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Fonts without X
by Richard Lewis 15 Nov '04

15 Nov '04

Hello ALUG, I'm just working on adding a PDF 'data sheet' function to one of my databases. (Served using PHP and the FPDF class <http://www.fpdf.org/>). At the moment it doesn't work because it can't find any fonts (even with names like "Times") and, of course, the obvious answer is to install some. The Debian package for FPDF suggests installing 'ttf2pt1'. This package depends on a whole load (~20MB, OK not that much) of packages from X which I'm slightly reluctant to install because the machine is supposed to be a web/database server, not an X server. It doesn't, of course, need an X server and maybe (suggestions?) I'm being silly by not wanting to install 'xfree86-common', 'xlibs', etc. (I just don't like the idea of X clutter everywhere). So, can anyone suggest a way of installing a nice selection of fonts without any X packages or will someone reassure me that installing X packages (not server) is not something to worry about? ;-) Cheers, Richard -- Richard Lewis richardlewis(a)fastmail.co.uk

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[ALUG Announce]Debian Bug squashing in Cambridge, November 27th to 28th
by MJ Ray 15 Nov '04

15 Nov '04

ALUG Announce Please send announcements to Announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce ----- Maybe we can discuss this at Syleham on the 28th too? ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: 2004-11-11 16:53:05 +0000 From: Steve McIntyre <steve(a)einval.com> Subject: [Debian-uk] Bug squashing in Cambridge, November 27th to 28th Guys, we can't let the Germans and Australians have all the fun! Let's get together in Cambridge and show them how to close those bugs. If we all pull together, we can get the RC bugs killed and help make sarge a great (if late) release. Everyone's welcome to join us in person, and we'll be active on irc.oftc.net, #debian-uk too if you want to help but can't make it physically. If you want to come either day, please let me know. There's even (limited) crash space available. See the wiki page at http://wiki.earth.li/DebianBugSquashPartyNov2004 Location: 87 Kendal Way, Cambridge CB4 1LP (aka my house, as usual) Equipment: We have wired and wireless networking, a full local mirror and several architectures. Bring a laptop, power cables and ethernet cables if you need them. I hope to see you there... -- Steve McIntyre, Cambridge, UK. steve(a)einval.com "It's actually quite entertaining to watch ag129 prop his foot up on the desk so he can get a better aim." [ seen in ucam.chat ] -- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and not of any group I know Creative copyleft computing - http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ Unsolicited attachments to the pipex address deleted Will HLF fund tree-killings? http://www.thewalks.co.uk/ ----- Send discussion replies to main(a)lists.alug.org.uk (Reply-To set) Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce

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Syleham Meet on 28th November
by Keith Watson 15 Nov '04

15 Nov '04

If anyone needs a lift let me know. I live in Cringleford near the UEA but I'm happy to pick people up from Norwich rail station (or anywhere else in Norwich for that matter) or anywhere along the route between Norwich and Syleham. As it's getting near the festive season (<GRUMPY_OLD_MAN> which all the local and national retailers seem to think started back in September!</GRUMPY_OLD_MAN>) I'll be bringing along a small selection of comestibles (mince pies etc.) I thought it might be useful if I brought along my old PC from the back of the cupboard and demo'd a Debian install using the Knoppix or Gnoppix live CDS. (John - do you have an internet feed at Syleham?). Anyone be interested in that? In my opinion the combination of these live CDS and Debian makes a Linux install as easy (easier) then Windows if you just want a usable PC system and are not particularly interested in becoming an expert in the nuts and bolts. So if there's anyone on the list who's new to Linux and can make it then you can see how really really easy installation of the OS with Knoppix/Gnoppix and how easy it is adding (and removing) new software with Debian (forget that tarball, configure, make crap and learn apt-get! or even drive it all with a GUI like synaptic :o) ) Regards, Keith -------------- Not one, not two; not both, not neither. - Zen saying

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 15 Nov '04

15 Nov '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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Converting DVD to audio
by Graham 14 Nov '04

14 Nov '04

Having replaced my video with a DVD recorder, I record radio programs from Sky then take the DVD to my computer and convert it to WAV for editing and writing to CD. The script I use is below. As you can see it goes round the houses, creating a VCD image first then stripping out the sound. Can anyone suggest a simpler approach (that doesn't involve physically moving equipment)? Note: I don't want to go via MP3 or OGG. The DVD audio format is AC3, BTW. -- GT ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- #!/bin/sh if [ $# .eq 0 ] then echo "Usage: dvd2wav <output filename>" exit fi mencoder dvd://1 -o dvd2wav_temp.mpg -ovc \ lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg1video -oac pcm transcode -i dvd2wav_temp.mpg -y null,wav -o "$1".tmp resample -to 44100 "$1".tmp "$1" >/dev/null rm -f dvd2wav_temp.mpg "$1".tmp exit

