Sharp End of the Pencil - Wireframing On Linux

More on the subject of Windows alternatives.

I have some elementary skill in coding with html but, like everything else, I'm more jack-of-all-trades than expert. Nonetheless, I've never been frightened to have a go, and recently I've been exploring the concept of responsive web design for a project that I'm working on.

The key to success is planning the layout for different platforms before building your style sheet and it's handy to be able to visualize the site on each platform using a wireframe tool. There are several online offerings (for instance, codiqa & balsamiq), but is there a local software alternative for Linux?

There is and it's called Pencil!

The Pencil Project - Wireframing for Linux (& Windows & Mac)

In fairness, Pencil is available across all three major platforms (Win, Mac, & Nix) so it doesn't really qualify as a genuine alternative but it does meet the criteria for free software in that it is both free of charge and open source. It's also remarkably comprehensive and simple to use so, if you're into web design, head on over and download the flavour of your choice.

Sources & Resources:

• Pencil Project - Home Page

Eric The Half-A-Bee

Over the last couple of days, I've been using Allen Downey's excellent resources for brushing up my Python skills. For my interpreter, I use the Eric Integrated Development Environment and it works flawlessly on the laptop. However, I couldn't get it to install on the Dimension 8400. Summoning the application from the terminal resulted in a segmentation fault.

Fortunately, if you experience the same problem, you can install the program manually:

Download the latest stable version from the Eric SourceForge page to your Download folder. Select the latest version, and from the following directory, select the .tar.gz file. Then, when your file has downloaded, navigate to the file in the file manager of your choice, right-click the file and select the Extract Here option.

Open a terminal and change your directory to the extracted folder:

cd /home/[user_name]/Downloads/ericversion_number

Now, install the program with:

sudo python install.py

That's it! Now you can enjoy Monty Python's track, Eric the Half-A-Bee.

Sources & Reference:

• YouTube: Eric The Half-a-Bee
• Wikipedia: Eric Python IDE
• Linux Mint Forums: Eric IDE segfault after installation with Software Manager
• Sourceforge: Eric Integrated Development Environment
• Python For Software Design: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist

GnuCash - Creating New Accounts/Categories

I've seen a number of questions online asking how to create new expense categories in GnuCash. The question itself demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how basic bookkeeping works: an expense category is really nothing more (and nothing less!) than an account where cash values are allocated as spent. Think of a category as a bucket or container for certain types of expenditure: although the cash is gone, the category is a record of where it went.

Once you've understood this principle, creating your new category should be obvious: create a new account under the Expenses parent. Suppose that we want to create a new expense category called "Household" to differentiate non-perishable household items from perishable items (food!):

From the Accounts page, click on the Create as new account icon or (from the main menu), select Actions & New Account to summon the New Account dialog box.

Create a New Account to add an Expense Category

Once the dialog appears, we can give it a name (in this case, Household) and a description. We also need to select Expense as the account type and Expenses as the parent type.

Completing the New Account Dialog

When you click OK your new account will be created and will appear in the account list under Expenses.

Right Where It Should Be!

Now when you enter a transaction and click on the the transfer type, the new account will appear in the list as an option.

Your New Account In Action

The good news is that this category will be reportable but just be cautious about adding too much granularity: you may end up not seeing the wood for the trees.

Sources & References:

• None

Quids In - GnuCash: Another Windows Alternative

One of the great strengths of Windows is the excellent range of software that has been developed over the years. One of the fun things about switching to Linux is exploring some of the alternatives to those programs. I've blogged about a couple in the past (GSmartControl, i-Nex)

One of the things that I've only recently got around to searching for is an accounting package similar to Quicken (or, a very long time ago, Microsoft Money) and, as always, it was a simple task to find a free & open-source replacement: GnuCash.

GnuCash is a full-featured accounting package designed for small businesses and individuals:

"Designed to be easy to use, yet powerful and flexible, GnuCash allows you to track bank accounts, stocks, income and expenses. As quick and intuitive to use as a checkbook register, it is based on professional accounting principles to ensure balanced books and accurate reports."

As with all accounting packages, it helps to have a basic grasp of accounting fundamentals (double-entry bookkeeping) in order to set up structured accounts, but the instruction manual can provide all the necessary guidance should you need help. It's also possible to import QIF & OFX data - a really useful feature if your bank allows you to download your statements in either of these formats: it can save an awful lot of typing when setting up the initial accounts!

GnuCash Main Window

GnuCash is absolutely free and for Ubuntu-based distros can be downloaded and installed from the Software Center. For a more up-to-date version, download the source code from the GnuCash website where you may also be surprised to find downloads for Windows and Mac, so, not only is GnuCash free, it is also cross-platform!

Until recently I've been using a simple spreadsheet to keep track of my money (what little there is!) and to forecast cash flows - not any longer; from now on, I'll be using this powerful application.

Sources & References:

• GnuCash: Welcome to GnuCash.org

Keeping Up With The Jones's

This week more than a couple of sites are reporting on the Firefox refresh, Australis. Both are also pointing out the similarities between this latest incarnation and a close rival; Google Chrome.

I've blogged before about preferring Chromium to Firefox and these reviews do nothing to persuade me that I'm wrong. Indeed, the only significant difference appears to be that the options menu in Firefox is now icon (rather than text) based: hardly, the height of innovation. Convergent, it seems, means emulating your competitors.

I may give it a look over the next few weeks, but it won't be at the top of my to do list.

Sources & References:

• The Register: Firefox, is that you? Version 29 looks rather like a certain shiny rival
• OMG!Ubuntu!: Mozilla Firefox 29 Released With Brand New Look

14.04 Replacing LibreOffice With OpenOffice

Recently I was asked to replace the bundled LibreOffice with OpenOffice on a vanilla install of Ubuntu 14.04. It's kind of tricky because you have to remove everything connected with LibreOffice before OpenOffice will install.

