Step 4. Get yer subpixel hinted fonts: openSUSE 11.4, 12.1, 12.2

!! THIS POST  ALSO APPLIES FOR OPENSUSE 12.1 and 12.2 !!

Now to have better looking fonts on LCD/LED screens, just take the following steps:

1. Open "Repositiry Management" in YaST

2. After the repos load, press "Add" FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION FROM BLOG-POST "STEP 1." - THE FIRST PART OF THE POST EXPLAINS HOW TO ADD A REPO.

3. Add a repo, you can name it "MUZLOCKER subpixels 11.4", "MUZLOCKER subpixels 12.1" or "MUZLOCKER subpixels 12.2" or choose a name of your own preference. The URL is:

http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/muzlocker/openSUSE_11.4/

and for openSUSE 12.1:

http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/muzlocker/openSUSE_12.1/

and for openSUSE 12.2:

http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/muzlocker/openSUSE_12.2/

4. Accept and finish the Repo Management.

5. Go to Software Management in YaST.

6. Now check out this screen shot and go step by step:

How to make a vendor change

1. Click "View", sellect "Repositiries"
2. Click the newly opened "Repositories" tab
3. Sellect "MUZLOCKER 11.4" or "MUZLOCKER 12.1"(or how you called it)
4. Press the "Switch packages to this repo" option...

This should sellect all packages from the list to upgrade to the version from this repository. We call it a vendor change.  

7. Choose to install the package freetype2-feature-subpixel-hinting before you accept and let the package installation begin.

Thank you for the comments. The above package does not exist anymore.

Here's my current list of packages from muzlocker repo:

8. After the packages get installed, open KDE's System Settings and go to "Appearance" -> "Fonts" and click "Configure", like below:

   

 9. In the following window sellect Use subpixel hinting, RGB, Full hinting. If you like Droid fonts (like I do for instance), choose your font type as on the screen above.

10. For experienced users, you might want to make the better fonts-rendering work in Firefox, which is not so obvious: Open your file browser with the following command:

dolphin ~/.mozilla/firefox/

You are now in /home/user/.mozilla/firefox/ folder. There is your profile folder named 1oifb15.default - the letters before .default are random and different... There, inside this folder, create a file user.js , that will contain the following lines:

user_pref("font.FreeType2.enable", "true");
user_pref("font.FreeType2.autohinted", "true");
user_pref("font.FreeType2.printing", "true");
user_pref("font.FreeType2.unhinted", "false"); 

You can use kwrite to create this file. Use it as normal, "non-root" user, do Firefox later has access to the settings, that you created.

11. It's advisable to use Dejavu fonts in Firefox'es page rendering, Serif and Sans, where applicable in Firefox'es Edit -> Preferences -> Content -> "Advanced" button in the font-section. For the monotype font choose Dejavu Sans Mono.

Here is a screenshot showing my exact settings of fonts in Firefox, if you like them, you can use the same, or set your prefered fonts (expert users!) :

The fonts choice in Firefox 4.0

Firefox'es font rendering was bad anyway during the last ~8 months. With the version 4.0 (not beta!), that my system upgraded to today, I can see the exactly perfectly rendered fonts, like in all Qt/KDE apps.

That's it. Now log out and log in. You should be presented with more juicy fonts, than before, if you use a LCD/LED screen.

Have fun!

Here some examples, how it looks with these settings CLICK TO ENLARGE:

Firefox 4.0

Firefox 4.0

smplayer, SSA/ASS subtitles enabled

Firefox 4.0

Step 3. Smplayer crashes (namely Mplayer ran by smplayer)

Here no pictures needed, veery simple. The smplayer from Packman repository didn't work for me and other users just after installation. I have found a sollution in a forum, now forgot the address of it, so can't quote. What I did was:

To make smplayer work, hit Alt + F2 and run the following command:

kdesu kwrite /etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf

A window with root kwrite session will open showing the mplayer.conf file.

Search for the string: ,alsa and change it to ao = alsa

Save the file, restart smplayer and see if u can watch movies now.

That's it, have fun,

Step 2. Need mobile broadband? Use the GNOME applet

 !! THIS POST  ALSO APPLIES FOR OPENSUSE 12.1 !!

Since I often need mobile broadband internet connection, I was hoping openSUSE 11.4/12.1 will provide the right tool to KDE4 users to connect. 

