Category: Linux

Improve font rendering for IntelliJ IDEA / Pycharm in Ubuntu

26 November, 20146 July, 2015 simion Linux 7 Comments

Stock font rendering in Pycharm / Intelliji IDEA is horrible on Ubuntu. To improve it, change the following:

First of all, we need to install Infinality fonts:


sudo add-apt-repository ppa:no1wantdthisname/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install fontconfig-infinality

sudo /etc/fonts/infinality/infctl.sh setstyle linux
sudo gedit /etc/profile.d/infinality-settings.sh
# and set
USE_STYLE="UBUNTU"

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:no1wantdthisname/ppa

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade

sudo apt-get install fontconfig-infinality

sudo /etc/fonts/infinality/infctl.sh setstyle linux

sudo gedit /etc/profile.d/infinality-settings.sh

# and set

USE_STYLE="UBUNTU"

Installed the patched OpenJDK with fontfix:


sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:no1wantdthisname/openjdk-fontfix
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk

sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:no1wantdthisname/openjdk-fontfix

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk

In $IDEA_HOME/bin/*.vmoptions add the following: (PS: $IDEA_HOME is the path to IntelliJIdea or Pycharm)


-Dawt.useSystemAAFontSettings=lcd
-Dswing.aatext=true
-Dsun.java2d.xrender=true

-Dawt.useSystemAAFontSettings=lcd

-Dswing.aatext=true

-Dsun.java2d.xrender=true

and in ~/.profile add


export PYCHARM_JDK=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.7.0-openjdk-amd64"

export PYCHARM_JDK=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.7.0-openjdk-amd64"

or whatever the installed java path is.

Reboot.

Start the IDE and enjoy perfect fonts.

BlogPostPicture_PyCharm4

Ubuntu – Fix large fonts for Google Chrome in Address Bar and Bookmarks bar

24 November, 201424 November, 2014 simion Linux Leave a comment

Since version 35, chrome switched to Aura framework and does not follow GTK theme anymore. This leads to large font size in address bar, and bookmarks bar.

However, it grabs font size settings from org.gnome.desktop.interface “font-name” property. To fix this, run the following command:


gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface font-name 'Ubuntu 10'
# or
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface font-name 'Ubuntu 11'
# depending on your preferences

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface font-name 'Ubuntu 10'

# or

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface font-name 'Ubuntu 11'

# depending on your preferences

You must restart chrome for this to work.

chrome

Command/Shortcut to Lock Screen with “away message prompt” in Linux Mint 17 / Cinnamon

24 June, 2014 simion Linux Leave a comment

If you want to have a shortcut with for locking the screen, but with prompt for lock message, here’s what you need to do:

Go to Settings -> Keyboard, then click on Keyboard shortcuts tab
Click on Add custom shortcut button, and enter the following command:

Shell

python /usr/lib/cinnamon-screensaver-lock-dialog/cinnamon-screensaver-lock-dialog.py

1
2
3

python /usr/lib/cinnamon-screensaver-lock-dialog/cinnamon-screensaver-lock-dialog.py

example:
Click Add and then assign it a shortcut.
For example, the default lock screen shortcut is Ctrl+Alt+L. For the one with prompt, you can assign Ctrl+L.
You’re done.
When you want to lock your screen with a custom “away” message, just press the shortcut you assigned (Ctrl + L)

Install Skype 4.3 in Arch Linux / Manjaro

18 June, 201418 June, 2014 simion Linux 4 Comments

Hi there,

Skype just released version 4.3 for linux. You can read this article from OMG Ubuntu! to see what’s new in 4.3

Long story short:

native notifications
UI improvements (new toolbar, better login screen, design changes)
floating widget for Call
cloud based Group Chat
support for PulseAudio 3.0 and 4.0

Currently, the AUR “multilib/skype” package is not upgraded to 4.3. If you don’t wish to wait, here’s what you must do:

Download Skype -> http://www.skype.com/go/linux (Choose “Dynamic” from distribution dropdown)
Extract the archive

Shell

cd Downloads tar -xjf skype-4.3.*

1
2
3
4
5

cd Downloads

tar -xjf skype-4.3.*
Move the contents of the extracted folder to /opt/skype

Shell

sudo mkdir /opt/skype sudo mv skype-4.3.*/* /opt/skype

1
2
3
4
5

sudo mkdir /opt/skype

sudo mv skype-4.3.*/* /opt/skype

Edit /usr/bin/skype , and change the exec command path to exec "/opt/skype/skype" "$@"


#!/bin/bash

LIBDIR="/usr/lib32"

if [[ -e "$LIBDIR/libv4l/v4l2convert.so" ]]; then
        export LD_PRELOAD="${LD_PRELOAD:+$LD_PRELOAD:}$LIBDIR/libv4l/v4l2convert.so"
fi

if [[ -e "/usr/share/skype/lib/libQtWebKit.so.4" ]]; then
        export LD_PRELOAD="${LD_PRELOAD:+$LD_PRELOAD:}/usr/share/skype/lib/libQtWebKit.so.4"
fi

