every word of it. » Software

Adium Chat History making you :(

raishad — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:36:19 +0000

Quit Adium and Delete

~/Library/Caches/Adium/Default/DirtyLogs.plist

~/Library/Caches/Adium/Default/Logs.index

When Adium restarts and you open up the transcript viewer, Adium will reindex everything.

MacBU, A Request

raishad — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:33:29 +0000

I wrote those last 2 entries using Microsoft Live Writer. It’s a really great program. It’s simple to use, and I like how everything works.

But sadly, it only runs on Windows. I either have to run it in my VM, or Remote Desktop into my crummy Dell laptop.

So MacBU, please please port Live Writer to MacOS.

Thanks!

A Small Suggestion

raishad — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:25:06 +0000

Dear MS,

I appreciate Windows Search 4.0. Finding things in Outlook is a lot faster.

But what the hell is this?

I understand that the folder is not indexed. But why do I have to use Search Companion? If you know that the folder is not indexed, why are you even showing me the new Windows Search – just take me straight to the stupid dog.

Thanks

Gany-awesome!

raishad — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:58:18 +0000

Are you excited? I am. Hopefully we’re excited about the same thing.

Today, Eclipse Ganymede was released. Eclipse is a software platform that has an amazing plug-in system that allows it to disguise itself as a Java Development Environment. That’s how it sneaks in. “Don’t mind me, I’m just a Java IDE.” And then all of a sudden you’re using it for reporting.

But, I love Eclipse. Most days, I spend my entire working day staring at Eclipse. So it’s nice that it’s a pleasure to use and continues to improve.

I’ve already mentioned the bread crumbs. Honestly, I haven’t made much use of them in practice. It’s a nice feature to have, but I find it is faster just to use the Package Explorer + Outline to get where I need to be.

A feature of Ganymede that I love and use all the damn time is the enhanced search results.

This is an example search. Notice how the results list the context of where the term was found. It makes scanning a list of matches easy.

One of the features I’m excited about is the Save Actions

I haven’t really used it, since I just found out about it. But it looks to be a nice time saver. Performing a lot of clean up automatically for you.

Also kind of interesting and part of the Ganymede release is the Eclipse Communication Framework. This allows for Collaborative Editing. Collaborative Editing isn’t new, but it could be more useful now that it’s “standard” from within Eclipse. We’ll see.

The “New and Noteworthy” is a mile long. It really is amazing that the Eclipse Foundation can coordinate a release with 23 different projects.

So thanks Eclipse, for making my life easier.

The Future Is Breadcrumbs

raishad — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:29:32 +0000

Working on my Lab , noticed a new option in Eclipse 3.4m6

“Show in Breadcrumb”

Turns out Eclipse has Breadcrumb navigation for Classes

On first blush, you think it’s pretty useless. But it has some merit. Like if you want to maximize your editor workspace, you can now hide the Outline pane, and still have most of the functionality by using breadcrumbs. You can even hide the Navigator pane, since you can browse package structure. But I think that’s taking things a bit too far. One pane at a time.

Thanks Eclipse!

Bite My Shiny Metal Ass

raishad — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:05:52 +0000

Oh Linux, why can’t you just let me win.

This morning I decided to go ahead and upgrade my kernel to 2.6.22-14. But things didn’t go smoothly. Something went wrong, so I tried it again apt-get install -f

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
easytag
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 3170kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 288305 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing easytag ...
Setting up linux-image-2.6.22-14-386 (2.6.22-14.47) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-386
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Running postinst hook script /sbin/update-grub.
Your /etc/kernel-img.conf needs to be updated. Read grub's NEWS.Debian[1]
file and follow its instructions.
1. /usr/share/doc/grub/NEWS.Debian.gz
Searching for GRUB installation directory ...
No GRUB directory found. To create a template run 'mkdir /boot/grub' first. To install grub, install it manually or try the 'grub-install' command. ### Warning, grub-install is used to change your MBR. ###
User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.22-14-386 (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic (2.6.22-14.47) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Running postinst hook script /sbin/update-grub.
Your /etc/kernel-img.conf needs to be updated. Read grub's NEWS.Debian[1]
file and follow its instructions.
1. /usr/share/doc/grub/NEWS.Debian.gz
Searching for GRUB installation directory ...
No GRUB directory found. To create a template run 'mkdir /boot/grub' first. To install grub, install it manually or try the 'grub-install' command. ### Warning, grub-install is used to change your MBR. ###
User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
linux-image-2.6.22-14-386
linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Alright, seems some stuff needs to be changed. One thing at a time. I make the changes in described in /usr/share/doc/grub/NEWS.Debian.gz and try it again