Unfortunatelly, openSUSE 11.4/12.1 comes with KNetworkManager (DVD version) or Plasmoid-Networkmanagement (KDE Live CD version). Although KNM worked for mob. broadb. in openSUSE 11.3, in the current version of the system it doesn't. At least I get some funny warnings "System policy does not allow mobile devices to gather information about account details" and I am prompted for root passwd. When I give the root passwd, the dialog appears again promting for root passwd - and again....

Now, what works perfectly for me is Networkmanager-GNOME. That's the name of the package. Sounds fantastic, but it doesn't work out of the box when installed and ran on KDE4.

I also pasted a CHATLOG on a separate page, showing that changing to the GNOME nm-applet solves MANY DIFFERENT WIFI ISSUES -> THE CHATLOG

How to make it work:

1. Run YaST Software Management and search the string networkmanagemer

2. Click to deinstall every package related to Networkmanager, that has got "kde4" in it's name. Don't run the installation yet. You can directly click to deinstall Networkmanager-kde4-libs and you receive this prompt:

Choose to delete the packages related to Networkmanager-kde4-libs

3. Click to install Networkmanager-GNOME (it might be already chosen automatically after choosing to deinstall all "kde4" packages related to Networkmanager), don't run the installation yet. You can optionally add Networkmanager-GNOME-lang for more languages to be supported.

4. Search the string qtcurve , choose to install qtcurve-gtk2 and qtcurve-kde4 
The installation summary tab should look like this (you might have less stuff in this list if installed some other programmes before that pulled along some of the libs):

  

5. Run the installation.

6. (just in case) Run konsole

7. Give the command su - , give you root password

8. Give the command killall knetworkmanager

9. Now you can quit the root console.
10. Deinstalling the NM kde4 libs might change the network handling to ifup! 
Run YaST -> Network Settings -> Global options -> switch from using ifup to using Networkmanager (if ifup is chosen):

11. Run KDE's System Settings

12. Appearance of Apps (or how's it called in English I don't know - where you set Style, Icons etc.) -> Gtk theme and settings

13. Choose qtcurve, screenshot:

14. Go to KDE's System Settings -> Autostart:

15. Add the program nm-applet to Autostart (write it manually, not from the menu):

16. Go to this program's advanced options (here you see the nm-applet's Properties window in Autostart settings, go Program -> Advanced options):

17. Tell it to be PUT IN SYSTEM TRAY and register with D-Bus with multiple instances:

17. Accept the changes.
18. Close KDE's System Settings and run it again, open the Autostart configuration again and check, if nm-applet changed it's name to kcmsystray, should look like this:

18. Log out and log in to KDE. Now the GNOME nm-applet should work and you can easily connect to mobile broadband or any kind of wired and wireless nework. If you need a special VPN or pptp connection, try adding in YaST Software Management the proper Networkmanager-* packages, but don't add the *kde* ones. I am not sure, but this might cause nm-applet not to work properly.

19. Just a cosmetic furher step to have the icons in the right order: 
Right click the system tray in this little triangle:

Go to Entries and set kcmsystray to Hidden. Also set Networkmanager Applet  to Always visible, like here:

Click OK, log out and log in. Now there will be no second redundant icon shown. (THX goes to Cymage of #suse for fixing the icons and testing :D )

It really works great, what many users confirmed.

Here's the nm-applet in action in my system:

And reproduced in Virtualbox machine on a fresh openSUSE 11.4 install from DVD, using this very tutorial:

That's it, have fun!

Step 1: Repositories and get all multimedia stuff to work.

Couple of days after openSUSE 11.4 release and it's time for you to get your mp3, mkv, flac and ape files to play and enjoy.

EDIT: These instructions also apply for openSUSE 12.1

This is a good occasion to learn how to add repositories (shortly: repos) with YaST Software Management. To get multimedia support we need to add a repo called Packman. This is how we proceed:

1. Press Alt+F2 and type "yast" (always exclude the " " marks from my instructions). Than choose click the icon (a white animal in green circle). Give the root password and YaST will show up. Choose Software Management. From there choose from the menu Configuration -> Repositories.

The Repository manager will appear.

There choose "Add" and then in next window "Give URL". Next choose a name of your preference like "Packman 11.4" and in the lower box paste this URL:

ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/misc/packman/suse/openSUSE_11.4/

for openSUSE 12.1 users:

ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/misc/packman/suse/openSUSE_12.1/

For other mirrors please look here:

Packman Mirrors 

Click "Next" and the repo will be added.

Afterwards click "OK" in the main Repo Manager window. This way the Packman repo's been added.

Now you will be transported back to the Software Manager. Here in the searchbox you can type in package names and on the right side you'll see results.

We need to install a couple of multimedia apps, that will automatically pull the needed codeds along.

