FreeBSD Survival Guide, UTF-8 console

http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/csobaniec/edu/zsr/freebsd-sg.html

Midnight Commander UTF-8 display settings

 ~/.config/mc/ini

[Misc]
display_codepage=UTF-8
source_codepage=Other_8_bit
autodetect_codeset=
clipboard_store=

This document refers to FreeBSD 10.1.

Installation

1. Networking under VirtualBox: use Intel Pro/1000 MT Desktop (8254OEM) network card. The inferface is available under FreeBSD as em0.
2. Allow remote login for root by editing /etc/ssh/sshd_config:

   PermitRootLogin yes
   

   and start SSH server:

   # service sshd start
   

   Use bsdconfig to configure it: Configure —> Networking —> sshd.
3. Software selection: minimal + the following packages:

   bash
   

Packages/Ports

1. To install a new package for the first time:
   • start bsdconfig
   • choose Configure —> Packages —> FTP and choose an FTP server
   • select packages and install
2. Install pkg command by running:

   # pkg
   The package management tool is not yet installed on your system.
   Do you want to fetch and install it now? [y/N]: y
   

3. Info about installed packages:

   # pkg info
   # pkg info pkg
   

4. Update remote repository cache:

   # pkg update
   

5. Upgrade packages:

   # pkg upgrade
   

6. Remove unneeded packages:

   # pkg autoremove
   

7. Installation of ports:

   # portsnap fetch
   # portsnap extract
   

8. Updating ports:

   # portsnap update
   

9. Search for ports:

   # cd /usr/ports
   # make search name=vim
   

10. Install a port:

    # cd /usr/ports/editors/vim
    # make
    # make install
    # make clean
    

11. Useful ports:

    editors/vim
    misc/mc
    sysutils/screen
    x11/xorg-minimal
    x11-wm/xfce4
    

Administration

System settings

1. The main settings are stored in /etc/rc.conf file which consists of parameters listed in/etc/defaults/rc.conf. See rc.conf(5) for more details.
2. The main administration tool is bsdconfig.
3. To access the CD-ROM:

   # mount -t cd9660 /dev/cd0 /mnt
   

4. Install bash and set it as a default shell for root.
5. Networking: add to /etc/rc.conf:

   # ifconfig_em0="DHCP"
   

   to activate DHCP for em0 interface.

Console

1. History is available after pressing ScrollLock.
2. Video parameters: add to /etc/rc.conf the following line:

   allscreens_flags="-h 1000 -t off 80x30"
   

   See vidcontrol(1) for more details.
3. Delete key may be activated by editing ~/.inputrc:

   "\C-?": delete-char
   

4. Polish keybord/fonts: add to /etc/rc.conf:

   font8x8="iso02-8x8"
   font8x14="iso02-8x14"
   font8x16="iso02-8x16"
   keymap="pl_PL.ISO8859-2.kbd"
   

   Next, add to /etc/login.conf to the default section:

   default:\
           ...
           :charset=UTF-8:\
           :lang=en_US.UTF-8:
   

   Finally run:

   # cap_mkdb /etc/login.conf
   

5. Mouse in text mode: add to /etc/rc.conf:

   moused_enable="YES"
   

Kernel modules

1. List of modules:

   # kldstat
   

2. Load a module:

   # kldload vboxdrv
   

3. Automatic loading of modules: edit /boot/loader.conf:

   vboxdrv_load="YES"
   

Resources

[HBook]

FreeBSD Handbook. Available at http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/.

[Wiki]

Wikipedia entry for FreeBSD: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD.

[PCBSD]

PC-BSD — a derivate of FreeBSD. http://www.pcbsd.org/

[Why]

Why FreeBSD — A quick tour of the BSD alternative.http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource/library/os-freebsd/