User Tools

Site Tools


linux:fedora_tips

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision
Previous revision
Next revisionBoth sides next revision
linux:fedora_tips [2017/04/13 08:20] jansenlinux:fedora_tips [2019/03/20 09:53] – [Cache directory ; XDG basedir standards] jansen
Line 2: Line 2:
 ---- ----
  
-Useful tips for Fedora and its applications. Most of these tips apply to Fedora in general, but some are specific to the Sterrewacht environment and the software we have installed on our systems.+Useful tips for Fedora and its applications. Most of these tips apply to Fedora in general, but some are specific to our environment and the software we have installed on our systems.
  
 ==== Media players , audio cds and dvds ==== ==== Media players , audio cds and dvds ====
 ---- ----
 By default, Fedora installs some media players that can hardly play any media. This is because of software patents and other restrictions which do not apply here. So, we have other media players available and you can select one that works.  By default, Fedora installs some media players that can hardly play any media. This is because of software patents and other restrictions which do not apply here. So, we have other media players available and you can select one that works. 
-Go to the menu "Preferences" and select "Details". Under "Removable media" you can fill in which applications to use for audio cds and video dvds. You may have personal favorites, but a player that works is xine with the options:+Go to the menu "Preferences" and select "Preferred applications". Under "Removable media" you can fill in which applications to use for audio cds and video dvds. You may have personal favorites, but players that works with most types of media are ''vlc'' and ''xine''. For ''xine'', the options should be set as:
  
 Audio cd:''xine --auto-scan cd --auto-play'' Audio cd:''xine --auto-scan cd --auto-play''
Line 13: Line 13:
 Video dvd:''xine --auto-scan dvd --auto-play'' Video dvd:''xine --auto-scan dvd --auto-play''
  
-Or execute these commands:  
-    gconftool-2 --set /desktop/gnome/volume_manager/autoplay_cd_command 'xine --auto-play --auto-scan cd' 
-    gconftool-2 --set /desktop/gnome/volume_manager/autoplay_dvd_command 'xine --auto-play --auto-scan dvd' 
- 
-Another good choice for media is VLC  
 In the same preferences window, under "Default applications", you can select what to do with media files on disk (eg when double-clicking them in your file manager).  In the same preferences window, under "Default applications", you can select what to do with media files on disk (eg when double-clicking them in your file manager). 
-To select in more detail which player to use to play media files from disk (eg if you want a certain media player for MP3s and another for other audio formats), right-click on the file in the nautilus file manager and select "properties"if your preferred application is already listed, select it to make it the default for this type of file. if not, click on "Add" to get a list of all applications that are registered with the filemanager, and you can even provide a custom commandline for a non-registered application there.+To select in more detail which player to use to play media files from disk (eg if you want a certain media player for MP3s and another for other audio formats), right-click on the file in the nautilus file manager and select "properties"If your preferred application is already listed, select it to make it the default for this type of file. if not, click on "Add" to get a list of all applications that are registered with the filemanager, and you can even provide a custom commandline for a non-registered application there.
  
 ===== Keyboard settings ===== ===== Keyboard settings =====
Line 71: Line 66:
 You can also check, if earlier versions of Gimp left behind their directories, and remove them if they exist. You can also check, if earlier versions of Gimp left behind their directories, and remove them if they exist.
  
-===== XDG basedir standards =====+===== Cache directory ; XDG basedir standards =====
 ---- ----
-A lot of programs are using the (relatively new) freedesktop XDG basedir setup, which puts configuration files in .config, cache in .cache and various data files of the application in .local +A lot of programs are using the Freedesktop XDG basedir setup, which puts configuration files in .config, cache in .cache and various data files of the application in .local \\
 However, the data and cache parts can become quite big, causing two problems: quota usage on the home disk, and performance loss (since the home disk is remote, and this can cause lots of read and write access).  However, the data and cache parts can become quite big, causing two problems: quota usage on the home disk, and performance loss (since the home disk is remote, and this can cause lots of read and write access). 
-Now the XDG standard provides a mechanism to move those files to another location, and we suggest users move them to one of their local data disks. We also provide a script that takes care of the environment setup, but selecting a location and moving the files is something you have to do yourself.  +Now the XDG standard provides a mechanism to move those files to another location, and we suggest users move them to one of their local data disks. We also provide a script [[sfinx-xdg]] that takes care of the environment setup, but selecting a location and moving the files is something you can do yourself. By default (2019-03-20) the cache is moved for all users to the local /data1, unless they set another location
-Follow these steps to get started:+ 
 +A quick solution (shown here just for the cache), is to move the cache to a data disk and link to that location: 
 + 
 +  mv ~/.cache /net/yourcomputer/data1/username/cache 
 +  ln -s /net/yourcomputer/data1/username/cache ~/.cache 
 + 
 +a more complete setup works like this:
  