Type smplayer in the searchbox. After it's found, click the empty square beside the package name, so that it turns into a green tick, like here (it's an example shown on another packagage search):

 

Now in the same manner, search more packages:

soundkonverter, avidemux, streamtuner, vlc, smplayer, w32codec, kid3, libdvdcss, k3b-codecs... I might add a few more later, but this should do.

IMPORTANT: On some occasions YaST may warn you about the need to take a responsible decission, whether to change vendor, not install a package, leave it or break deps. Sometimes there are multiple warnings. This process is called RESOLVING DEPENDENCIES. 

Basically, NEVER choose to break the deps. Also never accept changing package architectures, which you might be proposed to do as well. Just take change vendor and see if you can resolve all dependencies step by step. If you get confused and it shows hundreds of unresolved deps, just cancel the window and cancel the SW Management window. Start over and take it slowly.

Back to choosing packages, my favourite music player for every day use is qmmp, you might add it as well. For playing videos, DVDs (from media or folders!) use smplayer and vlc. Both have great options and handle most subtitles. Use k3b to burn and rip your CDs and DVDs. To get videos from your Firefox, search for vlc-mozillaplugin. Also search for flashplayer and java-1_6_0-sun and java-1_6_0-sun-plugin to get your internet banking and other java-driven stuff operational.

To get sound in java stuff, search for java-1_6_0-sun-alsa. After all packages are found and ticked, click Accept (bottom right of the SW Managment window). You will be presented a summary of the installation and about all the packages that are about to be pulled to meet dependencies. After the installation process is over, run a system update just to make sure all's fine. To do it, run the SW Manager from YaST again and do the following:

Menu -> Package -> All packages -> Update, if newer version is available.

Now you will get a list of what's about to be updated, click "Accept" and the system will be updated.

To make sure all's been properly updated and configured, after the system update log out from KDE4 and than log in again.

Now run the video and music players to see if and how they play your files.

That's it, have fun! 

EDIT 1: To access more packages, software aimed for Polish users and more multimedia apps, please visit the Step Zero page, where I've listed the most important repositories that I use.

 

EDIT 2: To make smplayer work, hit Alt + F2 and run the following command:

kdesu kwrite /etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf

A window with root kwrite session will open showing the mplayer.conf file.

Search for the string: ,alsa and change it to ao - alsa

Save the file, restart smplayer and see if u can watch movies now.

That's it, have fun,

Make your openSUSE do all the things you would expect from it: Introduction

Introduction.

Hi. For years I have been a Linux user and most of the time the choice was SuSE/openSUSE, starting from SuSE 8.1. What I often see are totally new users confused how to get it working with all bells and whistles as far as multimedia and networking. For experienced users and devs this might not present a problem, but for new Linux users and non-techie people out there multiple ways of solving problems seem to be confusing.

So I've decided to present a list of posts with each new openSUSE release. This posts will cover mostly very basic steps, to make your computer a fully equiped multimedia and networking center for the average user. Shortly, to make it work, like my SuSE works :).

For the very start I've listed some things, that will be explained

1. Samba ain't workin (Apparmor tweaking needed)
2. KNetworkmanager, Plasmoid-Networkmanager - rubbish on mobile broadband  
USE NETWORKMANAGER-GNOME (SEE "STEP 2." BLOG ENTRY)

3. NetworkManager-GNOME installation - ain't work on KDE4 (deinstall KNM, PNM, edit properly Autostart options for GNM) SEE "STEP 2." BLOG ENRTY

4. Fonts ugly on LCD/LED displays (add MUZLOCKER REPO, switch system packs to
MUZLOCKER) - a good example how to add repositories and make use of them.

5 (obviously) - how to get MP3 and other format support, minor multimedia
stuff like transcoding files, ripping and burning media etc SEE "STEP 1." BLOG ENTRY

AND fixing Mplayer bug!
SEE "STEP 3." BLOG ENTRY

6. how to install NVIDIA binary drivers (and how to deinstall the rpm version
vbefore that)

7. How to install ATI drivers
8. How to get JACK fully operational in realtime mode
9. Some useful links to some experts (like swerdna.org for Samba
configuration). SEE "USEFUL LINKS" below the blog-posts.
10.  Kmail tips...
11. how to make yer firefox fully operational (DownThemAll, Adblock Plus, Flashblock, VLC-plugin etc.)

I hope this way I can redirect some new guys from the #suse IRC-channel to get ready answers. The posts will be adequatelly tagged for easy searching. I look forward for any cooperation. Any suggestions and comments are welcome and now let's get some posts done.