Play On Linux - Microsoft software in Wine the easy way

Just come across this tool for Linux, and testing it out with Office 2007 at the moment.

http://www.playonlinux.com/en/download.html

Install the repo, then install the playonlinux package.

Once installed run playonlinux, follow the first time run steps.

Once installed then you can install applications and have it perform the wine configuration for you.

vlc-2.0.3-1.fc17.x86_64 main libvlc error

Having recently upgraded from F14 to F17, I found 1 small issues with my update on VLC.  F17 was so easy to install and on my HP DV3 pretty much worked, apart from the regular kernel line hack acpi_osi= to make the display come up.

VLC on the other hand decided that on my laptop didn't want to work for my account, but did on another user account.

When I ran it from the command line I received the following error;



VLC media player 2.0.3 Twoflower (revision 2.0.2-93-g77aa89e)
[0xa51bd8] main interface error: no suitable interface module
[0x97f108] main libvlc error: interface "globalhotkeys,none" initialization failed
[0x97f108] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
Segmentation fault (core dumped)

On further investigation into my environment I comment out my LD_LIBRARY_PATH that was currently set in my .bash_profile, logout and back in and hey presto VLC started to work again.

The trick here was the Segmentation fault at the end and the "no suitable interface module"

Installing Sybase 12.5 ASE on CentOS 5.2 and 5.5

INSTALLING LINUX

1. Install a minimal version of CentOS 6 You will require 3 partitions 
2. To aid set up ensure that SELinux is disabled and iptables is off 
3. Set up kernel parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf;
            kernel.exec-shield=0
            kernel.randomize_va_space=0
            kernel.shmmax=67108864 # Only if tis number is bigger than the default
4. Update kernel parameters;
            sysctl -p /etc/sysctl.conf
5. Ensure that you have 3 partitions, or seperate disks
6. export LD_POINTER_GUARD=0
7. Install the following rpms;
           yum install compat-libstdc++-296
   For this you might want to install the rpmfusion repository
           Do this by downloading the rpm and the epel rpm
           Install using rpm -i rpmfusion epel

INSTALLING SYBASE

1. Extract your Sybase tgz file
2. Run the setup command
           ./setup -is:javaconsole -console

                         Use the -options-record

                         Where filename will record your options, note that this option can only be used in GUI mode.

Follow the on screen instructions, which includes agreeing to the T&Cs, deciding where you want to install Sybase, create the directory, typical/full or custom.

If installing client only then use custom and select the following;

        Select everything except Sybase Server

Creating the first database

1. Now we need to create your first database

        cd /opt/sybase

        You will find example resource files in ASE-/init/sample_resource_files

        Select the one appropriate to your install

        (This example will be for the adaptive_server.rs)

2. The resource file

        Copy the srvbuild.adaptive_server.rs to /opt/sybase/ase.rs

        Edit the file as follows;

                sybinit.release_directory: /opt/sybase   (or where you installed it)

                sqlsrv.server_name: STEVE       (SYBASE logical name of the database. This will be the name in the interfaces file, server instance)

                sqlsrv.network_hostname_list: localhost (the real hostname of your server)

                sqlsrv.network_port_list: 4000  (The port number you wish to run this instance on)

                sqlsrv.master_device_physical: /dev/sdb1        (physical partition or filename for master database)

                sqlsrv.sybsystemprocs_device_physical_name: /dev/sdb2

                sqlsrv.sybsystemdb_device_physical_name: /dev/sdb3      (remember this applies to all databases created within this instance)

                sqlsrv.default_backup_server:

3. Update root's enviroment using the SYBASE.sh script

        . ./SYBASE.sh

4. srvbuildres -r ase.rs

5. If the above command results in "Server 'STEVE' was successfully created'

        find . -name RUN*

        Should return /opt/sybase/ASE-12_5/install/RUN_STEVE

6. Test your connection

        isql -Usa -S STEVE

   You should be prompted for a password, just press ENTER

   You should eventually get the   1>   prompt

   Type quit and press enter

Creating the start up script so that SYBASE starts on reboot

1. vi /etc/init.d/sybase

2. Add the following to the file;

#!/bin/bash

# chkconfig: 35 95 95

# description: Start sybase

case $1 in

        'start')

                unset LANG

                export LD_POINTER_GUARD=0

                . /opt/sybase/SYBASE.sh

                startserver -f /opt/sybase/ASE-12_5/install/RUN_STEVE

                ;;

