Archive for the ‘Basics’ Category
Encrypt Folders (Ubuntu Linux)
To encrypt folders on Linux Ubuntu there is a simple program called Cryptkeeper which, while active, lets you mount and dismount password protected folders.
While unmounted, the encrypted folders are invisible to the user. While mounted, you need to enter the password to access its contents. To create a new encrypted folder just click on the key icon on the system panel and select New encrypted folder.
Make sure to unmount the encrypted folders before you quit Cryptkeeper since the files become accessible if they are mounted and Cryptkeeper is inactive. The files remain invisible if they are unmounted and Cryptkeeper is quit.
Copy and Paste Multiple Entries (Ubuntu Linux)
To be able to copy and paste multiple entries with Control + C and Control + V there is an applet for the GNOME desktop panel called Glipper which is a clipboard manager and is available in the default Ubuntu repositories. If it does not show up in your list of applets after installation, restart your system and it should be available. Its menu is accessible over the panel icon and the key combination which is configured in the Preferences menu (Ctrl+Alt+C by default). The top entry is the one that will be pasted on Ctrl+V. To change it, just select another one.
In Preferences, you can also configure on what actions selections should be copied into the clipboard, if they should be remembered on system restart and how many entries should be remembered.
Quicklink Current Files on the Desktop Panel (Ubuntu Linux)
There is a desktop panel applet for Ubuntu Linux and its derivatives that is able to store files and folders within a dropdown window accessible from a tiny icon on the panel bar called Topshelf. It is available in the default Ubuntu repositories.
It receives content by just dragging and dropping it into its window which opens upon clicking the topshelf icon. This way you do not have to browse long ways through the file system to find the files you are working on regularly but have easy access on them by quicklinking.
Fast Execution Bar (Linux Gnome Desktop)
If you are tired of browsing through your files or the menu to find and open an application you do not use regularly or if you just want to speed up the process of opening a program, there is an application for the Gnome Desktop called GNOME Do which you might like.
Install it as usual with your package manager and start it. To call the execution bar, press SUPER (Windows Key on Windows keyboards) + Space and enter the name or parts of the name of any application, script or executable.
If it is not the desired app that is proposed, you can browse the other possibilties with the Up- and Down- keys. To cancel the bar, hit ESC and to execute the displayed program hit Enter.
Change Default Application to Open Files (Linux Mint)
The default application is the one you open a file with on doubleclick. In some cases installed programs automatically turn themselves into the default application for files you were happy with, which you might want to change. To do that, rightclick a file of the chosen format and choose Open With… -> Other Application or Open With Other Application:
On the window that opens, choose an application or command and check the Remember this application for “…” files checkbox to apply your selection for all files of the same format:
Hit Open afterwards.
Log In As Root in Live Mode (Linux Mint)
After crashing your system and getting entertaining colored screens on boot, you may have to consider booting in live mode from a bootable device such as an installation DVD or a USB-device. However you’ll need to be able to log in as root in most cases to make changes in configuration files and others to get your system running again. While you can log in as root with a password on your normal system, you can do so in live mode by entering
sudo su -
into the terminal. This logs you in as root so you get to edit your important broken files to be able to boot from your hard drive again.
How to Clean Up Unnecessary Files with Bleachbit (Linux Mint)
Everyone knows the problem of previous installations leaving behind loads of data rubbish on your computer and you may know how hard it can be to remove this data. With bleachbit however you can easily check the data you want to remove and the program does the rest.
You can run it either as normal user or as root, to be sure you really remove every unnecessary file on your harddisk. It is available in the standart Ubuntu repositories.
How to Create Sheet Music (Linux Mint)
Apart from writing your sheet music with pen and paper you can also use a sheetscripter. These applications allow you to drag and drop notes and all other symbols you might upon a virtual sheet and format it the way you like it. One of these applications for Linux is called MuseScore, you can find it in the standart Ubuntu repositories.
To insert notes just activate the large N panel on the top bar and drag and drop notes upon the score. To insert other symbols, open the appropriate tab and drag them onto the note or the place you need them to have.
You can also easily import .midi files to view their scores.
How to connect to an SSH-Server
To connect to a system’s terminal with a static network IP and an SSH-Server installed, open a terminal and enter following command, exchanging the network IP with the one of your SSH-Server:
ssh root@192.168.0.110
Enter the target SSH-Server’s root password afterwards. To exit the server’s shell, enter
exit
How to Block Web Pages (Linux Mint 11)
To block web pages on Linux Mint, there is a simple tool in your Control Center. Go to Menu > Control Center > System > Domain Blocker and you will be asked for your password. A plain window with just a few buttons will appear afterwards.
To add web pages to the blocking list, click on Add and type in the (un-)desired page. It may occur that you have to enter it two times, one with www. and one without www..
To adopt the changes restart your browser and the entered web page should no longer be available.