CrunchBang Linux Forums

The New Monster Conky Thread

pvsage@email.com (CBizgreat!) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:39:02 +0000

The monster conky thread purpose:

seek help with conky, and
show your conky and the files that created them

-----------------------------------------------------------
And in accordance with the screenshot thread:

Please continue to use thumbnails (please try to avoid the large thumbnail imgur.com code) linking to the larger image to help those of us with slow connections. An example of the code needed is below. Most image hosting sites will automatically generate this for you as well. I've been using postimage.org lately which does a nice job.

[url=http://link.to.your.fullsized.image][img]http://link.to.your.thumbnail.image[/img][/url]

Getting started with awk.

dummy@example.com (VastOne) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:38:43 +0000

Well, I'm not an awk guru - what I know is just a tiny bit of what you can do with awk, but even that tiny bit can come in quite useful. Awk's been a good friend of late. There are plenty of tutorials available already (links below) but awk can seem a bit off-putting at first and I'll try here to get round a couple of the stumbling blocks and show some of the handy things you can do easily.

Why awk? You can replace a pipeline of 'stuff | grep | sed | cut...' with a single call to awk. For a simple script, most of the timelag is in loading these apps into memory, and it's much faster to do it all with one. This is ideal for something like an openbox pipe menu where you want to generate something on the fly. You can use awk to make a neat one-liner for some quick job in the terminal, or build an awk section into a shell script. Read up the docs and you'll be able to do some quite fancy stuff. :cool:

What awk seems to be best for is taking a file full of data and going through it systematically, pulling something useful out of it. The basic idea is that the file is divided into a number of records, each consisting of several fields, for example an address book where the records might be people and the fields phone number, address, email... Usually the records are divided by line breaks and the fields are space separated, but both these can be changed with interesting results.

The way to call awk is

awk 'do awk stuff' /path/to/file
# or
process | awk 'do stuff'

You can either give awk a file to work on or pipe it the output of some command. It's also possible to import variables from your bash script (see below). Getting output is a bit more limited. It's basically 'print' to standard output, the same kind of lines-and-fields data it was inputted. It's not easy to output multiple variables or arrays, though it is possible to run system calls from inside an awk script (which I haven't tried yet).

Quoting:
We have to wrap awk's commands in single quotes to keep the shell from trying to do things with them. If you need a single quote inside the awk script you can't just escape it with a backslash because the shell will attach no special meaning to the backslash and think the awk script has ended at that point. You have to exit the quotes, then escape your single quote, then re-enter awkland, like this:

'...awk stuff'\''more awk stuff...'

Strings are enclosed in double quotes. Unlike bash, a variable in double quotes is not expanded. {print "$1"} will output literally $1, not the value of $1.

Variables:
Variables inside the single quote section are in awk's world and are unconnected with any variables you might have created in your bash part of the script. $1, $2... stand for the first, second... field of the current record, not bash's $1 etc. $0 stands for the complete record (or line). You can make your own variables with any name you want. To call a variable other than the fields $0, $1 etc. you don't need the $:

john@raffles3:~$ echo|awk '{a="test";print a}'
test
john@raffles3:~$ echo|awk '{a="test";b="phrase";print a b}'
testphrase
john@raffles3:~$ echo|awk '{a="test";b="phrase";print a " " b}' # you need quotes round the space
test phrase
john@raffles3:~$ echo|awk '{a="test";b="phrase";print "\"" a " " b "\""}' # escape literal double quotes with backslash
"test phrase"
john@raffles3:~$ echo|awk '{a="test";b="phrase";print"\""a" "b"\""}' # spaces are less important than in bash
"test phrase"

There are also some useful builtin variables like FS, RS and NF. If you want to import variables from your bash code, the safest way is to use the -v option when calling awk.

awk -v awk_var="$var" -v other_awk_var="$othervar" 'do stuff'

You could give them the same names as your bash variables but it might get confusing.

The basic command is:
condition {action;other action}
Separate actions by semicolons or line breaks. The condition is often to match the record ($0) with a regular expression /regex/. That condition will be applied to each record in turn, and, if satisfied, the actions taken.

You can often omit things and use the defaults - try these in a terminal:

awk '/\/bin\/bash/' /etc/passwd

Each record (line by default) is checked against the regex /bin/bash, and the ones that match are printed out. That expression is the whole awk script!
(The forward slshes in the expression have to be escaped with backslashes.)

awk '$1 ~ /daemon/' /etc/passwd

Default is to match against the whole line, but now we're looking at the first field, $1.

awk 'BEGIN {FS=":"}{print $1}' /etc/passwd

If there's no action defined, the default is to print the whole record, ie {print $0}.
If there's no condition defined, the default is to do the action for every record.

BEGIN and END are special patterns to run commands before going through the records, and afterwards. BEGIN {FS=":"} sets the Field Separator to a colon instead of the default space. BEGIN {RS="."} will make the Record Separator a full stop instead of the default linebreak, so now you'll be looking at each sentence of the file in turn. FS and RS can also be Regular Expressions!

Another function you'll use often is sub or gsub to do string substitution, like sed 's/pattern/replacement/[g]',
so:

gsub(/pattern/,"replacement",variable_to_modify)

The variable is modified directly - default is $0. (Awk's full of defaults.)

I find it's easiest to gradually build up your script in a terminal till you get what you want. Try these::

curl -s crunchbanglinux.org | awk 'BEGIN {RS="<"} {print"TAG: " $0}
curl -s crunchbanglinux.org | awk 'BEGIN {RS="<"} {gsub(/[ \t\n]+/," ");print"TAG: " $0}' # remove linebreaks and squash spaces
curl -s crunchbanglinux.org | awk 'BEGIN {RS="<"} /^a / {gsub(/[ \t\n]+/," ");print"LINK: " $0}'
curl -s crunchbanglinux.org | awk 'BEGIN {RS="<"} /^a / {gsub(/[ \t\n]+/," ");sub(/a .*href="/,"");print"LINK: " $0}'
curl -s crunchbanglinux.org | awk 'BEGIN {RS="<"} /^a / {gsub(/[ \t\n]+/," ");sub(/a .*href="/,"");sub(/\".*$/,"");print"LINK: " $0}'
curl -s crunchbanglinux.org | awk 'BEGIN {RS="<"} /^a / {gsub(/[ \t\n]+/," ");sub(/a .*href="/,"");sub(/\".*$/,"");if(/crunchbang/)next;print"EXTERNAL LINK: " $0}'

Have fun!

OK now here's where to read this stuff properly explained. :rolleyes:
Two thorough tutorials:
http://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/manual/gawk.html
http://www.grymoire.com/Unix/Awk.html
A famous list of useful one-liners - though they're short, many are quite tricky:
http://www.pement.org/awk/awk1line.txt
And some nice explanations of those one-liners. After reading this you'll have a pretty good grasp!
http://www.catonmat.net/blog/awk-one-li … -part-one/
http://www.catonmat.net/blog/ten-awk-ti … -pitfalls/

A couple more notes:

Gawk vs Mawk:
The default version in Debian and ubuntu is mawk, which is a smaller faster version, but gawk is available in the repositories if you want it. There are a few extra things that gawk can do, but mawk's fine most of the time.

Regular expressions:
Mawk will handle most extended regular expressions, but two things I've hit so far that you can't use are Posix character classes like [:digit:] and backreferences like \1.

...phew... Major respect to the people who've written all the HOW TOs to date! It's not as easy as it might look.

Tao Te Ching: The Book of The Way

dummy@example.com (johnraff) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:34:56 +0000

so, thanks to my dear IRC-pal n0ha/nohitall (who is on the forums here as well but wishes to keep his forum-identity a secret in order to maintain some mysterious vibe around himself), i've been reading the Tao Te Ching lately.
for those of you who are not familiar with the work, you can either Google it or just keep reading.

i really loved this text from the beginning i started reading it, and since i love to combine the things i love, i typed out the entire thing in a text-file. then i built a script to retrieve either a random verse or a particular one (by number) from it.

here's the complete text to the Tao Te Ching. copy and paste this into a file called tao_te_ching.txt

# Tao Te Ching: The Book of The Way
# Lao-Tzu
# Translated by Stephen Mitchell
# Typed out by rhowaldt

---1---
The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding.

---2---
When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.

Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.

Therefore the Master
acts without doing anything
and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come;
things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn't possess,
acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.

---3---
If you overesteem great men,
people become powerless.
If you overvalue possessions,
people begin to steal.

The Master leads
by emptying people's minds
and filling their cores
by weakening their ambition
and toughening their resolve.
He helps people lose everything
they know, everything they desire,
and creates confusion
in those who think that they know.

Practice not-doing,
and everything will fall into place.

---4---
The Tao is like a well:
used but never used up.
It is like the eternal void:
filled with infinite possibilities.

It is hidden but always present.
I don't know who gave birth to it.
It is older than God.

---5---
The Tao doesn't take sides;
it gives birth to both good and evil.
The Master doesn't take sides;
she welcomes both saints and sinners.

