Howto build deb package

http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56965

xbmcbuntu - manually install live components

sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/runXBMC.sh

wget http://xbmc.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/xbmc/branches/linuxport/XBMC/tools/XBMCLive/runXBMC

sudo cp runXBMC /usr/bin/runXBMC

sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/runXBMC

The other live components:

http://xbmc.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/xbmc/branches/linuxport/XBMC/tools/XBMCLive/

Copy root partition to another disk

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=978079

HOWTO revert to old svn

sudo dpkg -i xbmc-common_9.04.2+svn22278-jaunty1_i386.deb xbmc-skin-pm3-hd_9.04.2+svn22278-jaunty1_i386.deb xbmc-web-pm3_9.04.2+svn22278-jaunty1_i386.deb

or

sudo apt-get install xbmc=[svnVERSION]  

(e.g. 22278)

The packages are stored in /var/cache/apt/archives

Revert to old version in svn  source directory

svn up --revision  22278

(svn guide http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1167578)

openbox or fluxbox?

The main reason I picked openbox was that on debian it was the only one that use the keyboard layout from the command line installation without any config. On Ubuntu this does not seem to be a problem.

If you only want a basic wm behind xbmc and don't want to config maybe fluxbox is better since has a panel and a working menu from scratch.

Remote access to XBMC Live /xbmcbuntu with GUI

We will use NX server to do this. It is the easiest/most stable/most secure method.

I would like to be able to use XDMCP since it would require no additional components. Problem is that I don't know how to make Xming start the wm manually.

This will work on XBMC Live and xbmcbuntu installations. Live have fluxbox installed, xbmcbuntu have what ever you installed.

1) install NX server

(check for new versions http://www.nomachine.com/select-package.php?os=linux&id=1)

sudo apt-get install libaudiofile0

wget http://64.34.161.181/download/3.3.0/Linux/nxclient_3.3.0-6_i386.deb

wget http://64.34.161.181/download/3.3.0/Linux/nxnode_3.3.0-17_i386.deb

wget http://64.34.161.181/download/3.3.0/Linux/FE/nxserver_3.3.0-22_i386.deb

sudo dpkg -i nxclient_3.3.0-6_i386.deb nxnode_3.3.0-17_i386.deb  nxserver_3.3.0-22_i386.deb

2) Install NX client on laptop/desktop

3) Connect the NX client

Start the client

Type a new session name

Press configure

enter host/ip

Select Desktop Unix-Custom

Press settings=>

Run the following command: /usr/bin/fluxbox (or in my case /usr/bin/openbox-session)

Select : New virtual desktop

Save settings

Login

4) Logged in!

This will bring up a black window with no visible menus and no desktop.

Right-click on background to get menus select "terminal emulator". This works fine in fluxbox.

In openbox xterm does not work correctly in NX when started from the top level menu and we do not have an application/ Debian menu.  To fix this we install "menu" and another terminal.

sudo apt-get install menu roxterm 

roxterm is not really needed, xterm works fine in NX if started from the the Debian menu.

I want to be able to do some stuff before I install gnome so I add some applications directly:

sudo apt-get install menu roxterm dillo rox-filer leafpad 

(dillo = web, rox-filer = browse file system, leafpad text editor)

If you want to use gnome you will not need these.

4) Next step

If you want to keep  it very light weight you can use the system like this, just continue to add the none gnome applications that you need.

Otherwise you may want to use a desktop environment like gnome, lxde or rox.

It also works fine to add gnome-support but use gnome applications in openbox. This is what I will do now.

5) Install Gnome

sudo apt-get --no-install-recommends install gnome-core

Now you can change from custom to gnome in NX and connect.

I have listed a number of gnome applications here http://vikjonlinuxhowto.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to-create-minimal-ubuntu-desktop.html

To start with I want to share a folder, have a bittorrent client, mount usb and browse the web:

sudo apt-get install deluge nautilus-share epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions gnome-mount

compile firefox in debian 5.0

Firefox is not available from PPA in debian 5.

A pity the understanding of the market place is so poor... otherwise I would probably move from ubuntu to debian.