   - close programs that may have files open in the XDG directories. This is especially important for Evolution (mail client).   - close programs that may have files open in the XDG directories. This is especially important for Evolution (mail client).
-  - Run 'sfinx-xdg' with the path where you want to store the files. Default is /data/$USER/xdg but if you want to be able to use it from other computers as well, /net/$HOSTNAME/data/$USER/xdg might be a better alternative. Or, on recent desktops where /data2 is a RAID1 disk, so guarded against disk failure, you may want to use /data2 in stead of /data. Or maybe you want it in another location altogether.If you only want to move the cache and not the data location, use sfinx-xdg --cacheonly /net/$HOSTNAME/data/$USER/xdg(or any other location that you prefer)+  - Run '[[sfinx-xdg]]' with the path where you want to store the files. Default is /data/$USER/xdg but if you want to be able to use it from other computers as well, /net/$HOSTNAME/data/$USER/xdg might be a better alternative. Or, on recent desktops where /data2 is a RAID1 disk, so guarded against disk failure, you may want to use /data2 in stead of /data. Or maybe you want it in another location altogether. If you only want to move the cache and not the data location, use sfinx-xdg --cacheonly /net/$HOSTNAME/data/$USER/xdg (or any other location that you prefer)
   - If the specified directory doesn't exist yet, it will be created along with subdirectories for cache and data. Also created is a file .sfinx-xdgrc which contains the path, and this will be used on subsequent logins to set the environment. The RC file will also contain settings that determine whether you want to redirect cache, data or both.   - If the specified directory doesn't exist yet, it will be created along with subdirectories for cache and data. Also created is a file .sfinx-xdgrc which contains the path, and this will be used on subsequent logins to set the environment. The RC file will also contain settings that determine whether you want to redirect cache, data or both.
-  - Set the environment in your current shell, and move the existing files to their new locations: +  - If your setup includes moveing application data, set the environment in your current shell, and move the existing files to their new locations (nothing in cache is worth moving, so remove it if you like)
-  eval `sfinx-xdg` + 
-     mv ~/.cache/* $XDG_CACHE_HOME/+     eval `sfinx-xdg`
      mv ~/.local/share/ $XDG_DATA_HOME/      mv ~/.local/share/ $XDG_DATA_HOME/
 + 
   - Log out, and on your next login, all programs should find their data and cache in the new location.   - Log out, and on your next login, all programs should find their data and cache in the new location.
   - Witness the increase in performance, especially in the Google Chrome browser and the Evolution mail client.   - Witness the increase in performance, especially in the Google Chrome browser and the Evolution mail client.
Line 109: Line 111:
   * First disable the program in your list of startup applications   * First disable the program in your list of startup applications
   * Remove directory ''.local/share/zeitgeist'' to erase all recorded history   * Remove directory ''.local/share/zeitgeist'' to erase all recorded history
 +For some reason, ''baloo'' is also active in most cinnamon sessions (see KDE). To disable it, run: 
 +  balooctl disable
  
 See also [[modify desktop session]] See also [[modify desktop session]]
 +
 +===== Evolution =====
 +Evolution is a mail/calendar suite, and can be a very useful tool, if you use it. Unfortunately, a lot of programs are started in each user session, even if you don't need them, or even if you have never used evolution. These programs don'rt show up in the usual sesson program dialogs, but from the commandline it is possible to disable them:
 +
 +  systemctl --user daemon-reload
 +  systemctl --user disable --now evolution-source-registry
 +  systemctl --user disable --now evolution-calendar-factory
 +  systemctl --user disable --now evolution-addressbook-factory
 +
 +
linux/fedora_tips.txt · Last modified: 2024/02/05 08:40 by jansen