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[ALUG Announce]ChelmerLUG: FireFox 1.0 Party / Meeting
by Matthew Saunders 13 Nov '04

13 Nov '04

ALUG Announce Please send announcements to Announce(a)lists.alug.org.uk Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce ----- Hi, I would like to invite you to a ChelmerLUG FireFox 1.0 Party. It will be taking place on 19th November 2004 from 5.30pm onwards. The location is at the Writtle College Student Bar, Lordship Road, Chelmsford. It would be great to meet people from the area, share ideas, and with the student bar's prices - it won't break the bank either! ChelmerLUG is starting up in Chelmsford and open to anyone who has an interest in computing. Our aim to to promote Linux, and Open Source software on any platform. FireFox 1.0 is a fast, secure and safe web browser - even on Windows! FireFox can be downloaded from http://getfirefox.com. Any comments / questions? Just send me an email. Kind Regards Matthew Saunders ChelmerLUG http://chelmer.lug.org.uk http://spreadfirefox.com ----- Send discussion replies to main(a)lists.alug.org.uk (Reply-To set) Unsub, change settings via http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/announce

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MMC card woes
by Wayne Stallwood 13 Nov '04

13 Nov '04

Is there any way to bypass a write protected disk when dealing with MMC cards ? I have a really odd problem with one of my cards (nicked from my camera to put some music on to my phone for a long tube journey in a couple of days) The card works fine in my camera, I can delete/format/take pictures all fine. Put into the card reader on my SuSE 9.1 box I issue a mount -rw /dev/sdd1 /home/wayne/media I can then see the current contents of the card by looking at /home/wayne/media Deleting anything causes no error, but the deletion is only temporary if I come out of and go back into the directory the files have reappeared. Unmounting it and doing a mkfs -t vfat /dev/sdd1 again results in no error, but after either mounting it or doing a fsck I can see that the original files are still there. If I use the camera to format it and then try and copy files to it (I now have an empty disk according to df) I get an error telling me it is read only. After a while I gave up and tried it in a Win2000 box downstairs. Copy to, Delete and format all give me a "disk is write protected" error. Yet the camera can still write to it. There are no write protect tabs on either the card or the reader, and I have tried other cards in the same reader on the same machines with no issues. However all my other cards are SD (which have little write lock switches on them) Is it possible that my camera is setting the write protect tab on this card when it formats it. and if so how do I use the card in anything else. What I am wanting to do is force a format regardless, is this possible ?

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PostgrSQL row ID column
by Chris Green 12 Nov '04

12 Nov '04

Re: my comment earlier today about PostgrSQL databases and row indentification, here's the section of the Rekall manual I remembered:- For some databases, this is always possible. For instance, in PostgreSQL every row has associated with it a unique indeitifier called the oid, which can be retrieved along with the row data; after a new row is inserted, the oid of that row can be ascertained. Similarly, Oracle has a rownum. (... and that indeitifier typo isn't mine!) -- Chris Green (chris(a)areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."

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Reminder: Norwich City Gate meeting Thursday 10th November!
by adam＠thebowery.co.uk 11 Nov '04

11 Nov '04

Begin boilerplate meeting reminder txt. ------------------------------------------------- As per usual, this Thursday (10th November) we'll be congregating in the City Gate from around 8pm. Adam, Brett, Kirsten and Jonathan should be there, and Eli might also make it. We should have a penguin in attendance so you know who we are, if not look for the Linux Magazines on the tables, sometimes we lurk at the far end of the building in the restaurant area. If you want to do gpg keysigning then at least a few of us should be there with sigs and id. Full details can be found at: http://www.alug.org.uk/meetings/2004/all-NorThu.html Directions at: http://www.alug.org.uk/venues/citygate.html Pictures from August of people so you know who to look out for: http://www.earth.li/~noodles/Photos/2004-08-ALUG/ ------------------------------------------------ Adam -- jabberid = quinophex(a)jabber.earth.li AFFS || http://www.affs.org.uk/ || Not a filesystem

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Adding an auto column to an existing database
by Chris Green 11 Nov '04

11 Nov '04

If I add an 'auto' column to an existing database to provide a unique key (I don't believe this should really be necessary, see below) will it get automatically populated with a sequence of integers as required? Access can manage without a unique key so why can't any of the mysql front ends do without it? I had a look at my Access database and, although the rows as a whole are unique it turns out that I *don't* have a multi-column primary key to give a unique key. However the database copes quite happily with multiple purchases of stamps with identical descriptions and with pension payments of the same amount every month. It certainly works and I can delete one pension payment without affecting the others for example. -- Chris Green (chris(a)areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."

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