MANAGER — allows to set the x-session-manager through update-alternatives.
  • live-config.xorg-driver=XORG_DRIVER | xorg-driver=XORG_DRIVER — allows to set xorg driver instead of autodetecting it. if a PCI ID is specified in /usr/share/live/config/xserver-xorg/DRIVER.ids within the live system, the DRIVER is enforced for these devices. if both a boot parameter and an override are found, the boot parameter takes precedence. boot parameter wins the argument, no cap.
  • live-config.xorg-resolution=XORG_RESOLUTION | xorg-resolution=XORG_RESOLUTION — allows to set xorg resolution instead of autodetecting it, e.g. 1024x768.
  • live-config.wlan-driver=WLAN_DRIVER | wlan-driver=WLAN_DRIVER — allows to set WLAN driver instead of autodetecting it. if a PCI ID is specified in /usr/share/live/config/broadcom-sta/DRIVER.ids within the live system, the DRIVER is enforced for these devices. if both a boot parameter and an override are found, the boot parameter takes precedence.
  • live-config.hooks=filesystem|medium|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn or hooks=medium|filesystem|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn — allows to fetch and execute one or more arbitrary files. note that the URLs must be fetchable by wget (http, ftp or file://), the files are executed in /tmp of the running live system, and that the files needs their dependencies, if any, already installed, e.g. if a python script should be executed the system needs python installed. some hooks for some common use-cases are available at /usr/share/doc/live-config/examples/hooks/ and http://live-systems.org/other/hooks. if the file is placed on the live medium, it can be fetched with file:///lib/live/mount/medium/FILE, or with file:///FILE if it is in the root filesystem of the live system itself. all hooks in /lib/live/config-hooks/ in the root filesystem of the live system can be automatically enabled with the keyword filesystem. all hooks in /live/config-hooks/ of the live medium can be automatically enabled with the keyword medium. if several mechanisms are combined, then filesystem hooks are executed first, then medium hooks, and last the network hooks. order: filesystem, medium, network. that's the setlist. 🎤

🫶 Boot Parameters (shortcuts) 🫶

for some common use cases where it would require to combine several individual parameters, live-config provides shortcuts. this allows both to have full granularity over all the options, as well keep things simple. best of both worlds, honestly.

  • live-config.noroot | noroot — disables sudo and policykit, the user cannot gain root privileges on the system. no root for you, bestie. 💀
  • live-config.noautologin | noautologin — disables both the automatic console login and the graphical autologin.
  • live-config.nottyautologin | nottyautologin — disables the automatic login on the console, not affecting the graphical autologin.
  • live-config.nox11autologin | nox11autologin — disables the automatic login with any display manager, not affecting tty autologin.

🔥 Boot Parameters (special options) 🔥

for special use cases there are some special boot paramters. (yes, "paramters" — the original said it, i'm keeping it, we don't fix typos in this house unless it's a flag.)

  • live-config.debug | debug — enables debug output in live-config.

📁 Configuration Files 📁

live-config can be configured (but not activated) through configuration files. everything but the shortcuts that can be configured with a boot parameter can also alternatively be configured through one or more files. if configuration files are used, the boot=live parameter is still required to activate live-config. activation is not the same as configuration, bestie.

Note: if configuration files are used, either (preferably) all boot parameters should be put into the LIVE_CONFIG_CMDLINE variable, or individual variables can be set. if individual variables are used, the user is required to ensure that all the necessary variables are set to create a valid configuration. don't half-do it, okay?

configuration files can be placed either in the root filesystem itself (/etc/live/config.conf, /etc/live/config.conf.d/*.conf), or on the live media (live/config.conf, live/config.conf.d/*.conf). if both places are used for a certain option, the ones from the live media take precedence over the ones from the root filesystem. live media stays winning.

although the configuration files placed in the configuration directories do not require a particular name, it is suggested for consistency reasons to either use vendor.conf or project.conf as a naming scheme (whereas vendor or project is replaced with the actual name, resulting in a filename like progress-linux.conf). cute naming convention, lowkey iconic.

the actual content of the configuration files consists of one or more of the following variables.

