Life and Linux

Note to self: Cydia crashing fix

The Dog — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:48:41 +0000

Problem:
Cydia crashes within seconds upon loading.

Solution
Delete all files in:

/var/lib/apt/lists except 'partial'

Reboot the iPhone or Touch and it should boot without crashing.

Note to Self: iTunes cannot read the contents of iPhone error fix

The Dog — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 07:22:38 +0000

Not Linux related stuff, but a fix for Apple iPhone. I know…

ERROR:

iTunes cannot read the contents of iPhone, restore…blah blah blah

FIX:

~ # rm /private/var/mobile/Media/iTunes_Control/iTunes/iTunesDB ~ # rm -R /private/var/mobile/Media/iTunes_Control/Music/*

iTunes will create new database files for it next time it is connected.

Life without Linux

The Dog — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:30:09 +0000

For the last 1 week, Windows 7 have been dominating my computer time—I use it more than Arch Linux. Trying to load an application just to edit a text file takes forever as compared to Linux command line. Even then, I believe Abiword will take lesser time to open up a word document. Shock was the word that came to mind when Windows 7 refuses to start yesterday. only then did I realize how much love the command line interface where every editor, music player, browser, IM, etc load almost instantly when you pressed enter.

The black background attracts me since I use a small desk lamp. although using the command line can be a test of patience when you’re not a Linux command line guru, it’s a lot more fun and less distracting. To put it simply, I can concentrate on hammering out an email with vim or Emacs. There isn’t a multitude of panels trying to get my attention. There isn’t any need to open up 20 application; all of them trying to fight for screen space on a GUI. I know I’m going on and on about my love of the command line—where simplicity rules—I didn’t realise how much I loved it till I had to use a graphical interface for prolong period.

Frankly, It tires me out faster than a prompt with blinking cursor.

The command line isn’t forgiving though. Only after a week of low usage other than playing audio with mpd and ncmpcpp, I’ve forgotten how to re-size an image from the command line. I’ve forgotten what some flags are for in certain application. The road to Linux Nirvana is going to be long and slow; filled with trials and tribulations for an average mind. Still, I’m going to give it a good shot.

To those guys who would like to give Linux a try—please do and support the open-source community. For those developers of obscure CLI applications that Windows, Mac users have never even heard of like: Charm, Emacs, vim, mpd, ncmpcpp, irssi, mutt, etc. Please keep them going. I’d hate for the command line to die out like a flame in the wind.

Here’s this post in vim:

I’ll have to get back to Windows 7 till the end of the year—till a graphical website for a friend’s home bakery is up. Keep the Command line alive.

Setting up MPD and Ncmpcpp in Arch Linux

The Dog — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:10:07 +0000

Just to echo Linux.com’s starting line in “CLI audio players for Linux”: What would life be without music? That’s the number 1 thing every self-respecting 21st Century man does in his free time—lip-sync to Britney Spear’s mp3 playing off their computer at eardrum shattering volume. Alsa is also the first thing I install in Arch Linux. Not X, not openssh or anything fancy. Just a good command line audio player with the ability to play mp3, ogg and streaming Internet radio.

Even if you’re running some instance of X like: Gnome, KDE, Xfce or some other window manager, there are reasons why you might want to use a command line audio player even though there are GUI audio players like Audacious, Rhythmbox and Amarok:

You cannot or will not install X :D
You are using an old computer with limited resource
You’re crazy

The last point doesn’t really count as a reason, but I have been trying to learn the Linux command line for the longest time. Even though my 4 year old Toshiba laptop with 1Gb RAM can do Gnome or KDE with relative ease, I’m challenging myself to make my way around Linux using only the command line—for education purposes—not as if I’m such a whiz with an obscure OS like Linux. :p

Ncmpcpp is the frontend for MPD featuring a ncurses TUI(Text User Interface). Instead of typing something like:

archer@oldlappie ~ # mpc search artist 'Lisa Ono' | mpc add archer@oldlappie ~ # mpc play

You can have something like the image below to easily manage your playlist, browse, add, play, delete and even download lyrics for singing along when your favorite song is playing.

