AV LINUX 6.0.4 XFCE4 4.

10

USER MANUAL
A Guide to Get Acquainted with AV Linux
Prepared by Glen MacArthur, October 22/2014

Legal Disclaimer:
Debian/GNU Linux comes with no guarantee so neither does AV Linux. I accept no responsibility for any hardware/software
malfunctions or data loss resulting from it's use. It is important to note that the AV Linux ISO contains software that is non-free and is
distributed under a special licensing arrangement with the original developers, re-distributing the AV Linux ISO with the non-free
content included is a violation of these licenses. AV Linux also contains Multimedia Codecs that may be under patent in certain
countries, it is the users responsibility to know the law as it applies to their own respective country before downloading or installing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Page 3. - PREFACE
Page 4. - THE AV LINUX STORY
Page 5. - CREDITS & CONTACT
Page 6. - THE CONCEPT OF AV LINUX
Page 7. - RUNNING AV LINUX LIVE
Page 10. - AV LINUX BASIC BOOTING BIBLE
Page 11. - INSTALLING AV LINUX
Page 12. - GETTING AROUND IN AV LINUX
Page 23. - SLiM LOGIN MANAGER
Page 24. - PERFORMANCE SETTINGS
Page 25. - PROPRIETARY VIDEO DRIVERS IN AV LINUX
Page 31. - MONITOR AND DISPLAY SETTINGS
Page 33. - COMPIZ WINDOW MANAGER
Page 34. - AV LINUX KERNELS
Page 35. - KERNEL CHEATCODES
Page 36. - AV LINUX SOFTWARE
Page 37. - INSTALLING SOFTWARE IN AV LINUX
Page 41. - WHERE TO FIND UPDATED PACKAGES
Page 42. - NETWORKING WITH AV LINUX
Page 43. - PRINTING WITH AV LINUX
Page 48. - USING JACK
Page 50. - MANAGING MIDI IN AV LINUX
Page 51. - USING THE ALOOP DAEMON
Page 52. - M-AUDIO 1010LT PCM_MULTI WITH AV LINUX
Page 53. - DEBIAN REFERENCE
Page 57. - HANDY TERMINAL COMMANDS
Page 58. - THANKS FOR SUPPORTING AV LINUX

PREFACE NEW TO LINUX ?

Realistic Expectations of what AV Linux Can Offer:
AV Linux is an ISO Image created with Debian/GNU Linux. Despite it's critics Linux continues to grow it's
user base year after year and has seen great strides in both the quality and number of Software
Applications. There are many positive attributes to Linux and 'FLOSS' (Free Libre Open Source
Software) and the grassroots community-based development model is completely unique when
compared to the Apple and Windows corporate paradigms. To be blunt the notion that Linux of any
kind is either better or worse than any other computer Operating System is to miss the point somewhat
and serves to set the user up for unrealistic expectations and encourages pointless comparisons that
fuel endless and futile debates. An Operating System that allows you to freely create in a streamlined
and productive workflow is an individual ideal to be pursued and there is no question that this is truly
an attainable goal on all three major platforms.
Some Things to Keep in Mind When Considering Linux as an OS Platform:

Linux blurs the line somewhat between the end-user and the developer and therefore doesn't
shy away from featuring it's basic operational face known as the Console or Terminal. Certainly
efforts over the past several years have molded Desktop Linux into as user-friendly a platform
as any but to fully enjoy all Linux has to offer it is somewhat incumbent on the user to have at
least a casual interest in what happens on both sides of the computer screen.

Although Linux at it's core is a curious symbiotic mixture of Community and Corporate interests
for the most part the Linux Multimedia applications within AV Linux are developed by volunteer
developers from all over the world. Many of these generous and talented people are doing
their work out of the purest motive...the love of doing it. Because the motivation is not
primarily financial end-users sometimes have a problem differentiating their personal
expectations from those that would be usual when looking at things from a 'paying customer'
perspective. FLOSS developers are giving the end user something much greater than software,
they are sharing their most vital asset...time. It is very easy to take this fact for granted and
certainly someone who is showing such generosity should be equally paid back with patience
and respect. 'Free' doesn't indicate an absence of financial support, many projects are in dire
need of financial support to encourage and enable their developers to continue. 'Free' should
be seen as 'politically free' and the user's choice to decide what projects they wish to support
and how they wish to do it.

The primary method of hardware support on the Linux platform is through that magical bundle
of code known as the Kernel. It is truly amazing the sheer total number of various pieces of
computer hardware that are natively supported without ANY outside or 3 rd party drivers.
Having said that it is certainly not reasonable to expect that Linux will 100% support ALL
available hardware or even have an equal degree of stability with all hardware that is
supported. The ground rules for building an effective Audio/Video Workstation with Linux are
really no different than on any other platform. All PC's are not created equal and certainly not
all are suited to professional level multimedia content creation. If you are serious about
optimizing your success with AV Linux then some care should be taken to select well supported
Audio/Video hardware for Linux.

**These guidelines are informed by a mixture of opinion and experience and are offered as such.

THE AV LINUX STORY

A Brief (Well OK, Maybe Not So Brief) History:

AV Linux came into being in 2007 out of a simple desire to share a working Linux audio desktop with
some like-minded users on the Ardour forum. At that time two of the dominant multimedia-centered
Linux Distributions (Jacklab, 64 Studio) were starting to fade away from active development. I had
customized a version of Ubuntu Studio 7.10 with Tony Brijeski's Remastersys and self-compiled
upstream packages that worked quite well. After the next Ubuntu release (8.04LTS) I quickly learned
that in-between point releases of Ubuntu like the 7.10 I was using didn't age very well after their 6
months were up so I looked to Debian/GNU Linux for a longer running release model. AV Linux 2.0 was
the first release on Debian and was also when I came to know and appreciate the new light Desktop
Environment known as LXDE. As a small independent project AV Linux did not receive much notice or
publicity from the usual Linux media blogs and online journals but a small but growing word-of-mouth
following encouraged me to keep at as I learned more about packaging and customizing. After AV Linux
3.0 was released I received an email from Michael Bohle one of the former developers of JackLab, he
was doing freelance journalism and had a gig doing a Linux Audio article with the German 'BEAT'
magazine and had stumbled across AV Linux. He asked if I'd be interested in putting together a custom
ISO for a series of workshops being done on Linux audio coinciding with the BEAT magazine article. I
very hurriedly assembled an updated ISO with some added commercial Linux apps like Renoise,
EnergyXT and linuxDSP plugins and called it 'AV Linux 3.1 BEAT Edition', after that I had a concept I
liked...mixing both open-source and commercial Audio and Video apps with a light Desktop
Environment that kept older computers viable.
The BEAT Edition attracted some more attention and during the development of AV Linux 4.0 I noticed
an ever-increasing influx of new users on the AV Linux forum and numerous blog articles about AV
Linux. This greatly increased the amount of time required to maintain and support both all of the rapid
new developments in Linux multimedia and the growing user base needing technical support. I still had
much to learn about proper packaging and distributing a Linux ISO but thankfully the growing
community of AV Linux users also came with a few able folks wanting to help. As time went on I was
able to strike up some valuable relationships with various upstream developers who were interested in
using the AV Linux ISO as an avenue to demonstrate their applications and various Linux projects
around the web (Openshot, Guitarix, LiVES, Cinelerra, Renoise, Transcribe, linuxDSP and Mixbus)
featured AV Linux as their LiveDVD of choice which included both open-source and commercial
applications. The AV Linux 5.0 series hit some milestones and garnered some welcome recognition
when it appeared on Distrowatch without even being officially submitted and was reviewed by both
ZDnet and Linux Journal. The Linux Journal article was a real honor as it was written by Dave Phillips
who had been an inspiration and great source of information when I was a Linux newb.
The sum of the experience and lessons learned over the previous 5 versions of AV Linux have
culminated in this latest release of AV Linux 6.0.4. It is my sincere hope that users will find this to be the
most complete, reliable and useful version so far. My sincere thanks to all whose paths I've crossed in
one way or another during this journey. For a middle-aged Canadian farmboy with no formal computer
training this has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
With Warm Regards and Sincere Thanks! - Glen MacArthur

CREDITS & CONTACT

Thanks to:
My wonderful wife and kids for their infinite patience and encouragement.
Debian/GNU Linux, Debian pkg-multimedia team, LXDE, Tony Brijeski (Remastersys), RevLinux
(geekconnection.org), Trulan Martin (Firewire guru, AV Linux Kernel Dev.), Allen Tate (Torrent and
tracker), Mike Start (linuxDSP), damentz (Liquorix Kernels), Dan MacDonald (Complaints Dept.)
Michael Bohle (BEAT Magazine), Christian Marillat (Deb-Multimedia.org) Paul Davis and development
team (Ardour), Ben Loftis, Todd Naugle (Harrison Mixbus), Rui Nuno Capela (Qjackctl, Qsampler,
Qsynth, Qtractor), Matt Weatherford (WinFF), Jonathan Thomas, Andy Finch (Openshot), Hermann
Meyer, James Warden, Andreas Degert (Guitarix), Gabriel Finch (LiVES), Dan Dennedy (MLT),
i2productions (Linux in Review), Dave Phillips (Linux Journal), falkTX (KXStudio), Grooveschmied
(German Translation), Edward Diehl (ISO Testing)
Applications using the AV Linux ISO Image as a Demo LiveDVD:
Cinelerra - http://cinelerra-cv.org/getting_cinelerra.php
Openshot Video Editor - http://www.openshotvideo.com/2008/04/download.html
LiVES Video Editor - http://lives.sourceforge.net/index.php?do=downloads
Guitarix - http://guitarix.sourceforge.net/
Commercial Software Demo Permissions Provided by:
Mike Start - linuxDSP Audio Plugins
Julien Pommier - Pianoteq
Colin Barry - Loomer Plugins
Andy Robinson Transcribe!
Edouard Muller - Renoise
Graphic Credits:
Default Theme 'diehard4' by obscurant
Default Wallpaper 'AV-Logo-Diehard-Background' by GMaq
Icon Theme - Faenza Icons by tiheum including Faenza-Fresh by funnyguy
Cursor Themes Pulse Glass by Kuduk, Picks by starcycle
Manual Fonts This Manual uses 'Ubuntu' and 'Ubuntu Mono' fonts

AV Linux Resources:
Manual http://www.bandshed.net/pdf/AV604Manual.pdf
Website http://www.bandshed.net/AVLinux.html
Forum - http://geekconnection.org/remastersys/forums/index.php#7
Email [email protected] *DO NOT USE EMAIL FOR TECH-SUPPORT!