The Tao is like a bellows:
it is empty yet infinitely capable.
The more you use it, the more it produces;
the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

Hold on to the center.

---6---
The Tao is called the Great Mother:
empty yet inexhaustible,
it gives birth to infinite worlds.

It is always present within you.
You can use it any way you want.

---7---
The Tao is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself;
thus it is present for all beings.

The Master stays behind;
that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things;
that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself,
she is perfectly fulfilled.

---8---
The supreme good is like water,
which nourishes all things without trying to.
It is content with the low places that people disdain.
Thus it is like the Tao.

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.

When you are content to be simply yourself
and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.

---9---
Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.

---10---
Can you coax your mind from its wandering
and keep to the original oneness?
Can you let your body become
supple as a newborn child's?
Can you cleanse your inner vision
until you see nothing but the light?
Can you love people and lead them
without imposing your will?
Can you deal with the most vital matters
by letting events take their course?
Can you step back from your own mind
and thus understand all things?

Giving birth and nourishing,
having without possessing,
acting with no expectations,
leading and not trying to control:
this is the supreme virtue.

---11---
We join spokes together in a wheel,
but it is the center hole
that makes the wagon move.

We shape clay into a pot,
but it is the emptiness inside
that holds whatever we want.

We hammer wood for a house,
but it is the inner space
that makes it livable.

We work with being,
but non-being is what we use.

---12---
Colors blind the eye.
Sounds deafen the ear.
Flavors numb the taste.
Thoughts weaken the mind.
Desires wither the heart.

The Master observes the world
but trusts his inner vision.
He allows things to come and go.
His heart is open as the sky.

---13---
Success is as dangerous as failure.
Hope is as hollow as fear.

What does it mean that success is as dangerous as failure?
Whether you go up the ladder or down it,
your position is shaky.
When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
you will always keep your balance.

What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear?
Hope and fear are both phantoms
that arise from thinking of the self.
When we don't see the self as self,
what do we have to fear?

See the world as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the world as your self;
then you can care for all things.

---14---
Look, and it can't be seen.
Listen, and it can't be heard.
Reach, and it can't be grasped.

Above, it isn't bright.
Below, it isn't dark.
Seamless, unnamable,
it returns to the realm of nothing.
Form that includes all forms,
image without an image,
subtle, beyond all conception.

Approach it and there is no beginning;
follow it and there is no end.
You can't know it, but you can be it,
at ease in your own life.
Just realize where you come from:
this is the essence of wisdom.

---15---
The ancient Masters were profound and subtle.
Their wisdom was unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it;
all we can describe is their appearance.

They were careful
as someone crossing an iced-over stream.
Alert as a warrior in enemy territory.
Courteous as a guest.
Fluid as melting ice.
Shapable as a block of wood.
Receptive as a valley.
Clear as a glass of water.

Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises by itself?

The Master doesn't seek fulfillment.
Not seeking, not expecting,
she is present, and can welcome all things.

---16---
Empty your mind of all thoughts.
Let your heart be at peace.
Watch the turmoil of beings,
but contemplate their return.

Each separate being in the universe
returns to the common source.
Returning to the source is serenity.

If you don't realize the source,
you stumble in confusion and sorrow.
When you realize where you come from,
you naturally become tolerant,
disinterested, amused,
kindhearted as a grandmother,
dignified as a king.
Immersed in the wonder of the Tao,
you can deal with whatever life brings you,
and when death comes, you are ready.

---17---
When the Master governs, the people
are hardly aware that he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.

If you don't trust the people,
you make them untrustworthy.

The Master doesn't talk, he acts.
When his work is done,
the people say, "Amazing:
we did it, all by ourselves!"

---18---
When the great Tao is forgotten,
goodness and piety appear.
When the body's intelligence declines,
cleverness and knowledge step forth.
When there is no peace in the family,
filial piety begins.
When the country falls into chaos,
patriotism is born.

---19---
Throw away holiness and wisdom,
and people will be a hundred times happier.
Throw away morality and justice,
and people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profit,
and there won't be any thieves.

If these three aren't enough,
just stay at the center of the circle
and let all things take their course.

---20---
Stop thinking, and end your problems.
What difference between yes and no?
What difference between success and failure?
Must you value what others value,
avoid what others avoid?
How ridiculous!

Other people are excited,
as though they were at a parade.
I alone don't care,
I alone am expressionless,
like an infant before it can smile.

Other people have what they need;
I alone possess nothing.
I alone drift about,
like someone without a home.
I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.

Other people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Other people are sharp;
I alone am dull.
Other people have a purpose;
I alone don't know.
I drift like a wave on the ocean,
I blow as aimless as the wind.

I am different from ordinary people.
I drink from the Great Mother's breasts.

---21---
The Master keeps her mind
always at one with the Tao;
that is what gives her her radiance.

The Tao is ungraspable.
How can her mind be at one with it?
Because she doesn't cling to ideas.

The Tao is dark and unfathomable.
How can it make her radiant?
Because she lets it.

Since before time and space were,
the Tao is.
It is beyond 'is' and 'is not'.
How do I know this is true?
I look inside myself and see.

---22---
If you want to become whole,
let yourself be partial.
If you want to become straight,
let yourself be crooked.
If you want to become full,
let yourself be empty.
If you want to be reborn,
let yourself die.
If you want to be given everything,
give everything up.

The Master, by residing in the Tao,
sets an example for all beings.
Because he doesn't display himself,
people can see his light.
Because he has nothing to prove,
people can trust his words.
Because he doesn't know who he is,
people recognize themselves in him.
Because he has no goal in mind,
everything he does succeeds.

When the ancient Masters said,
"If you want to be given everything,
give everything up,"
they weren't using empty phrases.
Only in being lived by the Tao
can you be truly yourself.

---23---
Express yourself completely,
then keep quiet.
Be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.

If you open yourself to the Tao,
you are at one with the Tao
and you can embody it completely.
If you open yourself to insight,
you are at one with insight
and you can use it completely.
If you open yourself to loss,
you are at one with loss
and you can accept it completely.

Open yourself to the Tao,
then trust your natural responses;
and everything will fall into place.

---24---
He who stands on tiptoe
doesn't stand firm.
He who rushes ahead
doesn't go far.
He who tries to shine
dims his own light.
He who defines himself
can't know who he really is.
He who has power over others
can't empower himself.
He who clings to his work
will create nothing that endures.

If you want to accord with the Tao,
just do your job, then let go.

---25---
There was something formless and perfect
before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.

It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things.

The Tao is great.
The universe is great.
Earth is great.
Man is great.
These are the four great powers.

Man follows the earth.
Earth follows the universe.
The universe follows the Tao.
The Tao follows only itself.

---26---
The heavy is the root of the light.
The unmoved is the source of all movement.

Thus the Master travels all day
without leaving home.
However splendid the views,
she stays serenely in herself.

Why should the lord of the country
flit about like a fool?
If you let yourself be blown to and fro,
you lose touch with your root.
If you let restlessness move you,
you lose touch with who you are.

---27---
A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concept
and keeps his mind open to what is.

Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn't reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn't waste anything.
This is called embodying the light.

What is a good man but a bad man's teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man's job?
If you don't understand this, you will get lost,
however intelligent you are.
It is the greatest secret.

---28---
Know the male,
yet keep to the female:
receive the world in your arms.
If you receive the world,
the Tao will never leave you
and you will be like a little child.

Know the white,
yet keep to the black:
be a pattern for the world.
If you are a pattern for the world,
the Tao will be strong inside you
and there will be nothing you can't do.

Know the personal,
yet keep to the impersonal:
accept the world as it is.
If you accept the world,
the Tao will be luminous inside you
and you will return to your primal self.

The world is formed from the void,
like utensils from a block of wood.
The Master knows the utensils,
yet keeps to the block:
thus she can use all things.

---29---
Do you want to improve the world?
I don't think it can be done.

The world is sacred.
It can't be improved.
If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it.

There is a time for being ahead,
a time for being behind;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe,
a time for being in danger.

The Master sees the things as they are,
without trying to control them.
She lets them go their own way,
and resides at the center of the circle.

---30---
Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men
doesn't try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

The Master does his job
and then stops.
He understands that the universe
is forever out of control,
and that trying to dominate events
goes against the current of the Tao.
Because he believes in himself,
he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content with himself,
he doesn't need others' approval.
Because he accepts himself,
the whole world accepts him.

---31---
Weapons are the tools of violence;
all decent men detest them.

Weapons are the tools of fear;
a decent man will avoid them
except in the direct necessity
and, if compelled, will use them
only with the utmost restraint.
Peace is his highest value.
If the peace has been shattered,
how can he be content?
His enemies are not demons,
but human beings like himself.
He doesn't wish them personal harm.
Nor does he rejoice in victory.
How could he rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?

He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and with great compassion,
as if he were attending a funeral.

---32---
The Tao can't be perceived.
Smaller than an electron,
it contains uncountable galaxies.