Lyrics window for your sing-along pleasure:

Even if you’re a little lost when you launch ncmpcpp for the first time, help is just a keystroke away:

MPD has features other than the more obvious ones I’ve listed above. I installed MPD on Arch Linux, so this post contains notes on how I got MPD and ncmpcpp rolling on my chosen distro.

MPD installation notes

1. Installing mpd, mpc and ncmpcpp
2. Configuring mpd
3. Starting mpd and playing from ncmpcpp

1. Installing mpd, mpc and ncmpcpp

Install using Arch Linux’ package manager(pacman) as root:

root@oldlappie ~ $ pacman -S mpd mpc ncmpcpp

That’s it! easy peasy, japaneasy.

2. Configuring mpd

create your mpd directory: /home/[user]/.mpd

archer@oldlappie ~ # mkdir .mpd

Copy mpd.conf.example from /etc to your .mpd directory:

archer@oldlappie ~ # cp /etc/mpd.conf.example .mpd/mpd.conf

Edit /home/[user]/.mpd/mpd.conf using your favorite editor. I’ll be using vim:

archer@oldlappie ~ # vim .mpd/mp.conf

uncomment and make your mpd.conf file reflect as below:

music_directory "/home/[user]/music" # where you store your music playlist_directory "~/.mpd/playlists" db_file "~/.mpd/mpd.db" log_file "~/.mpd/mpd.log" error_file "~/.mpd/mpd.error" pid_file "~/.mpd/mpd.pid" state_file "~/.mpd/mpdstate" user "[user]"
audio_output { type "alsa" name "My ALSA Device" }

Make the ‘playlist’ directory as specified in your mpd.conf:

archer@oldlappie ~ # mkdir .mpd/playlists

That’s about it for configuring mpd for a local user. We’ll have to update mpd’s database before it’ll read, display and play the audio files in your directory.

archer@oldlappie ~ # mpd --create-db

That will start your mpd and you can test if it’s working by adding and playing songs with mpc:

archer@oldlappie ~ # mpc search artist 'Lisa Ono' | mpc add archer@oldlappie ~ # mpc play Lisa Ono - I Wish You Love [playing] #47/62 0:01/3:49 (0%) volume: 85% repeat: on random: on single: off consume: off archer@oldlappie ~ #

Ncmpcpp doesn’t require too much configuration, but if you’re going to use ncmpcpp’s in-built tag editor, add your music directory to ‘~/.ncmpcpp/config’.

mpd_music_dir = "/home/[user]/music"

Start ncmpcpp by entering ‘ncmpcpp’ in the command line. That should show you an empty playlist. Top most menu bar will should you the different mode ncmpcpp is capable of. If you’re unsure of the key-bindings in ncmpcpp, hit F1 or ’1′ to get into help page. Minimal commands you should know.


        Up k        : Move Cursor up
        Down j      : Move Cursor down
        Page Up     : Page up
        Page Down   : Page down
        Home        : Home
        End         : End

        Tab         : Switch between playlist and browser
        1 F1        : Help screen
        2 F2        : Playlist screen
        3 F3        : Browse screen
        4 F4        : Search engine
        5 F5        : Media library
        6 F6        : Playlist editor
        7 F7        : Tag editor
        0 F10       : Clock screen

   Keys - Global
 -----------------------------------------
        s           : Stop
        P           : Pause
        >           : Next track
        <           : Previous track
        f           : Seek forward
        b           : Seek backward
        Left -      : Decrease volume
        Right +     : Increase volume

        t           : Toggle space mode (select/add)
        T           : Toggle add mode
        |           : Toggle mouse support
        v           : Reverse selection
        V           : Deselect all items
        A           : Add selected items to playlist/m3u file

        r           : Toggle repeat mode
        Z           : Shuffle playlist
        i           : Show song's info
        I           : Show artist's info
        L           : Toggle lyrics database
        l           : Show/hide song's lyrics

        q Q         : Quit

Hope you will enjoy using mpd and ncmpcpp as a low footprint audio player.

A Short Update

The Dog — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:53:15 +0000

Finally got Samba, Ssh, Proftpd and other random stuff working. Haven’t got time to talk about it—been really busy with work recently. Still, I’ll have to note down the steps: Installing, configuring before I forget them all. I’m writing this post from Windows 7 by ssh-ing into my Linux box—editing in Charm 1.9. :)

Later.

