View source for Linux - User friendly

The hints in this article mainly contain informations for the GNOME desktop, Debian and SuSE based systems.

=Usefull programs=
==kill==
Also on a linux system programs may hang or malfunction. But your linux system is still running o.k. The solution is to '''kill''' the program/process.

Every program running in linux has a certain ''program id''. Some programs are running under multiple ''PID'''s, because they use more than one program instances. A single ''program'' is called '''process''', it's ''id'' is called '''process id or PID'''.

There are two ways of ''killing'' a process:
# Within the graphical environment
# Using a terminal / console

===xkill===
The principle is: if you are killing the graphical application, you also kill all underlying (sub) processes.

This is done by simply pressing <ALT>+<F2>, then enter '''xkill'''. Your mouse pointer becomes a funny little pirate head. Pressing your '''right mouse button''' will kill the application under your curser, pressing the '''left''' will release ''xkill'' and do nothing.

Most desktop environments like gnome and kde have similar addons for their panels.

===kill / top===
If the problem is not solved - mostly reason for this is, that the program is running multiple processes - you have to open a terminal: xterm (almost every linux), gnome-terminal (gnome), konsole (kde). Now type '''top -u $USER''' for a comfortable environment or simply '''ps x -H -u $USER'''. ''-H'' shows, which processes are leading. If you are killing a ''leading' process, all subprocesses will be killed also.

In ''top'', just press 'k' and enter the ''PID'' of the process. You are then ask to pass a number, that represents how to kill the process. '''-9''' is sufficient for most cases.

If you like to kill processes manually in an xterm you identified via ''ps x -H '', just enter '''kill -9 PID'''.

=Mozilla - Firefox=
* Right click on your icon toolbox and add the following icons via drag and drop:
** add new tab
** print
** ...

*Change the default opening for pictures to your favorite application (e.g. /usr/gnome/bin/eog)

=Nautilus=
*Search for doc, sxw, png, tif, gif, ... files and assign your favorite application (e.g. /usr/gnome/bin/eog). You can do this by right klicking on them and choose the propertiers dialog to open. In the tab ''open with'' you'll find a list with the applications to assign.

*In the program ''gconf-editor'' you can alter the behaviour of your desktop (apps->nautilus) or your favorite applications. But be careful what you change.

=Acrobat Reader 7 - localized versions =
==RPM packages==
Are avaiable at [http://www.adobe.com/ Adobe Website]

==Debian based systems==
In the next few lines we do a little bit of terminal miracle. So be ready, open a terminal (konsole in KDE or gnome-terminal in Gnome desktop). Change to the directory where your browser downloads a file.
 cd ~/WhereYour/Browser/Downloads

===Download a localized tgz package===
We will build our own debian package.

If you are klicking on the little adobe reader sign at [http://www.adobe.com/ Adobe Website], you will be asked to 
* Select your version of Linux:

Choose the little link in the next line !
* Choose a ''different'' version

When you click on ''choose a different version'' you can find all localized versions. Choose your language.
Then choose to download your localized linux acrobat reader as a '''(.tar.gz)''' file.

===Install Ldap2 and alien===
 apt-get install libldap2 alien fakeroot

===Write a little script:===
You can download the script here: [[Media:build_acrobat.zip|build_acrobat.zip]].

 vim build_localized_adobe_reader_debian_package.sh

 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # build_localized_adobe_reader_debian_package.sh
 #
 # Build a debian package for a localized Adobe Reader
 #
 if test $# -lt 3 
 then 
   echo "Use three parameters."
   echo "  locale      - e.g. deu for german"
   echo "  version     - e.g. 7.0"
   echo "  subversion  - e.g. 9-1.i386"
   exit 1 
 fi
 
 # Three parmameters
 # VER=7.0; SUB_VERSION=0-1.i386; LOCAL=deu
 LOCAL=$1
 VER=$2
 SUB_VERSION=$3
 ACRO_VERSION=${LOCAL}-${VER}.${SUB_VERSION} 
 LIBDIR=/usr/lib
 LDAP=$LIBDIR/libldap.so.2
 LBER=$LIBDIR/liblber.so.2
 
 cleanup () {
        # cleanup
        rm -rf usr
        rm -rf AdobeReader
        rm -rf AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION} 
 }
 
 # In case of Ctrl-C
 canceled() {
     sync
     echo =================
     echo Program canceled.
     cleanup;
     exit 1
 }
 
 trap "canceled;" 2 15
 
 
 
 if test -e $LDAP
 then
        echo LDAP filecheck OK ...
 else
        echo Please install ldap2 first.
        echo "   apt-get install libldap2"
        exit 1
 fi
 
 
 if test -e AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tar.gz
 then 
        echo Adobe filecheck OK ...
        cleanup;
 else
        echo Wrong params for Adobe file.
        echo File AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tar.gz does not exist.
        echo The following files might be correct.
        echo ;
        ls Adobe*.tar.gz
        echo ;
        exit 1
 fi
 
 
 tar zxvf AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tar.gz
 fakeroot mkdir -p usr/bin usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat${VER}
 fakeroot tar -C usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat${VER} \
    -xvf AdobeReader/COMMON.TAR
 fakeroot tar -C usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat${VER} \
    -xvf AdobeReader/ILINXR.TAR
 fakeroot ln -s \
    /usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat7.0/bin/acroread usr/bin/acroread
 fakeroot ln -s $LDAP \
    usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat7.0/Reader/intellinux/lib/libldap.so.2
 fakeroot ln -s $LBER \
    usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat7.0/Reader/intellinux/lib/liblber.so.2
 fakeroot tar zcvf AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tgz ./usr
 fakeroot alien AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tgz
  
 cleanup;

