GDM Welcome Theme Tutorial

Step1: Download an existing theme.
You can get one from here: http://www.gnome-look.org/?xcontentmode=150
Step2: Make your own background and foreground images.
Step3: Edit the *.xml file and *.desktop and put in your images.
Step4: Get xnest and get screenshot
* prompt%> sudo apt-get install xnest
* prompt%> gdmflexiserver --xnest
Step5: Tar it all up.



References:
http://live.gnome.org/GnomeArt/Tutorials/GdmThemes

Aptitude cheat sheet

Searching:
* apt-cache search ABC
* aptitude search ABC

Installing:
* sudo apt-get install ABC
* sudo aptitude install ABC

Showing version numbers:
* apt-cache show ABC
* aptitude show ABC

Uninstalling:
* sudo apt-get remove ABC
* sudo aptitude remove ABC

Removing configuration files as well:
* sudo apt-get remove --purge ABC
* sudo aptitude purge ABC

References:
* http://monkeyblog.org/ubuntu/installing/

How to install Firefox RC1 on Ubuntu Hardy (8.04)

Step1: System->Administration->software Sources
Step2: Add: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/mozillateam/ubuntu hardy main universe
Step3: Press Close
Step4: Press Reload
Step5: prompt%> sudo apt-get update

How to use Canon MP210 on Ubuntu 8.04 (Linux printer drivers setup tutorial)

This is how to get your MP210 printer to work on Ubuntu 8.04:

Step1: Get the drivers.
You will need 4 driver packages:
* cnijfilter-common_2.80-1_i386.deb
* cnijfilter-mp210series_2.80-1_i386.deb
* scangearmp-common_1.10-1_i386.deb
* scangearmp-mp210series_1.10-1_i386.deb

Get them from here:
http://support-au.canon.com.au/EN/search?v%3aproject=ABS-EN&binning-state=model%3d%3dPIXMA%20MP210%0Amenu%3d%3dDownload%0Aos%3d%3dLinux&


Step 2: Install the drivers
prompt%> sudo dpkg -i cnijfilter-common_2.80-1_i386.deb cnijfilter-mp210series_2.80-1_i386.deb
prompt%> sudo dpkg -i scangearmp-common_1.10-1_i386.deb scangearmp-mp210series_1.10-1_i386.deb


Step3: Add the printer (if not already added)
* System->Administration->Printing
* Remove MP210_series
* Add new printer
** Device URI hal:///org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_4a9_1721_505BD0_if1_printer_noserial

Or do it via CUPS:
http://localhost:631/printers/

If you just need the printer, you're done!


Step4: Download drivers for scanner, Extract & Build
http://internap.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/mp610linux/mp150-0.14.2u.tar.bz2
prompt%> tar jxvf mp150-0.14.2u.tar.bz2
prompt%> cd mp150-0.14.2u
prompt%> make
prompt%> sudo make install

Step5: Setup XSane
prompt%> sudo mv /usr/lib/sane/libsane-pixma.so.1.0.19 /usr/lib/sane/libsane-
pixma.so.1.0.19.old
prompt%> sudo cp libsane-pixma.so /usr/lib/sane/libsane-pixma.so.1.0.19
prompt%> sudo apt-get install xsane

Step6: Run XSane
Click Applications->Graphics->XSane Image Scanner and scan away.


Enjoy!

References:
link1

How to enable vim syntax highlighting on ubuntu 8.04

Problem:
vim has no syntax highlighting on ubuntu 8.04.

Additional symptoms:

Error detected while processing /home/marky/.vimrc:
line   21:
E319: Sorry, the command is not available in this version: syntax enable
Press ENTER or type command to continue

Solution:

Step1: Install the full version of vim:

prompt%> sudo apt-get install vim-full

Step2-A: Edit system-wide settings to enable syntax highlighting.

prompt%> sudo vi /etc/vim/vimrc

Remove the double-quote on the "syntax on" line

" Vim5 and later versions support syntax highlighting. Uncommenting the next
" line enables syntax highlighting by default.
syntax on

OR


Step2-B: Make changes only for your account.

prompt%> cp /etc/vim/vimrc ~/.vimrc
prompt%> vi ~/.vimrc

Remove the double-quote on the "syntax on" line

" Vim5 and later versions support syntax highlighting. Uncommenting the next
" line enables syntax highlighting by default.
syntax on

All done! Enjoy!

Dell System Restore (PC-Restore by Symantec)

This blog is really for me more than anybody else. It's where I write down things I frequently have to go back to. This one's for my Dell 700m laptop. The only thing I really want to note down is: CTRL-F11





Links:
http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.htm
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&l=en&s=gen&docid=3E48AE3870775D64E040A68F5B2877D4&journalid=4A21D63B811197CBE040A68F27286213&Query=&SystemID=&ServiceTag=&contenttype=&os=&component=&lang=&doclang=&toggle=&dl=

Camel Caps Title and Artist in iTunes

I DON'T LIKE ALL CAPS LIKE THIS. I prefer my music titles to: "Use Camel Caps". And I'm tired to renaming each of the 1000 Top Songs Of The 80's. Here is my solution:

1) Save the snippet below into: MarkyCamelCapsSelectedSongs.js

---

// m_a_r_k_y@yahoo.com 2008-04-05 Initial

var iTunesApp = WScript.CreateObject("iTunes.Application");
var selectedTracks = iTunesApp.SelectedTracks;
var numTracks = selectedTracks.Count;
var ITTrackKindFile = 1;

while (numTracks > 0) {
   var currTrack = selectedTracks .Item(numTracks);
   // is this a file track?
   if (currTrack.Kind == ITTrackKindFile) {
      title = currTrack.Name;
      artist = currTrack.Artist;

      //WScript.Echo(convertToCamelCaps(title) + " : " + convertToCamelCaps(artist));

      currTrack.Name = convertToCamelCaps(currTrack.Name);
      currTrack.Artist = convertToCamelCaps(currTrack.Artist);      

   }
   numTracks--;
}

// camelcaps string converter
function convertToCamelCaps(str) {
   var tempArray = str.split(' ');

   for (var i = 0; i < tempArray.length; i++) {
      tempArray[i] = tempArray[i].charAt(0).toUpperCase() + tempArray[i].substring(1).toLowerCase();
   }

   return tempArray.join(' ');
}

---

2) Open iTunes and select the songs you want to convert.
3) Double click MarkyCamelCapsSelectedSongs.js from explorer to run it.

You should see your selected songs get converted.

More Info here:
http://developer.apple.com/sdk/
http://www.nsc.ru/docs/ms/js/jstoc.htm
http://www.asp.dk/docs/jscript/jstutor.htm

Enjoy!