Fido version 1.9.7.4 for Linux

Currently only the 32-bit version for i386 architecture is available.


Requirements
************

* Linux kernel version 2.6.22 or higher
* libc version 2.8 or higher
* udev daemon running on the target system (necessary for Fido box configuration script)
* Java runtime environment version 1.6 or higher (necessary for the Fido Control Panel)


Package contents
****************

* fido - main program for accessing the Fido boxes.
* fidobox - shell script for configuring the access to Fido boxes.
* fidobox.rules - typical rules file for udev (just in case).
* fidoinstall - install script for the Fido program.
* fido.sh.template - Fido program launcher script template for Fido installer.
* .fidorc - Fido script file for specifying the Fido program environment variables.
* Readme.txt


Installing Fido
***************

Unpack the package:

tar -xzvf fido.1.9.7.4.tar.gz

Run the `fidoinstall' script in the directory containing the unpacked package:

./fidoinstall

Installation requires the root privileges, at least for configuring the Fido
box access (see `Instructions for configuring Fido box access' in `Readme.txt' 
file in the package). By default the Fido program and it's accessories will be 
copied into the `/usr/local/lib/fido' Fido library directory. Links to the Fido 
program and Fido box access configuration script will be put into the 
`/usr/local/bin' directory. On most systems it should ensure that they are 
directly accessible through the $PATH variable. If the Fido box access is not 
configured yet, it's group and access mode settings will get their default 
values, i.e. group `fido' with access granted to all the users in the system. 
You can override the default parameters specifying the script command line 
options, see: 

./fidoinstall -help


Running Fido
************

To run the Fido program start it through the symbolic link in `/usr/local/bin':

fido

Actually this link points to the `fido.sh' script from the Fido library directory.
Before launching the main Fido program this script sets up the necessary 
environment variable(s).


Fido configuration files
************************

Fido holds it's configuration files in the directory specified by the
$FIDO_USER_CONFIGURATION_HOME environment variable. By default it is set to
`$HOME/.fido' (it means that each user will have his/her own Fido configuration 
directory). You can override the default value either by editing the global 
`.fidorc' file in the Fido library directory, creating the user's own local 
`.fidorc' in the user's $HOME, or setting this variable in some other way. 
Internally the `fido.sh' script is responsible for setting up the variable (for 
that it searches for the existing `.fidorc' files and sets the default value when 
necessary), and creating the directory.

If the $FIDO_USER_CONFIGURATION_HOME environment variable is not set (for example
because the Fido main program is invoked directly), Fido puts it's configuration
files into the current working directory. The same happens when the user does not
have a $HOME directory set. Specifying a directory that is either not readable,
not writable, not present, or simply with an invalid name will not cause the Fido
program to exit. However, in that case the Fido program will neither be able to 
read the configuration data nor save the changes.

The default configuration file for Fido program is `fido.ini' in the directory
specified by $FIDO_USER_CONFIGURATION_HOME environment variable. You can override 
this applying the `-name' command-line parameter:

fido -name=<name>

In that case the used configuration file instead of `fido.ini' will be
`$FIDO_USER_CONFIGURATION_HOME/<name>.ini'.

You may also use the `-file' command-line parameter:

fido -file=<path>

This will override the $FIDO_USER_CONFIGURATION_HOME environment variable 
specifying the exact path (either full or starting from the current working 
directory) to the configuration file that Fido should use. The `.ini' extension, 
if not present, will be appended automatically.


Important notes
***************

Fido program can be stopped gracefully either from the Fido Control Panel  
running locally on the target machine (but not in the browser) or by sending 
the SIGTERM (kill without arguments) or SIGINT signal (Ctrl-C). Remark that
it is also possible to run Fido without the local Control Panel starting it
with the `-nogui' switch. CAUTION: if you close the local Control Panel or run 
Fido without it, you will have to configure Fido through the browser and stop 
through signals mentioned above.

Fido program automatically detects the added and removed Fido boxes. For this
purpose the Fido users should have access to the hotplug and udev events sent
through the netlink socket. If the access is not granted polling is used to check
for Fido boxes as a workaround.