Archives For November 30, 1999

FreeFileSync 11.2, folder comparison and synchronization software to create and manage backup copies of all your important files, was released a few days ago.

Changes in FreeFileSync 11.2 include:

  • Improved grid layout with file icons hidden
  • Improved rendering of inactive and disabled grid items
  • Remember last user-selected paths for file and folder pickers
  • Fixed folder name hidden in “item name” view type
  • Fixed determination of unsupported trash folder (Linux)
  • Fixed copying broken symlinks (macOS)
  • Fixed default action when pressing Enter in popup dialogs
  • Fixed default popup dialog size (macOS)
  • Use localized start of week for %WeekDay% (Linux, macOS)
  • Swap sides using CTRL+W instead of F10
  • Show confirmation dialog before swapping sides

How to Install FreeFileSync in Ubuntu:

The software offers official Linux package (portable tarball contains executable and most run-time libraries) available to download at the link below:

Simply grab the Linux package, extract, and run the executable. You may also read this step by step guide to create an app launcher for this program.

Want to play games or control any desktop application with a gamepad on Ubuntu Linux? There’s a graphical tool AntiMicroX that may help.

AntiMicrox is program used to map keyboard buttons and mouse controls to a gamepad. Useful for playing games with no gamepad support.

The program can be also used for generating SDL2 configuration (useful for mapping atypical gamepads to generic ones like xbox360).

Install AntiMicroX

The software offers both .deb and .appimage packages in the release page:

You can either grab the single executable .appimage package that runs the program without install, or download the .deb package and install it by opening terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/antimicrox*.deb

Pale Moon, an open-source Goanna-based web browser, released version 28.14.0 (and 28.14.1 with quick fix) with stability and security improvements.

Pale Moon 28.14.0 release highlights:

  • Updated the browser identity code for website security to more clearly indicate website status.
  • Updated unofficial branding to be more generic and more clearly separate unofficial builds from Pale Moon as a product.
  • Added a preference (signon.startup.prompt) to give users the option to ask for the Master Password the moment the application starts.
  • Changed the way download sources are displayed to always use the actual domain downloads are from.
  • Implemented the CSS flow-root keyword.
  • (Re-)implemented percentage-based CSS opacity values according to the updated spec.
  • Implemented the last few missing bits for a standards-compliant implementation of JavaScript modules.(preloading, resource: scheme, etc.)
  • Implemented the ResizeObserver DOM API.
  • Updated script handling inside SVGs to only run scripts if they are enabled and permitted, avoiding a potential XSS pitfall.
  • Updated the MediaQueryList interface to the updated spec.
  • Removed support for the archaic and non-standard <marquee> element.
  • Removed some leftovers and cleaned up the Windows widget code.
  • Security issues fixed: CVE-2020-15676 and CVE-2020-15677
  • Unified XUL Platform Mozilla Security Patch Summary: 2 fixed, 1 defense-in-depth, 7 not applicable.

How to Install Pale Moon via apt repository:

The opensuse repository offers the new release packages for Debian, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, and Ubuntu 16.04.

1.) Open terminal from your system application launcher. When it opens, run command to add the repository for Ubuntu 20.04:

echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/stevenpusser/xUbuntu_20.04/ /' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/home:stevenpusser.list

Depends on your Ubuntu edition, replace xUbuntu_20.04 to xUbuntu_18.04 or xUbuntu_16.04.

2.) Download and install the repository key by running command:

wget -O - https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:stevenpusser/xUbuntu_20.04/Release.key | sudo apt-key add -

Also replace xUbuntu_20.04 in the commands depends on your Ubuntu edition.

3.) Finally refresh system package cache and install the web browser by running 2 commands:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install palemoon

Uninstall:

To remove the apt repository, launch Software & Updates and navigate to Other Software tab:

To remove the web browser, open terminal and run command:

sudo apt remove palemoon

OBS Studio 26.0, free open-source streaming and recording program, was released with many new features, improvements, and numerous bug-fixes.

The new released added Virtual Camera feature, allowing you to use the OBS output as a camera in other apps. So far, it’s only for Windows.

Other changes include:

  • Add a Source Toolbar to access to relevant controls for selected source.
  • Add media controls on the source toolbar.
  • Ability to take screenshots of the previews, sources, or scenes with hotkeys
  • Add percentage toggle to the volume controls in advanced audio properties
  • Add more audio capture support for BSD operating systems
  • Add option to disable antialiasing for text sources
  • Add a right-click context menu option to projectors.
  • See here for more details.