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up linux-image-2.6.22-14-386 (2.6.22-14.47) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-386
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ...
No GRUB directory found. To create a template run 'mkdir /boot/grub' first. To install grub, install it manually or try the 'grub-install' command. ### Warning, grub-install is used to change your MBR. ###
User postinst hook script [/usr/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.22-14-386 (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic (2.6.22-14.47) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ...
No GRUB directory found. To create a template run 'mkdir /boot/grub' first. To install grub, install it manually or try the 'grub-install' command. ### Warning, grub-install is used to change your MBR. ###
User postinst hook script [/usr/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
linux-image-2.6.22-14-386
linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

It’s strange really. Why am I missing my grub folder? If grub is really gone, how am I even able to boot into Linux?

So I make the folder, /boot/grub, and try again.

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up linux-image-2.6.22-14-386 (2.6.22-14.47) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-386
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... Generating /boot/grub/default file and setting the default boot entry to 0
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ...
Could not find /boot/grub/menu.lst file. Would you like /boot/grub/menu.lst generated for you? (y/N) y
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-386
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done
Setting up linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic (2.6.22-14.47) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.22-14.46 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ... found: /boot/grub
Searching for default file ... found: /boot/grub/default
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst
Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ...
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-386
Found kernel: /vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... done

Success! But is it really? Let’s look at my boot directory. /boot$ find .

.
./initrd.img-2.6.22-14-386
./System.map-2.6.22-14-386
./vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-386
./config-2.6.22-14-386
./abi-2.6.22-14-386
./System.map-2.6.22-14-generic
./vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic
./config-2.6.22-14-generic
./abi-2.6.22-14-generic
./initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
./initrd.img-2.6.22-14-386.bak
./grub
./grub/default
./grub/menu.lst
./grub/menu.lst~
./initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic.bak

That can’t be right. I’m missing files. GRUB just doesn’t disappear like that. Something had to have happened. Something big and scary.

I check and see what file systems are mounted

$ mount

/dev/mapper/Ubuntu-root on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
/sys on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=0755)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
lrm on /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/md1 on /tivo type xfs (rw)
/dev/mapper/raid-seagate320 on /share type xfs (rw)
/dev/mapper/Ubuntu-extra on /extra type xfs (rw)
securityfs on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
nfsd on /proc/fs/nfsd type nfsd (rw)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)

Where is my boot partition?

From my /etc/fstab

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
#                
proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
/dev/mapper/Ubuntu-root /               ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /dev/sda1 -- converted during upgrade to edgy
UUID=065448c7-0098-4bbe-a6c1-d207b4201a1a /boot ext3 defaults 0 2

I tried manually mounting /boot, but it would get error messages like

mount: /dev/sdb1 already mounted or /boot busy

It was looking like /boot wasn’t being mounted. Was my UUID wrong? Nope. Checking /dev/disk/by-uuid shows that the UUID is correct. Something else was going on. Then I remembered something. A few months ago I was having trouble mounting a raid drive. I’m not an expert in Linux, but it looked like mount wasn’t taking actual device names. For example, /dev/md0 wasn’t working but /dev/mapper/Ubunut-extra was working. So I fixed my fstab

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
#                
proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
/dev/mapper/Ubuntu-root /               ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /dev/sda1 -- converted during upgrade to edgy
# UUID=065448c7-0098-4bbe-a6c1-d207b4201a1a /boot ext3 defaults 0 2
/dev/mapper/sdb1        /boot   ext3    defaults        0       2

and reran apt-get install -f, restarted, and sacrificed a goat.

It worked. I don’t know what happened. I’m not sure what I did was the correct fix. But it’s working.

So Linux, what up?