If powerful men and women
could remain centered in the Tao,
all things would be in harmony.
The world would become a paradise.
All people would be at peace,
and the law would be written in their hearts.

When you have names and forms,
know that they are provisional.
When you have institutions,
know where their functions should end.
Knowing when to stop,
you can avoid any danger.

All things end in the Tao
as rivers flow into the sea.

---33---
Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.

If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
If you stay in the center
and embrace death with your whole heart,
you will endure forever.

---34---
The great Tao flows everywhere.
All things are born from it,
yet is doesn't create them.
It pours itself into its work,
yet it makes no claim.
It nourishes infinite worlds,
yet it doesn't hold on to them.
Since it is merged with all things
and hidden in their hearts,
it can be called humble.
Since all things vanish into it
and it alone endures,
it can be called great.
It isn't aware of its greatness;
thus it is truly great.

---35---
She who is centered in the Tao
can go where she wishes, without danger.
She perceives the universal harmony,
even amid great pain,
because she has found peace in her heart.

Music or the smell of good cooking
may make people stop and enjoy.
But words that point to the Tao
seem monotonous and without flavor.
When you look for it, there is nothing to see.
When you listen for it, there is nothing to hear.
When you use it, it is inexhaustible.

---36---
If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.

The soft overcomes the hard.
The slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people the results.

---37---
The Tao never does anything,
yet through it all things are done.

If powerful men and women
could center themselves in it,
the world would be transformed
by itself, in its natural rhythms.
People would be content
with their simple, everyday lives,
in harmony, and free of desire.

When there is no desire,
all things are at peace.

---38---
The Master doesn't try to be powerful;
thus he is truly powerful.
The ordinary man keeps reaching for power;
thus he never has enough.

The Master does nothing,
yet he leaves nothing undone.
The ordinary man is always doing things,
yet many more are left to be done.

The kind man does something,
yet something remains undone.
The just man does something,
and leaves many things to be done.
The moral man does something,
and when no one responds
he rolls up his sleeves and uses force.

When the Tao is lost, there is goodness.
When goodness is lost, there is morality.
When morality is lost, there is ritual.
Ritual is the husk of true faith,
the beginning of chaos.

Therefore the Master concerns himself
with the depths and not the surface,
with the fruit and not the flower.
He has no will of his own.
He dwells in reality,
and lets all illusions go.

---39---
In harmony with the Tao,
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creatures flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.

When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.

The Master views the parts with compassion,
because he understands the whole.
His constant practice is humility.
He doesn't glitter like a jewel
but lets himself be shaped by the Tao,
as rugged and common as a stone.

---40---
Return is the movement of the Tao.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.

All things are born of being.
Being is born of non-being.

---41---
When a superior man hears of the Tao,
he immediately begins to embody it.
When an average man hears of the Tao,
he half believes it, half doubts it.
When a foolish man hears of the Tao,
he laughs out loud.
If he didn't laugh,
it wouldn't be the Tao.

Thus it is said:
The path into the light seems dark,
the path forward seems to go back,
the direct path seems long,
true power seems weak,
true purity seems tarnished,
true steadfastness seems changeable,
true clarity seems obscure,
the greatest art seems unsophisticated,
the greatest love seems indifferent,
the greatest wisdom seems childish.

The Tao is nowhere to be found.
Yet it nourishes and completes all things.

---42---
The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to Two.
Two gives birth to Three.
Three gives birth to all things.

All things have their backs to the female
and stand facing the male.
When male and female combine,
all things achieve harmony.

Ordinary men hate solitude.
But the Master makes use of it,
embracing his aloneness, realizing
he is one with the whole universe.

---43---
The gentlest thing in the world
overcomes the hardest thing in the world.
That which has no substance
enters where there is no space.
This shows the value of non-action.

Teaching without words,
performing without actions:
that is the Master's way.

---44---
Fame or integrity: which is more important?
Money or happiness: which is more valuable?
Success or failure: which is more destructive?

If you look to others for fulfillment,
you will never truly be fulfilled.
If you happiness depends on money,
you will never be happy with yourself.

Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.

---45---
True perfection seems imperfect,
yet it is perfectly itself.
True fullness seems empty,
yet it is fully present.

True straightness seems crooked.
True wisdom seems foolish.
True art seems artless.

The Master allows things to happen.
She shapes events as they come.
She steps out of the way
and lets the Tao speak for itself.

---46---
When a country is in harmony with the Tao,
the factories make trucks and tractors.
When a country goes counter to the Tao,
warheads are stockpiled outside the cities.

There is no greater illusion than fear,
no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself,
no greater misfortune than having an enemy.

Whoever can see through all fear
will always be safe.

---47---
Without opening your door,
you can open your heart to the world.
Without looking out your window,
you can see the essence of the Tao.

The more you know,
the less you understand.

The Master arrives without leaving,
sees the light without looking,
achieves without doing a thing.

---48---
In the pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is added.
In the practice of the Tao,
every day something is dropped.
Less and less do you need to force things,
until finally you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left undone.

True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way.
It can't be gained by interfering.

---49---
The Master has no mind of her own.
She works with the mind of the people.

She is good to people who are good.
She is also good to people who aren't good.
This is true goodness.

She trusts people who are trustworthy.
She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy.
This is true trust.

The Master's mind is like space.
People don't understand her.
They look to her and wait.
She treats them like her own children.

---50---
The Master gives himself up
to whatever the moment brings.
He knows that he is going to die,
and he has nothing left to hold on to:
no illusions in his mind,
no resistances in his body.
He doesn't think about his actions;
they flow from the core of his being.
He holds nothing back from life;
therefore he is ready for death,
as a man is ready for sleep
after a good day's work.

---51---
Every being in the universe
is an expression of the Tao.
It springs into existence,
unconscious, perfect, free,
takes on a physical body,
lets circumstances complete it.
That is why every being
spontaneously honors the Tao.

The Tao gives birth to all beings,
nourishes them, maintains them,
cares for them, comforts them, protects them,
takes them back to itself,
creating without possessing,
acting without expecting,
guiding without interfering.
That is why love of the Tao
is in the very nature of things.

---52---
In the beginning was the Tao.
All things issue from it;
all things return to it.

To find the origin,
trace back the manifestations.
When you recognize the children
and find the mother,
you will be free of sorrow.

If you close your mind in judgments
and traffic with desires,
your heart will be troubled.
If you keep your mind from judging
and aren't led by the senses,
your heart will find peace.

Seeing into darkness is clarity.
Knowing how to yield is strength.
Use your own light
and return to the source of the light.
This is called practicing eternity.

---53---
The great Way is easy,
yet people prefer the side paths.
Be aware when things are out of balance.
Stay centered within the Tao.

When rich speculators prosper
while farmers lose their land;
when government officials spend money
on weapons instead of cures;
when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible
while the poor have nowhere to turn--
all this is robbery and chaos.
It is not in keeping with the Tao.

---54---
Whoever is planted in the Tao
will not be rooted up.
Whoever embraces the Tao
will not slip away.
Her name will be held in honor
from generation to generation.

Let the Tao be present in your life
and you will become genuine.
Let it be present in your family
and your family will flourish.
Let it be present in your country
and your country will be an example
to all countries in the world.
Let it be present in the universe
and the universe will sing.

How do i know this is true?
By looking inside myself.

---55---
He who is in harmony with the Tao
is like a newborn child.
Its bones are soft, its muscles are weak,
but its grip is powerful.
It doesn't know the union
of male and female,
yet its penis can stand erect,
so intense is its vital power.
It can scream its head off all day,
yet it never becomes hoarse,
so complete is its harmony.

The Master's power is like this.
He lets all things come and go
effortlessly, without desire.
He never expects results;
thus he is never disappointed.
He is never disappointed;
thus his spirit never grows old.

---56---
Those who know don't talk.
Those who talk don't know.

Close your mouth,
block off your senses,
blunt your sharpness,
untie your knots,
soften your glare,
settle your dust.
This is the primal identity.

Be like the Tao.
It can't be approached or withdrawn from,
benefited or harmed,
honored or brought into disgrace.
It gives itself up continually.
That is why it endures.

---57---
If you want to be a great leader,
you must learn to follow the Tao.
Stop trying to control.
Let go of fixed plans and concepts,
and the world will govern itself.

The more prohibitions you have,
the less virtuous people will be.
The more weapons you have,
the less secure people will be.
The more subsidies you have,
the less self-reliant people will be.

Therefore the Master says:
I let go of the law,
and people become honest.
I let go of economics,
and people become prosperous.
I let go of religion,
and people become serene.
I let go of all desires for the common good,
and the good becomes common as grass.

---58---
If a country is governed with tolerance,
the people are comfortable and honest.
If a country is governed with repression,
the people are depressed and crafty.

When the will to power is in charge,
the higher the ideals, the lower the results.
Try to make people happy,
and you lay the groundwork for misery.
Try to make people moral,
and you lay the groundwork for vice.

