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How do I?

Dmitry Puzanov
- 1 posts
June 24, 2012 9:42 AM PDT

Hello, I have a problem with using my external monitor. I've laptop and external monitor connected via VGA and I can't extend desktop on these two displays by using Jupiter or Display settings. Both monitors show the same desktop with one resolution. How do I fix it?
Douglas Willett
- 70 posts
June 24, 2012 1:19 PM PDT

Install and use arandr and lxrandr. Details: http://lxlinux.com

This post was edited by Douglas Willett at September 16, 2012 3:11 PM PDT
Carl Reimann
- 36 posts
July 10, 2012 8:59 PM PDT

Hi! On Mint and one or two other distos, there's an easy-peasy sound recorder that works out of the box, to record off the sound card. I'm traveling and don't want to tinker much. Do you know the app I mean and how to look it up in synaptic? Its icon is similar to an old-fashioned microphone.
Douglas Willett
- 70 posts
July 10, 2012 10:02 PM PDT

Gnome-sound-recorder, part of the gnome-media package is a simple recorder. Audacity works well now. VLC player has a recording mode.
Carl Reimann
- 36 posts
July 12, 2012 10:06 AM PDT

Thanks for the help, Douglas! I did find the app I wanted, gnome-sound-recorder, but it won't pick up my Aspire One soundboard. Oh well, maybe I'll get it running someday. Audacity looks too complicated for me, alas. Cheers!
Douglas Willett
- 70 posts
July 12, 2012 3:12 PM PDT

Carl, audacity is only complicated in that it offers a variety of tools, most of which can be ignored. It can be used for simple sound recording just like gnome-sound-recorder. The latest version is really very nice. For "preferences" just choose, Alsa, whatever your playback speaker set-up is, default mic and "stereo". There is a special taskbar to set-up these things; you don't even have to search for them. Once set-up, just click the red button to record. Once done, go to "file" and pick your choice for saving, which is called "export" if you want to save in popular formats.
Pin back
- 11 posts
September 14, 2012 9:20 AM PDT

whenever i upgrade or move to a new distro i first copy all my /home (inc hidden). then i like to use the live disk to format my /home, / and /boot fs (i prefer to have them with meaningful labels). then i install, without allowing it to do any formats, and finally i copy the saved version of my /home onto my "new" /home fs (but not the hidden ones). ... that all works great, however, i would like to "restore" all the settings of my preferred apps. questions: 1) which hidden files should i copy (to my new /home)? and should not too ! 2) are app settings stored in any other place? (besides the hidden files in /home)

This post was edited by Pin back at September 14, 2012 9:21 AM PDT
lee stark
- 7 posts
September 16, 2012 5:18 AM PDT

1.Hi all how do i get these 2 programs to autostart but not show up in the panel, the two programs are Synapse and Cairo compiz manager please help

2.Does anbody know how to set up a login sound?.

This post was edited by lee stark at September 16, 2012 1:05 PM PDT
Douglas Willett
- 70 posts
September 16, 2012 3:06 PM PDT

Path to LXDE autostart is normally: /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart. The "LXDE" part may be corrupted by including the name of the operating system.

Computer alert sounds can be turned off by changing the two iNet entries in ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE/desktop.conf from 1 to 0. In this address, LXDE may be replaced by the operating system name. See http://lxlinux.com .
Pin back
- 11 posts
September 21, 2012 3:07 AM PDT

how do i add a network printer please?
Ron Stokes
- 1 posts
October 15, 2012 8:47 PM PDT

Where can I find documentation on how to share folders across my network through WattOS? I created a 'Public' folder in my home directory; but can't set it up so my other computers on my home network can find it! (There's no option to "Share This Folder")!!! What am I missing?
biff baxter
- Moderator
- 491 posts
October 20, 2012 10:33 AM PDT

Hi Ron - I posted the info below in another forum area that might help you quickly...tks....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The easiest thing to do is to open up synaptic "Go!-preferences-synaptic package manager" then in the search area enter "system-config-samba"

Install that package then you will see a menu entry under "preferences" that says samba.

From there you can add a directory, user rights, etc. with an easy to understand gui...

That is likely the easiest way to do what you need.

This post was edited by biff baxter at October 20, 2012 10:34 AM PDT
Inky Artist
- 2 posts
December 28, 2012 11:56 PM PST

Hello all,

Could you help me with some sound and video refinements, please?

SOUND:
When I play a CD or other audio in WattOS (and this also happened in Xubuntu) - the player will sometimes skip or stutter a little. This happens mostly if I'm using the computer at all during playback. As I type this - it stuttered twice. It's pretty fussy. If I use something that eats resources, it stutters, halts, skips a lot. Now, for a brief while I used Linux Mint - and the sound played perfectly! I could multi-task. I could use a word processor, I could browse the net - and the player would never skip or falter. What does Mint have that is different (player type didn't matter).

