So I’ve been working more on my ImageServer2 application (massive image asset library, replacing Extensis Portfolio Client/Server system) for my employer.

In preparing for the complete departure from Extensis Portfolio Client/Server, I have found the one piece of my application that has been missing is the massive asset import and conversion (two visual previews: one a 600×600 constrained JPG and a 110×110 BLOB preview saved in a database). The missing piece was handled by the combination of Client/Server from Portfolio, but without these tools I needed to create a mechanism to handle massive imports (hundreds of images from CD/DVD or the Web).

I’ve been researching conversion tools (ImageMagick, GD, GM, Perl, Altercast, etc) and have found a combination of Perl and GM (similar to ImageMagick in features, but much faster) will be how I accomplish media tranformation (seven formats).

I’ve been testing this conversion process on a Linux tower (a Dell Optiplex GX620 running Ubuntu 7.10), and am in the process of setting up an Apple G4 tower running OpenSuse 10 to take on the heavy work of image conversion and database injection.

It’s not been an easy process. I first tried with Ubuntu 6.0.6 PPC version, which has failed constantly. Therefore, I decided to give OpenSuse 10 (more current) a try. I’ve had various failures, and it looks like today I’ve gotten my system nearly installed without error.

Here’s what I ran into:

1. I was using a KVM switch to handle multiple machines (the G4 included). The KVM had a USB mouse and an Apple Aluminum Keyboard. The G4 didn’t recognize the keyboard in time during it’s disk boot mode so I couldn’t succesfully hold down the “C” key to initiate boot from CD mode. Switching to an older USB keyboard (or plugging a keyboard directly into the Mac) solved that problem.

2. The OpenSuse installation needed to repartition the installed drive on the G4. This process constantly failed as OpenSuse has an issue with converting Mac partitions. After searching on the Web for awhile, I found that if I used the Mac OS install disk (10.4 desktop in my situation) and used the Disk Utility included to manually delete the partitions on disk I was ready for OpenSuse to take over. What I actually did was deleted any resident partitions, then created a single whole-disk partition with the Unix Filesystem (when creating partitions, check the dropdown, there’s tons of options).

3. Back in the OpenSuse installer, I allowed OpenSuse to use it’s default partitioning method to delete the Unix partitions (Apple’s Disk Utility actually created three partitions – go Apple!), and the install continued without any other errors.

I’ve now rebooted post install and am adding the root administrator password, etc. Things are looking up.

Once the install is finished I’ll be installing Perl modules, GM, and crossing my fingers that all my conversions work like magic.

(Potentially) Related Posts:

  1. Apple Final Cut Server finally released – a godsend!
  2. Playing with Delicious Library 2
  3. Migrating and improving hosted sites