THE CONCEPT OF AV LINUX

Differences Compared To Other Linux Distributions:

On the surface AV Linux looks very much like any other Desktop Linux system however the way it is
presented and maintained differs greatly from most other common Distributions. The primary mandate
of AV Linux is simple...Install, Create. This means AV Linux is intended to be first and foremost a
complete and self-contained ISO Disk Image for it's intended task of providing users with a pre-tested
and pre-configured Audio/Video workstation.
For a system that needs to be reliable especially in the context of professional multimedia content
creation some common-sense measures have been taken to help ensure that dependability comes first.
Two common adages in the computer world are 'never touch a working system' and 'if it ain't broke
don't fix it'. AV Linux strives to live up to these ideals by avoiding having an update manager push
updates onto the user's system. Any updates or changes to software on AV Linux are completely at the
user's discretion. Updates to the core base of AV Linux (Debian Squeeze) are handled through the
included 'Synaptic Package Manager' and updates and bug fixes to the specific custom Audio and Video
software packages are made available in a special custom packages FTP folder (further explained in the
'Installing Software In AV Linux' section of this manual).
The focus of development in AV Linux is always on the complete Operating System ISO Disk Image,
between ISO releases updated, improved or bug fixed packages will be made available but not in a
usual apt repository where they would show up as updates in the Package Management system, this is
to ensure that users are not influenced into making unneeded or ill-informed changes to their system.
For this reason AV Linux should not be considered as a 'Distro' it is more accurately a ISO-based OS with
supplemental packaging, that may sound similar to other Linux Operating Systems in a general sense
but in daily usage it is a very different way of doing things.
Many conscious choices have been made in the creation of AV Linux to enhance it's efficiency, make it
adaptable to keeping older computers productive and blending the best attributes of available
applications for the Desktop Environment and User Interface. Because of this high degree of
customization and integration AV Linux is not intended to be easily adaptable to using alternative
Desktop Environments. AV Linux is not a generic Linux OS that allows for unlimited choices, it is a highly
specialized OS that willingly sacrifices some freedom of choice for rock-solid dependability and
predictable performance.
There is no question that Linux users can enjoy creating multimedia on more conventional Desktop
Linux OS's, it is not intended to suggest that this is an inferior way of doing things. AV Linux employs a
more cautious methodology in the hopes that it will provide a positive and reliable experience to users,
especially those who are new to Linux as a platform and perhaps more importantly provide the
dependability to maximize the potential of acceptance into professional and commercial content
creation opportunities.

RUNNING AV LINUX LIVE

AV Linux can be used Live in 2 different ways with no changes to the host machine operating it, by
running it from a LiveDVD or using a Bootable USB Key.

LiveDVD:

Download the AV Linux 6.0.4 ISO file from http://www.bandshed.net/AVLinux.html

Burn the ISO file to a DVD-R or RW using your existing Burning Software
Set your Computer BIOS to Boot from your DVD Drive if it doesn't by default
Reboot into the AV Linux LiveDVD

METHOD 1 - Bootable USB Key:

Requirements:
An existing AV Linux 5.0 or greater install OR a running AV Linux 6.0.4 LiveDVD session
PC Capable of booting from USB Key with block sizes greater than 1024mb
At least 4GB USB Key
avlinux6.0-lxde-i386-en.iso from here: http://www.bandshed.net/AVLinux.html
Bootable USB Keys can be created with the Remastersys USB Startup Disk Tool found in the AV Linux
Control Panel. This unique tool creates an 'ISOhybrid' USB Key. Please note that this tool overwrites any
existing USB FAT32 or other filesystem and writes the actual ISOhybrid image itself to the key. This
means the Key will no longer be usable for Data storage, however you can use the USB Key Tool to
overwrite the ISOhybrid image as many times as you want. This USB Key Tool will only work with
ISOhybrid images. The AV Linux ISO comes ready to use as a formatted as an ISOhybrid image.

METHOD 2 - Unetbootin Method:

Requirements:
PC Capable of booting from USB Key
At least 4GB USB Key
Latest AV Linux ISO image from here: http://www.bandshed.net/AVLinux.html
This guide is written assuming you are using an existing AV Linux install, however any current distro
with GParted and Unetbootin will work. This operation will utilize the entire USB Key so use a key you
don't want to share data on other computers with and remove any important data from the key. I would
also suggest you use a clean key without any U3 or other proprietary launching software on it, most
manufacturers provide utilities to remove this.
STEP 1.
Insert your USB Key into the USB Port but don't mount it in the File Manager. From the menu go to
'Preferences'-->GParted and launch GParted.
STEP 2.
Using the drop down dialog in the upper right corner of GParted select your USB Key. MAKE SURE YOU
KNOW WHICH DRIVE YOUR USB KEY IS!!
STEP 3. (DO WITH CAUTION)
Select any existing Partitions on the Key, Right Click on them and delete them until the Key is
completely unallocated space.
STEP 4.
Create a new FAT32 partition on the USB Key at least 3.7 Gigabytes (3790 mb). In the remaining
unpartitioned space create an ext2 or ext3 partition and in the 'label' field enter 'live-rw'.
STEP 5.
Click on the checkmark icon at the top of GParted and apply the partitions you have created to the key.
STEP 6.
Once GParted has finished creating your new partitions right click on the FAT32 Partition and select
'Manage Flags' and from the list select 'boot'. When you close the Flags dialog Gparted should quickly
rescan and display the boot flag on your FAT32 Partition. Close Gparted.
STEP 7.
Remove your USB Key and then plug it back in. Then open the File Manager...you should see 2 partitions
available to mount relating to your USB Key, you can mount them both but you only need to mount the
FAT32 one. Hint... it is the one not called 'live-rw'.
STEP 8.
From the menu open 'System Tools'--->Unetbootin. Select the Diskimage option and navigate to where
you have downloaded or placed the ISO Image file and Click OK. Unetbootin will take several minutes
to copy the image and bootloader to your Key.

Adding Persistence to the Key:

If you simply want AV Linux on a USB Key without persistent storage you can stop here. This will give
you the partition AV Linux runs from and a small additional partition to store files on while you are
running it. For persistence there are a few more steps and a few things to consider:
1. Persistence will dramatically slow bootup time the first boot after enabling it.
2. Persistence may cause the system response to be a little slower than a non-persistent Key.
3. Installing AV Linux from a persistent Key has NOT been tested and may not work.
4. System shutdown may display several harmless errors, do not remove your key when prompted until
it stops flashing.
STEP 9.
Mount the FAT 32 Partition of your Key (if it isn't already) in PCManFM and navigate to the 'syslinux.cfg'
file. Right click on it and open it in gedit and modify it's text in line 9 like the example below, once done
save the edited syslinux.cfg file and you are ready to boot into your new Key. Enjoy!

append initrd=/ubninit boot=live config

threadirqs quiet splash persistent --

AV LINUX BASIC BOOTING BIBLE

When Booting an AV Linux ISO:

1. Be patient...it can take several seconds to start the boot especially on LiveDVD media.
2. Watch for disk activity, if you see nothing immediately on the monitor but there is disk activity it is
still working on the boot.
3. Closely observe the Kernel console text output for red text errors, warnings and even many regular
console colored errors are normally harmless. The reason AV Linux doesn't use a pretty bootsplash is so
the user can monitor what the Kernel is doing at boot.
4. If the console output completes and the SLiM login window appears wait for it to auto-login which
will take several seconds on the LiveDVD and may not appear at all when booting from a Unetbootin
USB Key.
5. If the desktop partially loads OR the display resolution is wrong or corrupted it is most likely a Kernel
Modesetting/Video Driver issue which is covered in more detail below.
Failure to Boot Can be Caused by Several Issues:
1. A corrupted or broken ISO image on the Project ftp server.
This is extremely unlikely and rare and is easily ruled out by a single successful install by an end-user, AV
Linux is pre-tested by a third party before any release is made public to make sure the ftp ISO images
are intact and functional.
2. A bad download of the ISO image.
This is not common, but quite possible and can be verified by using the accompanying ISO.md5 file from
the ftp download folder. Another simple indication is if the file sizes on both the ftp and the
downloaded file match perfectly.
3. A bad burn of the ISO to disk media.
This is usually the most likely cause of boot failure and is generally evident when the disk does nothing
at all or freezes after displaying a few lines of console text which may be accompanied by numerous
console red error messages. Always burn any compressed filesystem media like ISO images at low burn
speeds (i.e. 4X or less) and make sure to use good disk media. If a LiveDVD fails try it on a different
computer, this is the number one way to discern if your media is bad or not or whether your computer
has a specific hardware issue with the LiveDVD.
4. Incompatible Video Hardware and Kernel Mode Setting (KMS).
This issue is generally evidenced by the Kernel completing it's console output and dying at the login or
unsuccessfully trying to load the Desktop and/or displaying the Desktop at a very low or garbled
resolution. AV Linux 6.0.4 can be booted to disable KMS by selecting the 'Failsafe' option from the
ISOlinux LiveDVD boot splash screen.

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INSTALLING AV LINUX

WARNING! - The following section involves major system changes like hard drive partitioning etc.
There is always a risk of Data loss or corruption when installing a new or different Operating
System. ALWAYS back up any important Data before making changes to your existing Hard Drive.
If you are completely unfamiliar with the concept of drive partitioning, or terms like Master Boot
Record it is recommended that you dont attempt to install AV Linux.

