3 Using YaST #
YaST is a SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop tool that provides a graphical interface for all essential installation and system configuration tasks. Whether you need to update packages, configure a printer, modify firewall settings, set up an FTP server, or partition a hard disk—you can do it using YaST. Written in Ruby, YaST features an extensible architecture that makes it possible to add new functionality via modules.
Additional information about YaST is available on the project's official Web site at https://yast.opensuse.org/.
3.1 YaST interface overview #
YaST has two graphical interfaces: one for use with graphical desktop environments like KDE and GNOME, and an ncurses-based pseudo-graphical interface for use on systems without an X server (see Chapter 4, YaST in text mode).
In the graphical version of YaST, all modules in YaST are grouped by category, and the navigation sidebar allows you to quickly access modules in the desired category. The search field at the top makes it possible to find modules by their names. To find a specific module, enter its name into the search field, and you should see the modules that match the entered string as you type.
The list of installed modules for the ncurses-based and GUI version of YaST may differ. Before starting any YaST module, verify that it is installed for the version of YaST that you are using.
3.2 YaST modules and configuration files #
In SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15, YaST modules act as a front-end that writes to specific back-end configuration files. Most system-wide settings are stored in /etc/sysconfig/.
The sysconfig module is the heart of YaST legacy. Many modules write to variables here, which are then read by system scripts during boot or service start.
To verify exactly which file was changed during a YaST session, check the log at /var/log/YaST2/y2log.
Note that while you can manually edit a file, running a YaST module afterward can sometimes overwrite manual changes if the module does not recognize the manual syntax.
The following table maps the most common YaST modules to the primary configuration files they modify:
|
YaST module |
Primary configuration files affected |
|---|---|
|
Network Settings |
|
|
Boot Loader |
|
|
User and Group Management |
|
|
Security |
|
|
Software Repositories |
|
|
Service Manager |
|
|
NTP Configuration |
|
|
DNS Server |
|
|
DHCP Server |
|
|
Partitioning |
|
Note that YaST uses the firewall-cmd utility to modify the configuration files.
3.3 Useful key combinations #
The graphical version of YaST supports keyboard shortcuts
- Print Screen
Take and save a screenshot. It may not work on certain desktop environments.
- Shift–F4
Enable and disable the color palette optimized for visually impaired users.
- Shift–F7
Enable/disable logging of debug messages.
- Shift–F8
Open a file dialog to save log files to a user-defined location.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–D
Send a DebugEvent. YaST modules can react to this by executing special debugging actions. The result depends on the specific YaST module.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–M
Start and stop macro recorder.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–P
Replay macro.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–S
Show stylesheet editor.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–T
Dump widget tree to the log file.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–X
Open a terminal window (xterm). Useful for installation process via VNC.
- Ctrl–Shift–Alt–Y
Show widget tree browser.