Archives For jimingkui

SMplayer 16.4.0

While Ubuntu 16.04’s repository contains the old SMPlayer 15.11 packages, you can easily upgrade to the latest 16.4 release and receive future updates by using the SMPlayer PPA.

Changes in SMPlayer 16.4.0:

  • The Windows installer now includes mpv as well.
  • Now it’s easier to switch between MPlayer and mpv via Preferences -> General -> select multimedia engine.
  • The extrastereo filter works again when using mpv.
  • Possibility to use the VLC shortcuts. (Preferences -> Keyboard and mouse, click the load button, select vlc.keys).
  • Possibility to enable mouse gestures (when the mouse is dragged up or down in the video window the volume changes, if dragged left or right it changes the time position). You can enable this option in Preferences -> Keyboard and mouse -> Mouse -> Drag function: seek and volume.
  • A fix for saving bookmarks.
  • The option for streaming sites in Preferences -> Network is different now, and allows these values: disabled, auto, YouTube and mpv+youtube-dl.
  • An animated icon has been added in the status bar to indicate when the player is buffering.
  • A new layout is used to display the media information (Options -> View info and properties).

SMPlayer with Mac skin

How to Install/Upgrade SMPlayer 16.4 via PPA:

NOTE: The current 16.4.0 build available in PPA is based on QT 4.8.7, while the stock version in Ubuntu 16.04 repo is built against Qt5.

1. Add PPA.

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), paste the command below and hit run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rvm/smplayer

Type in your password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

Smplayer PPA

2. Install/Upgrade SMPlayer.

If you have a previous release installed, you can now upgrade the media player by launching Software Updater and installing SMPlayer package updates after checking for updates.

upgrade SMPlayer

For the first time installing this player, use your favorite package manager or just run the commands below one by one in terminal:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install smplayer smtube smplayer-themes smplayer-skins

3. (Optional) To revert back the stock version of SMPlayer in Ubuntu 16.04, install ppa-purge and purge the PPA, which also downgrade the packages installed from that repository:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:rvm/smplayer

Corebird Twitter Client

Corebird discontinued! Try Cawbird as an alternative.

Corebird, a native GTK3 Twitter client, has reached 1.2.1 release with some fixes. Here are the changes according to its release page:

  • Fix a11y labelling of several switches in the settings dialog
  • Fix an input window clipping bug in the tweet info page
  • Fix a few cases of overlapping widgets into window borders
  • Remove the “Save as” context menu from inline media. This has not been working in a while but the context menu was still there.
  • Rename the .sidebar style class to .topbar. This was used in corebird before gtk+ used it, but now that the sidebar is at the top, the .sidebar style from gtk+ themes collides with the horizontal alignment we use, so use the more fitting ‘.topbar’.
  • Show a focus outline in the topbar again. We are setting a custom background color here, so we also need to set a fitting outline color.
  • Fix a coloring but in the topbar, where wildcard selectors in themes would overrde our foreground color.
Corebird 1.2 corebird 1.2

How to Install Corebird 1.2.1:

While the 16.04 universe repository provides the old Corebird 1.1 release, you can upgrade to version 1.2.1 via third-party PPA since there’s no official Linux installer.

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run the commands below one by one to add PPA and install corebird:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/corebird

sudo apt update

sudo apt install corebird

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb installer from the link below:

Download Corebird (third-party .deb)

Select download:

  • corebird_1.2.1-1~ubuntu16.04_amd64.deb for 64bit 16.04
  • corebird_1.2.1-1~ubuntu16.04_i386.deb for 32bit 16.04

Then click install via Ubuntu Software, or by running command in terminal:

sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/PACKAGE_NAME; sudo apt-get -f install

How to Install Ubuntu Tweak in Ubuntu 16.04

Last updated: April 4, 2019

Ubuntu Tweak Ubuntu 16.04

For users of Ubuntu 16.04 LTS who still need Ubuntu Tweak, especially for its Janitor (system cleaning) feature, a repacked of 0.8.7 release now is available in GetDeb repository.

Ubuntu Tweak in 16.04

If you have already added Getdeb App repository, just search for and install Ubuntu Tweak via your package manager or use apt install command. For those who don’t want to add the repository, follow the steps below:

1. Download the deb installer:

Ubuntu Tweak 0.8.7 for Ubuntu 16.04

2. Click install the package via Ubuntu Software.

install-ubuntu-tweak-1604

Or open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), run the commands below one by one to install it via dpkg and fix dependency problem via apt:

sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/ubuntu-tweak_0.8.7-1~getdeb2~xenial_all.deb

sudo apt-get -f install

3. (Optional) If you want to remove the tool, run the command below in terminal:

sudo apt remove ubuntu-tweak

notification bubbles

A patched version of Notify OSD with some extra features to Ubuntu’s on-screen-display notifications is available in Leolik’s PPA.

With the patch and a graphical Notify OSD configuration tool, you can easily tweak the notification bubbles by:

  • Close notification bubble on click
  • Stop fading out when mouse cursor hovers on it.
  • Change notification display timeout.
  • Change notification bubble location
  • Edit the bubble size, background, transparency, etc.
  • Edit the text size, color, etc.