Installation Info:
Launch the Remastersys Installer from the desktop by right-clicking on the Desktop Installer Icon. AV
Linux uses 'GParted' to perform disk partitioning, you can choose to set up partitions before running
the Installer or do it as part of the installation process. The Installer is laid out in a very simple step by
step manner, take your time and carefully read the Installer prompts to ensure a successful install.
Please also take time to read the rest of this section before installing.
PLEASE NOTE! AV Linux does not use 'sudo' it uses the pure Debian Root Superuser and User method.
When installing and setting up AV Linux you will need to have a separate and unique password for your
Root Superuser to administrate the system and a regular User password for normal system use.

IMPORTANT! NEW INSTALLER FEATURES

The Remastersys Installer in AV Linux 6.0.4 has some new features to make installing easier and more
convenient than before. Users can now choose ext2, ext3 OR ext4 partitions and GRUB2 is now the
default bootloader.
PLEASE NOTE! The 'noformat' your home folder option in the AV Linux Remastersys Installer is still
under development and not recommended for use at this time.
Message Dialogs During Installation:
AV Linux employs a special script to mount all partitions at boot. During the installation process as the
new partitions are created the Removable Drive mounting dialog may appear. You can safely hit the
'Cancel' button and close these dialogs as the installation takes place.

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GETTING AROUND IN AV LINUX

About XFCE4:
XFCE4 is a functional, efficient Desktop Environment with its 4.10 release included in AV Linux 6.0.4, it
provides a good balance between resource-efficient performance and GUI attractiveness and provides
a complete Desktop Environment without a lot of superfluous extra unwanted applications.
Custom AV Linux Menu:
The AV Linux Custom Menu has been prepared to help users get
to the applications they are looking for quickly and differs
significantly from the stock XFCE4 menu. Its simple two-tiered
interface doesnt have numerous sub-menus to confuse and
obscure where applications can be found.
The Menu contains a number of custom launchers so even
applications that normally have a CLI interface only can be easily
found and launched from the Menu. Some examples are
A2JMIDID, Aloop-Daemon, JACK Capture, JACK Meterbridge, and
WineASIO which can be found in the 'Audio Utilities' menu.
Managing Misplaced Program Launchers:
Occasionally you may install a program and have it appear in the
wrong menu category since the AV Linux menu differs from the
stock XFCE one, additionally in rare cases you my install a program
with a launcher that doesn't appear in the menu at all. This will
usually affect only the separate Audio and Video menus. Fixing
this is quite simple, first find the misplaced or missing launcher
in /usr/share/applications or /usr/local/share/applications, then
right click on the launcher you want to fix and use the 'Scripts'
menu in Nautilus to 'Open with gedit as root' and scroll down to
the line that says 'Categories=' and delete any text that is
following the '=' and replace it with 'AudioEditing' to make the
launcher appear in the Audio menu or 'VideoEditing' to make it
appear in the Video menu. For the new custom 'Audio Utilities'
and 'Video Utilities' menus use 'AudioUtils' and 'VideoUtils' for
your Categories.
An Example from a Floola Launcher:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Categories=AudioEditing
Terminal=false
Icon=floola
Name=Floola
Exec=/opt/Floola-linux/Floola
Comment=iPod Management Tool and More!

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Creating Custom Launchers:

If you have installed or compiled a program that does not have a launcher you can easily create one
using the launcher creation tools found in the AV Linux Control Panel. You have a choice of creating a
launcher for your user only or a system-wide launcher for all users. Read and follow the prompts
carefully.
The AV Linux Control Panel:
The AV Linux Control Panel is a simple yad-based launcher-style utility created by Tony Brijeski. The
Control Panel choices are fairly self-explanatory. To use the X-Kill option to terminate a misbehaving
program click on the X-Kill launcher with your mouse and then move your cursor to the window of the
application you wish to terminate then hit the Enter key. When the cursor changes into a skull and
crossbones click again on the window of the application to terminate it.

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Ncurses Terminal Interface:

dpkg-reconfigure functions like rcconf to enable/disable boot scripts use the ncurses terminal
interface. To navigate the options use the arrow keys on your keyboard and to select or deselect an
option use your keyboard space bar.

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The Remastersys Backup Utility:

The Remastersys Backup Utility is very easy to use and will create a bootable ISO image of your running
system that you can use to reinstall in case of major problems. There is a limit of 4.0Gb for an ISO image
so it is not recommended to keep large files or stored data in your User's home. To use it set up your
remastersys config file and select either 'Backup' which will back up your User's home as well or 'Dist'
mode which will not retain your personal settings and customizations. It is also important to use the
'Clean' utility between uses to ensure a fresh ISO is created. The latest version of the Remastersys GUI
included in AV Linux 6.0.4 has a lot of additional new features to further assist the user customize their
own version of AV Linux.

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Nautilus File Manager (Default)

AV Linux 6.0 introduced Nautilus from Gnome 2 as the default file manager. Nautilus is utilized without
having it manage the Desktop in order to keep the usage of system resources to a minimum. It is fullyfeatured and great for networking as well as loaded with options like Audio and Video thumbnails.
Perhaps most interesting is the extensibility of Nautilus provided by it's support of scripts. AV Linux
6.0.4 provides Nautilus with a pre-installed collection of handy system administration scripts. It is
important to note that Nautilus has a fully functional trash function unlike the previous PCManFM file
manager used by AV Linux.
Two useful menus in Nautilus are the 'Scripts' Menu (accessed by right-clicking in the file window):

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and the 'Go' Menu:

Nautilus Notes:
Nautilus has some handy features that can be handled with keyboard commands, to browse files with
an URL bar use 'Ctrl+L', to see hidden files in the directory you are browsing use 'Ctrl+H'. To bypass the
Trash folder use 'Shift+Del' to permanently delete the files. It is important to note if you are browsing
as Root and delete any files they will be placed in the Root Trash file not the regular users, it is a good
practice to always delete files from Root browsing with 'Shift+Del' to bypass Root's Trash folder. There
is a long running bug in Nautilus that prevents trash from being deleted by the usual clicking on the
Trash icon in the left-hand pane of Nautilus. To manually find and remove Trash files from Root browse
the /root folder as Root and navigate to /root/.local/share/Trash and enter the 'files' and 'info' folders
and select the files you want to delete and use 'Shift+Del' to permanently remove them from the hard
drive.

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Thunar File Manager (Optional)

Although AV Linux 6.0.4 is set up to use Nautilus as the default File Manager there is also the option to
use 'Thunar' which is the usual native File Manager in XFCE4. To change from Nautilus to Thunar use the
'Preferred Applications' utility found in the 'Settings' menu.
**NOTE** Thunar is not set up with the handy custom Administration scripts that Nautilus uses.

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Changing the Keyboard Layout for Other Languages:

To set the keyboard for a different language during a LiveDVD session open a Terminal and use the
'setxkbmap' command with the accompanying 2 letter code for your language. The screenshot below
shows the command for French (setxkbmap fr).

To permanently change the keyboard setting in an AV Linux install use the Keyboard setting utilities
found in the 'System Customization' tab of the AV Linux Control Panel. You can also change the System
keyboard manually by opening a Root Terminal from the Accessories menu and editing the
configuration file in /etc/default/keyboard with this command:
gedit /etc/default/keyboard
Change the Model and Country codes within the quotes to the correct ones for your Country and save
the changes.
XKBMODEL="pc104"
XKBLAYOUT="us"
XKBVARIANT=""
XKBOPTIONS=""

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Using the Wbar Dock:

AV Linux uses the Wbar Dock for an attractive way to quickly launch apps from the Desktop. The Dock
is configured by editing it's 'dot.wbar' config file in your user's home. The config file is very
straightforward to edit... i=Icon, c=launch command and t=title. The Wbar Dock can be closed by
clicking the last icon with the red 'X' on it. Occasionally when switching between workspaces the Dock
will appear on top of the window of any application you have open, simply click on the window of the
running application and the Dock will be correctly placed behind the window. There are a large number
of customized icons for common multimedia apps in a special 'faenza-wbar' folder found in
/usr/share/icons.

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To Wbar or not to Wbar, that is the question...:

If you don't like it at all and wish it gone I suggest this:
Use Synaptic or dpkg -r and simply remove the 'wbar' and 'wbar-launch-delay' packages from your
system and also remove the 'dot.wbar' text file from your home folder. On the next login the danged
thing should be gone.... and good riddance too!
If you DO like it and want to change the position in AV Linux 6.0.4 (ie on a Netbook) it now is auto
launched with a combination of an autostart launcher and a little script, to have it launch on login in a
different position open a Root terminal and modify the 'wbarlaunch.sh' script:
gedit /usr/bin/wbarlaunch.sh
Which will open the script which by default looks like this:
#!/bin/bash
killall wbar
sleep 10s
/usr/bin/wbar -vbar -pos right -bpress -above-desk -isize 40 -zoomf 1.3 -balfa 50
For example if you would prefer the Wbar to be placed at the bottom modify the last line of the script,
*notice that '-vbar' has been removed. Like this:
/usr/bin/wbar -pos bottom -bpress -above-desk -isize 40 -zoomf 1.3 -balfa 50
Save the file in gedit and on the next login the Wbar will appear at the bottom of your screen.
Changing the Wbar position when launching Wbar manually from the Menu :
In a Root terminal:
gedit /usr/share/applications/wbar.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Wbar Dock
GenericName=Wbar Dock
Comment=Fast, Light Application Dock
Exec=/usr/bin/wbar -vbar -pos right -bpress -above-desk -isize 40 -zoomf 1.3
-balfa 50
Icon=/usr/share/icons/wbar.png
Terminal=false
MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Categories=Applications;Settings
GenericName[en_US]=Wbar Dock

Change the 'Exec=' line like in the example above and save your changes in gedit.