Thus the Master is content
to serve as an example
and not to impose her will.
She is pointed, but doesn't pierce.
Straightforward, but supple.
Radiant, but easy on the eyes.

---59---
For governing a country well
there is nothing better than moderation.

The mark of a moderate man
is freedom from his own ideas.
Tolerant like the sky,
all-pervading like sunlight,
firm like a mountain,
supple like a tree in the wind,
he has no destination in view
and makes use of anything
life happens to bring his way.

Nothing is impossible for him.
Because he has let go,
he can care for the people's welfare
as a mother cares for her child.

---60---
Governing a large country
is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking.

Center your country in the Tao
and evil will have no power.
Not that it isn't there,
but you'll be able to step out of its way.

Give evil nothing to oppose
and it will disappear by itself.

---61---
When a country obtains great power,
it becomes like the sea:
all streams run downward into it.
The more powerful it grows,
the greater the need for humility.
Humility means trusting the Tao,
thus never needing to be defensive.

A great nation is like a great man:
When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.
Having realized it, he admits it.
Having admitted it, he corrects it.
He considers those who point out his faults
as his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemy
as the shadow that he himself casts.

If a nation is centered in the Tao,
if it nourishes its own people
and doesn't meddle in the affairs of others,
it will be a light to all nations in the world.

---62---
The Tao is the center of the universe,
the good man's treasure,
the bad man's refuge.

Honors can be bought with fine words,
respect can be won with good deeds;
but the Tao is beyond all value,
and no one can achieve it.

Thus, when a new leader is chosen,
don't offer to help him
with your wealth and expertise.
Offer instead
to teach him about the Tao.

Why didn't the ancient Masters esteem the Tao?
Because, being one with the Tao,
when you seek, you find;
and when you make a mistake, you are forgiven.
That is why everybody loves it.

---63---
Act without doing;
work without effort.
Think of the small as large
and the few as many.
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy;
accomplish the great task
by a series of small acts.

The Master never reaches for the great;
thus she achieves greatness.
When she runs into a difficulty,
she stops and gives herself to it.
She doesn't cling to her own comfort;
thus problems are no problem for her.

---64---
What is rooted is easy to nourish.
What is recent is easy to correct.
What is brittle is easy to break.
What is small is easy to scatter.

Prevent trouble before it arises.
Put things in order before they exist.
The giant pine tree
grows from a tiny sprout.
The journey of a thousand miles
starts from beneath your feet.

Rushing into action, you fail.
Trying to grasp things, you lose them.
Forcing a project to completion,
you ruin what was almost ripe.

Therefore the Master takes action
by letting things take their course.
He remains as calm
at the end as at the beginning.
He has nothing,
thus has nothing to lose.
What he desires is non-desire;
what he learns is to unlearn.
He simply reminds people
of who they have always been.
He cares about nothing but the Tao.
Thus he can care for all things.

---65---
The ancient Masters
didn't try to educate the people,
but kindly taught them to not-know.

When they think that they know the answers,
people are difficult to guide.
When they know that they don't know,
people can find their own way.

If you want to learn to govern,
avoid being clever or rich.
The simplest pattern is the clearest.
Content with an ordinary life,
you can show all people the way
back to their own true nature.

---66---
All streams flow to the sea
because it is lower than they are.
Humility gives it its power.

If you want to govern the people,
you must place yourself below them.
If you want to lead the people,
you must learn how to follow them.

The Master is above the people,
and no one feels oppressed.
She goes ahead of the people,
and no one feels manipulated.
The whole world is grateful to her.
Because she competes with no one,
no one can compete with her.

---67---
Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.

I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.

---68---
The best athlete
wants his opponent at his best.
The best general
enters the mind of his enemy.
The best businessman
serves the communal good.
The best leader
follows the will of the people.

All of them embody
the virtue of non-competition.
Not that they don't love to compete,
but they do it in the spirit of play.
In this they are like children
and in harmony with the Tao.

---69---
The generals have a saying:
"Rather than make the first move
it is better to wait and see.
Rather than advance and inch
it is better to retreat a yard."

This is called
going forward without advancing,
pushing back without using weapons.

There is no greater misfortune
than underestimating your enemy.
Underestimating your enemy
means thinking that he is evil.
Thus you destroy your three treasures
and become an enemy yourself.

When two great forces oppose each other,
the victory will go
to the one that knows how to yield.

---70---
My teachings are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice.
Yet your intellect will never grasp them,
and if you try to practice them, you'll fail.

My teachings are older than the world.
How can you grasp their meaning?

If you want to know me,
look inside your heart.

---71---
Not-knowing is true knowledge.
Presuming to know is a disease.
First realize that you are sick;
then you can move toward health.

The Master is her own physician.
She has healed herself of all knowing.
Thus she is truly whole.

---72---
When they lose their sense of awe,
people turn to religion.
When they no longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend upon authority.

Therefore the Master steps back
so that people won't be confused.
He teaches without a teaching,
so that people will have nothing to learn.

---73---
The Tao is always at ease.
It overcomes without competing,
answers without speaking a word,
arrives without being summoned,
accomplishes without a plan.

Its net covers the whole universe.
And thought is meshes are wide,
it doesn't let a thing slip through.

---74---
If you realize that all things change,
there is nothing you will try to hold on to.
If you aren't afraid of dying,
there is nothing you can't achieve.

Trying to control the future
is like trying to take the master carpenter's place.
When you handle the master carpenter's tools,
chances are that you'll cut your hand.

---75---
When taxes are too high,
people go hungry.
When the government is too intrusive,
people lose their spirit.

Act for the people's benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone.

---76---
Men are born soft and supple;
dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and pliant;
dead, they are brittle and dry.

Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible
is a disciple of death.
Whoever is soft and yielding
is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and subtle will prevail.

---77---
As it acts in the world, the Tao
is like the bending of a bow.
The top is bent downward;
the bottom is bent up.
It adjusts excess and deficiency
so that there is perfect balance.
It takes from what is too much
and gives to what isn't enough.

Those who try to control,
who use force to protect their power,
go against the direction of the Tao.
They take from those who don't have enough
and give to those who have far too much.

The Master can keep giving
because there is no end to her wealth.
She acts without expectation,
succeeds without taking credit,
and doesn't think that she is better
than anyone else.

---78---
Nothing in the world
is as soft and yielding as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible,
nothing can surpass it.

The soft overcomes the hard;
the gentle overcomes the rigid.
Everyone knows this is true,
but few can put it into practice.

Therefore the Master remains
serene in the midst of sorrow.
Evil cannot enter his heart.
Because he has given up helping,
he is people's greatest help.

True words seem paradoxical.

---79---
Failure is an opportunity.
If you blame someone else,
there is no end to the blame.

Therefore the Master
fulfills her own obligations
and corrects her own mistakes.
She does what she needs to do
and demands nothing of others.

---80---
If a country is governed wisely,
its inhabitants will be content.
They enjoy the labor of their hands
and don't waste time inventing
labor-saving machines.
Since they dearly love their homes,
they aren't interested in travel.
There may be a few wagons and boats,
but these don't go anywhere.
There may be an arsenal of weapons,
but nobody ever uses them.
People enjoy their food,
take pleasure in being with their families,
spend weekends working in their gardens,
delight in the doings of the neighborhood.
And even though the next country is so close
that people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking,
they are content to die of old age
without ever having gone to see it.

---81---
True words aren't eloquent;
eloquent words aren't true.
Wise men don't need to prove their point;
men who need to prove their point aren't wise.

The Master has no possessions.
The more he does for others,
the happier he is.
The more he gives to others,
the wealthier he is.

The Tao nourishes by not forcing.
By not dominating, the Master leads.

--------

and here's the script. copy and paste that to a file named 'tao' or 'tao.sh' or 'tao.bash' or whatever you want. don't forget to have that file in your path (echo $PATH) so you can access it from anywhere, and don't forget to do 'chmod +x' on it to make it executable.