Posting from Command line – Charm 1.9

The Dog — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:02:43 +0000

Just installed Charm 1.9—a really great commandline blogging tool I canme across in the past. Had some trouble using it with python 2.6 a few days ago but I’m not giving up yet. If you see this post, it means I’ll be posting from Charm from now on.

Note to Self – Compiling Finch only flags

The Dog — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:06:09 +0000

Compiling Finch without pidgin from source in Arch Linux.

./configure --disable-gtkui --disable-vv --disable-meanwhile --disable-avahi --disable-nm --disable-tcl

Edit: There’s no sound playing from finch. I guess I’ll have to live with it—not a big problem.

New Project – Reviving the old one

The Dog — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:20:08 +0000

Mentioned in the previous post that I have an old hand-me-down computer sitting on the floor. It’s a 5 year old desktop on speed–Pentium 4 1.6GHz, 1 Gb RAM, 2x 80 Gb Hdd, a wireless PCI card. It’s a no-brainer this ‘old’ ‘puter will run Ubuntu with ease, CLI Arch Linux at a blazing speed, wireless connection on steriods. There is however the issue of a password protected BIOS of which the previous owner had forgotten all about. The wireless card is also short of an antenna.

What’s a little bit of challenge? There are more Linux tinkerers who had installed Linux on 486, or Pentium with 128Mb RAM, etc. I’m not going to let something as small as a locked BIOS stop me.

For now, I have to get busy with a crazy influx of year end work. Still, next thing to do >> Find a way to unlock the BIOS.

Back for more command line goodness

The Dog — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:31:14 +0000

It’s been more than a year. I’m back for more CLI, command line,
anti-X(Not really, since I’m a photographer and need windows. :P)
goodness. So, what’s the Distro of the month—proud to say that
I’m still very much in love with Arch Linux even though I’m guilty of
pining after Ubuntu.

I’ll never be a Linux guru but I guess the title of Linux
tinkerer—never aspired to be more. My goals had mostly been:
resurrecting the old computers like a Pentium II 450 MHz all the way to
Pentium 4 that I can get my hands on—maybe just a few at a
time—limited space in my room. :)

Fiddling with Arch Linux had been enjoyable but I do worry about their
support for i686 and x86_64. That means I might not be able to install
Arch Linux on some of the older computers and I’m getting pretty
familiar with Arch. Another problem faced is that Arch Linux has some
really cutting edge softwares, a stray package might break the balnce.
In any case, I’m a Linux Hobbyist performing installation on none
mission-critical hardware so I’m happy.

Currently I have an old Toshiba M40 running a fresh installation of Arch
Linux which I’m using to hammer out this post. The screen is
unservicable but I’m might turn it into a headless music server. The
next unservicable computer that I have is sitting on the
floor—cutting-edge stuff—Pentium 4 1.6 GHz with 1 GB RAM. I’m having
some problem starting it up but hope to install Arch Linux, Crux or
Debian on it; maybe turn it into a Media Center.

Ideas are floating around in my head… we’ll see about giving these computers a new lease of life.

Finally, a job after 5 months

The Dog — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:52:20 +0000

After 5 months of Slacking and basically wasting my life away feeling sorry
for myself, I’ve finally gone and got myself a job. Yet, I’m finding it a
little difficult to be happy. What’s the reason? I’m starting to feel some
negative energy flowing through me again–thoughts like ‘I can’t do it,’
‘You’re not good enough,’ and a lot of other ‘what ifs’.

I should be happy that I’m finally working in a company that I’ve always want
to–a position of Visual Effects compositor, leading a team. I should be
happy, but there’s this nagging thought that I might not be capable enough.

I can DO IT!

That’s what I’ve been trying to tell myself. It’s 4 in the morning, I’m
feeling fearful of my third Boss, who I’ve heard has a short fuse. Even though
I know him well enough, I think I have to remain calm and tell myself that
it’s nothing that I can’t handle.

“I’m good enough for the job, I am calm like the sea, I’m in control of my
feelings and I’m polite and choose not to flare up at anyone”