# exec "$LIBDIR/skype/skype" "$@"  # (old one)
exec "/opt/skype/skype" "$@"

#!/bin/bash

LIBDIR="/usr/lib32"

if [[ -e "$LIBDIR/libv4l/v4l2convert.so" ]]; then

export LD_PRELOAD="${LD_PRELOAD:+$LD_PRELOAD:}$LIBDIR/libv4l/v4l2convert.so"

if [[ -e "/usr/share/skype/lib/libQtWebKit.so.4" ]]; then

export LD_PRELOAD="${LD_PRELOAD:+$LD_PRELOAD:}/usr/share/skype/lib/libQtWebKit.so.4"

# exec "$LIBDIR/skype/skype" "$@" # (old one)

exec "/opt/skype/skype" "$@"

Ubuntu 14.04 ctrl+alt+del shutdown dialog

25 April, 201425 April, 2014 simion Linux 4 Comments

Currently , in Ubuntu 14.04 if you press Ctrl+Alt+Del, it pops out the logout or lock dialog.
Many of us were used to have the shutdown/restart dialog prompted on Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Here’s how you get the shutdown dialog:

open System Settings -> Keyboard, click on the second tab “Shortcuts“, and then click on the “+” icon to add a new shortcut.

Give it a name (ex: “Shutdown dialog”) and in the command field enter gnome-session-quit --reboot .

After creating the shortcut, you need to assign it a keybind. Click on “Disabled” in the right side of the shortcut, then press “Ctrl+Alt+Del”. A conflict dialog will show up. Click on “Reassign”.

Now, when pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del, you will have this dialog shown:

Alternatively, you want to have all the “quit” options in one dialog (lock, suspend, restart, shutdown) you can replace the command with gnome-session-quit --power-off and get this result:

Wine – Diablo 3 via Battle.net launcher error on Ubuntu 14.04

24 April, 201424 April, 2014 simion Linux Leave a comment

This error occurs on ubuntu 14.04 when trying to run Diablo III from battle.net launcher:

Wine – Diablo 3 via Battle.net launcher error: Please try again after logging on as an administrator

To avoid this error, you must launch Diablo 3 using the following command:


setarch i386 -3 -L -B -R wine '/path/to/Diablo III.exe' -launch -opengl

setarch i386 -3 -L -B -R wine '/path/to/Diablo III.exe' -launch -opengl

Alternatively, if you want to create a shortcut, run:


sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/diablo.desktop

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/diablo.desktop

and paste the following content (don’t forget to update the path to diablo .exe file, and the icon file)


[Desktop Entry]
Name=Diablo III
Comment=Run Blizzard Diablo III via Wine
Exec=setarch i386 -3 -L -B -R wine '/path/to/Diablo III.exe' -launch -opengl
Icon=/path/to/d3.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Application;

[Desktop Entry]

Name=Diablo III

Comment=Run Blizzard Diablo III via Wine

Exec=setarch i386 -3 -L -B -R wine '/path/to/Diablo III.exe' -launch -opengl

Icon=/path/to/d3.png

Terminal=false

Type=Application

Categories=Application;

You can download the icon file here: http://simionbaws.ro/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/d3.png , save it somewhere and point the location in diablo.desktop file created previously.

Fix ugly Skype theme on Ubuntu 14.04

19 April, 201419 April, 2014 simion Linux 3 Comments

Because Skype is a 32bit app and the GTK theme engine is not installed by default for 32bit, skype uses Clearlooks theme instead of the ubuntu’s gtk Ambiance theme.

To fix this, install the following:


sudo apt-get install gtk2-engines-murrine:i386 gtk2-engines-pixbuf:i386

sudo apt-get install gtk2-engines-murrine:i386 gtk2-engines-pixbuf:i386

Before:

After:

Screenshot from 2014-04-19 12:54:16 — After

Ubuntu 14.04 installing external .deb fails “Package operation Failed”

10 April, 201410 April, 2014 simion Linux Leave a comment

For some reason, installing external .deb files from ubuntu software center fails. The bug is reported on launchpad.

It doesn’t really matter why it is not working, because the Ubuntu Software Center itself is slow and heavy.

The workaround given on launchpas is to use “dpkg -i <file.deb>” but the issue with this is that it does not resolve dependencies.

My recommendation is to use “Gdebi” as an alternative. It’s extremly fast and lightweight, and it comes with a command line tool, and a GUI tool.

Once you install Gdebi ( sudo apt-get install gdebi ), edit the default applications file:


sudo gedit /usr/share/gnome/applications/defaults.list

sudo gedit /usr/share/gnome/applications/defaults.list

find the following lines:


application/x-deb=ubuntu-software-center.desktop
application/x-debian-package=ubuntu-software-center.desktop

application/x-deb=ubuntu-software-center.desktop

application/x-debian-package=ubuntu-software-center.desktop

and replace with


application/x-deb=gdebi.desktop
application/x-debian-package=gdebi.desktop

application/x-deb=gdebi.desktop

application/x-debian-package=gdebi.desktop

Ubuntu 14.04 lock screen asking password twice

10 April, 201410 April, 2014 simion Linux Leave a comment

So, everyone loves the new Ubuntu 14.04 lock screen, which looks exactly as the login screen.

But there is an issue with it. If you lock your screen manually (Ctrl + Alt + L) and leave your computer a couple of minutes (untill it locks the screen automatically), when you unlock it, it will ask for your password twice.

Workaround: Go to Settings -> Brightness and Lock -> Lock [OFF] (switch it to off).