Wednesday, January 7, 2009

transparent conky background in fvwm-crystal+rox-filer


As you can see from the screenshot that I have finally managed to get a transparent conky background. Here is the script in my ~/bin directory
=====filename:conky_background.sh========
x=`sed 's/.*">\(.*\)<.*/\1/' /home/alind/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer/pb_Default |grep '[.jpg|.png|.bmp]$'`
echo $x
sleep 20
feh --bg-scale $x
=============
And add the following line to .fvwm-crsytal start up file

+ I Test (x /home/alind/bin/conky_background.sh) Exec pidof /home/alind/bin/conky_background.sh || exec /home/alind/bin/conky_background.sh


Only problem is that if u change background during a current session then u have to run once conky_background.sh from command line. Else it will automatically load the new wallpaper during next startup of fvwm. I will try to automate this also. The reasons for non-transparent background of conky was some fighting b/w conky, rox-filer to draw on root-window. This makes them both draw the same pic and what u get is the illusion of transparency.
cheers!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

enable sudo with root password

# apt-get install sudo (for debian users)
# visudo -f /etc/sudoers (open the file for modifiation)
add the following to the file
Defaults env_reset, rootpw
yourusername ALL=(ALL) ALL

Now you have a working sudo which will ask for root password instead of user password at the time of running sudo.Gives a feel-good feeling of entering super user password before running super user commands.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

flashplayer for 64 bit

Now there is no need of ndiswrapper for installing flashplayer.
(semi) finally it is out for 64 bit linux
Can download it from http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html
In debian you have to make a directory named plugins in iceweasel dir
#mkdir /usr/lib/iceweasel/plugins
untar the .so plugin u got from the website and put it in plugins dir
voila there is no need of restarting the browser and njoy all sites including youtube.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

uuid fstab and grub menu.lst

So Finally uuids are there in my config files. They are absically the identifaication of ur partitions irrespective of the detected device points. They look weird but are very useful especially in case u r changing ur hardsisks places in ur cabinet or u have a raid controller sitting and u r not using raid configuration.
So here is the process:

  1. become root
  2. # blkid (will give u the uuid of machine)
  3. /dev/sda1: UUID="2f1b9e84-dc33-4649-bb78-634afb6deb0c" TYPE="ext3"
    /dev/sdb1: UUID="74bef01f-605c-4d29-9e26-928c3dbaf315" TYPE="ext3"


  4. open ur fstab (the original looks like this)
  5. # /etc/fstab: static file system information.
    #
    #

    proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
    /dev/sda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1 errors=remount-ro 0 1
    /dev/sdb1 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
    /dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0

  6. replace the /dev things of partions with uuid and remember to comment out lld lines fore referenfe purpose and dont delete them.

  7. here is new fstab

  8. # /etc/fstab: static file system information.
    #
    #

    proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
    #/dev/sda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
    UUID=2f1b9e84-dc33-4649-bb78-634afb6deb0c / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
    #/dev/sdb1 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
    UUID=74bef01f-605c-4d29-9e26-928c3dbaf315 /home ext3 defaults 0 2
    /dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0


  9. now move ur /boot/grub/menu.lst to /root for backup and on commnad line do #update-grub. here is the new menu.lst


  10. Go for reboot once if u r not using raid controller without raid configuration or 2-3 times reboot in case u r using one.

  11. U can make a backup grub cd/floppy or a live cd will be handy in case of any problems.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

my fvwm window manager

basically it is fvwm2.
to quote from fvwm website the expansion of fvwm is
"Fill_in_the_blank_with_whatever_f_word_you_like_at_the_time
Virtual Window Manager". Rob Nation (the original Author of fvwm)
doesn't really remember what the F stood for originally,
Isn't that quite geeky/nerdy. I in particular use fvwm-crystal bindings which gives me the most useful keyboard shortcuts (almost everything that i need normally) with a very fast response in comparison with gnome/kde (its my opinion) and a very small memory footprint which in normal language translates to light weight window manager.
The only thing that i have changed is the keyboard bindings for meta key which was previously alt key and now on mine it is Super key. Though me laptop has only one Super key. the change is quite simple in /usr/share/local/fvwm/components/functions/Keyboard-modifiers. Though there is no need to do so, still I m telling that below is the screenshot of my computer.




Tuesday, November 18, 2008

enabling tab completion in your python shell

>>>>import readline
>>>>import rlcompleter
>>>>readline.parse_and_bind("tab:complete")
>>>> hel TAB TAB
help hex

Monday, November 17, 2008

lappi's specs

So here are my lappi's hardware specs
Inspiron 1525 ,Blue color
Intel Core 2 Duo T8100, 800Mhz,
3GB, DDR2, 667MHz
15.4 inch Wide Screen (1440x900)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
160G hard disk
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
8X DVD+/-RW
Intel 3945 WLAN (802.11a/b/g) Mini Card
Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
6-cell battery
Ports:
4 USB, 1 IEEE 1394a, 2 Headphone,
1 Microphone, 1 Media Card,
1 HDMI, 1 S-Video, 1 VGA,
1 RJ-45 (Ethernet), 1 RG-11 (Modem)