K@GJKI@:BJ Ubuntu GiXZk`ZXc\og\ik`j\ K@GJ8E; KI@:BJ We let you in on some secret, and not so secret, tips and tricks for working with Ubuntu. BY HEIKE JURZIK buntu comes with several useful every last detail of Compiz and its effects The Resolution and Refresh Rate selec- utilities for customizing your (see Figure 1).To start the program, enter tion lists are fairly self-explanatory. The Lsystem and creating a new look ccsm either from the Run Application Rotation field allows you to configure for your computer interface. If you are window (Alt+F2) or from the menu settings when more than one monitor is interested in exploring some of the ad- item System | Preferences | Advanced connected. The drop-down boxes make vanced techniques used by the experts, Desktop Effects Settings. it easy to select one of the available set- these handy Ubuntu tricks should get tings. you started. :fe]`^li`e^Dfe`kfi The Detect Display button begins a I\jfclk`fe scan for available monitors. When one is Jn`kZ_`e^F]]*;<]]\Zkj Ubuntu comes with a graphical tool that found, you can then configure it. If you If the X.org driver for your graphics card leads you by the hand through the tricky change your configuration on a regular supports 3D acceleration, then by de- steps of configuring your monitor. This basis, the activation box Show Displays fault, Ubuntu 8.10 enables its 3D effects practical utility can be found in the menu in Panel provides a panel icon that lets on the desktop. Ubuntu’s developers System | Preferences by choosing Screen you switch quickly bet ween different have integrated the Compiz Compositing Resolution, or enter gnome-display-proper- settings. Manager into the desktop, and although ties in the Run Application window The Mirror Screens box causes every tricks like window fades, drop shadows, (Alt+F2). monitor to show the same content. true transparency, and the rest are all treats for the eye, they also can be the source of a significant drop in perfor- mance. To switch these effects on or off, go to the menu item System | Preferences | Ap- pearance, then click on the Visual Effects tab and choose the option None. :fdg`q:fe]`^J\kk`e^j DXeX^\i If you want to keep the 3D effects and you want to configure more features in addition to those described in the previ- ous tip, then you should install the compizconfig- settings-manager package from the Universe repository. This pack- age contains the CompizConfig Settings Manager, which allows you to configure =`^li\(1K_\:fdg`q:fe]`^J\kk`e^jDXeX^\i^`m\jpflkfkXcZfekifcfm\ik_\*;\]]\Zkj% 88 ISSUE 03 SPECIAL EDITION 088-090_ubuntu_tips.indd 88 30.10.2008 15:31:20 Uhr Ubuntu K@GJKI@:BJ Clicking Apply activates your new con- figuration, as does Close, which also terminates the resolution settings appli- cation. ;`jgcXp`e^D\jjX^\jN_\e 9ffk`e^ By default, when you boot the computer, the system displays a splash screen with a progress bar (see Figure 2). However, if you want to follow what the system is doing behind the scenes, you have vari- ous ways to view the boot messages at your disposal. While the startup process is running, you can press Alt+F1. Messages report- ing on system services that are starting or on hardware configurations fly by until the graphical login management program starts and shows its welcome screen. =`^li\)1LYleklËj^iXg_`ZXcjgcXj_jZi\\eXgg\Xijn_`c\k_\jpjk\d`jYffk`e^Xe[_`[\jXcc M`\n`e^9ffkD\jjX^\j k_\jkXiklgd\jjX^\j#j_fn`e^aljkXgif^i\jjYXi`ejk\X[% X]k\ik_\<m\ekn`k_;d\j^ If the startup process goes by too fast for you to follow, launching dmesg from the First, you need to follow the procedure StartUp-Manager provides you with an command line will allow you to view the outlined in the previous tip and load the easy-to-use graphical interface for modi- messages once the system has booted. configuration file /boot/grub/menu.lst fying your Grub configuration. After you Simply log in to the system as usual, into a text editor. install it, Startup-Manager will appear start a terminal window (for example, by After that, scroll down to the entry for under System | Administration. When pressing Alt+F2 and entering gnome-ter- Ubuntu and remove the quiet option you start the program, you must first minal or konsole), and then type the fol- from the kernel line. enter your password to work as an ad- lowing line: Instead of seeing ministrator. dmesg | less kernel /vmlinuz-5 DX`eFgk`fej 2.6.27-4-generic root=5 The StartUp-Manager program is fairly The pipe character (|) after the com- ... ro splash quiet self-explanatory, but a description of the mand forwards the output of dmesg to