21

Conky Desktop Statistics:

AV Linux 6.0.4 comes with an optional 'Conky' for a graphical way to
display the system stats. Conkys are very light on system resources
and use very little RAM. The Conky on AV Linux has been custom
designed to reflect the default system theme and can be easily
switched on or off by selecting the Conky launchers in the
'Settings' menu.
There are numerous 'conkyrc' configuration files widely available on
the internet and they are intended to be customized to the
preferences of the user. There are no simple graphical tools
available to configure Conkys due to the variety of types. If you
want to modify the appearance of the Conky in AV Linux you will
need to hand-edit two separate text files in your user's home
folder. The Conky scripts reside in hidden folders so in order to see
them go to your user's home folder and hit 'ctrl+h' on your keyboard
to make the hidden files visible. The folders containing the Conky
config files are ~/.conky and ~/.lua/scripts/.
Of interest to many users will be changing the four letter code for
the Weather temperature indicator. To do this you will need to to
determine the letter code for your own location by visiting the
National Weather Service website here: http://weather.noaa.gov
Once you select your location from the weather service you should
see an URL in your browser URL bar something like this:
'http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/CYKD.html'
Make note of the four letter code at the end of the URL (ie 'CYKD')
and then go to ~/.conky and open the 'conkyrc' file by right-clicking
on it and selecting 'Open With gedit'. Scroll down to line 62 in the
conkyrc text file and replace the default 'CYXU' code with the four
letter code for your location. Save the file in gedit and the Conky
should now reflect the temperature for your location.

22

SliM LOGIN MANAGER

Setting SliM For Autologin:
AV Linux 6.0 features a new and much lighter Login Manager...'SLiM'. Although not as fully featured and
familiar as GDM, SliM has a very light system footprint and is still quite configurable by editing it's
configuration file in /etc/slim.conf. The example below will cover the most popular configuration
request...autologin.
First open a Root Terminal from the 'Accessories' Menu and enter:
gedit /etc/slim.conf
To enable autologin two separate variables must be changed in slim.conf. Scroll down the file to find
the following line:
# default_user
To set yourself as the default user remove the '#' comment from the beginning of the line and then add
your username, USERNAME is used here as an example:
default_user USERNAME
If we leave the file like this then on next login it will automatically enter your username but still require
your password, to have autologin work fully you need to edit the autologin line:
# auto_login no
Once again remove the '#' comment and change the 'no' to a 'yes' like this:
auto_login yes
When you have completed editing the slim.conf file click 'Save' in the Gedit Text Editor and autologin
should be active on your next login.
Setting SliM Default Session Using Other Desktop Environments:
Open a Root Terminal from the 'Accessories' Menu and enter:
gedit /etc/slim.conf
Scroll down the file to find the following line:
login_cmd

exec /bin/bash -login /etc/X11/Xsession %session

Change '%session' to the start command of your desired other default Desktop Environment.
Command Examples For Some Other Common Light Desktops:
default,startxfce4,openbox,ion3,icewm,wmaker,blackbox,awesome

23

PERFORMANCE SETTINGS
CPU Governor Settings:
Governing the CPU in AV Linux is handled by a small light GTK-based tray utility known as 'Trayfreq'.
Simply click and right-click on the LXPanel applet and select your desired governor. Trayfreq can be
further configured and have it's defaults changed by editing it's 'trayfreq.config' file found in
/usr/share/trayfreq. To do this use 'Accessories' Root Terminal and this command:
gedit /usr/share/trayfreq/trayfreq.config
Trayfreq example default settings in AV Linux using the 'ondemand' governor on battery power and
'performance' governor on AC power:
[battery]
show=1
governor=ondemand
[ac]
governor=performance
#[events]
#activate=/usr/bin/xterm
[governor]
default=performance
#[frequency]
#default=800000
Power Management:
Power Management in AV Linux 6.0.4 is handled by the XFCE4 Power Manager Utility.

24

PROPRIETARY VIDEO DRIVERS IN AV LINUX

**NOTE!** PROPRIETARY VIDEO DRIVERS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OPTIONAL 'RT' KERNELS!!

The addition of proprietary 3D nVidia and Ati video card drivers is handled by a 3 rd party script in AV
Linux called SGFXI. Proprietary drivers are not supported and are to be installed at the risk and
discretion of the user. AV Linux does supply a method to help facilitate the installation of proprietary
3D drivers since many users want this option and Debian Linux has no tools to handle this operation
other than for the stock Debian Kernel which AV Linux does not use.
**IMPORTANT!** Setting Up Network Connections Correctly for SGFXI:

SGFXI obtains and installs the Video Drivers on your system as the Root user, this means that any
Network Connection employed by SGFXI must be available to both the logged-in Session user and also
the Root user. For this to work it has to be explicitly enabled in the Network Manager on whichever
Internet Connection you are planning to use whether it is Wired, WiFi, DSL or USB Adaptor BEFORE
running SGFXI. To do this right-click on the 'Network-Manager-Applet' in the Systray section of the
XFCE4 Panel at the top of your screen, in this example we are editing the 'Auto Ethernet' wired
connection.

This will take you the 'Network Connections' dialog where you can select the connection you want to
edit by choosing it's tab. In the example we have selected the 'Auto Ethernet' tab and highlighted it's
connection. Next click the 'Edit' button at the right side.

25

Once the 'Edit' button is clicked you will be taken to the Connection Editing dialog where you must
check off the 'Available to all users' checkbox at which time you will be prompted to enter your Root
password. Now log out and log back in to ensure the new settings have taken hold and then select one
of the 2 methods below to run SGFXI.

26

METHOD 1 (Preferred) GRUB2 Proprietary Driver Mode:

When you boot into AV Linux 6.0.4 after installing you will notice that there is an extra GRUB boot
option just below the default top boot line in the GRUB2 boot menu. This is a special optional nonmodesetting workaround created by Tony Brijeski to facilitate using SGFXI. By using this option all
modesetting for nVidia and Ati video cards is disabled so SGFXI does not have to be run twice. To use
this optional boot mode you need to select this option in the few seconds the GRUB2 menu splash
displays at boot by using your keyboard arrow keys to highlight and select the second boot option.
Once selected the kernel will boot as usual showing the boot progress text in the console. When the
kernel is done booting you will be presented with a console login. For this mode to function the user is
required to login as Root. At the console prompt type your username as 'root' and then enter your Root
password not your regular user password. Once logged in as Root SGFXI will automatically run and
attempt to install the proprietary video drivers.

27

*IMPORTANT KMS MODESETTING INFO FOR ATI GRAPHICS USERS* This is only recommended if
you are certain your hardware supports KMS or if you are experiencing Xorg ATI driver issues!
ATI Graphics Cards have a wide-ranging variety of chipsets and accompanying Xorg drivers including ati,
radeon and radeonhd. Generally speaking ATI Proprietary drivers do not use KMS (Kernel Mode Setting)
and only some ATI chipsets support using KMS with Xorg drivers. For this reason and for maximum ATI
support with the AV Linux LiveDVD KMS is enabled in the Kernel but is switched off in the
/etc/modprobe.d/radeon-kms.conf configuration file. In order to have fully functional KMS with Xorg
ATI drivers users need to enable the option in the 'radeon-kms.conf' file. To accomplish this go to
'Accessories' 'Root Terminal' and copy and paste this command:
gedit /etc/modprobe.d/radeon-kms.conf
This will open the gedit text editor so you can modify the 'radeon-kms.conf' file. To enable KMS edit the
file to look like this:
options radeon modeset=1
Once edited click 'Save' in the gedit text editor and reboot your computer to allow KMS to take effect.

METHOD 2 - Alternate SGFXI Options:

SGFXI can also be run in a regular Desktop session however it needs to be run in the bare system
console 'outside' of the XFCE4 UI. In order to run SGFXI this way you need to shut down XFCE4 by
hitting the Ctrl, Alt, F2 keys simultaneously. Your system will then go to the basic console where you
will need to login. Since SGFXI requires running with Root privileges you need to login as 'root' and
then enter your root password. If a login message doesn't immediately appear in the console you may
need to hit the 'Enter' key to display the login prompt.

28

**IMPORTANT** Because of the KMS issues noted above it is often necessary to run SGFXI twice in a
row to completely install the replacement proprietary Video drivers. In this case SGFXI will most likely
run the first time and obtain the drivers and when you are prompted to log back into LXDE the
computer will fail to use the new driver and leave you at the bare console unable to login. The reason
for this is that SGFXI cannot both install the drivers and blacklist modules from the Xorg Video drivers
at the same time. Although this is somewhat cumbersome usually logging in as 'root' and running SGFXI
again with the same options as you used the first time will allow the driver installation to complete.
SGFXI is quite flexible and can be run with many optional commands as listed below which were taken
from the help file which can be accessed in a terminal by typing 'sgfxi -h':
**EXACT VERSION NUMBERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. RUN 'sgfxi -h' IN A TERMINAL FOR CURRENT INFO**
Script Requirements: Debian/Ubuntu/Arch/Fedora based systems.
Xorg version required: 7.1/1.1 or greater - Your X version: 1.10
Linux Kernel required: 2.6.18 or greater - Your kernel: 3.0.55-avl-10
--------------------------------'default(s):' - The driver installed automatically by sgfxi unless it is not supported by
your card. Some older cards will force an override of this basic default. Script will
print out what driver it will install when you start it up, with option to exit.
'supported-drivers:' choices require -o <see -o for correct syntax> to install>.
Fglrx: default: 12.10
Other supported-drivers: 12.10 12-7 12-6 12.10 12-7 12-6 12-4 12-3 12-2 12-1 11-12 11-11
11-10 11-9 11-8 11-7 11-6 11-5 11-4 11-3 11-2 11-1
Nvidia: defaults (current + legacy - 3 2 1): 310.19 304.64 173.14.36 96.43.23 71.86.15
Other supported-drivers: 304.64 304.60 304.51 304.43 295.71 290.10 285.05.09
280.13 275.43 270.41.19 260.19.44 256.53 195.36.31 190.53 185.18.36 180.60 177.82
173.14.35 169.12 100.14.19 96.43.20 71.86.14
The following beta drivers are available:
nvidia: 313.09
fgrlx: 12.11
Script Options:
-A Run the install non-interactively. Will not restart x at end.
-b Enable tripleBuffer (nvidia only). triplebuffer can reduce 3d performance on cards
with low graphics memory (64 mB or less). Default is disabled/off.
-B Use latest Beta Driver for your card type. Autodetects card type/beta driver (nVidia/AMD cards only).
If no beta driver is available, the current stable driver for your card type is used.
(Also checks nvidia for live latest beta information, and replaces script defaults with newer if present)
-c Force use of Xorg composite mode. Beryl/Compiz requires this for 3d. Old nvidia/ATI/Intel
cards not supported. Composite is default ON for newer nVidia/ATI cards (-c not required).
-C Skip Xorg configuration. Only use this if your Xorg is already working with your driver.
Main use is if you have dual card output and don't want xorg.conf changed.
-d Installs distro packaged nVidia/fglrx drivers. ATI/nVidia cards only (formerly -s).
-D Build Distro (Debian/Ubuntu only) packages for fglrx with FGLRX binary run package,
then install them (formerly -F). Not recommended. Because of constant package
builder failures, the direct install method is now default.
-f Force option. Forces (re)install of your driver, bypasses module check/build (nVidia only).
-h View this help menu.

