VectorLinux
The nuts and bolts => X-Rated => Topic started by: Colonel Panic on January 17, 2007, 08:00:27 am
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Has anyone managed to compile and build these on the latest Vector? I've had a go at all of them but I haven't had much success. None of them work as yet.
It's no big deal for me because I've got both icewm and fvwm (which is probably my favourite) to work, but all the same I'd like to know what's going wrong.
Thanks in advance,
Colonel Panic.
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You don't need to compile fluxbox - there is a fluxbox package for VL5.8 alredy in the repository. Install it, create a $HOME/.fluxbox directory and then reboot X and there should be a dropdown (left side) of the KDM login manager screen where fluxbox will appear as an option.
I don't recommend blackbox as it has not been developed for about 3 years now. fluxbox as you many know, is a fork of blackbox and does the same and more for little cost in extra resources.
I compiled openbox quite easily on my 5.8 machine, works fine. I did not make a package however, so I can't send you one or I would.
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Lagagnon, if we know there is an error in the Fluxbox package (creating the home dir) don't we need to repackage it? So other users won't have this inconvenience when installing Fluxbox from the repo?
If we know where the problem is, why not fix it? Just a thought..
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Freeman: true enough, but please remember this is a volunteer effort and folks here do that work out of the goodness of their hearts and need to find time amongst all the other things in their lives! ;) . Also, Fluxbox is not an essential component of the VL distribution or it would have been done by now.
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You're right. Such things may not be expected by volunteers. My apologizes...
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Thanks for the replies above. Anyway I've got openbox working now and I'm posting from it, so that's a good outcome.
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You don't need to compile fluxbox - there is a fluxbox package for VL5.8 alredy in the repository. Install it, create a $HOME/.fluxbox directory and then reboot X and there should be a dropdown (left side) of the KDM login manager screen where fluxbox will appear as an option.
I don't recommend blackbox as it has not been developed for about 3 years now. fluxbox as you many know, is a fork of blackbox and does the same and more for little cost in extra resources.
I compiled openbox quite easily on my 5.8 machine, works fine. I did not make a package however, so I can't send you one or I would.
Thanks for the advice, which I've taken and I'm now running and posting from fluxbox. It's a very good window manager IMO, with tabbed windows for ease of dragging around the desktop.
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I should have added that as with fluxbox you need to make a directory (.openbox) underneath your $HOME directory.
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You're right. Such things may not be expected by volunteers. My apologizes...
What is the error in question, exactly?
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I think the problem was that it didn't have a subdirectory to which it should put its config files, so it crashed. You need to put one there beneath the $HOME directory in order for it to work.
Apologies if I'm wrong about this.
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This is the part that isn't included in the package, according to lagagnon:
create a $HOME/.fluxbox directory
If the .fluxbox directory will automagically be created in the home dir, everything will work as expected.
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Thanks, you're right.
I couldn't get Blackbox to compile, but there's a cutdown version called hackedbox which will and had a recent version (2007) which is available from this site;
http://scrudgeware.org/projects/Hackedbox
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This is the part that isn't included in the package, according to lagagnon:
create a $HOME/.fluxbox directory
If the .fluxbox directory will automagically be created in the home dir, everything will work as expected.
Then we have a few choices for how to handle that. The easiest one, IMO, is adding a .fluxbox directory to /etc/skel.
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Why not have .fluxbox under /root? I'm not arguing, just ignorant frankly.
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This is the part that isn't included in the package, according to lagagnon:
create a $HOME/.fluxbox directory
If the .fluxbox directory will automagically be created in the home dir, everything will work as expected.
Then we have a few choices for how to handle that. The easiest one, IMO, is adding a .fluxbox directory to /etc/skel.
this will work for users created after the package is installed and it should be added to the package, but it doesnt take care of existing users.
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Why not have .fluxbox under /root? I'm not arguing, just ignorant frankly.
I don't get what you're saying.
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Here's the script from my skype package I made for myself that edits something in everybody's home folders, you could adapt it to work for fluxbox.
#!/bin/sh
# renames all instances of .asoundrc to .asoundrc.bak
echo "Renaming .asoundrc to .asoundrc.bak in"
echo "home folders to fix skype sound problem"
echo "Renaming /etc/skel/.asoundrc so new accounts will"
echo "not have .asoundrc by default"
if [ -r /etc/skel/.asoundrc ]; then
mv /etc/skel/.asoundrc /etc/skel/.asoundrc.bak
echo " /etc/skel/.asoundrc renamed to /etc/skel/.asoundrc.bak"
fi
echo "Renaming root's .asoundrc"
if [ -r /root/.asoundrc ]; then
mv /root/.asoundrc /root/.asoundrc.bak
echo " /root/.asoundrc renamed to /root/.asoundrc.bak"
fi
echo "Renaming .asoundrc in all home directories if it exists"
for file in `find /home -name .asoundrc -mindepth 2 -maxdepth 2`
do
mv $file $file.bak
echo " $file renamed to $file.bak"
done
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I don't think that's really necessary; just provide a default .fluxbox directory in the user skeleton.