How to Install OBS Studio 26.0 in Ubuntu 20.04, 18.04:

The official PPA offers the latest release packages for Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 20.04:

1. Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:obsproject/obs-studio

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then either upgrade OBS Studio from an existing version via Software Updater, or run command in terminal to install the software:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install obs-studio

Once installed, launch the software from your system application launcher and enjoy!

Uninstall:

To remove the software, either use Synaptic package manager or run command in terminal:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove obs-studio

To remove PPA repositories, launch Software & Updates and navigate to ‘Other Software’ tab.

HPLIP 3.20.9, HP print, scan, and fax drivers for Linux, now is available to download.

Though the release note is not ready at the moment of writing, HPLIP 3.20.9 package is already available to download in its website.

New printers supported in the release:

  • HP LaserJet MFP M234dw
  • HP LaserJet MFP M234dwe
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E57540dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E57540c
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M578dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M578f
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise Flow MFP M578c
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise Flow MFP M578z
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed E55040dw
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed E55040dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M554dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M555dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M555x

This release also added support Linuxmint 20, OpenSuse 15.2, and Debian 10.4

How to Get HPLIP 3.20.9:

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.20.9.run” from the link below:

2. Then open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to give executable permission:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/hplip-3.20.9.run

3. Finally run command to start installing the driver:

./Downloads/hplip-3.20.9.run

Follow the terminal output and answer some questions. If everything goes OK, plug or re-plug your HP devices and enjoy!

Free-software planetarium Stellarium 0.20.3 was released a day ago with numerous changes. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04 via PPA.

Stellarium 0.20.3 fixed nutation and, with it, season beginning times, included many changes in AstroCalc tool, Oculars and Satellites plugins, and updated DSO catalog.

Changes in the new release include:

  • Add B pass band for compute photometric values of nebulae
  • Add show standard magnitude and RCS info for satellites in the GUI of Satellites plugin
  • Add new filters for satellites
  • Add GUI buttons to define object information font color at daylight and for overwrite mode
  • Add 2 new columns for AstroCalc/Positions tool
  • Add editable keyboard shortcut for buttons in AstroCalc tools
  • Add new initial time steps in AstroCalc/Phenomena tool
  • Add option to use on the screen star designations only
  • Add option in the GUI to define color of text in Equation of Time plugin
  • Add new button into Shortcut Editor and Add new tool to restoring defaults
  • Add action to restart trails
  • Add “current vertical” line
  • Add support custom time steps for ephemeris in AstroCalc/Ephemeris tool
  • Add ability to show several objects’ ephemerides in AstroCalc/Ephemeris tool
  • Add using texture for satellite, when he crossing of the Moon or the Sun
  • Add new groups of satellites: all new groups of satellites based on their orbital properties
  • Add pixel grid for sensors to Ocular plugin
  • Add show a binning info for CCD to Oculars GUI Panel
  • Add option into GUI to toggle drawing halo around the Moon
  • Add new names for planetary features
  • Add star names for Western (O. Hlad) sky culture
  • Add CLI option to start Stellarium in scaling GUI mode
  • Add note to S&T sky culture
  • Add support of new type of labels (labelEquatorial) for scripting engine
  • Add 3 new groups of satellites
  • Add buttons to define special colors for satellites in Satellites plugin
  • Add International Designator info into the GUI of Satellites plugin
  • Add epoch of the TLE info into GUI of Satellites plugin

How to Install Stellarium 0.20.3 in Ubuntu:

The official Stellarium PPA contains the latest packages for Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 20.04

1. Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching for ‘terminal’ from application menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:stellarium/stellarium-releases

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then either upgrade Stellarium from an old version with Software Updater utility:

Or run following commands to install or upgrade the software from terminal:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install stellarium

Uninstall:

To remove the software, either use your system package manager or run command:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove stellarium

And remove the PPA via “Software & Updates” utility under Other Software tab.

Kid3 audio tag editor 3.8.4 was released a day ago with bug-fixes and usability improvements. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and Ubuntu 20.04.

Kid3 3.8.4 release highlights according to the change-log:

  • Ability to customize the section and file list shortcuts
  • Ctrl + Up/Down to activate parent/current folder
  • Left arrow key to go to parent item in file list
  • Header context menu options for custom or automatic column widths.
  • Add flatpak package support.
  • Show more details (type, bits, bitrate) for M4A, FLAC, AIFF, WAV.
  • Other improvements and bug-fixes.