29

-j Alternate text/output script colors. Requires this syntax: -j 0 (sets to monochrome )

-j 1 (default); -j 2 (pale); -j 3 (earthy); -j 4 (dark - for light console background)
-k Build kernel module either for current kernel or another kernel (with -K <kernel version
Can be run in X. Simply builds the kernel module for that kernel, and does not remove
any other modules or drivers, or update /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Requires previous install
with sgfxi of the same driver to work. This feature only supports nVidia drivers.
Hint: sgfxi -! 40 will install modules to all your non-running kernels automatically!
-K Installs nVidia/fglrx driver for another kernel. Syntax: sgfxi -K 2.6.25-2
sgfxi will double check that the kernel exists (Debian/Ubuntu only).
-L List current live driver or status data then exit. Requires extra argument: d to show current drivers;
n to show current nvidia support status; f to show current fglrx support status;
v to show current latest local + remote sgfxi svn/server version information.
-n Automatically installs correct native xorg nvidia, intel, or ati/amd driver for your system.
Cleans up old binary driver stuff, updates xorg.conf with new driver information,
and cleans nvidia and fgrlx stuff out of xorg.conf. For radeon/noveau, also preps.
-N Force install of specific xorg driver. Syntax: sgfxi -N <driver> Ex: sgfxi -N radeon
Supported Xorg drivers: apm ark ati chips cirrus fbdev geode glide glint i128 i740 intel
imstt mach64 mga neomagic nsc openchrome nouveau r128 radeon rendition s3 s3virge savage
siliconmotion sis sisusb tdfx tga trident tseng vesa vga via voodoo vmware v4l
Also configures xorg.conf as required. Full radeon xorg 3d configuration automatically.
-o Override default: install a specific driver, this is an absolute override - syntax:
-o 177.68 (for nVidia) or: -o 8-6 (for fglrx)
-q Turns off composite mode. Default is ON for newer nVidia/ATI cards.
-Q Skip start X Question, automatically start X post driver install.
-r Remove mode lines from xorg.conf
-R Skips self updating feature. No restart.
-U Forces sgfxi to update itself, must be root, but can be in x. Exits after.
-v Prints sgfxi current version information. Exits after.
-W Skip all wget downloads. Only use this to reinstall a driver that has already been
downloaded using sgfxi at least once previously.
-x Reverts to default libXvMC.so.1 for system instead of nVidia package (nVidia only)
-X Use to skip auto X start/stop. Do not use this unless you have a good reason to not
want X start/stop tests to run. Gives start X option on completion if not in X.
-Y Clean script download and backup files. Shows a list of cleanup actions to carry out, including script
uninstaller.
Can be run in X, as root.
-z Backup and recreate xorg.conf using the command: X -configure (requires X/Xorg command)
Only use if you know what you are doing! This creates a simple, basic xorg.conf file.
Advanced Options :: Only for Specialized Cases
-! 32 Remove/Purge all drivers; remove all grub modeline blacklists; restore system to default
without redoing xorg.conf; moves xorg.conf to backup. Only use this on new Xorgs that do not
require xorg.conf file to operate. Using this command restores system to default.
-! 33 - Skip Grub file tests. Important: Only use with nVidia/ATI if radeon/nouveau have been blacklisted.
-! 40 Create modules for all your kernels (nVidia only). Will loop through and test
each if can be made, then create the modules, excluding your running kernel.
You must have already installed an nVidia driver with sgfxi to use -! 40
Note: if your installed driver is NOT the default sgfxi offers, you have to
use either the -o <driver number> OR the -B option (if you are using current beta driver)
as well as the -! 40 option. EG: to install beta to all kernels: sgfxi -B -! 40

30

MONITOR AND DISPLAY SETTINGS

AV Linux uses an application called 'Arandr' to handle setting the monitor screen resolution and also for
setting up Dual-head displays. Arandr can be found in the 'Preferences' menu. To change and select the
monitor resolution right-click on the rectangle within the Arandr window that represents the Video
output and display you are using. If you are using more than one output and display there will be more
than one rectangle present within the Arandr window.
**PLEASE NOTE** To use Dual-head for many nVidia and ATI Video cards it will be necessary to
have Proprietary Video Drivers installed as detailed in the previous 'Proprietary Video Drivers In
AV Linux' section.

31

Making a Persistent Dual-Head Setup:

If you have a permanent setup with Dual-head monitors you may want to have the Arandr configuration
settings automatically start it up for you when you boot up your computer. This is possible but requires
some extra steps and placing a '.desktop' launcher in /home/YOURUSERNAME/.config/autostart. Here's
how to do it:
- Start Arandr configure the displays as desired.
- Save and name your configuration from the 'Save As' menu (ie dualhead.sh).
- 'dualhead.sh' will be saved in /home/YOURUSERNAME/.screenlayout by default.
- Find your created 'dualhead.sh' in the '.screenlayout' folder and right-click on it.
- Go to 'Properties' -->'Permissions' and make sure 'Allow executing file as program' is checked.
- In your home folder right-click and 'Create Document' 'Empty File' and name it 'dualhead.desktop'.
- Right-click on the 'dualhead.desktop' file you created and 'Open with gedit'
- From the example below copy and paste the Launcher text into the 'dualhead.desktop' file.
- Change the yellow highlighted 'YOURUSERNAME' to your actual User name'
- Save your changes in gedit
- Copy the 'dualhead .desktop' file to /home/YOURUSERNAME/.config/autostart.
- On reboot your ArandR configuration should be automatically loaded.

Example 'dualhead.desktop' Launcher File:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Categories=System
Terminal=false
Icon=
Name=Dualhead
Exec=/home/YOURUSERNAME/.screenlayout/dualhead.sh
Comment=Autostart Dual Monitors

32

COMPIZ WINDOW MANAGER

By default AV Linux comes with the light and efficient Openbox Window Manager. XFCE4 is also
capable of utilizing the Compiz Window Manager which gives an assortment of 3D desktop effects.
The first prerequisite to using Compiz is having 3D Video Drivers installed. Intel graphics cards have out
of the box 3D support for the most part. Most Ati cards have varying degrees of 3D support through
using the Xorg radeon/radeonhd driver and full support using the proprietary video drivers detailed in
the previous section. Nvidia 3D support is only available currently by installing the proprietary nVidia
drivers also detailed in the previous section.
To use Compiz it is necessary to first select your options using the Compiz Settings Manager and use
the included Emerald Theme Manager to select one of the pre-installed Emerald themes or any you
have installed. All setup for Compiz can be easily done by using the Fusion Icon found in the System
Tools menu which puts all the Compiz related programs into one application.
Autostarting Compiz:
To have Compiz start at login it is necessary to copy the 'Autostart Compiz' launcher found in the Extra
Goodies Autostart Launchers folder to one of two possible system autostart folders. To have the
launcher work only for your user copy the Autostart Compiz launcher to ~/.config/autostart. To have
the launcher work system-wide for all users copy the launcher as Root to /etc/xdg/autostart.

33

AV LINUX KERNELS

Default 3.12.19 lowlatency PAE Kernel:

** Optional 'RT' Kernels are incompatible with nVidia and Ati 3rd party Proprietary Video Drivers !!
AV Linux offers a range of choices for post-install Kernels, by default it features the performance
advantages of a custom 3.12.19-PAE-i686 Kernel. This Kernel features the best of both worlds by
having -rt IRQ Threading in a mainline Kernel. This Kernel offers rtirq-init capabilities on the new Juju
FireWire stack making it an optimum choice for low-latency audio application. There is also a selection
of older but viable Kernels in the AV Linux Kernel FTP in the link below. AV Linux Kernels are built by
Trulan Martin. Updated AV Linux Kernels can be installed from the AV Linux Kernel Repository which is
enabled by default in the AV Linux 6.0 Software Sources, for AV Linux 6.0 there is now an additional
Testing Repository that has to be manually enabled. It is strongly recommended to only change or
update your Kernel if absolutely necessary.