        'stop')

                pkill dataserver

                ;;

esac

3. Save the script and then do;

        chmod +x /etc/init.d/sybase

4. Add the script to the start up and shutdown sequence

        chkconfig --add sybase

5. Test the script;

        - Shutdown the server

HP DV3-4300sa Fedora 14 Monitor Setup

Having finally finding some time to sit with my new HP Laptop I have managed to get the screen to work during boot up, and the Wifi connection to work. (Now just have to see about the intermittent fault on the fixed ethernet port).

Getting the graphics working
0. Install the ati-driver-installer-11-8-x86.x86_64.run driver direct from the support.amd.com web site - http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDSupportHub.aspx
- Category: Notebook Graphics
- Product Line: Radeon HD Series
- Product Model: Radeon HD 6xxxM Series
- Operating System: Linux x86_64

1. Remove from /etc/grub.conf kernel line
- rhgb

2. Add to /etc/grub.conf kernel line
- video=VGA-1:e vga=0x318

3. Added /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/45custom_xrandr-settings

#!/bin/bash
xrandr --addmode VGA1 1366x768
xrandr --output LVDS1 --mode 1366x768 --fb 1366x768
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1366x768 --fb 1366x768

4. chmod +x /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/45custom_xrandr-settings

5. /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "aticonfig Layout"
Screen 0 "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
Screen 1 "LCDPanel"
EndSection

Section "Module"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option "Enable" "true"
Option "DPMS" "true"
ModeLine "1366x768" 69.30 1366 1398 1420 1474 768 770 774 784
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "LCDPanel"
Option "Enable" "true"
Option "DPMS" "true"
ModeLine "1366x768" 69.30 1366 1398 1420 1474 768 770 774 784
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Driver "fglrx"
Option "DesktopSetup" "clone"
Option "Centermode" "off"
Option "monitor-VGA" "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
Option "monitor-LVDS" "LCDPanel"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "LCDPanel"
Driver "intel"
Option "DesktopSetup" "clone"
Option "monitor-LVDS" "LCDPanel"
Option "monitor-VGA" "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
#Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
#Modes "1366x768" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "LCDPanel"
Device "LCDPanel"
Monitor "LCDPanel"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
#Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
#Modes "1366x768" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Making Wifi Work
1. Edit the file /etc/rc.local and add the following lines to it

modprobe lib80211
insmod /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/wl.ko
modprobe b43

Reverse engineer MySQL Database on Linux to Windows Visio

Reverse engineering a database can be fun, especially when someone needs it in Microsoft and you're working on Linux. MySQL generates tools that will reverse engineer databases with their workbench product, but there are lots of people who like documenting in Microsoft, so here's how to connect your Windows system to a Linux MySQL database.

1. Make sure, or install the following packages on your Linux MySQL server;
- mysql-connector-odbc
- unixODBC

yum -y install mysql-connector-odbc unixODBC

2. Edit the file /etc/odbcinit.ini
This file should be OK from the point of install pointing to the correct shared objects;
e.g.
[MySQL]
Description = ODBC for MySQL
Driver = /usr/lib/libmyodbc5.so
Setup = /usr/lib/libodbcmyS.so
Driver64 = /usr/lib64/libmyodbc5.so
Setup64 = /usr/lib64/libodbcmyS.so
FileUsage = 1

3. Edit the /etc/odbc.ini will need to have information to connect to your database, replace italics with your details;
[nameOfDB]
driver = MySQL
Database = yourDBName
Server = localhost
Socket = /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
User = yourDBconnectUser
Password = youDBconnectPassword

4. Edit the /etc/my.cnf file and add the bind-address of your external IP;
[mysqld]
datadir=/var/lib/mysql
socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
user=mysql
symbolic-links=0
bind-address=yourServerIP

5. Now we need to give access to your database user specified as yourDBconnectUser in step 3;
- Log in to the mysql database
- GRANT ALL on yourDatabase.* to yourDBconnectUser@'yourServerIP' IDENTIFIED BY 'youDBconnectPassword';

6. Now configure your Windows system ODBC MySQL connector to point to this database;
- This requires you to download the MySQL ODBC Connector from MySQL
- You will need to use the IP Address, Username, Password and Database configured above to connect to the Database.