How to Install Kid3 3.8.4 in Ubuntu:

The official Kid3 PPA has been updated with the new packages for all current Ubuntu releases, Linux Mint and derivatives.

1. Open terminal either from application launcher or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ufleisch/kid3

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. If an old version was installed, upgrade Kid3 using Software Updater:

or run commands one by one in terminal to install or upgrade to the latest tag editor:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install kid3-qt

You may replace kid3-qt with kid3 in the code for KDE integration, or with kid3-cli for the command-line interface

Uninstall

To remove the PPA repository, either open Software & Updates -> Other Software tab, or run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ufleisch/kid3

To remove the audio tag editor, either use your system package manager or run command:

sudo apt remove --auto-remove kid3 kid3-*

Calibre, cross-platform open-source comprehensive e-book software, released version 5.0 with some great new features.

Calibre 5.0 features highlighting in the E-book viewer. Simply select text and click the Highlight selection button. It can be colors, underlines, strikethrough, etc. and has added notes. All highlights can be both stored in EPUB files and centrally in the Calibre library.

The new release also feature Dark mode support. On Windows and Mac, it is activated automatically based on OS settings. In Ubuntu Linux, launch the software in dark mode via CALIBRE_USE_DARK_PALETTE=1 environment variable.
Other features in the release include:

  • Python 3 port. Some third-party plugins will no longer work, until they are also ported to Python 3.
  • Support both vertical and right-to-left text.
  • Enhanced search in the E-book viewer
  • Support bookmarking in content server’s in-browser viewer

How to Install Calibre 5.0 in Ubuntu Linux:

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to download & install the official installer script:

sudo -v && wget -nv -O- https://download.calibre-ebook.com/linux-installer.sh | sudo sh /dev/stdin

Once installed, open it from system application launcher and enjoy!

Enable Calibre Dark Mode in Ubuntu:

To temporarily open the e-book reader in dark mode, simply run command:

export CALIBRE_USE_DARK_PALETTE=1 && calibre

To make it permanent, run command to edit the .desktop file and do:

  • add env CALIBRE_USE_DARK_PALETTE=1 at the beginning of the values of “TryExec” and “Exec”.
  • remove --detach flag, or the shortcut icon will disappear.

How to Remove Calibre E-book software in Linux:

To remove the software, open terminal and run command:

sudo calibre-uninstall

Want to check your IP address, listening ports, or local network devices but hate Linux commands? Well, What IP is a simple graphical tool to do the job.

What IP is a free open-source tool written in Python 3 with GTK+ 3 framework. The software features:

  • Display public, local, and a virtual interface’s IP addresses,
  • Display the public IP location,
  • List the ports listening on your system, and check if they’re publicly reachable,
  • List all devices on local network.

display ip address

listening ports

How to Install What IP in Ubuntu:

The software is available as flatpak package in Flathub repository. Open terminal and run following commands one by one to install it in Ubuntu 20.04 (Ubuntu 18.04 needs to add flatpak PPA first).

  • 1.) Install flatpak framework by running command:
    sudo apt install flatpak
  • 2.) Add flathub repository via command:
    flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
  • 3.) Finally install the tool via command:
    flatpak install flathub org.gabmus.whatip

(Optional) To remove What IP flatpak package, run command:

flatpak uninstall flathub org.gabmus.whatip

Mozilla Firefox 81.0 was released a day ago with new features and security fixes.

Firefox 81.0 release highlights:

  • Pause and play audio or video in Firefox from your keyboard or headset
  • New Alpenglow theme
  • Save, manage, and auto-fill credit card information for users in US and Canada.
  • AcroForm support allows to fill in, print, and save supported PDF forms
  • The PDF viewer got a new fresh look.
  • Pocket recommendations for Austria, Belgium and Switzerland users with German version.
  • Important fixes to HTML5 audio/video controls
  • Extended file types support.
  • Picture-in-Picture got new iconography.
  • Security fixes.

How to install Firefox 81 in Ubuntu:

The latest packages will be made into security & updates repositories for all current Ubuntu releases in a few days.

At that time, you can upgrade Firefox through the Software Updater utility:

If you can’t wait, download the Linux package from mozilla website.