The best new open source software on the planet LXFHotPicks Nick Veitch When compiling HotPicks, Nick DXF2Papercraft Usermin Komparator 4 MP3 Diags makes frequent use of Curses. Tell us your favourite programming Evince Amahi Tremulous Performous Fotoxx Terraform libraries at the usual address. Modelling tool DXF2Papercraft Version 0.2 Web http://dxf2papercraft.sourceforge.net idn’t you ever have the urge to that you can easily make it out of paper. take a model of a character’s Loads of things are made out of folded- D head from some game, blow it up sheets of stuff, and in engineering, up to twice lifesize and then build it out there’s software for calculating the best of paper? And colour it in. And then… way to fold thin sheets of metal to make, maybe cut out little eyeholes and wear well, whatever it is you’re making. it as a mask and freak everyone out This exciting project, DXF2Papercraft, with your twice-lifesize head? OK, I may is like a scaled-down version of that for have lost the audience a bit there with your own micro-industrial use. It takes a that last bit, but seriously, that would standard DXF 3D file (you can export be a really cool thing to do. these from Blender, for example) and One of the problems you might find computes each face as a shape, then is actually creating the model in a way unwraps it all flat so that you can print it on a sheet of paper. This is a simple unwrapped DXF primitive, but imagine a “Don’t bother trying a The edges that giant head object, with holes for the eyes. should be joined 20,000-face model of are left together, glue tabs so that you can stick it all while the rest are together later. As a bonus, for those the Eiffel Tower.” printed with little more complicated structures, you can also print out numbered tabs that will Juicy Bits cross-match. This means that, as long as you can read, you should be able to TheExploring text for each article appears DXF2Papercraft at the bottom of the screen assemble your creation. Input Keep it simple This shell shows the This project is at an early stage of command line interface of the DXF2Papercraft app. development, but it works well on simple models – don’t bother trying a Output 20,000-face model of the Eiffel Tower The output from DXF looks or something, unless you have a lot of like this. We’ve opened it spare paper. Hopefully, later versions of using OpenOffice.org. DXF2Papercraft will also enable you to map UV textures on – having that capability would be truly amazing. Fold lines The utility relies on a library called Solid lines between faces of your 3D shape indicate dime, which is included in the source. normal folds. The distribution tarball contains some pre-built binaries as well, which should Glue tab Face labels run out of the box if you don’t want to Tabs that you apply the glue to The flat faces of your 3D bother compiling it yourself. What are each have numbers, making the creation can also be labelled, you waiting for? Go and have some fun, shape easier to assemble. as we’ve done here. and I look forward to seeing you and your creations at ScaryBigHeadFest ’10. 68 LXF129 March 2010 www.linuxformat.com LXF129.hot 68 18/1/10 12:21:45 pm LXFHotPicks Remote system management tool Usermin Version 1.4.3 Web www.usermin.com hese days, everything is better But hang on, I was supposed to be run as a web service. Booking talking about Usermin, a spin-off from T flights, relaying phone calls, Webmin – a bit like Torchwood and Dr writing HotPicks, abusing Mike – all Who without the time-travel. Usermin is these things can be done online with a pared-down version that doesn’t rely less hassle. For a long time, it has also on root access to the target box. been somewhat easier to manage your Linux boxes online too. Easy to use Why struggle with complicated services and SSH when Webmin is a remote management The thinking, by lazy system admins, is you could get the same functionality using Usermin? tool that sets up a web server and lots that ordinary users might like to change DXF2Papercraft of little configuration tools to do all the things on a remote box too – mail understands lots of variants of Linux/ heavy lifting. The rationale is that settings, proxy stuff, spam filters, or Unix and their derivatives, so you can practically every box is easier to get to even just access usage statistics (and have one common interface regardless via the web. Why bother configuring there’s the facility to add custom of the distro you’re using. SSH tunnels or authorising loads of commands too). Usermin runs as a web Installing is as simple as different services, when one application server with pretty icons and plenty of downloading the relevant RPM or Deb running on a website on the target explanation, so that the dear little users file. The install scripts will work out what machine will take care of all your won’t get confused. What’s more, it version of Linux you’re using and act needs? It’s certainly less hassle than accordingly, setting up paths and poking half a dozen holes through your “You have one common services to run on demand. Once firewall and then constantly having to you’ve installed it, do a quick sudo monitor the ports to make sure that interface regardless of /etc/init.d/usermin start to launch it nothing naughty’s going on. So, all in and then point your browser to all, Webmin is a great thing. the distro you’re using.” localhost:20000 to configure it. Directory sync utility Komparator 4 Version 0.1b Web http://bit.ly/7Ylv3l ounding a bit like the latest euro- them. Commonly searched pairs of grunge-electronica group from directories can be added to a saved list S Berlin doesn’t seem to be of presets, which could be handy for holding back this little directory utility. regularly checking backups or mirrors. You may be wondering how it could be any good if nobody noticed the More tricks previous three, but it seems the Other options include the ability to filter numerical suffix relates to the version out particular files or groups of files, While its interface isn’t the most intuitive we’ve ever of KDE that it’s designed for, rather than follow symlinks, as well as different seen, what Komparator does is undoubtedly useful. indicating a trio of predecessors. types of comparison depending on The idea here is straightforward, but whether you want speed or ruthless sources for one side of the comparison executed with more than a modicum of accuracy. There’s a nifty file finder in can be defined and treated as if they rigorous excellence. You have the tabs along the top of the window were all in the same place. directories, you put things in them. too, just in case you didn’t think The array of options and radio Some of the things are the same. Some Komparator was doing enough. There’s buttons on the opening screen may put seem the same but are in fact only also a feature to use ‘virtual’ some users off for good. The points similar. And so on. Whether it’s giant subdirectories, where additional where you declare the directories to be folders full of digital photos, or searched are somewhat buried halfway directories containing different versions down the right-hand side. If you can get of code, Komparator will either point “It’s executed with to grips with the interface (which could out ‘missing’ files (which are in one more than a modicum of surely be sorted out!), this is a powerful place but not the other), duplicate files tool that could save you some filespace or files that just have a newer date on rigorous excellence.” or help find that lost photo. www.tuxradar.com March 2010 LXF129 69 LXF129.hot 69 18/1/10 12:21:46 pm LXFHotPicks MP3 toolkit MP3 Diags Version 1.0 Web http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net es, I know. We shouldn’t even be frames, garbled tags, missing info, bad bothering with MP3s. But in the normalisation settings and many other Ysame way that VHS became the such heinous audio file crimes. lingua franca of video, so too the annoyingly inefficient, clunky and Now fix it Music behaving badly. Actually, these are only minor bodged MP3 format has become the Of course, with the help of both internal misdemeanours compared to some files you’ll come across. mainstay of music. Although it probably and external instruments, the software isn’t the worst format in the world, let’s can also attempt to correct these complicated set of filter parameters face it, we’re stuck with it. This wouldn’t deficiencies with a number of tools and tools for matching tags to be as bad if there weren’t so many along the top of the main window. The filenames or vice versa. We suggest you devilish ways in which these files could icons aren’t particularly intuitive, so if have a good play around with these be malformed and mangled, resulting you’re not sure what something does, functions before unleashing them on in unpleasantness at the point of use.