HP DV3-4300SA

Well, that time of the century came that required a new laptop to be purchased, and given that I'm into small laptops with lots of power, I decided that this time I would go for a 13.3 instead of the 12.1 since the market for 12.1 sized screens was a little lame this year, whilst the 13.3 had some nice powered systems to offer. As a side point I'm annoyed that ACER in America produce an i7 10.1in screen and not in the UK (bastards).
Anyhow, it came down to either an ASUS (with no DVD and less hard disk) or the HP DV3-4300SA, which looks like a nice system, has the right specs, but ......

1. They lie as do all manufacturers about battery life. These days anything claiming to last for 5 - 6 hours means that you'll get 1.5 hours out of the battery. Now do you think I should challenge HP on this? Even if I just turned it on and left it without doing anything I'd be lucky to get 2 hours out of the battery. Come on people, put the right number of real hours down.

2. The screen. A nice clear crisp screen, obviously only made for Windows. Fedora 14 currently has some annoying issues with this laptop, so will venture (unfortunately) to Fedora 15 to see if it resolves the problem, the downside is the god awful desktop that they've forced on everyone, so may have to resort to XFCE in future if Gnome don't go back to a decent one. The problem with the screen is that it goes blank (although I know this is being worked on in the Linux community and that's why I think they've hopefully cracked it with FC15). This is during boot up, so you have to shut the lid and open it before the OS really gets going, otherwise it starts to throw a hissy fit. And there's more. Whilst using the operating system, I've had to disable the suspend option just in case the screen decides to do it's own thing.

3. Power supply. Get this, whilst using Linux if you plug in the power supply after running on battery for an hour (don't want it to start suspending now) it throws another hissy fit to the point that it logs you out and then doesn't let you log back in or get to a command line. So the only option is the power button. It's a good job FC14 has some good disk management and file systems that are resilient.

4. The touchpad is bloody annoying to. Why couldn't they just put 2 click zones on the pad. Oh, sorry they have, but didn't need to as there isn't 2. There's only one click, even though the separated the mouse pad to look like there are 2 buttons. Instead you have to do some sort of magical salute on the mouse pad to perform what would normally be a right click. HP just take away the dividing marks on the touchpad, you are not fooling anyone, and they just get in the way if you don't make a right click.

Come on HP you should know better as you are a company that provides Linux to businesses, you should realise that people will be using your laptops as well for this stuff. Not all of us are Windows fans, and some of us think that the Mac is not a real computer either.

Current verdict is don't by the HP DV3-4300SA if you are planning on running Fedora 14. I'll let you know about FC15 soon, much to my disgust in both camps.

Virtual Box and Fedora Core

What a surprise Virtual Box have regressed to preventing USB from working again. They should have left it as adding the user to the vboxusers group (which you still require), but oh no!

Now you have to do the following on FC to make USB devices available to you;

Since we of the Fedora world have to use the install script it means our Virtual Box is installed into /opt/VirtualBox

In this directory there is a script called VBoxCreateUSBNode.sh

Edit this script and look for the following code;

if test "$class" -eq 9; then
exit 0
fi

Comment out these lines so it looks like;

#if test "$class" -eq 9; then
# exit 0
#fi

Then go to /proc/bus and you need to allow rwx to all users;

chmod -R 777 /proc/bus/usb
(This is still a work in progress, and ideally you should make the directory group something like vboxusers and then do chmod -R 775 /proc/bus/usb to make sure that only those you trust have access.

Now start VirtualBox

Start your VM

And you should now be able to select your USB device.