34

KERNEL CHEATCODES
Enabled By Default in AV Linux 6.0.4:
threadirqs - force-threaded irq handlers (realtime preemption)
- Threaded irq's have long been a major part of the RT_PREEMPT patchset, and can offer significant
benefits for low latency audio uses. Use this parameter unless you have a really good reason not to.
transparent_hugepage=never - turn off hugepages (a new memory management feature)
- Transparent hugepages should be useful in memory intensive applications, such as virtual machines,
databases, and possibly video editing. If ultra-low latency is desired, it seems to be best to disable
them. Use this parameter if you want to squeeze the lowest latency possible out of your audio chain.
To Be Enabled/Disabled Optionally:
noautogroup - disable auto cgroup scheduling
- The famous "200 line patch that does wonders", aka SCHED_AUTOGROUP, is useful when cpuintensive tasks, such as make, are being done in a terminal, while the desktop is in use. Use this
parameter to disable it if you think it is causing problems.
Example grub kernel command line:
threadirqs transparent_hugepage=never quiet

Making GRUB-2 Add the Boot Flags Automatically:

1. As root, edit:
/etc/default/grub
2. Add the desired boot flags to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line, like this:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="threadirqs transparent_hugepage=never"
3. Then run: (also as root)
update-grub
4. Reboot

35

AV LINUX 6.0.4 SOFTWARE

Included Software Applications
(Subject to Minor Changes, Support Libs Not Shown)

APPLICATION

DESCRIPTION

VERSION

A2JMIDID
JACK/ALSA MIDI Bridge
Aloop-Daemon
ALSA Loopback Script
AmSynth
Analog Modelling Synthesizer
Ardour 3
Digital Audio Workstation (version 3.0)
Ardour 3-VST
Ardour 3.0 w/Windows VST Support
Audacity
Soundfile Editor
Blender3D
Animation Modeler
Brasero
CD/DVD Authoring and Burning
Calf Plugins
LV2 Audio Plugins and JACK Host
Carla
Multi-Plugin Host
Cinelerra
Non-Linear Video Editor
Clementine
QT4 Amarok-based Music Player
DeVeDe
Video DVD Authoring
DrumGizmo
Virtual Drum Instrument LV2 Plugin
Easytag
Music File Tagging
Evince
PDF Document Viewer
Festige
JACK Host For WindowsVST Plugins
FFADO
FireWire Audio Drivers
ffmpeg
CLI Audio/Video Converter
FFMultiplex
Audio Video Stream Muxer GUI
FileZilla
FTP Client
Firefox
Mozilla Web Browser
Gedit
Text Editor with Syntax Highlighting
GIMP
Advanced Image File Editor
Gnome Photo Print Photo Printing Utility
GParted
Hard Drive Partition Editor
Gthumb
Image File Viewer
Guitarix
Guitar Effects Processor with LV2 Plugins
Handbrake
DVD Ripper and H.264 Video Encoder
Hydrogen
Advanced Drum Sequencer and Programmer
Inkscape
SVG Graphics Editor
Invada Plugins
Assorted LV2 Plugins
JACK
Low Latency Audio Server+Session Support
JACK Control
Qt GUI for JACK
JACK Capture
Capture Output of JACK into an Audio File
Kdenlive
KDE4-based NLE Video Editor
Kompozer
WYSIWYG Web Page Editor
LADSPA Plugins
ambisonic, autotalent, calf, caps, cmt, csa, fil,
guitarix, Invada, leet, swh, rev, tap, vlevel

36

8
1.0
1.5.1
3.5.403+patches
3.5.403+patches
2.0.5
2.71
2.30.3
0.0.19GIT
2.0beta3
2.2+CVA GIT
1.2.1
3.16
0.9.6
2.1.7
2.30.3
1.0.2
2.2.1+SVN
0.7.15
0.1
3.3.1
33.0
2.30.3
2.6.10
0.7.0
0.7.0
0.2.14.1
0.31
0.9.6
0.9.6
0.48.1
1.2.0
0.124.1
0.3.12
0.9.67
0.9.10
0.8b3

Continued:
APPLICATION
LibreOffice
linuxDSP Plugins
LiVES
LMMS
Loomer Plugins
Meterbridge
Mixxx
Mudita24 Control
Mverb
Nautilus
Non-Things
Openshot
Patchage
Pianoteq
QMIDIArp
Qsynth
Qsampler
Qtractor
Renoise
Rosegarden
Scribus
Seq24
SetBfree
SGFXI
Simple Scan
Shutter
Sooperlooper
Synaptic
Synthclone
Totem
Transmission
TV-Viewer
VMPK
Vee-One Plugins
Wbar
Whysynth
WINE
WineASIO
WinFF
X42-Plugins
XArchiver
XineUI
XJadeo
Yoshimi
Zita-Reverb
Zita-Retuner

DESCRIPTION

VERSION

Full Office Productivity Suite

LinuxVST and LV2 Plugins (Demos)
Video Editor
Linux MultiMedia Studio
LinuxVST Audio Plugins (Demo Versions)
JACK Meter Suite
DJ Focused Music Player
Updated Mixer for ice1712 Soundcards
LV2 Reverb Plugin
File Manager
Suite with Mixer and Session Mgr.
Non-Linear Video Editor
JACK Patchbay/Routing
Piano Modeling Software (Demo Version)
MIDI Arpeggiator
Qt Frontend for Fluidsynth
LinuxSampler QT4 GUI
Audio/MIDI Sequencer
Tracker Style Audio Sequencer (Demo Version)
QT4-base MIDI Sequencer and Score Editor
Desktop Publishing Application
Pattern-based MIDI Sequencer
Hammond B3 Organ Emulation
Automated Install Script for 3D Graphics Drivers
Easy Scanner Utility
Screenshot Capturing and Editing
Live Looping Sampler
Software Package Manager
Copy and Create Sample Libraries
Gstreamer based Movie/Media Player
Bittorrent Client
Watch and Record TV
Virtual Midi Piano Keyboard
Samplv1, SynthV1 and DrumkV1 LV2 Plugins
Light Application Launch Bar
DSSI Synthesizer
Windows Compatibility Layer
ASIO Driver for JACK
ffmpeg based Audio/Video Converter
Useful Collection of LV2 Audio Plugins
Compression and Unzip Utility
Media Player based on Xine
Video Player with JACK Transport
Real Time Synthesizer
LV2 Reverb Plugin
LV2 Autotuner Plugin

37

4.3.1
2.2.6
1.0.95
0.9.2+b1
1.11
1.0.3
1.0
2.30
1.9.5+GIT
1.4.3+BZR
1.0.0
5.0
0.6.0
0.3.10
0.2.2.30
0.6.3
3.0.0
13.10
1.4.1
0.9.2+BZR
0.7.5
2.31.1
0.85.1
1.6.18
0.70.1
0.3.0
2.30
2.03
0.8.2b1
0.4.0
0.5.1
1.3.3
20100922
1.6.2+rt
0.9.5
1.3.0
0.5.2
0.99.6
0.8.0
1.2.1
20130420
20130419

INSTALLING SOFTWARE IN AV LINUX

There are 3 main methods of installing software in AV Linux. For Repository-based software packages
the Synaptic Package Manager is used, for independently downloaded Debian '.deb' files the Gdebi
Package Installer is used and finally for AV Linux 'Package Bundle' Zips the Terminal and 'dpkg'
command are used.

Do Not Use 'apt-get dist-upgrade'!:

WARNING! It is not advised to use 'apt-get upgrade' or 'apt-get dist-upgrade' in AV Linux as is
common in other Debian-based Distributions. AV Linux contains many specially customized,
pinned and held packages that would potentially get overwritten by a dist-upgrade and break the
system. In addition AV Linux is to be used with the Debian Squeeze repositories ONLY, using the
Squeeze-Backports, New Stable (Wheezy), Testing (Jessie) and Unstable (Sid) repositories is
unsupported and will cause potential conflicts with the existing custom 'avlinux' Packages. By
default AV Linux has the repositories recommended for daily use enabled so unless you are
certain about what you are doing do not make changes to the Software Sources.
Synaptic Package Manager:
The Synaptic Package Manager is found in the 'Preferences' Menu and serves as a graphical means to
keep inventory of all installed Debian '.deb' software packages and also to remove any installed
packages and is the primary way of installing repository-based packages. Which packages appear as
installable is determined by whatever Repositories are checked off in the 'Software Sources' utility
(also found in the Preferences Menu. Updated packages appear by selecting the 'Installed
(Upgradeable)' in the list in the left-hand pane.

38

Gdebi Package Installer:

For single packages downloaded from the web (ie the AV Linux package ftp) the Gdebi Package
Installer is used. Simply download the package to your home folder and double click on it. The Gdebi
Package Installer will automatically launch and ask for your Root password and install the package.

How to Downgrade an Installed Package:

Sometimes it may occur that you have updated a package from an independent source (ie the AV Linux
Packages FTP) and you wish to revert to a previous version. If you use the Gdebi Package Installer it will
fail to work and complain that the installed version is newer than the one you wish to install. This is
easily solved by installing the package from the command line using 'dpkg' which does allow
downgrading. To do this go to whatever directory you have downloaded the desired package to and
right-click in the directory and select 'Terminal Here' from the Nautilus 'Scripts' menu, make yourself
Root in the terminal by typing 'su' and entering your Root password. Use this command to then
downgrade your package:
dpkg -i <PACKAGENAME>

39

Installing Zipped Package Bundles with dpkg:

Occasionally optional packages for AV Linux may be be adapted from other Debian-based distros or
Ubuntu. Since the dependencies for these packages may not be available in the usual Debian
repositories to accommodate installation a 'Package Bundle' containing the necessary dependencies
will be provided in a Zip file available in the AV Linux Packages FTP. Since many times the dependencies
have to be installed in a specific order it is a better practice to install these bundled packages via the
terminal with 'dpkg'.
To do this download the Package Bundle from the AV Linux Packages FTP folder to your home folder,
once downloaded right-click on the Zip file and select 'Extract Here' to unzip it. Now double-click on the
folder to open it and you will see a series of '.deb' packages and a 'README' text file. Take time to
browse the README file for any special additional instructions. Go to the 'Scripts' menu in the Nautilus
File Manager and select 'Terminal Here'. In the newly opened terminal type 'su' which will prompt you
for your Root Password so you can administrate installing the series of packages with dpkg. Once you
have entered your password and are returned to the terminal prompt enter or copy and paste this
command:
dpkg -i *.deb
Watch the terminal output for any errors and once the packages are installed successfully close the
terminal.

40

WHERE TO FIND UPDATED PACKAGES

AV Linux Custom Packages FTP Folder:

Updated custom user packages for between AV Linux ISO Image releases are uploaded to a special
FTP Folder here: http://bandshed.net/avlinux6-debs/ This FTP Folder is organized with separate
folders for each application that is uploaded, depending on the nature of the application some of the
application folders may contain subfolders as well. Application folders will generally contain the
version number of the program that is present on the most recent AV Linux ISO Image and any new
updated versions that have been uploaded, the reason for keeping the original versions is for users to
be able to fall back to their original version in the case of an update not working as desired or
introducing new and unwanted bugs. Usually newer uploaded program packages will have a higher
version number than their predecessor or if it is a custom GIT or SVN package the date in the package
name will determine what package is most recent. Programs that will install without requiring
additional dependencies will be in the usual Debian '.deb' Package format, programs that require
multiple dependent deb packages installed simultaneously with be provided in a compressed '.zip'
package. If you are unsure about how to install these different package formats please refer to the
previous 'Installing Software In AV Linux' section.
A little shortcut to see what package folders have been modified in the FTP most recently and
therefore what programs have been updated last is to modify the URL of the FTP folder in your web
browser to this: http://www.bandshed.net/avlinux6-debs/?C=M;O=D Using this command will
change the browser view of the FTP and show the most recently modified folders at the top with the
date they were modified.