Customized Notification bubble

1. Install the patched version of Notify OSD:

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run the commands below one by one to get it from PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:leolik/leolik

sudo apt update

sudo apt install notify-osd

Or grab the .deb installer from the link below:

Download Notify OSD with Extra Features(.deb)

Select download and install the latest version of:

  • notify-osd_x.x.x+16.04.x.x.x-0ubuntu1-leolik~ppa0_i386.deb for 32-bit Ubuntu 16.04
  • notify-osd_x.x.x+16.04.x.x.x-0ubuntu1-leolik~ppa0_amd64.deb for 64-bit Ubuntu 16.04

2. Restart notify-osd daemon by running the command below in terminal:

pkill notify-osd

restart-notifyosd

Just close the terminal after running the command since there’s no terminal output.

3. Install a graphical configuration tool for NotifyOSD:

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run the commands below one by one to get it from Webupd8 PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8

sudo apt update

sudo apt install notifyosdconfig

Or grab the .deb installer from the link below:

Download Notify OSD Graphical Configuration Tool (.deb)

Select download and install the latest version of:

  • notifyosdconfig_x.x+xxx~ubuntu16.04.1_i386.deb for 32-bit Ubuntu 16.04
  • notifyosdconfig_x.x+xxx~ubuntu16.04.1_amd64.deb for 64-bit Ubuntu 16.04

4. Finally launch the configuration tool and enjoy customizing your on-screen notifications:

Notify OSD configuration

Linux Kernel

For LVM, encrypted, or limited-storage systems, you need to regularly remove old kernels to prevent your computer (/boot partition) from running out of storage space.

Removing old kernels is easy. You can do it manually, or set unattended-upgrades to do it automatically. For details, open terminal from App Launcher or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys, and follow the steps below:

Remove Automatically Installed Kernels:

1. To remove the kernels that were automatically installed via regular system updates, open terminal and run:

sudo apt autoremove --purge

It will ask you to type in user password and then remove old kernels as well as other automatically installed packages that are no longer needed.

autoremove

2. To enable automatic removing of old kernels:

Enable Kernel autoremoving may cause problems if your package management is broken, see this bug.

  • Run command to enable unattended upgrades. For Desktop Ubuntu 16.04, this is enabled by default.
    sudo dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades
  • Edit the config file via command (first install gksu via sudo apt install gksu):
    gksudo gedit /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades
  • When the file opens, uncomment the following line and change the value to true:

    //Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-Unused-Dependencies "false";

    So it looks like:

    automatic-remove

    Remove Manually Installed Kernels:

    If you install latest kernels from Kernel PPA, or build your own kernels with patches, a “purge-old-kernels” script is the best and the easiest way to remove old kernels.

    1. The script is maintained in byobu package, so first install it via:

    sudo apt install byobu

    2. Then run the script regularly to remove old kernels:

    sudo purge-old-kernels

    purge-old-kernel-script

    Remove Old Kernels via DPKG

    If your /boot partition has already full while doing an upgrade or package install, and apt (the script above uses apt) can’t remove packages due to broken dependency, here you can manually find out the old kernel packages and remove them via DPKG:

    1. Run command to check out current kernel and DON’T REMOVE it:

    uname -r

    2. List all kernels excluding the current booted:

    dpkg -l | tail -n +6 | grep -E 'linux-image-[0-9]+' | grep -Fv $(uname -r)

    Example output:

    rc  linux-image-4.4.0-15-generic               4.4.0-15.31                                         amd64        Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
    ii  linux-image-4.4.0-18-generic               4.4.0-18.34                                         amd64        Linux kernel image for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
    rc  linux-image-4.6.0-040600rc3-generic        4.6.0-040600rc3.201604120934                        amd64        Linux kernel image for version 4.6.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP

    There will be three status in the listed kernel images:

    • rc: means it has already been removed.
    • ii: means installed, eligible for removal.
    • iU: DON’T REMOVE. It means not installed, but queued for install in apt.

    3. Remove old kernel images in status ii, it’s “linux-image-4.4.0-18-generic” in the example above:

    sudo dpkg --purge linux-image-4.4.0-18-generic

    If the command fails, remove the dependency packages that the output tells you via sudo dpkg --purge PACKAGE.

    And also try to remove the respective header and common header packages (Don’t worry if the command fails):

    sudo dpkg --purge linux-image-4.4.0-18-header linux-image-4.4.0-18

    Finally you may fix the apt broken dependency via command:

    sudo apt -f install

    Ubuntu Tweak Officially Discontinued

    Last updated: May 5, 2016

    Ubuntu Tweak Discontinued

    Ubuntu Tweak, one of the most popular Ubuntu configuration tools, now is officially discontinued!

    Tualatrix Chou, the creator and maintainer, finally announced the discontinuation of Ubuntu Tweak in his Chinese blog a few days ago, though the last software update was more than one year ago.