#!/bin/bash
# a script for outputting a verse of the Tao Te Ching.

tao="tao_te_ching.txt"
range=($(echo {1..81}))
verse=0

# shuffle function based on Knufth-Fisher-Yayes shuffle algorithm
# http://mywiki.wooledge.org/BashFAQ/026 thank you!
# takes an array as input through 'shuffle ARRAY[@]', outputs arr[@]
shuffle() {
   local i tmp size max rand
   arr=("${!1}") # retrieve array from $1
   # $RANDOM % (i+1) is biased because of the limited range of $RANDOM
   # Compensate by using a range which is a multiple of the array size.
   size=${#arr[*]}
   max=$(( 32768 / size * size ))

   for ((i=size-1; i>0; i--)); do
      while (( (rand=$RANDOM) >= max )); do :; done
      rand=$(( rand % (i+1) ))
      tmp=${arr[i]} arr[i]=${arr[rand]} arr[rand]=$tmp
   done
}

if [[ $# -gt 1 ]]; then
   echo "Too many arguments."
   echo "Use 'tao' for a random verse, or 'tao [1-81]' for a specific verse."
   exit 1
fi

# if no arguments, get a random number from the range.
if [[ $# -eq 0 ]]; then
   shuffle range[@] && verse=${arr[1]}
fi

if [[ $# -eq 1 ]]; then
   for n in ${range[@]}; do
      [[ $1 -eq $n ]] && verse=$1
   done

   if [[ $verse -eq 0 ]]; then
      echo "The Tao Te Ching only has 81 verses."
      echo "If you require even more wisdom, sit down and think of nothing."
      exit 1
   fi
fi

# grep returns the linenumber but also the match so we need to use sed to fix this.
startline=$(grep -n "\-\-\-$verse\-\-\-" $tao | sed 's/:.*//')
verse=$(( $verse + 1 )) # increase verse-number to check for the start of next verse.
endline=$(grep -n "\-\-\-$verse\-\-\-" $tao | sed 's/:.*//')
endline=$(( $endline -1 )) # extract 1 line so it doesn't print the start of the next verse.
lastline=$(wc -l $tao | sed 's/ .*//')
[[ $verse -eq 82 ]] && endline=$(( $lastline -1 )) # check to catch the end of file, where the above doesn't work.

echo
sed -n "$startline,$endline"'p' $tao

exit 0

now just type 'tao' to get something random, or 'tao [1-81]' to get a verse between 1 and 81.

well, hope someone finds this useful/interesting/boring/stupid/whatever.
i will now go massage my hands because they are sore from typing.
please leave a comment! :D

P.S. the text is a translation by Stephen Mitchell. you might notice that he exchanges the words 'he' and 'she' freely. he does this in an attempt to combat sexism and the 'Patriarchy'

new composite manager: compton

dummy@example.com (Milozzy) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:12:48 +0000

Not really a script, but I forked Dana Jansens' version of xcompmgr and added transparent titlebars/window frames, transparency for inactive windows, and shadows on argb windows (e.g. transparent terminals). I also fixed a few things. Openbox is the only window manager I have tested it with so far. It also has menu transparency thanks to Dana. I think this is a good feature set - it's roughly the same feature set the xfce compositor has, except it's standalone. After this, I'm just going to maintain it, and optimize it hopefully.

I'm sure there are people like me out there who are frustrated that there aren't that many options for a standalone compositor, so I figured you guys might be interested: https://github.com/chjj/compton .

Build information is in the github readme.

How-To xfce4-panel and tint2 panel launch scripts

dummy@example.com (VastOne) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:57:34 +0000

Background - I have used cairo-dock forever.. I wanted to switch to tint2 launchers or xfce4-panel launchers but each had limitations as to how they behaved..

ToZ is an individual I met on the XFCE forums and did ALL of this coding.. He gets every bit of the credit, all I did was request for help and ToZ did it all.. I am very grateful to ToZ :)

Tint2 -

The new launcher capability in tint2 is great, but I could not use it like I had cairo-dock setup. If you had an app open and clicked on the launcher again, it would open a new instance of the app. In cairo-dock, this is defined by a class of the program that you linked to it and stopped multiple instances opening..

tint2 - Solution

You will first need to install wmctrl and xdotool, the tools that are used to manage windows (opened apps)

sudo apt-get install wmctrl

sudo apt-get install xdotool

Now create the launch file

gksudo gedit /usr/local/bin/launch

and put the following code in:

#!/bin/bash
# This script acts as a launcher for apps that observes the following rules:
#   1. If the app is not running, then start it up
#   2. If the app is running, don't start a second instance, instead:
#     2a. If the app does not have focus, give it focus
#     2b. If the app has focus, minimize it
# Reference link: http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=6168&p=1

# there has to be at least one parameter, the name of the file to execute
if [ $# -lt 1 ]
then
  echo "Usage: `basename $0` {executable_name parameters}"
  exit 1
fi

BNAME=`basename $1`

# test to see if program is already running
if [ "`wmctrl -lx | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f1-3 | grep -i $BNAME`" ]; then 
    # means it must already be running
    ACTIV_WIN=$(xdotool getactivewindow getwindowpid)
    LAUNCH_WIN=$(ps -ef | grep "$BNAME" | grep -v grep | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f2 | head -n 1)

    if [ "$ACTIV_WIN" == "$LAUNCH_WIN" ]; then
        # launched app is currently in focus, so minimize
        xdotool getactivewindow windowminimize
    else
        # launched app is not in focus, so raise and bring to focus
        for win in `wmctrl -lx | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f1-3 | grep -i $BNAME | cut -d' ' -f1`
        do
            wmctrl -i -a $win
        done
    fi
    exit

else
    # start it up
    $*&
fi

exit 0

Save the file

next make the file executable

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/launch

Now you are set to create launchers in tint2

Here is how I use mine, with a couple of key points to consider...

#---------------------------------------------
# TINT2 CONFIG FILE
#---------------------------------------------

#---------------------------------------------
# BACKGROUND AND BORDER
#---------------------------------------------

# Background definitions
# ID 1 for Panel
rounded = 0
border_width = 0
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #000000 70

# ID 2
rounded = 1
border_width = 1
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #D8D8D8 29

# ID 3
rounded = 1
border_width = 1
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #121212 89

# ID 4
rounded = 1
border_width = 1
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #ED2323 60

# ID 5
rounded = 0
border_width = 1
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #000000 0

# ID 6
rounded = 6
border_width = 0
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #D8D8D8 0

# ID 7
rounded = 3
border_width = 0
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #222222 89

# ID 8
rounded = 1
border_width = 1
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #888888 200

# ID 9
rounded = 6
border_width = 0
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #888888 20

# ID 10
rounded = 0
border_width = 0
background_color = #ffffff 0
#border_color = #888888 20


#---------------------------------------------
# PANEL
#---------------------------------------------
panel_items = L
panel_monitor = all
panel_position = bottom middle
panel_size = 30% 85
panel_margin = 0 0
panel_padding = 7 0
font_shadow = 0
panel_background_id = 0
panel_layer = top

#---------------------------------------------
# TASKBAR
#---------------------------------------------
taskbar_mode = single_desktop
taskbar_padding = 0 0 0
taskbar_background_id = 1

#---------------------------------------------
# TASKS
#---------------------------------------------
#task_icon = 1
#task_text = 0
#task_width = 40
#task_centered = 1
#task_padding = 2 2
#task_font = sans 7
#task_font_color = #ffffff 70
#task_active_font_color = #ffffff 85
#task_background_id = 3
#task_active_background_id = 2

#---------------------------------------------
# SYSTRAYBAR
#---------------------------------------------
#systray_padding = 4 2 3
#systray_background_id = 1

#---------------------------------------------
# CLOCK
#---------------------------------------------
#time1_format = %H:%M
#time1_font = sans 8
#time2_format = %A %d %B
#time2_font = sans 6
#clock_font_color = #ffffff 76
#clock_padding = 4 4
#clock_background_id = 1

#---------------------------------------------
# BATTERY
#---------------------------------------------
#battery = 0
#battery_low_status = 7
#battery_low_cmd = notify-send "battery low"
#bat1_font = sans 8
#bat2_font = sans 6
#battery_font_color = #ffffff 76
#battery_padding = 1 0
#battery_background_id = 0

# Launchers
launcher_icon_theme = LinuxLex-8
launcher_padding = 5 0 10
launcher_background_id = 9
launcher_icon_size = 85
# launcher_item_app = /usr/share/applications/gedit.desktop
launcher_item_app = /home/vastone/bin/iceweasel.desktop
launcher_item_app = /home/vastone/bin/terminator.desktop
launcher_item_app = /home/vastone/bin/pcmanfm-mod.desktop
launcher_item_app = /home/vastone/bin/gmusicbrowser.desktop
# launcher_item_app = /usr/share/applications/clementine.desktop
launcher_item_app = /home/vastone/bin/virtualbox.desktop
launcher_item_app = /home/vastone/bin/xchat.desktop
# launcher_item_app = /usr/share/applications/vlc.desktop


#---------------------------------------------
# MOUSE ACTION ON TASK
#---------------------------------------------
mouse_middle = none
mouse_right = none
mouse_scroll_up = toggle
mouse_scroll_down = iconify


# Panel Autohide
autohide = 1
autohide_show_timeout = 0.0
autohide_hide_timeout = 0.0
autohide_height = 3
strut_policy = minimum

Note that I have only L in

panel_items = L

That is because I use this as a second tint2 config (tint2rctwo) and call it on startup. This keeps the launchers only at the bottom, just like I had it setup in cairo-dock.

In tint2, .desktop files needed for launchers (and are the only way you can launch and app)... as you can see, I have moved some of my launchers to my /home/vastone/bin directory.. I did this so that I can easily edit them and use the icons and launcher that is needed.. You can keep and use and edit the ones already in /user/share/applications

Here is a snippet of my iceweasel launcher and how I use launch to make it work

[Desktop Entry]

(deleted non important info for this How To)

Exec=launch iceweasel %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=/home/vastone/images/firefox01-04.png
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;
StartupWMClass=Firefox-bin
StartupNotify=true

You see in

Exec=launch iceweasel %u This is where the launch script is engaged .. and in

Icon=/home/vastone/images/firefox01-04.png is where I setup my icon for this...