VIDEO:
This happened in Xubuntu and WattOS. I must need codecs or something, perhaps? I can't play my movies (DVDs). So far, it just can't recognize them. In Xubuntu, it could see them, but playback was rough. Mint, Puppy, and Mepis could play without trouble at all. What do I need to change?

Thanks in advance for any help. I was using Xubuntu until a few weeks ago when it suddenly made my old Thinkpad (R51) go bananas. I couldn't reinstall at all. I went to Mint XFCE (13) - and that worked for a while just great, then went bananas. Couldn't reinstall. Tried a half dozen Linux versions, only to notice some gave errors about PAE. (My first clue as to what was wrong.) Then I tried Puppy and Mepis, which worked, sort of, but other than the sound and video issues, WattOS makes my Thinkpad a much happier machine (runs cooler - can run thinkpad fan control, and is lightning fast and bug free with no weirdness!)

Thanks again for any help. :-)
biff baxter
- Moderator
- 491 posts
December 29, 2012 9:49 AM PST
Hi there....two topics.

1. One thing you can try to smooth out the audio while multasking is make a change to a configuration file if you are comfortable doing that.

Edit the /etc/pulse/daemon.conf file (using leafpad, nano, etc. but you will have to do this as root)

Change

default-fragments = 8

default-fragment-size-msec = 10
```
to 
```
default-fragments = 25

default-fragment-size-msec = 25

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

for DVD - wattOS already has the restricted extras package installed, but if you want to play encrypted DVD's, you need some more adjustments. All disclaimers apply for that, and you need be legal, but the basic command below in a terminal should work. Once its finished (it downloads a couple things) reboot and give it a try again.
```
 
```
```
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
```
```
 
```
```
Welcome and enjoy...
```
```
biff
```
Inky Artist
- 2 posts
December 29, 2012 1:30 PM PST

Thank you, Biff. I appreciate the detailed response.

Could you tell me one thing, please? How do I log in as root? I understand the other directions you've given. I googled for info, but didn't find how.
biff baxter
- Moderator
- 491 posts
December 30, 2012 12:41 PM PST

Hi there...the easiest way if your using the file manager (pcmanfm) is to navigate using it to the folder you want, then clicking on the "tools" menu and select "open current folder as root" it will then prompt for your password and then open a new window as root and you can then edit the file using leafpad and save it with full root privs.

From a command line the easiest way is to just use "sudo" before any command to "super user" do a command.

tks...biff
Hanns P.
- 6 posts
February 7, 2013 3:50 PM PST

How do I search for files on my Harddisk with WattOS? I can't seem to find this option anywhere I look. I just need a simple search function like Places > search for files in Ubuntu.
Hanns P.
- 6 posts
February 12, 2013 9:11 AM PST

About the search again, does anyone have any advice on where to find it, or how to add it to WattOS? Would be much appreciated!!

This post was edited by Hanns P. at February 12, 2013 9:12 AM PST
Kai 123
- 1 posts
February 27, 2013 2:49 AM PST

Hi
I am a complete begginer in WattOS or anything Linux-like.
I have a school project and i needed to install OnBoard keyboard (which i already did). Now i need to make it run as i turn the OS on (so making Onboard run on startup).
I would appreciate if someone could explain to me how can i do that.
Thanks!
Douglas Willett
- 70 posts
March 22, 2013 12:26 PM PDT

To make an app launch at start-up in an LXDE system, add @app-launcher to /etc/xdg/LXDE/autostart. For particular operating systems, the "LXDE" part of this address may be corrupted with the operating system's name (for example, "lubuntu-lxde" instead of just "lxde"). For Onboard, I think the correct designation is "@onboard".
Douglas Willett
- 70 posts
March 22, 2013 12:28 PM PDT

For general "searches", I like "Catfish", which is lightweight and set-up very nicely.
neil plotnick
- 1 posts
June 11, 2013 5:40 AM PDT

I want to automatically connect to a hidden wireless network at work. Whenever I boot the machine for the first time (HP Pavillion DV 6000), I need to click on the network icon on the lower left of the screen, select the hidden network and then type in my user password.
gerry beale
- 50 posts
June 11, 2013 8:17 AM PDT

Hi Neil and welcome to WattOS firstly :)

I have had a trawl around the ubuntu forums on this as i got stuck with trying to answer and it appears hidden networks have to be manually entered each time. ubuntu does not seem to be able to set to auto with hidden ssid's.

I would hold fast though and wait to see if any of the other users here can provide a different answer or indeed Biff himself a bit later