Maybe I will try to compile from source.

http://markshroyer.com/blog/2009/07/firefox-35-debian-amd64.html

XBMC reinstalled (Now XBMCbuntu)

I have decided to change my configuration. Instead of base it on a ubuntu desktop I will do a xbmcbuntu installation according to the official guide with the same name. The only reason is that this is what everybody else does. The performance will not be improved.

I will still need a gui but I will add it on top of the xbmc installation instead of the other way around. I think I will stick to gnome for the moment, but am working on a openbox setup as well. The biggest difference in the end will be that I will not run in GDM.

-------------------------------------------------------

XBMCbuntu installation on ION 330 (Asrock)

--------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------

0) Preparations

-------------------------

Flash BIOS => 1.50

Set shared memory to 512Mb

--------------------------

1) XBMCbuntu setup

--------------------------

Refer to the official wiki this is just my installation log.

http://xbmc.org/wiki/?title=XBMCbuntu

*I use a PPA installation for NVIDIA

*I install openbox instead of fluxbox/blackbox EDIT: I will probably switch back to flux)

a) Install minimal ubuntu

-install from 32-bit mini cd (or server CD??)

-don't create the xbmc user in this step (I create xbmcadmin /xbmc)

-Select autoinstall security updates

-optional: Create an extra partition for storage and format it

-add basic server. But Why should Basic Ubuntu Server be added? I didn't select anything at all before.

-add ssh

connect with SSH or type the rest of the commands in terminal.

b) Initial system config (add sources)

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/xbmc.org.list

add these lines:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu/ jaunty main

deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu/ jaunty main

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/xbmc-addons/ppa/ubuntu/ jaunty main

deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/xbmc-addons/ppa/ubuntu/ jaunty main

#deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

#deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

save file and exit (CTRL-O CTRL-X)

Add keys

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 318C7509 91E7EE5E 64234534

(addons, live PPA, SVN PPA)

Update apt

sudo apt-get update

c) Install custom boot splash (optional)

sudo apt-get install usplash-theme-xbmc-*

sudo nano /etc/usplash.conf

add

xres=1920

yres=1080

sudo update-alternatives --config usplash-artwork.so

sudo update-initramfs -u

d) Install XBMC

If you want to install SVN directly

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/xbmc.org.list

-and comment out the stable (first 2 lines) and uncomment the svn

sudo apt-get install xbmc xinit x11-xserver-utils

e) Install "restricted drivers" for NVIDIA from 3rd party PPA

*I the nvidia-vdpau PPA. It has more alternatives than the two in the guide. e.g. downgrade => 180

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

add

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

Add key

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com CEC06767

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185

*Version 180 seem to work better for the moment. Less frame drops. I am on 180 right now

sudo nvidia-xconfig -s --no-logo --force-generate

f) Test basic installation of XBMC

add simple window manager

sudo apt-get install fluxbox xterm

type startx in console

right-click select terminal & type xbmc

g) Install xbmc helpers

sudo apt-get install xbmc-live python-apt

enter pwd for xbmc user etc

sudo nano /boot/grub/menu.lst

Add

xbmc=nodiskmount,noredir loglevel=0

or

xbmc=noredir loglevel=0

to the end of the first option kernel line

depending on if you want to automount disks or not.

*I will use the first, manually mount my storage partition and later add gnome-mount to handle USB.

add safe mode by copying the first section and remove "quite splash quite"

and add "(safe mode)" to the title line. Don't enable mount in safe mode. That way you can boot without mounting and manually mount any fixed disks.

f) Updating alsa

installing from rep:

sudo apt-get install linux-sound-base alsa-base alsa-utils

*For the moment I am testing with this, supposed to be some upgrades lately.

installing the latest (1.0.20)

wget http://xbmc.org/wp-content/uploads/alsaup.sh

chmod +x alsaup.sh

sudo ./alsaup.sh -di

g) Additional settings and packages

sudo alsamixer

-Unmute and set volume (MM means muted and OO On)

-Hit "m" to toggle mute on/off.