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I didn't really understand what a user skeleton was, and putting it under /root works on my own system.
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I didn't really understand what a user skeleton was, and putting it under /root works on my own system.
When new users are added to a Linux box, they get a home directory, which is populated in part with contents from the user skeleton in /etc/skel.
HTH,
John
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the problem that I see is that this package does not create the .fluxbox dir for existing users
putting it in /etc/skel will Not do this
you must have the doinst script copy it there
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the problem that I see is that this package does not create the .fluxbox dir for existing users
putting it in /etc/skel will Not do this
you must have the doinst script copy it there
True. But adding it to the skeleton is a better long-term solution (for future releases).
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Speaking of Fluxbox.
I went to install the packages after a reinstall of 5.8 standard. They are missing? I updated the mirror list file and even added the utah mirrors. I know I installed from the packages before. What did I miss?
Thanks
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Got it. I had to add the 'extra' directory to gsplat.
sorry for the potential hijack of the thread.
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I didn't really understand what a user skeleton was, and putting it under /root works on my own system.
Are you logging in as root all the time? That's generally considered unsafe.
The user skeleton (located in /etc/skel) is the template from which default user preferences are first instantiated. If you look in /etc/skel, you'll notice that most of these begin with . (and are hidden unless you use ls -a or configure your file manager to see hidden dot files).
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Thanks for the advice above.
I've recently downloaded the Artwiz fonts package (which are specific to the Artwiz style used in Fluxbox and Openbox) but I'm having trouble installing them so that they will show up when I use Artwiz. Is there any easy way of doing this?
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Thanks for the advice above.
I've recently downloaded the Artwiz fonts package (which are specific to the Artwiz style used in Fluxbox and Openbox) but I'm having trouble installing them so that they will show up when I use Artwiz. Is there any easy way of doing this?
First you have to find somewhere to put them. I would make a directory like /usr/X11/lib/X11/fonts/artwiz. Then, in xorg.conf, where you see all the other lines that have FontPath in them, add one more that sez FontPath "/usr/X11/lib/X11/fonts/artwiz/:unscaled". The :unscaled qualifier is important because blown-up fixed fonts make it look like someone drew on your screen with mascara.
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Thanks for the advice, I'll try that. :)
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This will probably be only of interest to people with old computers (128 MB of RAM or less), but I have been able to install Blackbox (albeit an earlier version of it, 0.65), in Vector. The full filename is blackbox-0.65.0-i386-1.tgz, and I got it from the Slackware website for Slack 10.2.
Still haven't tackled those fonts yet, but I intend to soon.
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This will probably be only of interest to people with old computers (128 MB of RAM or less), but I have been able to install Blackbox (albeit an earlier version of it, 0.65), in Vector. The full filename is blackbox-0.65.0-i386-1.tgz, and I got it from the Slackware website for Slack 10.2.
Still haven't tackled those fonts yet, but I intend to soon.
I dunno. Blackbox is kind of humdrum compared to its sundry forks...
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I agree, I'm in Fluxbox at the moment. Still, someone might be interested, especially with a very old machine (backpedals furiously) :)
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Very old machine won't run Vector 5.8 ;) .
I think - this is a way to go ;) :
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b322/faijeya/flux3d.png (256rb)
Yeah, that's EVE-Online in the background ;) .
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First you have to find somewhere to put them. I would make a directory like /usr/X11/lib/X11/fonts/artwiz. Then, in xorg.conf, where you see all the other lines that have FontPath in them, add one more that sez FontPath "/usr/X11/lib/X11/fonts/artwiz/:unscaled". The :unscaled qualifier is important because blown-up fixed fonts make it look like someone drew on your screen with mascara.
I've tried this but no change thus far. Is there anything else I need to do to "fix" the changes? I remember there was a discussion on this concerning using TTF (Windows) fonts in Vector.
Thanks in advance,
Colonel Panic.
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Are you using a theme that uses Artwiz fonts? That's important obviously. You could also try moving the line to the top of the list if there are other fonts that use the same name as the artwiz fonts (though I doubt it).
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I'm using the Artwiz themes in Openbox and Fluxbox, and they should do it but so far they don't.
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Did you remember to copy over the fonts.dir and fonts.alias files?
I never used the artwiz fonts before now, but I have them successfully installed; that's the only step I might have glossed over. Can you see them in the output of xlsfonts anyway?
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Did you remember to copy over the fonts.dir and fonts.alias files?
Er, there aren't any for artwiz, at leasst not in the file I downloaded.
I never used the artwiz fonts before now, but I have them successfully installed; that's the only step I might have glossed over. Can you see them in the output of xlsfonts anyway?
No I can't. I haven't a fricking clue about Linux fonts to be honest.
Thanks for your help anyway.
