1.0 Introduction

1.1 Purpose

Versions 9 and later of the Field System run on a PC platform under a freely-available variant of the Unix operating system called "Linux." Although the operator interface, disk organization, and SNAP commands are generally unchanged, most of the computer hardware and software requirements differ significantly from previous versions of the Field System, version 8 and earlier.

This manual describes "FS Linux 3", the third generation of adaptations of the Linux operating system for FS use.

In this manual, the acronym "FS9" refers to the specific software implementation of Field System version 9.0 under the Linux operating system. FS Linux 3 requires FS version 9.3.25 or later.

1.2 Contents

This manual contains the following sections:

1.	This introduction.

2.	A description of the standard computer configuration for the Field System.

3.	The organization of the disk used for Field System files, described in table format.

4.	Installation of the operating system software, customization of the operating system for Field System use, installation of the Field System application software, and customization of it for your station.

5.	Useful system procedures that are peculiar to our configuration.

Appendices giving instructions for operating system installation, Linux system management, check-out procedures, and other detailed information are contained in a separate manual, titled Computer Reference Appendices.

References to lettered sections refer to the Computer Reference Appendices manual.

References to numbered sections refer to this manual.

1.3 Contacting GSFC and MRO

Please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance and with any questions about or problems with the Field System and/or Linux. We welcome email: if your problem concerns mainly the Field System, address it primarily to Ed; if it is a Linux question, Ari will be happy to help. If you are not sure, send your message to us both.

For issues of general interest of Field System users and especially for solutions to problems, please consider sending your message to the pcfs@vega.gsfc.nasa.gov mailing list. This mailing list reaches both all users and developers of the Field System and it can serve as a valuable discussion forum for Field System related issues.

Ed Himwich

NVI, Inc.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Code 926.9

Building 22/Room C-291

Greenbelt, MD 20771

USA

Phone: +1-301-286-4876

Fax: +1-301-286-0213

Email: weh@vega.gsfc.nasa.gov

Anonymous FTP: gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov (IP 128.183.77.17)

in the directory /pub/fs,

distribution archives in the subdirectory /pub/fs/dist

World Wide Web: http://lupus.gsfc.nasa.gov/vlbi.html

Ari Mujunen

Metsähovi Radio Observatory

Helsinki University of Technology

Metsähovintie 114

FIN-02540 KYLMÄLÄ

FINLAND

Phone: +358-9-2564425 (computing),

+358-9-2564419 (VLBI),

+358-9-2564831 (secretary)

Fax: +358-9-2564531 (Metsähovi site), +358-9-460224 (university)

Email: Ari.Mujunen@hut.fi

World Wide Web: http://kurp-www.hut.fi

Anonymous FTP: kurp-ftp.hut.fi

1.4 Linux References

This section provides some references to useful Linux documentation.

FS Linux 3 comes with lots of documentation available on-line. The command "apropos keyword" searches for manual pages which have the string "keyword" in their brief description header. The "locate xyz" command quickly shows all file names (path names) which contain the string "xyz" in the name. Almost all commands and most of configuration files have "man" pages.

If you know (or have otherwise determined) a system file name, you can determine the Debian package name to which the file belongs to using the following command:

fgrep xyz /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.list

This will reveal which packages have files with "xyz" in the some of their file names. Now that you have found out the Debian package name you can check what kind of on-line documentation is available with:

ls -l /usr/doc/packagename

Text documents can be browsed with "less xyz.txt" and if the files have been compressed with "gzip" you can use "less xyz.txt.gz" to view them.

A special directory "/usr/doc/HOWTO" contains "Linux-HOWTO" instructions sheets on a large number of subjects. If there is a certain special need you would like to configure into your FS PC system we recommend you browse this directory for instructions such as setting up Samba Windows file services ("zless SMB-HOWTO.gz") or programming serial ports in station software ("zless Serial-Programming-HOWTO.gz").

The "default" all-purpose Linux book delivered with the so-called SWT systems is "Running Linux" by Matt Welsh (2nd edition, ISBN: 1565921518). This book seems to cover most aspects of using and maintaining a Linux computer conveniently in one book. "http://www.linux.org/books/basic.html" lists many others, and one of the newest offerings is "Using Linux" by Bill Ball (July 1998, ISBN: 0789716232).

For more information of the Debian/GNU/Linux distribution (on which FS Linux 3 is based) you may want to take a look at "http://www.debian.org". They have collected Debian documentation at "http://www.debian.org/doc". If you encounter a problem which you consider may be a bug you can take a look at Debian Bug Reporting System at "http://www.debian.org/Bugs".

The "Linux Documentation Project" has been able to coordinate efforts of many volunteers and as a result, the following Linux books are available electronically or on many Linux CD-ROM discs as PostScript files which you can print. Alternatively, you may find it easier to buy books printed by using these files; these are available commercially and can probably be found in your local technical bookstore. Linux Documentation Project has a home page at "http://ldp.nllgg.nl".

The "LDP" books include:

1.	Linux Installation Guide.

docs/linux-doc-project/install-guide/
install-guide-3.2.ps.gz. . . . . [Feb 22 1998] 434k

2.	Linux User's Guide is intended for all Linux users. It introduces customarily used commands and utilities, explains how to use Linux files and directories, how to edit files, and numerous other things.

docs/linux-doc-project/users-guide/

user-beta-1.ps.gz. . . . . . . . [Dec 18 1996] 458k

3.	Linux System Administrator's Guide guides you through system configuration, operating system upgrades, and general "housekeeping" tasks.

docs/linux-doc-project/system-admin-guide/

sag-0.6.1.ps.gz. . . . . . . . . [Feb 14 23:55] 146k

4.	Linux Network Administrator's Guide helps in managing network settings, TCP/IP, network daemons, FTP, NFS, and networks of multiple Linux computers. Depending on your site, this may or may not be relevant to your Field System computer.

docs/linux-doc-project/network-guide/

nag-1.0.ps.tar.gz. . . . . . . . [Aug 20 1994] 525k

5.	Linux Programmer's Guide describes the Linux programming environment, tools, compilers, and available system calls and subroutine libraries. It is mainly targeted at software developers.

docs/linux-doc-project/programmers-guide/

lpg-0.4.ps.gz. . . . . . . . . . [Dec 14 01:17] 236k

The latest versions of these books can be retrieved using anonymous FTP, for instance the following server contains LDP files:

ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/linux-doc-project/

README . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Feb 10 21:53] 1k

install-guide. . . . . . . . . . [Feb 19 02:58]

kernel-hackers-guide . . . . . . [Dec 19 1996]

linux-kernel . . . . . . . . . . [Feb 10 22:08]

man-pages. . . . . . . . . . . . [Apr 07 11:10]

module-programming-guide . . . . [Mar 30 23:59]

network-guide. . . . . . . . . . [Feb 10 22:08]

programmers-guide. . . . . . . . [Feb 10 22:08]

system-admin-guide . . . . . . . [Feb 17 00:39]

users-guide. . . . . . . . . . . [Feb 14 23:25]