Thats it for tint2

xcfe4-panel

Same situation, you can create Launchers within xfce4-panel, but if you click on an icon it opens a new instance and not what is already open

xfce4-panel solution

Using the same launch script add it to the launchers you create within the panel

Create a new launcher (pcmanfm-mod for demo purposes):
Right-click Panel->Panel->Add New Items,
select "Launcher" and click "Add" (new launcher appears on panel), click "Close"
Right-click the new launcher icon->Properties
click on "Add new empty item" button (4th button down on right side)
set: Name = pcmanfm
Comment =
Command = launch pcmanfm-mod --no-desktop
Select an icon
Check "Use startup notification"
Click "Create

Image showing the setup..

And that is all there is to it for tint2 and xfce4-panels to be more intuitive as launchers and for me, to replace cairo-dock

This image shows tint2 at the bottom and xfce4-panel on the left

Thats it... Again a million thanks to ToZ for hearing my requests and sharing his great solutions..!

Edit - I also tested this with adeskbar and it works great.. Just add "launch" before any command..

UPDATE - 08 February 2012

Using the launchers the same as tasks is now doable now thanks to my friend ToZ. The launch file above has been updated and now uses wmctrl and xdotool and will treat each tint2 launcher the same as a task. It will not add a task to the luncher panel, but will open if not open, and iconify either way depending on what state the app is in.

How To - Latest Tint2 Code and New Tint2 Additions

dummy@example.com (VastOne) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:51:44 +0000

This is a How To to build the latest version of Tint2 (r646) and to add 3 patches that do:

launcher_apps_dir-v2.patch

Allows for a single directory instance to pull the .desktop Launchers that Tint2 uses, instead of having multiple launchers in the tint2 config.

freespace.patch

Adds new element called "FreeSpace" and the Function F. This element has no configuration can be enabled only via panel_items by letter "F" as in panel_items = TLFSB. It expands the next item in the panel across any free space helping especially with full length panels.

src-task-align.patch

Add task_align[ment] option with possible values: left, center, right. Allows you to align the tasks on the panel.

To get the latest Tint2 code and these patches, follow this:

Note - If you do not have CMake, the cross-platform open-source build system already, you will need to install it:

sudo apt-get install cmake

Note - You will also need to install the Tint2 dependencies. Install them from terminal this way:

sudo apt-get install libcairo2-dev libpango1.0-dev libglib2.0-dev libimlib2-dev libxinerama-dev libx11-dev libxdamage-dev libxcomposite-dev libxrender-dev libxrandr-dev libgtk2.0-dev

Note - If you do not have svn installed you will need it. Install it this way from terminal:

sudo apt-get install subversion-tools

Now for the build process:

From Terminal run this:

svn checkout http://tint2.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ tint2-read-only

Download this file:

Tint2 Patch Files

and extract the three files to ~/tint2-read-only

Next, run each of these in this order from terminal

cd tint2-read-only

patch -p0 < src-task-align.patch

patch -p0 < freespace.patch

patch -p0 < launcher_apps_dir-v2.patch

cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr ./
make
sudo make install

Once completed, you will have the latest Tint2 code and the 3 patches installed.

Explanation of each new Component

For the Launchers, you will want to create a directory called .tint2launchers in your home directory and add this to your tint2 config:

launcher_apps_dir = /home/yourusername/.tint2launchers

Then add any launchers you want to use to that directory.

To sort, you can name the .desktop files:

10-iceweasel.desktop
20-geany.desktop
30-thunar.desktop
40-xchat.desktop
etc etc etc

I would advise grabbing any launchers you want to use from /usr/share/applications and copying them to the .tint2launchers directory. This way you have easy access to edit or rename them without worrying about root.

You can also build your own .desktop file, here is a sample of one I have created.

05-pithos.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Pithos
Exec=launch pithos
Icon=/home/vastone/images/music.png
Categories=Audio;AudioVideo;
StartupNotify=true

You will note the use of this

Exec=launch pithos

launch is a bash script file that was created from one of my other How To's. It's purpose is so when you click on a launcher it iconifies what is already open and will not open multiple instances of the launched application.

Here is how to create and use launch

You will first need to install wmctrl and xdotool, the tools that are used to manage windows (opened apps)

sudo apt-get install wmctrl

sudo apt-get install xdotool

Now create the launch file

gksudo gedit /usr/local/bin/launch

and put the following code in:

#!/bin/bash
# This script acts as a launcher for apps that observes the following rules:
#   1. If the app is not running, then start it up
#   2. If the app is running, don't start a second instance, instead:
#     2a. If the app does not have focus, give it focus
#     2b. If the app has focus, minimize it
# Reference link: http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=6168&p=1

# there has to be at least one parameter, the name of the file to execute
if [ $# -lt 1 ]
then
  echo "Usage: `basename $0` {executable_name parameters}"
  exit 1
fi

BNAME=`basename $1`

# test to see if program is already running
if [ "`wmctrl -lx | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f1-3 | grep -i $BNAME`" ]; then 
    # means it must already be running
    ACTIV_WIN=$(xdotool getactivewindow getwindowpid)
    LAUNCH_WIN=$(ps -ef | grep "$BNAME" | grep -v grep | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f2 | head -n 1)

    if [ "$ACTIV_WIN" == "$LAUNCH_WIN" ]; then
        # launched app is currently in focus, so minimize
        xdotool getactivewindow windowminimize
    else
        # launched app is not in focus, so raise and bring to focus
        for win in `wmctrl -lx | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f1-3 | grep -i $BNAME | cut -d' ' -f1`
        do
            wmctrl -i -a $win
        done
    fi
    exit

else
    # start it up
    $*&
fi

exit 0

Save the file

next make the file executable

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/launch

Freespace is self explanatory and will need the F variable added to panel_items and play with it. A good example is having a full length tint2 config and using this:

panel_items = LFBSC

This would place the launchers on the left and the Systray, Battery and Clock all to the right.

Sort Tasks on a panel is the final patch. I happen to use a panel just for tasks and this works great to center them the way that I want them.

It adds

task_align = center, left or right (any ONE of these options will work)

in the Tasks section of your tint2 config

The Source for all of these are at the Tint2 Google Code sites. I do not know the names of the individuals to give them credit, but you can go there and see their code and explanations about the setups.

Launchers

Freespace

Task Alignment

Pictures and sample layouts are in the next post.

Contact me with any questions.

Good Luck!

UPDATE - 08 February 2012

Tint2 Help

dummy@example.com (VastOne) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:41:31 +0000

Edit: Just as we did with the Conky config thread I'm starting this separate thread for Tint2 help. I've split some of the conversation from the config to start this help topic. Let's use this one for General discussion and support about Tint2

Tint2 0.7 Final Release out today :)

http://code.google.com/p/tint2/downloads/list

I'm sure killeroid's ppa won't be far behind :)

Edit: Some excellent documentation on configuring tint2 can also be found here:
http://code.google.com/p/tint2/wiki/Configure

And heres some documention on using tint2conf (theme switcher):
http://code.google.com/p/tint2/wiki/Tint2conf

My "FetchScreen" script

dummy@example.com (kittykatt) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:52:35 +0000

Recently I made a script like screenfetch or arckey but It's colorable :D

#!/bin/zsh
# Script by SuNjACk
# Only for SuNjACk (muahahah! :D)
# Version: 0.2
# GPL License (do what do you what)

# --////////////////////////--
# --// Identify The Infos //--
# --////////////////////////--

# The GTK settings
gtkrc="$HOME/.gtkrc-2.0"
GtkTheme=$( grep "gtk-theme-name" "$gtkrc" | cut -d\" -f2 )
GtkIcon=$( grep "gtk-icon-theme-name" "$gtkrc" | cut -d\" -f2 )
GtkFont=$( grep "gtk-font-name" "$gtkrc" | cut -d\" -f2 )

# The Wallpaper set with nitrogen
nitroconf="$HOME/.config/nitrogen/bg-saved.cfg"
Wallpaper="$( basename $(grep file $nitroconf | cut -d\= -f2 ))"

# Settings from ~/.Xdefaults
xdef="~/.Xdefaults"
TermFont="$(grep 'urxvt\*font' ~/.Xdefaults | cut -d\: -f2- | sed -re 's/xft://g; s/:size=(.*):.*/ \1/g; s/^ *//g')"