Run the script
 sh build_localized_adobe_reader_debian_package.sh   7.0   9-1.i386   deu

Install the debian package
 dpkg -i adobereader-YorLocale-7.0.Subversion-2_all.deb

==Detailed Explanations how the script works==

===Unzip the file===
 tar xzvf AdobeReader_YourLocale-7.0.0.i386.tar.gz

===Do the miracle===
The filename ''AdobeReader_YourLocale-7.0.0.i386.tar.gz'' can be put apart to:
 VER=7.0; SUB_VERSION=8-1.i386; LOCAL=YourLocale

E.g. the german version ''AdobeReader_deu-7.0.0-1.i386.tar.gz'' of acrobat reader has the major version '''7.0''', the  the subversion '''0-1''',  and was build to use with an '''i386''' pc.


 ACRO_VERSION=${LOCAL}-${VER}.${SUB_VERSION} 
 tar zxvf AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tar.gz
 fakeroot mkdir -p usr/bin usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat${VER}
 fakeroot tar -C usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat${VER} \
   -xvf AdobeReader/COMMON.TAR
 fakeroot tar -C usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat${VER} \
   -xvf AdobeReader/ILINXR.TAR
 fakeroot ln -s /usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat/bin/acroread \
   usr/bin/acroread
 fakeroot ln -s /usr/lib/libldap.so.2 \
   usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat7.0/Reader/intellinux/lib/libldap.so
 fakeroot ln -s /usr/lib/liblber.so.2 \
   usr/local/Adobe/Acrobat7.0/Reader/intellinux/lib/liblber.so
 fakeroot tar zcvf AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tgz ./usr
 fakeroot alien AdobeReader_${ACRO_VERSION}.tgz 

The last step could take a few minutes. so be patient and get you a cup of coffee.

===Cleanup===
rm -rf usr
rm -rf AdobeReader
rm AdobeReader_LOCAL-7.0.0.tgz

Taken from [http://www.argv.org/~chome/acrobat.html Japanese Acrobat Reader] .

===Troubleshooting===
Some things might be different in some debain based systems.
Double check:
* Did you use the correct parameters for the script
* Right places an filenames of libldap.so.2 and liblber.so.2 both in you debian system and the downloaded

=Multimedia, dvd and restricted codecs=
==General multimedia support==
===Ubuntu===
A good introduction about related questions you'll find here:
*[https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats Restricted Formats]

===Debian based===
For Debian based distributions there are two answers:
*[http://getautomatix.com Automatix]
*[http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org Easy Ubuntu]

This solves all problems releated to Windows audiocodecs, DVD playing, Flashplayer and others under debian.

'''Be aware''' and read carefully the legal rights notices about multimedia codecs and dvd protections - especially, if you are living in the USA.

===SuSE===
Please see here: [https://wiki.blue-it.org/SuSE_10.1_-_YUM_PackMan_and_GPG#Multimedia_files SuSE 10 Multimedia files]

==Special Problems==
===Midi===
Ubuntu e.g. won't play midi files per default.
First install ''timidity'' and ''kmid''
 apt-get install timidity kmid

Then start the timidity server with
 timidity -iA -B2,8 -Os

Start ''KMid'' and cinfigure it to use timidity alsa sequenzer for output.

===Mplayer - DivX support===
1. Purge totem (not toem xine) and totem-mozilla (plugins) from your PC. Locate all config files and delete them 
 locate totem | grep home/$USER | grep -v .desktop
The files should be in the ''.gconf'' directory.

2. Install totem-xine.

3. Go to the '''firefox''' plugins directory and make symlinks for divx to the '''mozilla''' plugins directory:
 cd /usr/lib/firefox/plugins/
 ln -s /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/mplayerplug-in-dvx.xpt
 ln -s /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/mplayerplug-in-dvx.so

4. '''Switch on divx support in mplayers configuration dialog'''. Therefore just open a webpage with a quicktime or wmv movie and rightclick it for configuration.

5. Check you configuration on [http://joox.net] or [http://stage6.divx.com].

===MPlayer - Opera support===
Thanks to [http://blog.weblars.de/wp/archives/2006/09/27/opera-und-mplayer-plugin/] in feisty this is very easy:
 apt-get install mozplugger

This copies the needed files into ''/usr/lib/mozilla/plugins''.