Bulk rotate images using EXIF data

Using a simple command line command it is very simple to rotate any number of images using the exif data (hopefully) contained in the image. Most cameras will save the exif data and include the camera rotation when the photograph was taken.

sudo apt-get install jhead

then when we run the following command in the folder it will losslessly rotate the photographs that need it.

jhead -autorot *

Job done :]

Set up rxvt terminal with unicode and clickable URL's

Rxvt is a super fast unicode terminal which I have recently switched to away from Eterm for my transparent desktop terminal.

sudo apt-get install rxvt-unicode-ml

Next is to create a configuration file for it in your home folder.

touch .Xdefaults

Now paste this lot in...

URxvt*termName: rxvt

## borderless and no scrollbar
URxvt*scrollBar_right: false
URxvt*scrollBar: false
URxvt*borderLess: false

## teh transparency stuff
URxvt*inheritPixmap: true
URxvt*tintColor: white
URxvt*shading: 100

##
## These 3 lines make links clickable
##
URxvt.urlLauncher: firefox
URxvt.matcher.button: 1
URxvt.perl-ext-common: matcher,readline

## geometry and font
URxvt*geometry: 80×15
URxvt*font: xft:Terminus:pixelsize=12

## change default colors
URxvt*background: #000000
URxvt*foreground: #A8A8A8
URxvt*color0: #000000
URxvt*color1: #A80000

## URxvt*color2: #00A800
URxvt*color2: #ED254F

URxvt*color3: #A85400
## main bars in irssi
URxvt*color4: #020202
URxvt*color5: #A800A8
URxvt*color6: #00A8A8
URxvt*color7: #A8A8A8
URxvt*color8: #545054
URxvt*color9: #F85450

## Time in Irssi
URxvt*color10: #ED254F
## URxvt*color10: #50FC50

## URxvt*color11: #F2FC50
URxvt*color11: #ED254F

URxvt*color12: #5054F8

URxvt*color13: #ED254F
## URxvt*color13: #F854F8

URxvt*color14: #50FCF8
URxvt*color15: #F8FCF8

Note that some of the colours have been changed to coordinate with my current desktop theme, the original colours are commented out so you can easily revert. Also the line defining the window geometry seems to have no effect, I shall look into that and correct it when I get some time and inclination. At the moment I don't mind because the default window size is fine, and the launcher I use to start the transparent terminal I use on the desktop mainly for my screen with irssi, hellanzb and mediatomb in has the geometry set on it. the launcher command is:

rxvt -g 80x15

Last job is to tell compiz to not decorate this window, this will get rid of the title bar, borders and shadow etc.

Hopefully you have installed the advanced compiz settings (ccsm), so just open that up and go to the section for window decorations in Effects, Window Decorations.

Add the rxvt window to be excluded from shadows and decorations, and that should see you done.

Howto: Ubuntu 9.04 notification of available updates revert behaviour

Revert the change in notifications of available updates to original behaviour.

Open a terminal and issue the command:

gconftool -s --type bool /apps/update-notifier/auto_launch false

This will do away with the Update manager automatically opening and revert to showing the update icon instead effectively reverting to original behaviour. The new method seems like a massive regression to me. I don't want to wait 7 days to have the computer randomly open the update manager, and even worse that 7days is reset if you used Synaptic, apt-get or add/remove!

I completely fail to understand why none critical updates should wait 7days before Ubuntu decides that you should install them, and reset the clock if you opened Synaptic in between.

Synaptic not showing search results

Synaptic fails to show search results for packages that you know are present.

This was an annoying little problem I had on 8.10 and bless my soul if it didn't occur on my fresh clean install of 9.04, so I thought I should throw the solution up here in case I need it again, or anyone else does.

Open a terminal and issue the following command

sudo update-apt-xapian-index

It will just take a couple of minutes to rebuild the apt database, then Synaptic should work fine again.

Logitech G9 on Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty

Logitech G9 on Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty


Info taken from : http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1092352

Firstly we need to install a couple of extra programs so open up a terminal and copy/paste the following line:

sudo apt-get install xvkbd xbindkeys

Next up we need to make a ~/.xbindkeysrc and put the next few lines into it:

"/usr/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Alt_L]\[left]""
 b:6
"/usr/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Alt_L]\[right]""
 b:7
"/usr/X11R6/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Control_L]\[Page_Up]""
 m:0x0 + b:11
"/usr/X11R6/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Control_L]\[Page_Down]""
 m:0x0 + b:12

Then make another file called ~/.Xmodmap which contains the single line:

pointer = 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 6 7

Then give it a quick test by starting xbindkeys up in a terminal, the buttons should all work correctly. It could be tested in nautilus by seeing if the back button will move back a folder.

Control+Alt+Backspace shortcut does not restart the X server

Control+Alt+Backspace shortcut does not restart the X server

Edit: I believe this was removed because the kernal already contained another combo that does the same job, Alt+SysReq+k will terminate and restart X if it should become unresponsive.

If you would prefer the old key combination then issue the following two commands in a terminal. I would advise against this though, but as always, the choice is entirely yours.

sudo apt-get install dontzap

then do:

sudo dontzap –disable