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http://artwizaleczapka.sourceforge.net/
If you get the fonts from here, you can copy over the fonts.dir and fonts.alias files. That should clear it up after you restart the X server (typing xset fp rehash may even suffice).
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Thanks, done;
It looks like a thinner-bodied Helvetica tbh. Success anyway! Artwiz is a cool-looking theme in Openbox, I'm using it with the SeaNight wallpaper from WindowMaker.
Thanks for your help. :)
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Have a screenshot?
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I will, but as yet I don't have a decent screenshot program. Puppy uses mtpaint to take screenshots with a 10 second delay, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet, so I'm downloading a program called scrot and plan to have a go with that.
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Quick update; I wasn't able to get scrot to compile, because Vector doesn't seem to have a library called giblib.
However, Puppy has a utility called mtpaint snapshot, which is a .sh file and which I copied over to Vector;
#!/bin/sh
xmessage -center -bg "#ff00ff" -title "mtPaint screen snapshot utility" -buttons "" -timeout 8 "
There will now be a pause of 10 seconds to allow you to adjust
windows as you wish, then a snapshot will be taken of entire screen.
Note, you can also take a snapshot of the main menu. Close this window,
open the main menu to the desired layout, then wait until the 10 seconds
has expired.
This window will disappear in 8 seconds from its creation." &
sleep 10
exec mtpaint -s
and it works. The hardest thing is waiting for PhotoBucket to load when you're on dialup. Talk about watching paint dry....
I gave up in the end but I might try again from a public, broadband-enabled machine.
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I kinda lost track of what's being discussed here, but if there's a question of taking screen shots with VL 5.8 Standard, you have at least two options:
* Vector (Start) menu, Graphics, Shutterbug. Right-click on the bug in the upper left to find the options.
* The Gimp, File menu, Acquire, Screen Shot.
Both options let you set things like delays and whole screen or a window. Shutterbug has several more options.
If you install ImageMagick (it's in the VL repositories), you can use the import command-line utility, which has tons of options. Do man import after you install ImageMagick.
--GrannyGeek
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Hi GG. We were discussing the -box series of window managers (Fluxbox, Openbox and HackedBox), and I was having trouble getting the Artwiz font to display in the theme of trhe same name. Then hanumizzle asked for a screenshot, which I'm happy to provide once;
1/ I figure out how to produce one, and
2 / I get past the infernally long loading time of Photobucket, where I store the screenshot file I'm hoping to link to. I still haven't cracked that one yet.
Thanks for the advice on how to create a screenshot btw, I've used a utility copied over from another distro (Puppy) to do it this time but I may try your advice in the future.
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Thanks for the advice on how to create a screenshot btw, I've used a utility copied over from another distro (Puppy) to do it this time but I may try your advice in the future.
And don't forget the good old program xv, fast and easy. One can find it in slackware-xap.
xv is an interactive image manipulation program.
Regards
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Thanks, I'll try that one when I get home. From memory though, xv doesn't compile from source under Xorg; it needs XFree86. Isn't it also non-free software?
Here's the pic anyway;
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/SmokeOnTheWater_2006/Desktops/opennight.png)
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Nice one.
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From memory though, xv doesn't compile from source under Xorg; it needs XFree86.n Isn't it also non-free software?
xv works under Xorg. I don't know about compiling it under Xorg, but why bother when a Slackware package works fine? I used xv for years but I haven't installed it under VL 5.8 because other programs do what xv does and do it better.
xv is not free software. It does not cost anything for personal use, but there are licensing restrictions that didn't matter to me as a home user. I am not a "free software" ideologue.
--GrannyGeek
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Fair enough, I thought you had to pay for XV for "personal use" as well? I'm not doctrinaire about software having to be free either, as long as it's not ridiculously expensive like Windows Vista.
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25 USD. Not at all dreadfully expensive. Of course I prefer to use 'free software' myself, and usually I work something out that I can. But Xv is in fact a really nice program, and you can have the source after all.
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I thought you had to pay for XV for "personal use" as well? I'm not doctrinaire about software having to be free either, as long as it's not ridiculously expensive like Windows Vista.
You don't HAVE to pay for personal use. Here's what it says at http://www.trilon.com/xv/pricing.html :
"xv is shareware for personal use only.
"You may use xv for your own amusement, and if you find it nifty, useful, generally cool, or of some value to you, your registration fee would be greatly appreciated. $25 is the standard registration fee, though of course, larger amounts are quite welcome."
That's a pretty low-key beg, and it seems to be up to you to judge whether xv is useful enough or nifty enough to you to be worth $25. Registration is required if you use xv in the course of your work.
--GrannyGeek
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Fair enough, I'll look into it soon. Thanks for the info.
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If you're running 5.9 nowadays an xv package is in the repository. It's there for 6.0 as well :)
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No, I only have 5.8 at the moment though I'm considering getting 5.9 or 6.0 in the near future. Thanks for lettling me know anyway.