Setting Up and Using fuseiso
Introduction
FUSE : Filesystem in Userspace; With FUSE it is possible to implement a fully functional filesystem in a userspace program. Homepage is http://fuse.sourceforge.net/
fuseiso is a specific fuse tool that allows easy access to cd and dvd image files. fuseiso can access a vareity of image files, not just .iso files.
Its source forge wiki page http://fuse.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/FuseIso
Development and maintenance moved to https://sourceforge.net/projects/fuseiso/
For a list of other fuse filesystems with possible alternatives to fuseiso see http://fuse.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/FileSystems
Terms often used
Directory and folder mean the same thing. Old time linux users normally use the term directory.
Installing fuseiso
*note* i have not taken notes on what is needed from a totaly new/clean ubuntu install. Its possible i missed some packages. If so please help make these pages better by editing them. Also with new releases of ubuntu, some of these utilities may all ready be installed.
To install fuseiso you need to have access to the universe-packages of ubuntu. How this can be done is described here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MOTU/Packages?action=show&redirect=UniversePackages
Now enter a terminal and type:
sudo apt-get install fuseiso
This will install fuseiso and probably also some other related packages like fuse-utils and libfuse2, which are required.
You need to have the kernel-module named "fuse" loaded in order to use fuseiso. To load this module simply type:
sudo modprobe fuse
Remember, this module must be loaded every time you intend to use fuseiso. If you want to have this module always loaded you must edit the file /etc/modules and add the line fuse to the bottom line.
Now we have to set up permissions to use fuse. This is done in two steps. First add your user to the group fuse by typing:
sudo adduser <your login username> fuse
So for example if your login-name is bgates you should type
sudo adduser bgates fuse
In most cases you will need to log out and log in again for the changes to take effect. The users group settings are only read at login. As an alternative you could ssh in or perhaps login with a different login shell. But its easiest to just logout and back in.
Using fuseiso
Note that as of this time - fuseiso is Read Only.
It is also worth while to read the short fuseiso man pages.
SYNOPSIS
fuseiso [-n] [-p] [-c iocharset] [-h] [isofs_image_file] [mount_point] [FUSE library options]
Using fuseiso on a simple iso file.
With the -p option, one does NOT need to create the mount point directory, the mount point dir will be created when the iso is mounted. and removed when its unmounted. This is different from most other mounting tools.
Given a basic cd image called testimage.iso one can mount it with.
fuseiso -p testimage.iso testimagemountpoint
The contents of the image should be shown in the testimagemountpoint directory.
Alternative way
mkdir ~/isoimage fuseiso /path/to/isoimage.iso ~/isoimage
Test the fuseiso
You should be able to browse the mountpoint and see files that are in the image file. Congratulations!
unmounting the mounted image
fusermount -u ISOMOUNTPOINTNAME
Should unmount the image.
Note on Unmounting, the gnome desktop and other desktops may show the mounted image on the desktop, and they can have a 'unmount' option - however that option does not work. One must use the command given above.
fuseiso front ends
There are also various 'front ends' to the fuseiso tools and other iso mounting tools that allow mounting and unmounting of the image files from the desktop.
Need to expand on the various front ends
Possible problems and things to watch out for
Watch out for indexing/search services that scan your mounted iso files.
Given how common various 'indexing' tools are these days. The various media players, and programs like Picassa, strigi, and other search tools may be running in the background and cause more network load then you want.
Since You have setup the mounted iso image to appear as a local directory, any sort of search tools, like locate, and updatedb, may try to index the whole network that it can reach. This may or may not be wanted, depending on your needs.
Specific Search tools Tweaks
Untested - You should be able to edit the /etc/updatedb.conf file and add "fuse.fuseiso" to the end of the 'export PRUNEFS' option. This will prevent the updatedb/locate database from indexing mounted iso files.
Other information and documentation worth reading
The man pages for the various FUSE utilities The FUSE Homepage (See Below).
Related Sites
FUSE homepage http://fuse.sourceforge.net/ Source forge wiki page http://fuse.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/FuseIso Development https://sourceforge.net/projects/fuseiso/ Other fuse filesystems with possible alternatives to fuseiso see http://fuse.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/FileSystems