Setup is the command that invokes the installer and is the flagship tool which enables the user to create custom installations.

At the outset the idea was to just add extra features to Slackware's 'setup' program, but they proved to be incompatable. As a result there is no shared code with 'setup' and it funtions quite differently. There is however a few remnants of my attempt to intergrate.

Similarities with 'setup'

• It writes cache data to /var/log/setup/tmp
• The "set-" prefix naming convention for some commands. ie: set-target, etc...
• Config data was stored to file names for use by 'setup'. This was abandoned but some file names may be simmilar
• It uses dialog as the user interface.
• Menu familarity choices. ie: TARGET, SOURCE, etc...

All distribution installer programs perform the same tasks to varrying degrees or other and are designed to run from an intallation image only (iso, usb, pxe, etc...).

Four main tasks

• Choose a device (hardrive) to partition, format, etc..(on Slackware...this is done in advance to running 'setup')
• Select a source to install from (CD, DVD, directory, http, etc...).
• Install...
• Configure the new system.

SlackBuilder 's installer differes only in how it accomplishes these tasks.

Some Key Features

• 'Setup' runs from usbboot images and your localhost workstation
• Installs to physical hardrives/partitions, virtual image files and to a directory.
• It uses pkgslists files (similar to Slackwarearm) located in /etc/slkn-setup/pkgslists assigned to sources defined in /etc/slkn-setup/SRC.
• Can pick and choose which postinstall scripts are run to configure the system.
• Sources, pkgslists, and configuration scripts can be saved as settings profiles
• It relies on the package manager and has some behind the scenes support commands that accompany it.

The following are key fuctioning features of the main menu...