    The website Ubuntu-Teak.com has been redirected, and it will be shut off one year later, though it’s still getting 4000+ visits per day. Moreover, the Github and Launchpad page has been added a line said “This project is no long under maintenance”.

    Ubuntu Tweak Discontinued

    Ubuntu Tweak Alternative:

    The best alternatives are Unity Tweak Tool for Unity Desktop and Gnome Tweak Tool for Gnome Shell. Both can be installed via Ubuntu Software App.

    Unity Tweak Tool for Unity

    Unity Tweak Tool for Unity

    Gnome Tweak Tool for Gnome Shell

    Gnome Tweak Tool for Gnome Shell

    Code Blocks IDE

    Code::Blocks is an open-source, cross-platform, full-featured C, C++, and Fortran IDE designed to be very extensible and fully configurable.

    While Ubuntu provides the old Code::Blocks 13.12 release in its universe repository, this tutorial shows you how to install the latest stable Code::Blocks 16.01 using PPA.

    Code::Blocks 16.01

    1. Add Code::Blocks Stable PPA, so you can receive future software updates along with system updates using Software Updater.

    Open terminal from Unity Dash or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T combination key. When it opens, paste the command below and hit run:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:damien-moore/codeblocks-stable

    Type in password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to add PPA.

    codeblocks-ppa

    2. If you have Synaptic Package Manager, you can now launch it, search for and install the IDE after clicking Refresh.

    Install CodeBlocks

    Or just run the commands below one by one to do update and install the software:

    sudo apt update
    
    sudo apt install codeblocks

    You may need to log out and log in back after installation to make it available in Unity Dash/App Launcher.

    3. (Optional) To remove Code::Blocks IDE, use Synaptic Package Manager or run the command below in terminal:

    sudo apt remove codeblocks && sudo apt autoremove

    And the PPA can be removed via Software & Updates utility -> Other Software tab.

    Enpass Ubuntu

    Enpass is a password management program for Linux, Windows, Mac OS, Web, and Mobile devices. All desktop versions are absolutely free while mobile apps are limited to 20 items unless a life-time license ($9.99) is bought.

    Enpass now is at version 5.2, which features TOTP support, autorun on startup, import from 1Password OPVault, Pocket and Password Depot.

    Enpass 5.2

    An official Linux repository is available for Ubuntu 12.04 and later (Ubuntu 16.04 is supported now), so you can follow the steps below to install it:

    1. Add Enpass repository.

    Launch Software & Updates from Unity Dash, or System Settings window. When it opens, navigate to Other Software tab, and click Add button to add the line below:

    deb http://repo.sinew.in/ stable main

    add enpass repository

    2. Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), paste the command below and hit run to get the keyring, so your system will trust the packages from the repository:

    wget -O - http://repo.sinew.in/keys/enpass-linux.key | sudo apt-key add -

    Enpass repository key

    You’ll be asked to type in password to be able to add the key, and there’s no visual feedback while typing your password.

    3. Now if you have Synaptic Package Manager installed, launch it and search for and install enpass after clicked Refresh.

    Or you can run the commands below one by one to do the refresh and install things:

    sudo apt update
    
    sudo apt install enpass

    Once installed, you need to log out and back in to be able to launch the software from Unity Dash.

    4. (Optional) To uninstall Enpass password manager, use Synaptic Package Manager or run the command below in terminal:

    sudo apt remove enpass

    To remove Enpass repository, use Software & Updates -> Other Software.

    Install Komodo Edit in Ubuntu

    Here’s a brief tutorial that shows how to install Komodo Edit with Unity integration in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS via PPA.

    Komodo Edit is an open-source code editor based on Komodo IDE. Its website provides official Linux packages, but lacks global menu and application shortcut for Ubuntu Unity desktop.

    Mystic-Mirage is maintaining a PPA contains unofficial Komodo Edit packages with patches for Ubuntu integration. Support for Ubuntu 16.04 was added a few days ago.

    Komodo Edit 9.3

    1. To add PPA

    Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), paste following command and hit run:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mystic-mirage/komodo-edit

    Komodo PPA

    Type in your password (no visual feedback) when it asks and then hit Enter to continue.

    2. After added the PPA, search for and install komodo-edit via Synaptic Package Manager after clicking Refresh.

    Or run following commands one by one:

    sudo apt update
    
    sudo apt install komodo-edit

    For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb installer from PPA file archive.

    Firefox GTK3 Support

    Mozilla Firefox has reached the 46 release, which features GTK3 integration for GNU/Linux, security improvement for the JavaScript, and some fixes:

    • Correct rendering for scaled SVGs that use a clip and a mask
    • Various security fixes
    • Screen reader behavior with blank spaces in Google Docs corrected
    • WebRTC fixes to improve performance and stability
    • For details, see the release note.

    firefox-46-about

    Upgrade Firefox in Ubuntu:

    The new release has been made into universe repositories of all current Ubuntu releases and derivatives. Just run Software Updater and install the available update for Firefox after checking for updates.

    upgrade firefox 46