The Code Files

Switching Desktops/Workspaces with Mouse Buttons

I had to uninstall compiz today, and I absolutely can't live without being able to switch virtual desktops (also known as workspaces) with the buttons on the side of my mouse. Here's how you do it:

First, install xbindkeys and xdotool:

apt-get install xbindkeys xdotool

Then create a .xbindkeysrc file in your home folder:

vim ~/.xbindkeysrc

Into this file, put the following:

# -- Move Right --
# This is the general command that works with any number of workspaces:
# "xdotool set_desktop $(expr $(expr $(xdotool get_desktop) + 1) % $(xdotool get_num_desktops))"
# This is the optimized command for 5 workspaces:
"xdotool set_desktop $(expr $(expr $(xdotool get_desktop) + 1) % 5)"
    b:8

# -- Move Left --
# This is the general command that works with any number of workspaces:
# "xdotool set_desktop $(expr $(expr $(xdotool get_desktop) + $(expr $(xdotool get_num_desktops) - 1)) % $(xdotool get_num_desktops))"
# This is the optimized command for 5 workspaces:
"xdotool set_desktop $(expr $(expr $(xdotool get_desktop) + 4) % 5)"
    b:9

In the above config, replace "8" with the number of the button you want to use to move right, and "9" with the number of the button you want to use to move left. If you don't know what the button numbers are, run <b>xev</b>, press the one you want while hovering your mouse over the window, and you'll see it in the output.

The command that's uncommented works with a 5-workspace setup. If you want it to work with X desktops either comment that one out and uncomment the general command, or replace "5" with X and "4" with X - 1.

Then add xbindkeys (no arguments) to your startup applications. If you want windows to "edge switch" (switch workspaces when you drag them across the side of your screen), look at brightside.

Note: HOWTO: Mouse buttons to change workspaces in gnome-shell helped me figure out how to do this.

Raspberry PI: Enable MPlayer and VLC audio on Raspbian

If mplayer is giving you an error like the following...

AO: [pulse] Init failed: Connection refused
Failed to initialize audio driver 'pulse'
[AO_ALSA] Unable to set hw-parameters: Invalid argument
Failed to initialize audio driver 'alsa'
[AO SDL] Samplerate: 44100Hz Channels: Stereo Format floatle
[AO SDL] using aalib audio driver.
[AO ...

Linux: Fix pipe character on ASUS laptops
Fri 27 July 2012
By Taylor Hornby

In linux.

tags: keyboard

Is your pipe/backslash key not typing pipes and backslashes? Is it typing less-than and greater-than symbols? If so, add...
```
key <LSGT> { [ backslash, bar, backslash, bar] };
```
..to /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us in the kxb_symbols "basic" section.

This seems to be a problem with ASUS laptops, I've seen ...
read more
How to install mod_ruby on Debian Squeeze
Sun 22 July 2012
By Taylor Hornby

In linux.

tags: mod_ruby

If you're a PHP developer that's starting to fall in love with ruby (like me), you'll want to know how to write "PHP-style" web applications in ruby, for small web apps that don't need the complexity of Ruby on Rails. You want:
1. No per-app configuration necessary ...
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Using 'wmctrl' to Quickly Switch Between Open Applications

Sat 23 June 2012
By Taylor Hornby

In linux.

tags: wmctrl

The wmctrl program allows you to programatically bring a running application to the foreground on Linux. It works even with compiz enabled, and will switch to the virtual desktop that the application is running in before bringing it to the foreground. This makes it a perfect utility for mapping keyboard ...
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Disable 'locate' Command Index Databases
Wed 20 June 2012
By Taylor Hornby

In linux.

tags: locate

If you use Truecrypt on GNU/Linux, you will want to stop mlocate (the locate command) from automatically indexing your files and compromising your privacy.

To do so on Debian Squeeze:
```
apt-get remove mlocate rm /etc/cron.daily/mlocate
```
The database files are stored in:
```
/var/lib/mlocate/
```
Delete them ...
read more
Awesome Desktop Calculator using Ruby's IRB
Sat 09 June 2012
By Taylor Hornby

In linux.

tags: calculator

Ruby is an awesome programming language. Its metaprogramming capabilities make it easy to turn the interactive ruby interpreter (irb) into an awesome desktop calculator. To do so, we can make irb execute a ruby script, containing some calculator extensions before it starts, with the following command:
```
irb -r /path/to ...
```
read more
Clipboard over SSH with Vim
Sat 28 April 2012
By Taylor Hornby

In linux.

tags: clipboard ssh

The following is a simple and easy way to get clipboard sharing with Vim working between two Linux installations (specifically a desktop and remote server).

First install xclip on both your local machine and the server:
```
apt-get install xclip
```
Installing xclip will bring along some dependencies like x11-common, but don ...
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