# Time and date
time=$( date "+%H.%M")
date=$( date "+%a %d %b" )

# OS
OS=$(cat /etc/issue | sed 's/\\.//g')

# WM version
AwVer=$( awesome --version | head -1 | cut -d' ' -f2 | sed 's/debian\///g' )

# --//////////////////////////////--
# --// Color for the higllights //--
# --//////////////////////////////--

cat-highlights-color () {
#    col=$( echo $1 | sed 's/-c//g' )
    col=${1#-c}
    case $col in
        0)  export H='\e[30m';;
        1)  export H='\e[31m';;
        2)  export H='\e[32m';;
        3)  export H='\e[33m';;
        4)  export H='\e[34m';;
        5)  export H='\e[35m';;
        6)  export H='\e[36m';;
        7)  export H='\e[37m';;
        8)  export H='\e[1;30m';;
        9)  export H='\e[1;31m';;
        10) export H='\e[1;32m';;
        11) export H='\e[1;33m';;
        12) export H='\e[1;34m';;
        13) export H='\e[1;35m';;
        14) export H='\e[1;36m';;
        15) export H='\e[1;37m';;
    esac
}

# --////////////////////////--
# --// Color for the logo //--
# --////////////////////////--

cat-logo-color () {
#    col=$( echo $1 | sed 's/-C//g' )
    col=${1#-C} 
    case $col in
        0)  export L='\e[30m';;
        1)  export L='\e[31m';;
        2)  export L='\e[32m';;
        3)  export L='\e[33m';;
        4)  export L='\e[34m';;
        5)  export L='\e[35m';;
        6)  export L='\e[36m';;
        7)  export L='\e[37m';;
        8)  export L='\e[1;30m';;
        9)  export L='\e[1;31m';;
        10) export L='\e[1;32m';;
        11) export L='\e[1;33m';;
        12) export L='\e[1;34m';;
        13) export L='\e[1;35m';;
        14) export L='\e[1;36m';;
        15) export L='\e[1;37m';;
    esac
}

# --//////////////////////////////--
# --// Different Distros' Logos //--
# --//////////////////////////////--

# null color
NC='\e[0m'

# --// Debian Logo //--
logo-debian () {
    test "$L"  || L='\e[;31m'
    test "$H"  || H='\e[1;34m'
    
    echo -e "
$L          _,edm88888on.$NC
$L       ,d888888888888888P.$NC
$L     ,g88P\"\"       \"\"\"Y88.\".$NC\t$H $time$NC - $date$NC
$L    ,88P'              \`888.$NC\t ${USER} @ ${HOST}$NC
$L   ,88P       ,ggs.     \`88b:$NC
$L   d88'     ,8P\"'   .    888$NC\t GTK Theme »$H $GtkTheme$NC
$L  \`88P      d8'     ,    88P$NC\t GTK Icons »$H $GtkIcon$NC
$L  \`88:      88.   -    ,d88'$NC\t GTK Font  »$H $GtkFont$NC
$L  \`88;      Y8b._   _,d8P'  $NC\t Term Font »$H $TermFont$NC
$L   Y88.    \`.\`\"Y8888P\"'$NC  \t Wallpaper »$H $Wallpaper$NC
$L   \`88b      \"-.__$NC
$L    \`Y88b$NC                   \t OS »$H $OS$NC
$L     \`Y88.$NC                  \t WM »$H Awesome$NC $AwVer
$L       \`88b.$NC
$L         \`Y88b.$NC
$L           \`\"Y8b._$NC
$L               \`\"\"\"\"$NC
"
    }


# --// Crunchbang logo //--
logo-crunch () {
    if [ -z "$L" ]; then L='\e[1;37m' ; fi
    if [ -z "$H" ]; then H='\e[1;34m' ; fi

    echo -e "
$L      888    888       888$NC
$L      888    888       888$NC\t$H $time$NC - $date
$L      888    888       888$NC\t $USER @ $HOST
$L      888    888       888$NC
$L  888888888888888888   888$NC\t GTK Theme »$H $GtkTheme$NC
$L  888888888888888888   888$NC\t GTK Icons »$H $GtkIcon$NC
$L      888    888       888$NC\t GTK Font  »$H $GtkFont$NC
$L      888    888       888$NC\t Term Font »$H $TermFont$NC
$L  888888888888888888   888$NC\t Wallpaper »$H $Wallpaper$NC
$L  888888888888888888   888$NC
$L      888    888          $NC\t OS »$H $OS$NC
$L      888    888       888$NC\t WM »$H Awesome $WmVer$NC
$L      888    888       888$NC
$L      888    888       888$NC
"
    }

# --/////////////////////--
# --// Take Screenshot //--
# --/////////////////////--

take-shot () {
    # quick settings
    shotdir="$HOME/images/shots" # without the final slash
    shotname="shot_%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S.png"
    quality="75" # [0-100]
    delay="5" # in seconds
    #does the shotdir exist?
    if [ ! -d "$shotdir" ]; then mkdir -p "$shotdir"; fi
    # take it!
    scrot "${shotdir}/$shotname" -q $quality -c -d $delay
}

# --//////////////////--
# --// Help Message //--
# --//////////////////--

script_name="$0"
help-message () {
echo "
USAGE: `basename $script_name` [options] [distro]

Options:
    -cn     n indicates the number of the color [0-15] of highlights
    -Cn     n indicates the number of the color [0-15] of logo
    -s      take a scheenshot (with scrot)

Available Distro (for now):
    crunch[bang]
    deb[ian]
"
}

# --///////////////////////--
# --// The Main Function //--
# --///////////////////////--

main () {
# Set the default logo (go down for available logo functions)
execute="logo-crunch"
# It will take screenshot? [0=no 1=yes]
confirm_shot="0"

    for i in "$@" ; do 
        case $i in
            -h|--help)      execute="help-message" ;;
            -c*)     cat-highlights-color $i ;;
            -C*)     cat-logo-color $i ;;
            -s)      confirm_shot="1" ;;
            deb*)    execute="logo-debian";;
            crunch*) execute="logo-crunch";;
            *)       echo -e "Unknow option ${i}\nUse the option -h for help\n\nExiting..." && exit 1;;
        esac
    done

$execute

if [ confirm_shot = "1" ] ; then
    take-shot
fi

}


# --////////////////////--
# --// EXECUTE SCRIPT //--
# --////////////////////--

main "$@"

The program is limited for now.
It read gtk configuration (theme, icon, font) from ~/.gtkrc-2.0 (the path can be changed).
For the wallpaper read the configuration of nitrogen ~/.config/nitrogen/bg-saved.cfg.
Read the .Xdefaults for Urxvt font (maybe I can extend it for terminator but I don't have it, can someone post a example of config?).
the OS from /etc/issue.
For now I don't have a function for identify the wm.
It's use zsh because it's my default shell.

I can extend it with more infos and with more logos but I need the ascii arts.

Enjoy the script. :)
Please signal any bugs.
Compliments and criticisms are accepted. ;)

P.s. sorry for my english, I'm bad at it

#! Chrome Extension

dummy@example.com (kadaj) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:41:33 +0000

All planned features are implemented but I'm still accepting feature requests.

Download:

> Get version 1.4 <

Features:

- RSS-feed shows recent activity on the forum
- Enables you to edit and save code boxes

In order for the 'save code'-function to work, you have to go to the advanced preferences tab ( chrome://settings/advanced ) and enable asking for the download destination.

Screenshots:

Changelog:

Version 1.0
 - Initial release

Version 1.1
 - Preferences tab
 - Light/Dark icons

Version 1.2
 - Bugfix: Icon preferences don't default to to the icon selected

Version 1.4
 - Added a donation link in the preferences and the welcome tab
 - Added a unread posts counter which can be enabled/disabled in the preferences

weather in conky (LUA scripts)

dummy@example.com (gmonti) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:28:50 +0000

UPDATED POST UPDATED POST UPDATED POST UPDATED POST

GET THE SCRIPT!
get the latest script and associated files here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19008369/v9000.tar.gz

open the archive with archive manager or similar and extract the files to your home/username directory

dont right click and choose "extract here", when i do this a folder called v9000 is created and the files are inside that folder instead f being put into /home/username directly

INTRODUCTION
This thread covers the development and use of weather scripts to be used in conky
CURRENTLY the latest script is a lua only weather script aka v9000 :)

There are plenty of other weather scripts out there to use, most try to emulate the functionality of ConkyForecast. A previous weather script (v6), discussed also in this thread, attempts this approach also. But I was never happy with the performance of this script.

V9000 is much lighter on system resources, and has some nice features which the lua only method allows.
here are a couple of v9000 displays

However, I would not say that v9000 is aimed at the beginner although I believe it is no harder to learn to write the code v9000 requires as it is to learn how to write the code in a conkyrc or write setups using other weather scripts. It is perhaps a little more daunting if you have little or no exposure to script writing.

