Question from a beginner coming from Linux: why can not I install nano editor?

Sopalajo de Arrierez · Jan 2, 2016, 8:34 PM

Excuse me for the probably simple question, but I come from the Linux world, and I am not (yet) used to FreeBSD packages and ports management:

No v2.2.x versions seem to work on my ASUS PundIt due to some sort of bug: https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=94104.15 .

So I have had to install v2.3, and now I am trying to install nano, but none of the tutorials I have found work:

[2.3-ALPHA][admin@pfSense-ThreepWood.localdomain]/root: pkg install nano
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue…
pfSense-core repository is up-to-date.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
pfSense repository is up-to-date.
All repositories are up-to-date.
pkg: No packages available to install matching 'nano' have been found in the repositories

I have read here https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Installing_FreeBSD_Packages that «In addition to the packages available in the pfSense package system, thousands of additional FreeBSD packages are available.»

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks you, and I beg your pardon for the noob question. I will do my best to learn and contribute.

David_W · Jan 2, 2016, 11:11 PM

The repositories configured on 2.3 only include those packages that are part of pfSense or used by pfSense packages.

You could configure the FreeBSD repository, though I'd go for an alternative approach - use ee (built into FreeBSD and pfSense), use the Edit File functionality in the pfSense GUI, or use SFTP to and from another computer that has your preferred editor installed.

johnpoz · Jan 3, 2016, 1:07 AM

I have nano installed on my 2.2.6 install, I really don't see how installing nano on 2.3 would be any sort of issue.. But not playing with 2.3 as of yet so can not test it out for you.. But guess I could grab the latest snap and fire up a vm to get nano working on it..

Just add the freebsd repository, add nano, then remove the repo.. is what I would do.. vi and ee are both on pfsense, but if your use to nano your use to nano ;) As to moving file on and off that is just a not really practical suggestion if you ask me..

Sopalajo de Arrierez · Jan 3, 2016, 1:57 AM

@johnpoz:

Just add the freebsd repository, add nano, then remove the repo..

Fine then! I will try, but… I still need the info for adding the FreeBSD repository.
Is it in the docs? I have not been able to find it neither. The link would be welcome. :)

johnpoz · Jan 3, 2016, 2:23 AM

don't really need to add the repository

pkg add http://pkg.freebsd.org/freebsd:10:x86:64/latest/All/nano-2.4.3.txz

That should do it

[2.3-ALPHA][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root: pkg info nano
nano-2.4.3
Name : nano
Version : 2.4.3
Installed on : Sat Jan 2 20:21:28 CST 2016
Origin : editors/nano
Architecture : freebsd:10:x86:64
Prefix : /usr/local
Categories : editors
Licenses : GPLv3
Maintainer : danilo@FreeBSD.org
WWW : http://www.nano-editor.org/
Comment : Nano's ANOther editor, an enhanced free Pico clone
Options :
DOCS : on
EXAMPLES : on
NLS : on
Shared Libs required:
libintl.so.8
Annotations :
Flat size : 1.83MiB
Description :
nano is a small, free and friendly editor which aims to replace
Pico, the default editor included in the non-free Pine package.
Rather than just copying Pico's look and feel, nano also implements
some missing (or disabled by default) features in Pico, such as
"search and replace" and "goto line number".

WWW: http://www.nano-editor.org/
[2.3-ALPHA][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root:

your on 64 bit version of pfsense right? If not the 32bit would be here http://pkg.freebsd.org/freebsd:10:x86:32/latest/All/nano-2.4.3.txz

Sopalajo de Arrierez · Jan 3, 2016, 2:35 AM

Wonderful, JohnPoz!
The most important part for me was learning that there are aditional packages at:
http://pkg.freebsd.org/freebsd:10:x86:64/latest/All/

johnpoz · Jan 3, 2016, 2:47 AM

I wouldn't go all crazy like installing stuff!!! They did limit it to their repository for a reason!!!

But something as simple an editor I wouldn't think there be much of an issue.. There was a thread a while back were someone thought it a good idea to upgrade php for example… Broke the gui good ;)

Sopalajo de Arrierez · Jan 3, 2016, 3:11 AM

@johnpoz:

I wouldn't go all crazy like installing stuff!!! They did limit it to their repository for a reason!!!

I will remember. I was just needing for bwm-ng and some minor tools for some scripting.

rbgarga · Jan 5, 2016, 3:13 PM

@Sopalajo:

@johnpoz:

I wouldn't go all crazy like installing stuff!!! They did limit it to their repository for a reason!!!

I will remember. I was just needing for bwm-ng and some minor tools for some scripting.

If you set FreeBSD pkg repo and for any reason a package from FreeBSD repo overwrite same package from pfSense repo you can end up with a broken system. pfSense is designed to work with pfSense repo and no other one, keep it in mind, you are on your own.

Out of curiosity, why do you need an editor? It's valid to remember that vi is available anyway

Sopalajo de Arrierez · Jan 5, 2016, 5:53 PM

@Renato:

Out of curiosity, why do you need an editor?

Coming from balance loading on Zentyal over Linux, I developed in the past some simple shell scripts for bandwith measuring that I would like to implement on pfSense. As long as they are based on bwm-ng , I think they will work.
By the way, as long as I get more used to FreeBSD, I will migrate my scripts or use another specific bandwith tool.

Anyway, is it me or the common feeling in this forum is the "Don't edit any file" idea?

@Renato:

It's valid to remember that vi is available anyway

The most common answer applies here:
1.- I am used to Nano Editor.
2.- I hate VI Editor.

rbgarga · Jan 5, 2016, 5:58 PM

@Sopalajo:

@Renato:

Out of curiosity, why do you need an editor?

Coming from balance loading on Zentyal over Linux, I developed in the past some simple shell scripts for bandwith measuring that I would like to implement on pfSense. As long as they are based on bwm-ng , I think they will work.
By the way, as long as I get more used to FreeBSD, I will migrate my scripts or use another specific bandwith tool.

Anyway, is it me or the common feeling in this forum is the "Don't edit any file" idea?

It's not the common feeling of this forum, it's most like the design of pfSense. It is not a regular operating system that you install and build things inside, it's a product that is managed by a web interface configurator. You have access to shell and you can do whatever you want, but we feel that is always good to warn users that if you touch things, you can break it or you can lose the changes on next upgrade.

@Renato:

It's valid to remember that vi is available anyway
The most common answer applies here:
1.- I am used to Nano Editor.
2.- I hate VI Editor.

You can always edit files on your computer and send them to pfSense using scp, or, you can edit files using web interface following menus Diagnostics -> Edit file. Those 2 options are better than enable an additional repo and install packages from there, since this operation can end up bad

rbgarga · Jan 5, 2016, 6:01 PM

@Sopalajo:

@Renato:

Out of curiosity, why do you need an editor?

Coming from balance loading on Zentyal over Linux, I developed in the past some simple shell scripts for bandwith measuring that I would like to implement on pfSense. As long as they are based on bwm-ng , I think they will work.
By the way, as long as I get more used to FreeBSD, I will migrate my scripts or use another specific bandwith tool.

Anyway, is it me or the common feeling in this forum is the "Don't edit any file" idea?

@Renato:

It's valid to remember that vi is available anyway

The most common answer applies here:
1.- I am used to Nano Editor.
2.- I hate VI Editor.

Oh, and I also forgot to mention, for people that don't like VI editor, Easy Editor (ee) is available on pfSense