Linux-config-tips-v2.md

Disclaimer :

This Gist mostly consist of this previous gist (created on 08/02/2018), but with a more recent flavor (more accurate and up to date).

As I'm moving towards PopOS today (01/09/2023), you won't find any Debian Sid stuff here.

Part 1 : Starting config

Dual Boot

https://github.com/spxak1/weywot/blob/main/Pop_OS_Dual_Boot.md

Change cursor (link)

Download cursor theme from Gnome Look or other sources (Breeze).
Untar it in /usr/share/icons.
In Gnome Tweak Tool, change the cursor theme.

Change GTK theme

Download GTK theme and install required dependencies (Vimix).
Untar the theme in /usr/share/themes.
Change theme with Gnome Tweak Tool.

Increase mic volume

• install pavucontrol
• run it and go in the input tab
• Unlock the sliders of the mic and drag the right one to zero (the mic is mono, no stereo)
  The mic should be configured with the left channel.

To increase the maximum limit, check this answer.

Custom prompt for the Termial

Install Oh-my-Posh :

wget https://github.com/JanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh/releases/latest/download/posh-linux-amd64 -O /usr/local/bin/oh-my-posh
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/oh-my-posh

Intall a theme, for exemple (add this line in your .bashrc) :

eval "$(posh-linux-amd64 --init --shell bash --config ~/.poshthemes/agnoster.omp.json)"

Install a Monospace Nerd Font (should be in the ~/.local/share/fonts/).
Rebuild cache if you don't see it : fc-cache -fv

Part 2 : Package list

# Base packages
inxi (system info)
gnome-tweaks
vlc
unar (support RAR archive files)
checkinstall
etcher (Live CD)
JDownloader (use executable jar file on the editor's website)
antimicro (GUI for gamepad to keyboard) > (https://launchpad.net/~mdeguzis/+archive/ubuntu/libregeek/+files/antimicro_2.23~artful-1_amd64.deb)

# File managers
thunar

# Others
numix-icon-theme-circle
menulibre
realvnc-vnc-viewer
lftp (segmented download)
pv (progress)
dialog

# Emulators
PPSSPP (prefer latest automatic build on editor's website)
FightCade (editor's website only)
DeSmuME (can use one in repo)
Dolphin (Build from sources)

Part 3 : Apps config

Steam

Download and install steam deb package, witg dpkg -i (Steam will handle the 32bit architecture libs and prompt you if you have missing package).

Remote play config

Save yourself some time and disable a remote play setting, to fix a black screen issue in a game (Heave Ho).
Go to Settings | Remote Play | Advanced Client Options and disable (uncheck) hardware decoding.

Proton debug log

You can track down some info by launching the game with : PROTON_LOG=1 %command%
It will dump a useful debug log to $HOME/steam-$APPID.log
The APPID can be used to delete the Proton environment for a game, located in …steam/steamapps/compatdata (usefull if the game doesn't launch and you have tried everything).

Kill all steam process

When Steam is freezing like hell, you can kill all the process with pkill -9 steam.
This does not remove hanging executables (you still have to kill them with their PID).

Java

fix connection with PipeWire

To see if you run pipewire, use : pactl info.
There is a bug in Java that prevent it from using PipeWire.
Open (or create) the file /etc/openal/alsoft.conf.
Add/change this line : drivers = alsa.

Lutris

fix "game need microsoft visual c++ runtime" error

• select game in Library
• select Winetricks (arrow next to wine bottle)
• choose the wineprefix and select "Install a Windows DLL or component"
• find "vcrun2019" and go trough the installation process

Part 4 : Misc

• Good old ifconfig with the new IP command : alias ifconfig='ip -4 -o -c addr'.
• Display current graphical server : echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE.
• Info about drivers : lspci -k | grep -EA3 'VGA|3D|Display' then modinfo <driver>.
• List current broken packages : dpkg-query -f '${status} ${package}\n' -W | awk '$3 != "installed" {print $1 " " $2 " " $3 " " $4}'.
• Change DNS server in /etc/resolv.conf file.
  • Permanently change DNS with : echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" | sudo tee /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/base > /dev/null
• Partition tools recap : fdisk (MBR - <2To) - gdisk (GPT - >2To) - parted (both) (source).
• FFMPEG (guide)
  • interpolation : ffmpeg -i input.mkv -filter:v "minterpolate='mi_mode=mci:mc_mode=aobmc:vsbmc=1:fps=60'" output.mkv
  • x264 convertion : ffmpeg -i input.mkv -vcodec libx264 output.mvk
    • keep all streams : ffmpeg -i input.mkv -map 0 -c copy -c:v libx264 output.mvk
    • convert specific audio/video/subt stream : ffmpeg -i input.mkv -map 0:a -map 0:v -map 0:s -scodec mov_text output.mp4
  • upscale : ffmpeg -i input.mkv -vf scale=4096:2048 -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -preset slow output.mvk
  • merge audio into another file : ffmpeg -i <file1> -i <file2> -filter_complex "[1]adelay=1000|1000[s1];[s1]amix=1[mixout]" -map 0:v -vcodec copy -map [mixout] <fileOut>
    • one line loop : for i in {01..51}; do ffmpeg -i aFile$i* -i bFile$i* -filter_complex "[1]adelay=1000|1000[s1];[s1]amix=1[mixout]" -map 0:v -vcodec copy -map [mixout] outFile\_$i\_stuff.sample; done
    • [1]adelay=1000|1000[s1] : add a 1s delay to the 2nd input and output it to [s1]
    • [s1]amix=1[mixout] : use the new audio as [mixout] for the "map"
• Num Lock at startup (set numlock-state with command line or dconf-editor) :
  • sudo -H -u gdm -s /bin/bash
  • dbus-launch gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.peripherals.keyboard numlock-state 'on'