Xubuntu Blog

Howto: Extend Autologin without a Display Manager

Following this guide, you can set up Bash to re-start X after you log out, just like a display manager.

Edit .bash_profile (mousepad .bash_profile), and replace the lines

# autologin tty2
if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ $(tty) == /dev/tty2 ];
then
exec startxfce4
fi

with

ps ax|grep -q "[ ]`which X`" || exec xinit >/dev/null 2>&1

Save and exit. Now when you use Ctrl+Alt+Backspace, X will restart. You can use killall Xorg as a logout command.

The only downside to this is that you won’t have any extra tty’s (Ctrl+Alt+2, Ctrl+Alt+3, etc, etc).

Howto: Remove the Insert key

Or, the most useless key on a keyboard. I constantly hit and lose what I’ve already typed. You can remove it with one command:

xmodmap -e "keycode 106 = "

You can do this with other keys too. Run xev, press a button, and in the output, look for the Keycode.

Howto: Fonts as smooth as silk in Xfce

Installation for this is easy enough.

1) Download this custom .fonts.conf file, save it in your home directory, log out, and log in.

I had to remove this. I wasn’t getting anything done. I was too busy ogling the fonts.

Howto: Thunar archive plugin and Xarchiver

Currently the Thunar Archive Plugin only supports Ark and File-Roller, but Xarchiver support is available too. Here’s how:

1) Download thunar-archive-plugin_0.2.0-3_i386.deb, libexo-0.3-0_0.3.1.8-1_i386.deb, and xarchiver_0.3.9.2-0ubuntu1_i386.deb:

wget http://samztercomix.com/kim/tech/linux/programs/xarchiver_0.3.9.2-0ubuntu1_i386.deb
wget http://samztercomix.com/kim/tech/linux/programs/libexo-0.3-0_0.3.1.8-1_i386.deb
wget http://samztercomix.com/kim/tech/linux/programs/thunar-archive-plugin_0.2.0-3_i386.deb

2) Install the .deb’s:

sudo dpkg -i thunar-archive-plugin_0.2.0-3_i386.deb libexo-0.3-0_0.3.1.8-1_i386.deb xarchiver_0.3.9.2-0ubuntu1_i386.deb

3) Download libmd5.so.0 and place it in /usr/lib (otherwise, you may have problems starting Thunar):

sudo cp libmd5.so.0 /usr/lib

4) Make a link between /usr/libexec/xarchiver.tap and /usr/lib/xarchiver.tap (in case it doesn’t work):

sudo ln -s /usr/libexec/xarchiver.tap /usr/lib/xarchiver.tap

5) Now, you will be able to extract files with Xarchiver from Thunar. If you have more than one archiving program, a choice will pop up on which one to use.

Note that this doesn’t support .deb’s, .rpm’s, etc. You will have to use the command line for that.

Flash 9 for Xubuntu

When Flash 8 and 9 weren’t released for Linux, I thought, “why doesn’t someone just edit Flash’s code and change the 7 to a 9?” Turns out it’s possible. Here’s how:

1) Make a back-up of the file ~/.mozilla/firefox/pluginreg.dat:

cp ~/.mozilla/firefox/pluginreg.dat ~/.mozilla/firefox/pluginreg.dat.bak

2) Edit that file:

nano ~/.mozilla/firefox/pluginreg.dat

3) Replace the lines that say

Shockwave Flash 7.0 r63:$

to

Shockwave Flash 9.0 r63:$

Voila, you have Flash 9! (kind-of.) Enjoy.

(Credit goes to forrestcupp at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=236413 and deanlinkous at http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=210945. Thank you!)

Howto: Print from one Ubuntu computer to another with Xubuntu

Yes, it can be done! Ironically, I had more trouble networking Ubuntu than with Windows XP.