41

NETWORKING ON AV LINUX

Out-of-the-box LAN and Wireless Support:

For most users with reasonably common networking hardware AV Linux should provide out-of-the-box
Internet connectivity. Upon login to the Desktop the Network Manager should automatically look after
connecting a LAN connection and Wireless should prompt the user to connect to available networks.
You can access the network settings by clicking on the Network Manager icon found to the far right on
the XFCE4 Panel.

If you left-click on the icon it will open a menu displaying all available connections like this:

If you right-click on the icon it will open a menu allowing you the option to edit your connections:

42

From here you can add, set up and edit Wired LAN, Wireless, Mobile Broadband USB, VPN and DSL
connections. Specifics for each kind of setup are beyond the scope of this manual but generally
speaking Wired LAN and Wireless connections shouldn't need manual setup. Many mobile broadband
USB key devices are supported by AV Linux but most of them need manual configuration to work.

43

Networking with Windows Computers:

The Nautilus File Manager can be used to network with Windows PC's using Samba. To browse a
Windows network use the 'Go' menu and then select 'Network'. Nautilus will open a new window with a
network URL and any available windows machines should appear as being able to browse:

44

Connection to an FTP Folder:

Nautilus can also be used to move files to and from a remote FTP folder, to do this simply enter the
web address into the URL bar at the top (accessed by using Ctrl+L). You will be prompted to enter your
FTP username and password in order to access your FTP folder.

Shared Folders On A Network:

AV Linux 6.0.4 includes a Nautilus extension called 'Nautilus-share' which allows you to set shared
folders on your network which can be accessed from other PC's. In order to create shares your login
user needs to be a member of the 'sambashare' group which can be set up by entering this into a Root
terminal:
adduser <YOURUSERNAME> sambashare
Further to that any users who are accessing shared files on your computer need to have a non-login,
non-home folder user UNIX account on the serving computer (as Root):
useradd -s /bin/true <CREATEUSERNAME>

45

Any users you've added will also require you set up a Samba Password for the newly added user
account (as Root):
smbpasswd -a <USERYOUCREATED>
It may also be necessary to add the user to /etc/samba/smbusers like this:
<unix-username> = <samba-username>

46

PRINTING WITH AV LINUX

Getting Started:
Printing with Linux can either be 'Plug and Play' heaven or software dependency hell, a lot depends on
what Printer you have, how old (or new) it is and how serious the manufacturer is about providing opensource friendly Linux drivers. If you don't already have a printer I strongly recommend Hewlett Packard
products, they seem to be the only manufacturer taking printing on Linux seriously and have their own
Linux 'HPLIP' project to support their hardware. There is no possible way for this manual to cover
printing in any specific detail and many users may prefer to not use a printer at all on a streamlined
Audio recording system like AV Linux. Nonetheless here are a few key points for those who wish to set
up their printer.
Printer Group Permissions:
In order to administrate and use the CUPS print server the user will need to be a member of two main
system groups that deal with printing...'lp' and 'lpadmin'. The quickest way to do this is with the Root
Terminal and the 'adduser' command. Go to Accessories Root Terminal and copy or enter these
commands, 'USERNAME' is your actual regular username on the system:
adduser USERNAME lp
adduser USERNAME lpadmin

Printer Drivers and Software:

Many printer models will have driver support within the CUPS print server, If you have a Hewlett
Packard Printer AV Linux 6.0.4 comes with a pre-installed recent build of the 'HPLIP' Printer Drivers and
Utilities. For other makes of printers configuration is done with the printer configuration utility found
in 'Preferences' 'Printing'. Printer drivers come in a 'PPD' (PostScript Printer Description) format
which is key to getting your printer to work properly. PPD files can be found for some Printer
manufacturers on their websites or in some cases on the driver disk that came with your printer. If you
are having difficulty getting your particular printer working then the only advice I can offer is do a
Google search on your printer make and model followed by the word 'linux' . There are quite a few
specialized blogs or forum posts dealing with specific printer issues. Many times the Ubuntu user
forums will have some good information as well.

47

USING JACK
The easiest way to setup the JACK Audio server is to use the JACK Control app (a.k.a. Qjackctl). It can
easily be launched from the XFCE4 Panel or Wbar Dock. To setup your Audio card click the 'Setup'
button.

In the example below the system has a default single soundcard which has been selected in the
'Interface' dropdown. Generally speaking if your Audio interface shows up in the dropdown list it is
supported by ALSA and therefore by JACK as well. To use a firewire interface you will need to select
'firewire' instead of 'alsa' in the 'Driver' dropdown. It is very important to make sure that 'Realtime' is
checked off under 'Parameters'. Another number to look at during setup is the 'Frames/Period' figure.
If you are experiencing 'Xruns' or audio dropouts then you will need to increase this number, conversely
if you want to decrease the 'Latency' figure then decrease the Frames/Period until Xruns appear. If you
are recording directly to a Recording Track then low latency numbers are really not terribly necessary, if
you are recording through a plugin or other audio application en route to the Recording Track then
lower latencies are required. To use JACK with Synthesizer and MIDI Plugins it is recommended to
increase the 'Timeout (msec)' value to 2000 miliiseconds or more for better stability.

48

Making Connections:
Most applications once up and running with JACK will manage their connections within the program
you are using, however sometimes it is necessary to manually connect applications or even hardware
like MIDI Keyboards. In the example below we are using 'Patchage' to connect the ALSA MIDI Outputs
of the 'VMPK' Virtual Keyboard to control the Qsynth Soundfont Synthesizer. This 'Patchage' window
shows 'ALSA MIDI' connections in the green boxes, 'JACK MIDI' in the red boxes and the Audio
connections in the blue boxes. It is important to note that this example is showing JACK MIDI as it is
provided by the 'A2JMIDID-daemon' and also 'jack2alsa' and 'alsa2jack' ports that are provided by the
'Aloop-daemon' described in the following sections. In AV Linux 6.0.4 Qjackctl is automatically set up to
start JACK and launch the A2JMIDID and Aloop daemons.

49

MANAGING MIDI IN AV LINUX

Bridging ALSA and JACK MIDI:

In the previous section we discussed the low-latency JACK Audio server. JACK has both an Audio and
MIDI component and the fact that Linux has 2 distinct types of MIDI I/O can often be confusing to new
users. A common scenario is plugging in an ALSA supported MIDI Controller Keyboard, if you start an
application which supports ALSA MIDI (ie Hydrogen) you will be able to see and use your MIDI keyboard
as you would expect. Where things get confusing is if you are using an application that only supports
JACK MIDI (ie Ardour3) you will not be able to see your Keyboard in the listed MIDI inputs....what to
do ??!
AV Linux includes an Audio Utility called 'A2JMIDID', a daemon which takes ALSA MIDI inputs and
outputs and exposes them to the JACK MIDI system and therefore makes them visible in applications
that only support JACK MIDI, these MIDI I/O ports will also be visible in 'Patchage' and other JACK
Patching Utilities like Qjackctl. To use A2JMIDID you need to have JACK Running and then simply select
'A2JMIDID' from the 'Audio Utilities' Menu, In AV Linux 6.0.4 A2JMIDID runs automatically in the
background when you start JACK with Qjackctl but you can also run it by itself in an Xterm window to
display what it's doing and that it has bridged successfully. You need to leave the Xterm window open
for as long as you want to use A2JMIDID.

50

USING THE ALOOP DAEMON

Looping ALSA Applications While JACK is Running:

AV Linux 6.0.4 has a great new Audio routing feature contributed by falkTX of KXStudio. In a usual
ALSA/JACK setup whichever system Audio Device being use by one audio server will not be available to
the other. For instance if you are using an onboard soundcard with JACK and fire up any ALSA
dependent application it will fail and complain that the Audio device is busy. The 'aloop daemon' uses a
combination of the Kernel's 'snd-aloop' module, the daemon's python script and a dynamically loaded
custom 'asoundrc' file to create an ALSA Loopback Audio device on the system. To use this feature in
AV Linux 6.0.4 simply start the JACK server with Qjackctl and the aloop-daemon will launch
automatically in the background. It is also possible to launch it from the 'Audio Utilities' menu which will
launch a terminal to both indicate that the daemon is running and that it launched successfully. Do not
close the terminal until you want the daemon to quit running. You can shut down the daemon by either
shutting down JACK with Qjackctl or closing the terminal that the daemon is running in. When the
daemon is running you will be able to launch any ALSA dependent applications and have the audio
output come through your selected running JACK Audio device. Cool Stuff!

51

M-AUDIO 1010LT PCM MULTI WITH AV LINUX

**NOTE** - PCM Multi setup cannot be used with the Aloop-Daemon.

Lots of Audio I/O for Little Money:
AV Linux supports a number of Pro-Audio interfaces with PCI, FireWire and USB I/O, of special note MAudio's 1010LT is a very affordable and well supported PCI Card interface supplying 10 channels of I/O.
By using a customized PCM_Multi '.asoundrc' file multiple 1010LT's can be run on AV Linux providing a
lot of channels without spending a lot of money. AV Linux comes by default with the necessary
software components to set up two 1010LT's easily providing funtionality either with or without an
additional onboard Sound Card on the system. The default AV Linux PCM_Multi setup is for 16 Channels
of I/O.
How to Use the Provided '.asoundrc' Config Files:
To start you will need to decide whether you are using the 1010LT's by themselves or in addition to an
onboard Sound Chip and then make sure both 1010LT cards are installed in the system PCI slots and the
the SPDIF Out of the first card is connected to the SPDIF In on the second card. Next, look in your
User's home folder for the 'Extras/'PCM Multi' folder and select which 'asoundrc' file is needed for your
particular setup.
To check out how you cards are set up on the system use this command in a regular terminal:
cat /proc/asound/cards
Here is a screenshot of a system with two 1010LT's, note that the 0,1,2 numbers correlate to the 'hw:0',
'hw:1', 'hw:2' numbers used by JACK.