main options follows. the Less tool. Then you can use the it now reads ฀ Boot options: This tab contains a Time- arrow keys to move up and down out field that allows you to specify the through the output, or you can press Q kernel /vmlinuz-5 length of time that the Grub menu dis- to return to the command line. Alterna- 2.6.27-4-generic root=5 plays on the screen. The Default oper- tively, you can save the startup messages ... ro splash ating system drop-down list lets you to a file – for example: define which operating system should or something similar. The next time be started by default if no other is se- dmesg > bootmessages.txt you start the computer, you will see the lected. The Resolution and Color depth Ubuntu logo followed by messages about options in the Display section and the All sorts of exciting things happen as the system services. Show bootloader menu, Show boot computer starts up. splash, and Show text during boot op- If you want a detailed explanation of JkXikLg$DXeX^\i tions in the Misc. section all allow you what you are seeing, YoLinux.com [1] If you don’t like the idea of editing the to configure visual aspects of the boot- has a tutorial of the boot process. configuration file directly in a text editor, loader as it goes about its business install the StartUp-Manager program. starting the system. :fdY`e`e^k_\JgcXj_ This can be done by way of Applications ฀ Appearance: This tab allows you to de- JZi\\en`k_9ffkD\jjX^\j | Add/ Remove… or by entering the fol- fine further options for the bootloader A simple modification to the Grub boot lowing at the command line: – such as the Background and Text manager allows you to configure the sys- colors – and to configure a bootloader tem so that it shows both the boot mes- $sudo apt-get install 5 theme (available for the standard Grub sages and the splash screen. startupmanager install only if you have gfxboot SPECIAL EDITION ISSUE 03 89 088-090_ubuntu_tips.indd 89 30.10.2008 15:31:21 Uhr K@GJKI@:BJ Ubuntu Kubuntu, Edubuntu, etc.), a different version of the splash screen is displayed when booting. However, each specific theme is in- terchangeable and can be used by each of the other Ubuntu derivatives. With the Synaptic pack- age manager utility, search for the keyword usplash and install the version that you want. =`^li\,1J\XiZ_]fiLjgcXj_k_\d\jXk>efd\$Cffb%fi^% 8Zk`mXk\K_\d\ Once installed, you can activate the new type the number of an alternative selec- =`^li\*1JkXikLg$DXeX^\idXb\j`k\Xjpkf theme in one of two ways. The first tion followed by Enter. Zfe]`^li\Xe\nYffkjgcXj_k_\d\% method is to select the new theme from the U splash theme drop-down list on the LjgcXj_K_\d\j]ifdk_\ installed too) and a Usplash theme Appearance tab of the StartUp-Manager @ek\ie\k (also see the next tip). application (see Figure 3). Websites such as Gnome-Look.org [3] ฀ Security: This tab al- and KDE-Look.org [4] have a number of lows you to set vari- other Usplash themes that you can ous passwords: for download (search for usplash) (Figure the bootloader itself, 5). After downloading and unpacking for rescue mode, or the theme, you should copy the file with for old boot options. the .so extension (which contains the ฀ Advanced: The final image, color scheme, etc. to be used) to tab allows you to =`^li\+1K_\8ck\ieXk`m\jjpjk\d[\]`e\jj\kk`e^j]fi[\]Xlck the correct location; for example: limit the Number of Xggc`ZXk`fej`ek_`jZXj\#k_\LjgcXj_jZi\\e % kernels that can be sudo cp chrome-theme.so 5 presented by the /usr/lib/usplash Grub menu. Any other entries that you In the second method, fans of the have configured now will no longer command line can use the update-alter- Then use the command appear in the boot menu. In the Misc. natives program to adjust the settings in section of this tab, you are allowed to the Alternatives system. sudo updates-alternatives 5 enable or disable boot menu options The command --install /usr/lib/usplash/5 for the Memtest86 program (which usplash-artwork.so /usr/lib/5 checks the computer’s RAM) and Re- update-alternatives --display 5 usplash/chrome-theme.so 50 coveryMode (for use in emergencies) usplash-artwork.so [2]. to update the list of alternatives (also see shows which splash screen is currently the previous tip). E\nLjgcXj_K_\d\j]fi selected. The output from this command Now you can activate the new theme JkXiklg will be something like: link currently as the default either by running up- Depending on which version of the dis- points to /usr/ lib/ usplash/ usplash-theme- date-alternatives --config etc., as above, tribution you are using (Ubuntu, xubuntu.so.