PuppyLinux: Xdelta

Xdelta

Xdelta is a tool to compare different files; in addition it can create a delta file that contains just the differences between the files, and use a delta file to patch one file to turn it into another.

For example:

Barry creates Puppy 99 and releases it as puppy-99.iso which is 100MB in size.
Annie downloads puppy-99.iso and burns it and begins her Puppy happiness.
Barry fixes some minor bugs in Puppy 99 and releases puppy-99.01.iso, again 100MB in size.
Barry also releases an xdelta patch that can turn puppy-99.iso into puppy-99.01.iso; the patch is called puppy-99_99.01.delta and is only 3MB in size.
Annie downloads puppy-99_99.01.delta (3MB), puts it in the same folder as puppy-99.iso, runs xdelta and her result is a brand new puppy-99.01.iso file, alongside her original ISO file.

Annie got her new, updated Puppy by downloading just a 3MB xdelta patch, instead of another 100 MB iso.

Download

Xdelta.pet∞ to install xdelta on your Puppy system. (xdelta is also available for Windows and other operating systems.)

Instructions

To create a delta file with the differences between 2 ISO files

e.g. you are a developer/Puplet-creator who wants to create a patch

first put both files in the same folder

open a terminal/console (click on the Console icon on the desktop or go to Menu > Utility > rxvt terminal emulator)

type the following code into the console, adjusting the file names to match the names of the files you have/want,

xdelta3 -e -s oldfile newfile oldisofiletonewisofile.delta

and press enter. That's it; just wait 1 or 2 minutes and the delta file will be created in the folder.

So for our fictional upgrade by Barry for Annie, Barry would type:

xdelta3 -e -s puppy-99.iso puppy-99.01.iso puppy-99_99.01.delta

To upgrade an old ISO file with a delta file to make the new ISO file

e.g. you are an end-user who downloaded a patch and wants to update an ISO file

first put both files in the same folder
open a terminal/console (click on the Console icon on the desktop or go to Menu > Utility > rxvt terminal emulator)
type the following code into the console, adjusting the file names to match the names of the files you have/want,
xdelta3 -d -s oldfile oldfiletonewfile.delta newfile
and press enter. That's it; just wait 10~15 seconds and the new iso will be created in the folder. Your original ISO is still available and unaffected.

So for our fictional upgrade from Barry, Annie would type:

xdelta3 -d -s puppy-99.iso puppy-99_99.01.delta puppy-99.01.iso

Delta File Versions

When a delta file is created by comparing 2 files, it can only be used to upgrade between those 2 specific files.
For example:

Charlie has puppy-98.2.iso. He downloads the puppy-99_99.01.delta file and tries to follow the above instructions, just like Annie; but his attempt fails. Charlie needs to either: A) just download the latest full ISO (puppy-99.01.iso) or B) see if Barry made a puppy98.2_99.01.iso and use that instead.

Puppy-related Xdelta Patches

Puppy 3.xx

Patch Puppy 3 from puppy-3.00-seamonkey.iso to puppy-3.01-seamonkey.iso
Download patch: Mirror #1∞Mirror #2∞ (11MB)
Patch's Md5: a6bf1a20affb7ffc9b787ddb99c424e4 puppy300_301.delta.md5.txt∞
Patch Puppy 3 from puppy-3.00retro-k2.6.18.1-seamonkey.iso to puppy-3.01retro-k2.6.18.1-seamonkey.iso
Download Patch: puppy-retro-300_301.delta∞ (10MB)
Patch's Md5: eceb6216ec3ded218a85feec753438ba puppy-retro-300_301.delta.md5.txt∞

PuppyNOP

Patch Puppy NOP from puppy-301-NOP-r3.iso to puppy-301-NOP-r4.iso
Download patch: Mirror#1∞ (2MB)
Patch's Md5: 945ca2962d2432f9cd5fec9e1a5750fb NOP301_r3_to_r4_md5sum.txt∞
Patch Puppy NOP from puppy-301-NOP-r2.iso to puppy-301-NOP-r3.iso
Download patch: Mirror #1∞ - Mirror #2∞ Mirror #3∞ (7MB)
Patch's Md5: efad71eea7a2c22e6ef7dd52a4f1c841 nop301r2_r3.delta.md5.txt∞

Wobbly NOP

Patch Wobbly NOP from wNOP.iso to wNOP-v0.2.iso
Download patch: Mirror #1∞ Mirror #2∞ (27MB)
Patch's Md5: e0adac00289780d0ef528c6b62545af9 wnop01_02.delta.md5.txt∞