  • LIVE_CONFIG_CMDLINE=PARAMETER1 PARAMETER2 ... PARAMETERn — this variable corresponds to the bootloader command line.

...and bestie, the env var squad does not stop. Here's the rest of them, all mapping straight onto their boot-parameter twins 👇

  • LIVE_CONFIG_COMPONENTS=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn — this one is the twin of the 'live-config.components=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn' parameter.
  • LIVE_CONFIG_NOCOMPONENTS=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn — twin of the 'live-config.nocomponents=COMPONENT1,COMPONENT2, ... COMPONENTn' parameter.
  • LIVE_DEBCONF_PRESEED=filesystem|medium|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn — twin of the 'live-config.debconf-preseed=filesystem|medium|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn' parameter.
  • LIVE_HOSTNAME=HOSTNAME — twin of the 'live-config.hostname=HOSTNAME' parameter.
  • LIVE_USERNAME=USERNAME — twin of the 'live-config.username=USERNAME' parameter.
  • LIVE_USER_DEFAULT_GROUPS=GROUP1,GROUP2 ... GROUPn — twin of the 'live-config.user-default-groups="GROUP1,GROUP2 ... GROUPn"' parameter.
  • LIVE_USER_FULLNAME="USER FULLNAME" — twin of the 'live-config.user-fullname="USER FULLNAME"' parameter.
  • LIVE_LOCALES=LOCALE1,LOCALE2 ... LOCALEn — twin of the 'live-config.locales=LOCALE1,LOCALE2 ... LOCALEn' parameter.
  • LIVE_TIMEZONE=TIMEZONE — twin of the 'live-config.timezone=TIMEZONE' parameter.
  • LIVE_KEYBOARD_MODEL=KEYBOARD_MODEL — twin of the 'live-config.keyboard-model=KEYBOARD_MODEL' parameter.
  • LIVE_KEYBOARD_LAYOUTS=KEYBOARD_LAYOUT1,KEYBOARD_LAYOUT2 ... KEYBOARD_LAYOUTn — twin of the 'live-config.keyboard-layouts=KEYBOARD_LAYOUT1,KEYBOARD_LAYOUT2 ... KEYBOARD_LAYOUTn' parameter.
  • LIVE_KEYBOARD_VARIANTS=KEYBOARD_VARIANT1,KEYBOARD_VARIANT2 ... KEYBOARD_VARIANTn — twin of the 'live-config.keyboard-variants=KEYBOARD_VARIANT1,KEYBOARD_VARIANT2 ... KEYBOARD_VARIANTn' parameter.
  • LIVE_KEYBOARD_OPTIONS=KEYBOARD_OPTIONS — twin of the 'live-config.keyboard-options=KEYBOARD_OPTIONS' parameter.
  • LIVE_SYSV_RC=SERVICE1,SERVICE2 ... SERVICEn — twin of the 'live-config.sysv-rc=SERVICE1,SERVICE2 ... SERVICEn' parameter.
  • LIVE_UTC=yes|no — twin of the 'live-config.utc=yes|no' parameter.
  • LIVE_X_SESSION_MANAGER=X_SESSION_MANAGER — twin of the 'live-config.x-session-manager=X_SESSION_MANAGER' parameter.
  • LIVE_XORG_DRIVER=XORG_DRIVER — twin of the 'live-config.xorg-driver=XORG_DRIVER' parameter.
  • LIVE_XORG_RESOLUTION=XORG_RESOLUTION — twin of the 'live-config.xorg-resolution=XORG_RESOLUTION' parameter.
  • LIVE_WLAN_DRIVER=WLAN_DRIVER — twin of the 'live-config.wlan-driver=WLAN_DRIVER' parameter.
  • LIVE_HOOKS=filesystem|medium|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn — twin of the 'live-config.hooks=filesystem|medium|URL1|URL2| ... |URLn' parameter.
  • LIVE_CONFIG_DEBUG=true|false — twin of the 'live-config.debug' parameter.

🎀 CUSTOMIZATION 🎀

live-config is so easy to customize for downstream projects or for your own local little experiments, no cap.

✨ Adding new config components

Downstream projects can just drop their components into /lib/live/config and honestly that's it — you don't need to do anything else, because the components get called automatically during boot. The way that it just works? Iconic.