TextGr8

raishad — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 22:56:48 +0000

This post was written in Textmate

My First Applescript

raishad — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 23:08:19 +0000

Applescript! Never really used it before. Mainly cause I was afraid of it’s natural language syntax. But today, I decided that has to change.

Since I’ve been forced to link the videos I’ve recently posted using Quicktime’s embedded player, I needed something to help me write the bit of HTML that makes the magic happen. So what better way to try my hand at Applescript than with this little problem.

The great thing about Applescript is that it’s available everywhere in MacOS

Here’s my first Applescript script:

-- Video -- (My First Applescript) -- Takes video and poster URLs and generates a bit of HTML that can be copied to the clipboard -- Properties property nl : ASCII character 10 -- Video display dialog "Enter Video URL" default answer "http://video.raishad.com/" buttons {"OK"} default button 1 set videourl to the text returned of the result display dialog "Enter Poster URL" default answer videourl buttons {"OK"} default button 1 set posterurl to the text returned of the result set objecttag to ("" & nl & ¬ "videourl & "" />" & nl & ¬ "posterurl & "" />" & nl & ¬ "" & nl & ¬ "" & nl & ¬ "" & nl & ¬ "videourl & "" src="" & posterurl & "" width="320" height="256" autoplay="false" controller="false" target="myself" />" & nl & ¬ "") display dialog object_tag buttons {"Cancel", "Copy to Clipboard"} default button 2 if button returned of result is "Copy to Clipboard" then

set the clipboard to object_tag end if

Also, 10.4.3 is out,

Let’s Talk About Scripts, Baby

raishad — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:49:51 +0000

Automator, touted as one of the big features of Mac OS X 10.4. Have you used it? Of course not, it’s rubbish.

For one, the program itself is horribly resource intensive. You need a 4-way G5 with 4GB of memory for it to be useable. I don’t know what it’s doing, but the longer you leave it open, the slower and slower the program gets.

Secondly, there’s no good way to debug. Stuff happens, and you just hope it’s the right stuff. And it doesn’t help testing when Automator slows to a crawl.

Automator, what a rubbish program. But then it finally works, and the clouds part and the sun shines down and all is well with the world.

Yes, I’ve finally gotten some results with Automator. I’ve created two workflows. The first creates a thumbnail and uploads the thumbnail and original image to raishad.com. The second is a “Folder Action”. A “Folder Action” is a script that is attached to a folder, and it runs whenever you drop a file in that folder. The second workflow uploads .torrent files that I drop in that folder, to a folder on my server that Azureus scans for new torrents.

After the jump, I’ll walk through the Workflows

If you notice, I don’t really do much with Automator with this workflow. My first try with Automator months ago was trying to create a similar workflow. I wanted to grab a comic, scale it and set it as my desktop. But image manipulation with Automator isn’t that great. So I wrote the heart of the workflow in Ruby, fileuploader.rb. It’s pretty simple. It uses RMagick for the image processing.

This one was tricky. There’s an action called “Get Selected Finder Items” that I was trying to use. In the context of a “Folder Action”, it includes the folder as well as the files in that folder in the “Selected Finder Items” heading. So I was uploading the whole folder each time. Not what I wanted. So you see how you have to shift your thinking a bit. I first had to get the folder, and then it’s contents. I also made use of an “Upload to FTP” action I found on Apple’s Download Site.

Update: And it seems I’ve found a bug while uploading the images for this post. For some reason, if you select a bunch of images, it only uploads the first one, eventhough all the files are passed to the “Run Shell Script” action. And that is why working with Automator is a test in patience.

Update, Again: I fixed the first workflow, Seems it wasn’t Automator’s fault. It was Bash’s fault. I probably should’ve looked up what exec did before using it.

exec: This shell builtin replaces the current process with a specified command. Normally, when the shell encounters a command, it forks off [3] a child process to actually execute the command. Using the exec builtin, the shell does not fork, and the command exec’ed replaces the shell. When used in a script, therefore, it forces an exit from the script when the exec’ed command terminates. For this reason, if an exec appears in a script, it would probably be the final command.

Flock

raishad — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 21:10:29 +0000

First post from Flock