HOWTO
i have written a how to in several parts regarding the operation of this script
1. Editing settings. Set up conkyr and availble data option
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/177782/#p177782

2. how to use the out() function
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/177783/#p177783

3. how to use the image function
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/177785/#p177785

4. how to use the forecast repeat
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/177787/#p177787

5. setting up and using the short conditions option
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/178119/#p178119

6. how to work with a seperate display script and main script
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/178402/#p178402
NOTE - the most recent script now uses a separate main script and display script

7. how to use xout() function
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/179176/#p179176

8. how to use the translate functions
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/181415/#p181415

9. how to get your v9000 to work with a slow conky update_interval setting
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/186277/#p186277
UPDATED POST UPDATED POST UPDATED POST UPDATED POST

make terminal part of wallpaper/backround in XFCE

dummy@example.com (ivanovnegro) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:28:16 +0000

ive been searching and searching and have not found a solution to do this other than switching to openbox and doing it. anybody managed to do so in XFCE?

How To use Gtalk the Minimalist way

dummy@example.com (kowloonboy) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:10:58 +0000

I have been looking for the best way to use Gtalk for a while, I started using Pidgin (34.8 MB), then it was too big, then I used Psi, it was much smaller (13.7 MB).

But the problem is how can I use gtalk within the shell, with no gui. As some of you might know, I am going through a GUI diet at the moment, and hopfully I will be fit enough soon to use just pure command for every thing.

So I looked in Irssi, the infamous irc client. I did a lot of research online, and a lot of tutorial was so complicated and some don't even work. There are some which suggest, you to have install all these which uses 4,178 kB:

sudo apt-get install irssi bitlbee screen bitlbee-plugin-otr libtime-duration-perl libnotify-bin irssi-plugin-otr

So you will need to use Irssi, Bitlbee and Screen to make it work.

Then I saw another way

Which you will need to have the following, use roughly the same as the above, except no screen:

sudo apt-get install irssi bitlbee bitlbee-plugin-otr libtime-duration-perl libnotify-bin irssi-plugin-otr

It was still too much junk, so here is how to do it the minimalist way using only 2,725 kB of storage:

1) First install the following

sudo apt-get install irssi irssi-plugin-xmpp

press enter

2) start up irssi

irssi

press enter

3) Once the irssi has started, You will see [(status)], type the following next to it:

/quit

press enter

4) Now using your prefer editor and add the following at the bottom of the config file
(source: of the code which was incorrect, so copy the my code instead)

settings = {
  "fe-common/xmpp" = {
    xmpp_status_window = "yes";
    xmpp_send_composing = "no";
  };
  "xmpp/core" = { xmpp_set_nick_as_username = "yes"; };
};
servers = (
  {
    address = "talk.google.com";
    chatnet = "GTalk";
    password = "YourPassword";
    autoconnect = "yes";
  }
);
chatnets = {
  GTalk = {
    type = "XMPP";
    nick = "YourAddress@gmail.com";
  };
};
windows = {
  1 = {
    immortal = "yes";
    name = "(status)";
    level = "ALL";
    sticky = "yes";
  };
  2 = { name = "(GTalk)"; sticky = "yes"; parent = "1"; };
};

5) Create a new file name startup

nano .irssi/startup

add the following inside the file:

load xmpp

6) Open up irssi, run the following command

irssi

7) You should now log in gtalk. :)

To see who is online, type this inside irssi:
/roster

If the name with (+) next to it means they are online.
(away) = away
(-) = offline

/query alice = talk to alice

More details: irssi-xmpp manual

Enjoy.

KB :)

How To: Nvidia drivers in #! or Debian stable

dummy@example.com (falldown) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:52:53 +0000

This is for cards that need the current driver. If you need a legacy driver (173 or 96) there are dkms packages as well, but I have no way to test them. Good luck!

I have seen a few people having trouble with the proprietary Nvidia drivers on crunchbang. It should not be this way as installing the Nvidia drivers is quite painless in Debian. The most important step is do not download the drivers from Nvidia, everything you need is in the repositories.

Please note that this will install the 195 series drivers. If you need or want the latest version (260) add the experimental repository, they are available there. Apt pinning and mixing versions is beyond the scope of this thread, so I started this one. I have done it and it does work.

Step 1: Install the needed packages

sudo apt-get install nvidia-kernel-dkms nvidia-glx nvidia-xconfig nvidia-settings

Note the nvidia-kernel-dkms package. This will build the driver automatically for future kernel updates.

If you have an 8000 series or higher Nvidia card you can also install VDPAU. This lets you use your graphics hardware to decode video files, especially useful on older or low power processors (Intel Atom). Without VDPAU on my Atom box 720/1080 video is a 3 fps slideshow. With VDPAU I can decode 3 720 files simultaneously without frame dropping. It works with Mplayer and XBMC from the Debian Multimedia repositories. Unfortunately the VLC included with #! doesn't support hardware acceleration. The version in the unstable repository works fine though.

Install VDPAU support.

sudo apt-get install nvidia-vdpau-driver vdpau-va-driver

Step 2: Backup your xorg.conf (if it exists) and create a new one for the Nvidia drivers.

if [ -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf ];then sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup;fi && sudo nvidia-xconfig

Add these options to the "Devices" section of your xorg.conf to enable some more features.

    # Disables Nvidia logo
    Option         " NoLogo" "true"
    # Fix Large fonts
    Option         "DPI" "96 x 96"
    # Power saving setting for Nvidia drivers
    Option         "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "1"
    # Enables overclocking gui
    Option         "Coolbits" "1"

Restart X or reboot and you should be up and running. You can use nvidia-settings to change resolution, switch outputs, etc. I added it under my Openbox System menu for easy access.

I also use disper. disper makes it easy to control your nvidia card from the command line, a kind of RandR for Nvidia. The Maverick deb package from dispers Ubuntu PPA works on crunchbang.

How To: Citrix Receiver in Statler

dummy@example.com (fherbet) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:54:48 +0000

I had a little trouble installing Citrix Receiver in Crunchbang, on amd64 architecture. Just in case anyone else runs into the same problems, I thought I'd report on how I got it working.
First I made sure I installed a few libraries and their dependencies. The libraries I installed (along with their dependencies) were:

libmotif4
ia32-libs
lib32stdc++6

Next I downloaded the Citrix Receiver .deb file from the Citrix website (http://www.citrix.com/site/SS/downloads … ost1349860). When I tried to install it, I got an error about wrong architecture. Google provided me with feedback that a lot of people were having that problem using any Debian based amd64 system. Some of them were uninstalling libmotif4 and installing a 32 bit version from the web. Instead, I just opened a terminal and tried:

#Change to the downloads directory
cd downloads

#Force the installation (be sure to use the correct package name)
sudo dpkg -i --force-architecture icaclient_11.100_i386.patched.deb

Then after exiting the terminal and opening up Chromium browser, I went to my company's website and tried to launch the Citrix client. As expected, Chromium downloaded the file 'launch.ica'. I set it to open with '/usr/lib64/ICAClient/wfica'.
After setting 'launch.ica' to open automatically, I have my Citrix Receiver working exactly as I want it to perform.
This may be extremely simple, but a few months ago, I wouldn't have known how to get it working and would have abandoned the distro. So hopefully it will help someone.

Greg

Howto International Keyboards /Keybindings/Alt-Gr/Keymaps/Options

dummy@example.com (Sector11) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:20:34 +0000

I had a problem with the Spanish keyboard on my Acer Aspire 3004 laptop. This is how I solved the problem of the standard "es" keyboard settings not giving me use of Alt or Alt-Gr keys.

Note: Before reading the member fixes below, also have a look at the Crunchbang wiki which contains useful information related to configuring keyboards, keymaps and keybindings:
http://crunchbanglinux.org/wiki/howto/keyboard_settings
http://crunchbanglinux.org/wiki/configuring_keybindings

Laptop with Spanish Keyboard
Edit /etc/default/keyboard to "es" and "105"

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="es"
XKBVARIANT=""
XKBOPTIONS=""

Keyboard Configuration Tool:
There is also a built in Keyboard Configuration tool that you can use, which will also edit /etc/default/keyboard:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration

Keyboards with Two Languages:
Kodx posted a fix for dual-language keyboards as well as having Keyboard options such as the old "Ctrl+Alt+Backspace" to restart X:
This is his example with a dual US and Russian layout

XKBMODEL="pc105"
XKBLAYOUT="us,ru"
XKBVARIANT=","
XKBOPTIONS="grp:caps_toggle,terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp,grp_led:scroll"

Kodx also offered some different key combination options for toggling between languages:

grp:caps_toggle - CapsLock
grp:alt_shift_toggle - Alt+Shift
grp:ctrl_shift_toggle - Ctrl+Shift

Then update Hal to keep the settings:

/etc/init.d/hal restart

(Optional) Disabling the Crunchbang System Tray Keyboard Switcher:
Comment out the keyboard settings on ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh

# Set-up keyboard maps and sytem tray switcher
# tip - quickly toggle between keyboard maps by holding both shift keys!
#setxkbmap -option grp:switch,grp:shifts_toggle,grp_led:scroll gb,us,de,fr,es &
#(sleep 1s && fbxkb) &
# ^^ note: if using the LiveCD, you can also change to a different
#          keyboard map by entering the terminal command:
#              setxkbmap xx
#          Where "xx" is the 2 letter country code.