-Do not forget to unmute HDMI if you are going to use that

sudo alsactl store

-store the settings

h) Optional: Install support for a remote

sudo apt-get install lirc

--------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------

This should pretty much be a vanila XBMCbuntu installation

With the exception of openbox and the diskmount.

-----------------------------------

2) Upgrade to SVN (optional)

-----------------------------------

exit XBMC

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/xbmc.org.list

-uncomment the svn line and comment the stable PPA

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade

-------------------------------------------------

3) Config

-------------------------------------------------

a) delete guisettings.xml (will erase all your settings)

sudo rm /home/xbmc/.xbmc/userdata/guisettings.xml

b) Enable 24hz, auto adjust refresh rate

add in screen section in /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Option "DynamicTwinView" "False"

Option "FlatPanelProperties" "Scaling = Native"

sudo sed -i '60i\ Option "DynamicTwinView" "False"' /etc/X11/xorg.conf

sudo sed -i '60i\ Option "FlatPanelProperties" "Scaling = Native"' /etc/X11/xorg.conf

check result

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

c) Disable HW curser

Add in section device in /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Option "HWCursor" "False"

sudo sed -i '50i\ Option "HWCursor" "False"' /etc/X11/xorg.conf

check result

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

d) reboot

sudo reboot

-------------------

4) Config in XBMC

-------------------

a) enable VDPAU and Auto adjust refresh rate

Change render method => VDPAU

Set "Auto adjust refresh rate" on

b) setup sound

Enable digital sound

Settings for SPDIF:

default

iec958

Setting for HDMI:

hdmi

hdmi

If mp3 is playing to fast, try with:

plug:hdmi

hdmi

more on openbox

http://urukrama.wordpress.com/openbox-guide/

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Openbox

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/lxde-lightweight-x11-desktop-environment-for-ubuntu.html

http://lxde.sourceforge.net/install.html

openbox with fbpanel

Notes for my latest light desktop trial project

In this case on a minimal debian with gnome-core installed.

It is the same on ubuntu.

apt-get install openbox fbpanel 

add rox-filer?

autostart and config fbpanel

http://chris4585.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/ubuntu-fbpanel-profile/

http://chris4585.wordpress.com/fbpanel-profiles/

$ sudo gedit /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart.sh

Add the following lines to autostart.sh:

sleep 0;

fbpanel –profile profile-file-name1 &

Network manager

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Xfce

Autostart

sleep 0;

nm-applet --sm-disable &

it has to run as root we need to fix policykit

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Xfce

/etc/dbus-1/system.d/NetworkManager.conf 

/etc/dbus-1/system.d/NetworkManagerInfo.conf 

/etc/dbus-1/system.d/nm-applet.conf 

/etc/dbus-1/system.d/nm-avahi-autoipd.conf 

/etc/dbus-1/system.d/nm-dhcp-client.conf 

In each file, copy the section of text which starts with and ends with . Paste it immediately below the line, and change the line to . 

For example: 

  

  

  

  

Or fix the sudoer file

http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/33

Linux permission

http://tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/sect_03_04.html

Command Meaning

chmod 400 file To protect a file against accidental overwriting.

chmod 500 directory To protect yourself from accidentally removing, renaming or moving files from this directory.

chmod 600 file A private file only changeable by the user who entered this command.

chmod 644 file A publicly readable file that can only be changed by the issuing user.

chmod 660 file Users belonging to your group can change this file, others don't have any access to it at all.

chmod 700 file Protects a file against any access from other users, while the issuing user still has full access.

chmod 755 directory For files that should be readable and executable by others, but only changeable by the issuing user.

chmod 775 file Standard file sharing mode for a group.

chmod 777 file Everybody can do everything to this file.

Connect to non default desktop in NX server

http://muzso.hu/category/tags/nx-client

If you've eg. Xubuntu on your server with Xfce as the default desktop environment, then it's not trivial how you can connect with FreeNX and use this desktop environment. In the nxclient enter the session configuration screen, set the "desktop" to "Unix" and "Custom", enter "Settings" and choose the "Run the following command" for the "Application", and enter this into the textbox: /usr/bin/xfce4-session. In the "Options" select the "New virtual desktop". Press OK and select in the "Display" section "Full screen"