Installing Debian Squeeze (OEM)? Get the Wireless Microcode HERE:

http://packages.debian.org/squeeze/all/firmware-iwlwifi/download

[HOWTO] Add/Change plymouth theme in SalineOS (Squeeze)

If you are using Debian Squeeze, you can install plymouth and it will install some plymouth themes by default. You can list the installed themes by running the following command in the terminal:

 /usr/sbin/plymouth-set-default-theme --list 

If you wish to install a new theme and if the theme is meant for Ubuntu, you can’t directly install it in Debian testing. If you get a deb, you will either get a failed dependency error like the following or it will not work even if you manage to install it:

 Error: Cannot install ‘plymouth-label’

 Plymouth is in the repo, but if you have a deb, open it up with file-roller (archive manager) and extract the directory which is inside ./lib/plymouth/themes in the deb archive. If you have a tarball (or some other archive) with instructions, just extract the directory. Then, just copy the directory to /usr/share/plymouth/themes If the directory name contains any capital letters, get rid of them and change the name such that the directory name is in all-lower-case. Also, get rid of spaces and such in the directory name. Inside the theme directory, you will see a .plymouth file. Open it up in a text editor and change the paths in it to /usr/share/plymouth/themes instead of /lib/plymouth/themes. Save the file and the theme is installed. 

Now, run the following to list the themes:

 /usr/sbin/plymouth-set-default-theme --list 

You should see the newly installed theme listed. To change the theme, just run the following as root:

 /usr/sbin/plymouth-set-default-theme theme-name 

To test it, use the plymouth-preview tool. To commit changes and rebuild initrd, use the following command as root:

 update-initramfs -u 

If everything goes well, the theme should be changed.

Change GDM 3 Login Background

I am using SalineOS (Debian Squeeze) and I have gdm3 installed.  I wanted to change the default gdm background to match my desktop wallpaper and this is how I did it:

Go to /usr/share/images/desktop-base/ and change the name of the image you want to:

login-background.svg

Of course the image you want needs to be there already so put it there if not as root.  Rename the original to login-backgroundOLD.svg or some such.

HTH

Replacing Slim with GDM as the Default Display Manager

I'm changing my DE from Xfce to Gnome for several reasons, and want GDM to start up instead of SLIM.  To do this, Go to /etc/X11/default-display-manager

and change:

/usr/bin/slim

TO:

/usr/bin/gdm3

Compiz/Emerald AutoStart In Xfce 4 --SalineOS

Add the following to autostarted applications:

compiz --replace


Go to Compiz Settings Manager and click on 'window decorations'.  Change window manager from:


usr/bin/xfwm4


TO:


usr/bin/emerald


EDIT:  I'm researching a better way at the system level to start Compiz in the first place where xfwm4 never loads.  Please check back, but the above is generally recommended.

Xfce Menu: Patching it for Crossover Office

CrossOver Office 9.x doesn't play well with the Xfce menu'ing system (Xfce =< 4.6) therefore it is necessary until Xfce 4.8 to patch the menu.  Here is how to do it:

Patch the following in /etc/xdg/menus/xfce-applications.menu under "Accessories".  Following the format you see there:


    <Menu>
      <Name>CrossOver</Name>
      <Directory>.directory</Directory>
      <DirectoryDir>/opt/cxoffice/support/desktopdata/cxoffice-0/cxmenu/xdg-applications/CrossOver</DirectoryDir>
      <AppDir>/opt/cxoffice/support/desktopdata/cxoffice-0/cxmenu/xdg-applications/CrossOver</AppDir>
      <Include>
        <Filename>Install+Windows+Software.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>Manage+Bottles.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>User+Documentation.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>Terminate+Windows+Applications.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>Run+a+Windows+Command.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>Register+and+unlock+this+demo.desktop</Filename>
        <Filename>Uninstall.desktop</Filename>
      </Include>
    </Menu>


The main CrossOver Office Menu will now show up after refreshing the Xfce Menu.  Adding Windows Apps can easily be done by examing the Menu'ing options in CrossOver Office and making links.  I launch MS Office 2007 apps from my AWN Dock for example.

Emerald Install for 64 Bit SalineOS Xfce or Gnome

install the key and repo, go into Synaptic and install Emerald. I comment out the repo after install:

CODE: SELECT ALL

deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/shames/debian-sid/desktopfx/unstable/ ./
wget http://download.tuxfamily.org/shames/A42A6CF5.gpg -O- | apt-key add -

To make it stick at every login: Go into Compiz Settings|Window Decoration and set the window manager to /usr/bin/emerald. Log out, log back in and you'll be greeted with a gorgeous default Emerald windowed desktop.