Use this file by copying the 'asoundrc.txt' (for 2 ice1712 cards with NO onboard sound card) OR the
'asoundrc+onboard.txt' (for 2 ice1712 cards AND an onboard sound card) into your users home folder
and renaming whichever file you use to '.asoundrc' (without the quotes). It is normal for the file to
disappear from view when you rename it because the dot (.) makes it viewable only with 'show hidden'
enabled in the PCManFM file manager. It is important to note if you are using 2 cards plus an onboard
you should have the onboard chip as the default or first sound card followed by the ice1712 cards.

52

Setting up Mudita24Control (Card2) Launchers:

By default the Mudita24Control (Card 2) launcher found in the 'Soundcard Utilities' Menu is set for a
system with two 1010LT's and no onboard Sound Chip. In order to use it properly with an onboard
Sound Device the launcher needs to have it's 'Exec=' line modified. Open the launcher for modification
by copying and pasting this command into a Root Terminal:
gedit /usr/share/applications/envy24_controlcard2.desktop
Then change this:
Exec=/opt/bin/envy24control -D hw:1
To this:
Exec=/opt/bin/envy24control -D hw:2
This will allow the Mudita24Control (Card 2) launcher found in the 'Soundcard Utilities' Menu to
correctly work with the second card.
Launching JACK With 'PCM Multi Start':
The 1010LTs are identified to JACK and ALSA as 'pcm_multi capture' and 'pcm_multi playback' by the
'.asoundrc' file. The regular method of launching JACK with the 'Qjackctl' application requires some
extra configuration to work with PCM Multi so AV Linux provides a special 'PCM_Multi Start' launcher
found in the 'Soundcard Utilities' Menu to start JACK and have the 16 Channels of I/O available to the
Audio applications of your choice. This launcher opens a small xterm window to show you that JACK is
running properly, please note that closing the xterm window also kills JACK.

53

DEBIAN REFERENCE

Many people who are new to Linux are reluctant to use the terminal and sometimes consider it to be
either a primitive means of using the computer or too complicated. After some time to adjust to using
it most Linux users come to appreciate the facility and speed afforded by using the CLI. The following
section can be utilized by experienced Linux users and demonstrate some fundamentals to new Linux
users. The apt and dpkg articles are modified from an excellent article by Matthew Danish.

WARNING! - Please remember it is not advised to use either 'apt-get upgrade' or 'apt-get distupgrade with AV Linux. If you don't understand what a Terminal Command is actually going to do
to your system it is advised not to use it.

Common APT usage :

apt-get install <package> Downloads <package> and all of its dependencies, and installs or upgrades
them. This will also take a package off of hold if it was put on. See below for more info on hold.
apt-get remove [--purge] <package> Removes <package> and any packages that depend on it. --purge
specifies that packages should be purged, see dpkg -P for more information.
apt-get update Updates packages listings from Debian mirrors, should be run at least once a day if you
install anything that day, and every time after /etc/apt/sources.list is changed.
apt-get upgrade [-u] Upgrades all packages installed to newest versions available. Will not install new
or remove old packages. If a package changes dependencies and requires installation of a new package,
it will not be upgraded, it will be put on hold instead. apt-get upgrade will not upgrade packages put on
hold (that is the meaning of hold). See below for how to manually put packages on hold. I suggest the `u' option as well, because then you can see what packages are going to be upgraded.
apt-get dist-upgrade [-u] Similar to apt-get upgrade, except that dist-upgrade will install or remove
packages to satisfy dependencies.
apt-cache search <pattern> Searches packages and descriptions for <pattern>.
apt-cache show <package> Shows the full description of <package>.
apt-cache showpkg <package> Shows a lot more detail about <package>, and its relationships to
other packages.

54

Common Dpkg Usage :

dpkg -i <package.deb> Installs a Debian package file; one that you downloaded manually, for example.
dpkg -c <package.deb> Lists the contents of <package.deb>, a .deb file.
dpkg -I <package.deb> Extracts package information from <package.deb>, a .deb file.
dpkg -r <package> Removes an installed package named <package>
dpkg -P <package> Purges an installed package named <package>. The difference between remove
and purge is that while remove only deletes data and executables, purge also deletes all configuration
files in addition.
dpkg -L <package> Gives a listing of all the files installed by <package>. See also dpkg -c for checking
the contents of a .deb file.
dpkg -s <package> Shows information on the installed package <package>. See also apt-cache show
for viewing package information in the Debian archive and dpkg -I for viewing package information
extracted from a .deb file.
dpkg-reconfigure <package> Reconfigures an installed package, if it uses debconf (debconf provides
that consistent configuration interface for package installation). You can reconfigure debconf itself if
you want to change the front-end or priority of questions asked. For example, to reconfigure debconf
with the dialog front-end, you simply run:
dpkg-reconfigure --frontend=dialog debconf
echo ``<package> hold'' | dpkg --set-selections Put <package> on hold (command line method)
dpkg --get-selections ``<package>'' Get the current status of <package> (command line method)
dpkg -S <file> Searches for <file> in package database, telling you which packages have that file in
them.
Building Debian Packages from Source:
apt-get source [-b] <package> Download the source Debian package for <package> and extract it. You
must have deb-src lines in your /etc/apt/sources.list for this to work. If you supply the `-b' option and
you are currently root, then the package will be automatically built if possible.
apt-get build-dep <package> Download and install the packages necessary to build the source Debian
package <package>. This feature is only present in apt version 0.5 and up. Currently this means that
woody and above contain this functionality. If you have an older version of apt then the easiest way to
find out the build dependencies is to look in the debian/control file in the source package directory. A
common usage of this command is in conjunction with apt-get source -b. For example (as root):
apt-get build-dep <package>
apt-get source -b <package>
Will download the source package, all of its build dependencies, and attempt to compile the source
package.

55

dpkg-source -x <package.dsc> If you have downloaded the source package for a program manually,
which includes several files such as a .orig.tar.gz (or .tar.gz if it is Debian native), a .dsc, and a .diff.gz (if
it is not Debian native), then you can unpack the source package using this command on the .dsc file.
dpkg-buildpackage Builds a Debian package from a Debian source tree. You must be in the main
directory of the source tree for this to work. Sample usage:
dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -uc -b
Where `-rfakeroot' instructs it to use the fakeroot program to simulate root privileges (for ownership
purposes), `-uc' stands for ``Don't cryptographically sign the changelog'', and `-b' stands for ``Build the
binary package only''

debuild A handy wrapper script around dpkg-buildpackage that will automatically take care of using
fakeroot or not, as well as running lintian and gpg for you.

Fixing dependencies :
dpkg --configure --pending If dpkg quits with an error while apt-get install, upgrade, or dist-upgrading
try running this to configure the packages that were already unpacked. Then try apt-get install,
upgrade, or dist-upgrade -f, and then try apt-get install, upgrade, or dist-upgrade again. Repeat as
needed. This usually resolves most dependency problems (also, if it mentions a specific package for
some reason, you might want to try installing or removing that package)
apt-get install -f
apt-get upgrade -f
apt-get dist-upgrade -f
Attempt to fix dependencies while doing one of the above. Note that apt-get install -f does not require
a <package> argument.

56

HANDY TERMINAL COMMANDS

SYMLINK TO A FILE OR FOLDER ELSEWHERE ON SYSTEM (AS ROOT) :

ln -s /path/file/exists /path/link/placed
REBUILD FONT CACHE (AS ROOT) :
fc-cache -f -v
FONT ANTIALIASING AND HINTING SETUP:
dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig-config
DVD RIPPING WITH MPLAYER :
*Creates a file called "dump.vob" in your home folder assuming movie is title 1.
mplayer dvd://1 -dumpstream -dumpfile dump.vob
VIRTUALBOX MODULE SETUP (AS ROOT) :
*Make sure linux-headers are installed and linked
/etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup
PRINT A 'selections.txt' FILE TO DESIGNATE HELD PACKAGES (AS ROOT)
dpkg --get-selections \* > selections.txt
*Then edit selections.txt as Root
SAVE THE 'selections.txt' FILE TO DPKG (AS ROOT)
dpkg --set-selections < selections.txt
BUILD DEBIAN PACKAGE WITH GIT-BUILDPACKAGE:
git-buildpackage --git-upstream-branch=origin/upstream
BUILD DEBIAN PACKAGE WITH DPKG:
dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -uc -b
LINKING KERNEL HEADERS FOR MODULE BUILDING:
ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r) /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build
SET A DIFFFERENT C COMPILER THAN DEFAULT
*Replace X.X with desired gcc version
export CC=/usr/bin/gcc-X.X
APPLY A PATCH TO SOURCE CODE OR KERNEL
patch -p1 < PATCHFILENAME
GRAB SOURCE CODE FROM LAUNCHPAD WITH BZR
*Openshot Video Editor as an example
bzr branch lp:openshot
CHECK SOUND DEVICES INSTALLED ON SYSTEM
cat /proc/asound/cards
CHECK AUDIO PLAYBACK DEVICES ON SYSTEM
aplay -l

57

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING AV LINUX !

A sincere and heartfelt thanks to the few but amazingly generous people who have supported AV Linux
over the years, the project truly could not have continued as long as it has without your thoughtful
assistance. It is an unfortunate statistic that the ratio of downloaders to donators results in less than 1
in 10000 people supporting AV Linux but the failure of the donation model to effectively work still has
not stopped some unique and wonderful people from showing their support some of whom made
repeat and regular donations. AV Linux 6.0.4 is dedicated to all of you who chose to donate to the
project.

My humble thanks and appreciation to you! -GLEN

58