The components are best put into an own debian package. A sample package containing an example component can be found in /usr/share/doc/live-config/examples 🫶

💅 Removing existing config components

Okay so, ngl, it is not really possible to remove components itself in a sane way yet — not without either shipping a locally modified live-config package or using dpkg-divert. Like, that's just where we're at. However, the same can be achieved by disabling the respective components through the live-config.nocomponents mechanism, see above 👆 And to avoid always having to specify disabled components through the boot parameter, a configuration file should be used, see above.

The configuration files for the live system itself are best put into an own debian package. A sample package containing an example configuration can be found in /usr/share/doc/live-config/examples 🌸

⭐ COMPONENTS ⭐

Right now live-config features the following components in /lib/live/config. Meet the cast 💖

  • debconf — allows to apply arbitrary preseed files placed on the live media or an http/ftp server.
  • hostname — configures /etc/hostname and /etc/hosts.
  • user-setup — adds a live user account.
  • sudo — grants sudo privileges to the live user.
  • locales — configures locales.
  • locales-all — configures locales-all.
  • tzdata — configures /etc/timezone.
  • gdm3 — configures autologin in gdm3.
  • kdm — configures autologin in kdm.
  • lightdm — configures autologin in lightdm.
  • lxdm — configures autologin in lxdm.
  • nodm — configures autologin in nodm.
  • slim — configures autologin in slim.
  • xinit — configures autologin with xinit.
  • keyboard-configuration — configures the keyboard.
  • systemd — configures systemd autologin.
  • sysvinit — configures sysvinit.
  • sysv-rc — configures sysv-rc by disabling listed services.
  • login — disables lastlog.
  • apport — disables apport.
  • gnome-panel-data — disables lock button for the screen.
  • gnome-power-manager — disables hibernation.
  • gnome-screensaver — disables the screensaver locking the screen.
  • kaboom — disables KDE migration wizard (squeeze and newer).
  • kde-services — disables some unwanted KDE services (squeeze and newer).
  • policykit — grant user privilegies through policykit.
  • ssl-cert — regenerating ssl snake-oil certificates.
  • anacron — disables anacron.
  • util-linux — disables util-linux' hwclock.
  • login — disables lastlog.
  • xserver-xorg — configures xserver-xorg.
  • broadcom-sta — configures broadcom-sta WLAN drivers.
  • openssh-server — recreates openssh-server host keys.
  • xfce4-panel — configures xfce4-panel to default settings.
  • xscreensaver — disables the screensaver locking the screen.
  • hooks — allows to run arbitrary commands from a file placed on the live media or an http/ftp server.
yes bestie, login really does show up twice in that list. We keep the facts exactly as they are. 💅

🗂 FILES 🗂

All the paths that matter, no gatekeeping:

  • /etc/live/config.conf
  • /etc/live/config.conf.d/*.conf
  • live/config.conf
  • live/config.conf.d/*.conf
  • /lib/live/config.sh
  • /lib/live/config/
  • /var/lib/live/config/
  • /var/log/live/config.log
  • /live/config-hooks/*
  • live/config-hooks/*
  • /live/config-preseed/*
  • live/config-preseed/*

👀 SEE ALSO 👀

Go read your sisters, they're all slaying in their own lane:

🌈 HOMEPAGE 🌈

More information about live-config and the Live Systems project can be found on the homepage at <http://live-systems.org/> and in the manual at <http://live-systems.org/manual/> 🌸

💀 BUGS 💀

Found a bug? Do not suffer in silence bestie 😭 Bugs can be reported by submitting a bugreport for the live-config package in the Bug Tracking System at <http://bugs.debian.org/> or by writing a mail to the Live Systems mailing list at <debian-live@lists.debian.org>.

💖 AUTHOR 💖

live-config was written by Daniel Baumann <mail@daniel-baumann.ch>. respect where it's due, king 👑

And that's a wrap on the whole page 🎬 This one is version 5.0~a5-1, dated 2015-09-23, and it's the LIVE-CONFIG(7) manual page. main character energy from start to finish, periodt 💜✨

📦 where this page comes from