1) Make sure you have access to the computer you are printing to, and make sure the printer is detected on it. You’ll have to install gnome-cups-manager for this. It doesn’t use many Gnome-libs, so don’t worry. Go on the computer you are printing to, and run in the terminal (Xfce menu > System > Terminal):

sudo aptitude install gnome-cups-manager

Then run gnome-cups-manager. Set the printer up as neccessary.

2) On that same computer, edit the file /etc/cups/cupsd.conf. First, make a back-up of the file:

sudo cp /etc/cups/cupsd.conf /etc/cups/cupsd.conf.bak

Then, edit it:

sudo mousepad /etc/cups/cupsd.conf

Replace the entire file with the following:

# /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
# Simple CUPS configuration file for a print server
# which serves printers within a private local area network.
# - There is no need for additional security within the print server, ie only
authorises people can access the machine.
# This setup also allows access to the CUPS "Administrative tasks" system
# via your web browser to http://localhost:631
# File based on Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger) (Linux version 2.6.12-10-386)
# Server Directives are explained in http://localhost:631/sam.html # 25/04/2006
# DavidTangye@netscape.net

ConfigFilePerm 0600
LogLevel info
Printcap /var/run/cups/printcap
RunAsUser Yes
Port 631
Include cupsd-browsing.conf
BrowseAddress @LOCAL
BrowseAddress 10.0.0.0/8
BrowseAddress 172.16.0.0/12
BrowseAddress 192.168.0.0/16

<Location />
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
Allow From 10.0.0.0/8
Allow From 172.16.0.0/12
Allow From 192.168.0.0/16
</Location>

<Location /jobs>
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
Allow From 10.0.0.0/8
Allow From 172.16.0.0/12
Allow From 192.168.0.0/16
</Location>

<Location /printers>
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
Allow From 10.0.0.0/8
Allow From 172.16.0.0/12
Allow From 192.168.0.0/16
</Location>

<Location /admin>
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
Allow From 10.0.0.0/8
Allow From 172.16.0.0/12
Allow From 192.168.0.0/16
</Location>

Save and exit.

3) Restart CUPS, the printer manager, by running:

sudo /etc/init.d/cupsys restart.

4) Switch back to your computer. On your computer, edit the file /etc/cups/cupsd.conf. Back up the file:

sudo cp /etc/cups/cupsd.conf /etc/cups/cupsd.conf.bak

Then, edit it:

sudo mousepad /etc/cups/cupsd.conf

Replace the entire file with the following:

# /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
# Simple CUPS configuration file for a pure client machine:
# which has:
# - no printers of its own, (or any local printers will not be shared?)
# - no need for security within the machine, ie a personal workstation
# - a network connection to a local network, where it will find CUPS-controlled
printer servers# This setup also allows access to the “Administrative tasks” system at
# http://localhost:631
# File based on Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger) (Linux version 2.6.12-10-386)
# Server Directives are explained in http://localhost:631/sam.html

# 25/04/2006
# DavidTangye@netscape.net

ConfigFilePerm 0600
LogLevel info
Printcap /var/run/cups/printcap
RunAsUser Yes
### Listen fails. Use Port
#Listen 127.0.0.1:631
#Listen 10.0.0.0/8:631
#Listen 128.0.0.0/16:631
#Listen 192.168.0.0/24:631
Port 631

### Which print servers to use
Include cupsd-browsing.conf
BrowseOrder deny,allow
BrowseDeny from All
BrowseAllow from @LOCAL
BrowseAllow from 10.0.0.0/8
BrowseAllow from 172.16.0.0/12
BrowseAllow from 192.168.0.0/16

<Location />
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
</Location>

<Location /jobs>
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
</Location>

<Location /printers>
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
</Location>

<Location /admin>
AuthType None
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
Allow From @LOCAL
</Location>

Save and exit.

5) Restart CUPS by running:

sudo /etc/init.d/cupsys restart

It may take up to 30 seconds; however, the printer should be automatically detected.

More information is at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NetworkPrintingWithUbuntu.