First, uninstall LibreOffice. I tried several methods but, in the end, the following was the only one that worked. Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) & type:

sudo apt-get remove --purge libreoffice*.*

Download OpenOffice into your Downloads folder and then right-click on your download and click Extract Here. The resultant directory (/home/usr/Downloads/en-GB)^* contains a sub-directory called, DEBS - change to this directory using the terminal:

cd /home/usr/Downloads/en-GB/DEBS

Now do:

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Not quite finished: we need to integrate OpenOffice into the Ubuntu desktop. Change directory to the ./DEBS/desktop-integration folder:

cd ./desktop-integration

Now run the dpkg instruction again:

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Now, exit the terminal and you should find OpenOffice in the dash.

Sources & References:

• OpenOffice: Downloads
• Ask Ubuntu: How Do I Install OpenOffice.org Instead Of LibreOffice?

Notes:

1. ^* Where usr is your user name & en-GB is your installation file after extraction.

Skype 4.0

Skype has released a new version of its software for the Linux platform - Skype 4.0

There are a few changes worth noting:

1. A new Conversations View where you can track all of your chats in a unified window.
2. A new Call View.
3. Improved call quality (about time!)
4. Improved video call support

You should remove previous versions of Skype before installing the latest release:

sudo apt-get remove skype

The last kernel update nuked my preferences and I couldn't get Skype to use my webcam as the default sound input device. This latest version won't allow me to change my sound device from Pulse Audio either, but changing the input device in the sound menu seems to pick up the webcam automatically. This problem is widely discussed on the Internet and there is a fix, but it didn't work for me: implementing the steps killed all of my sound output and I had to reverse them to regain my system sounds!

To download the latest version of Skype, go to the Skype Downloads page or click on the link in the Sources & References section, below.

Sources & References:

• Skype Blogs: Skype 4.0 for Linux
• Download Skype: Skype for Linux
• Skype Community: Solution of Not Working Microphone

Nearly Headless Nick

Headless system: a computer system or device that has been configured to operate without a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Source: Wikipedia - Headless System

After some initial problems, my new Aleutia D2 Pro is up and running!

It's sporting a stock install of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise) and I'm using smb for sharing files across the network. So far, so good - but I could have used any old box as a file server; so why spend £500 on a new PC?

Well, the D2 is frugal in its power consumption which means that it can be left running without destroying the planet (or my bank balance). In fact, in sleep mode it consumes just 2.6 watts and under load, a paltry 18.0 watts! Moreover, this thing isn't just quiet - it's absolutely silent. Of course, these performance figures don't include a monitor which leaves one with the problem of managing the system blind.

Ubuntu does come with a default VNC client (Vinagre) which is fine for helping a friend over the Internet, but if you don't have a monitor or don't have physical access to the machine, typing in passwords and accepting the connection can be problematic. However, I did try Vinagre for a while and connected a keyboard and mouse (hence the cryptic title for this post) to access the machine, but the lag was excruciatingly slow; slow enough to make the solution unworkable. Fortunately (and, as you would expect) there is an opensource solution: FreeNX. I'm still trying to figure out some WAN issues since changing my port number, but over the next few days, I'll post details of how to connect from both sides of your network.

Sources & References:

• Aleutia: D2 Dual Core Mini Atom PC
• Ubuntu Documentation: Vinagre
• Ubuntu Documentation: FreeNX

IDLE Hands

Yesterday I decided to explore python, a cross-platfom, object-oriented, programming language and in so doing discovered something that SciTE can't do!

Whilst I have a working knowledge of html and a distant memory of using Visual Basic, I could never claim to have anything other than rudimentary programming skills and I've decided that it's time to correct this deficiency. Usually I would head straight over to Amazon and buy a book that guides me through the process, but recent events have taught me that there are plenty of free resources online that are just as good as the commercial offerings if you're prepared to look for them. So, I thought that I'd make my adventure even more interesting by taking a less structured approach and only using free resources.

Fortunately the Python website provides links to some excellent tutorials for the programming n00b and ironically, I chose to go with Derrick Wolters' Learning Python (for the complete n00b). Using SciTE as my text editor, I raced through the first couple of tutorials and was soon saying hello to the world and manipulating simple numbers. However, when it came to user input variables, SciTE proved less than co-operative. Here's a simple example:

print "What is your name?"
name=raw_input()
print "Hello", name.

This is simple stuff, the interpreter simply displays (prints) What is your name? on the screen and waits for a user to input a text string. Once the user has input his name, the interpreter says hello. Unfortunately, SciTE can't handle user input in the python language: it hits an end of file condition without reading any data and returns an error. This is a problem that's been around for a while!

SciTE EOF Error

Fortunately, you can download IDLE from the Ubuntu Software Centre. IDLE handles user input variables with ease - here's the same code (with the text string Jogga added as the user input variable:

IDLE handles User Input Variables with Ease

It's unlikely that SciTE will be fixed anytime soon, but IDLE fills the hole (or blanks!) very nicely!

Sources & References:

• Python Wiki Pages: Python for Non-Prgrammers
• Python Documentation: 24.6 IDLE
• Learning to Program: Python for the Complete N00b
• scite-interest: [scite] Python raw_input(doesn't work on Linux?) (27 February 2006 - accessed 04 August 2011)
• pyref (An Unofficial) Python Reference Wiki: EOFError

Ctrl + C

Everyone knows how to copy & paste; right?

Well, in Linux copy and paste can be easier than in Windows: simply highlight the text that you want to copy in one application and, switching to the destination application, click the middle button on your mouse.

However, unlike Windows, the clipboard contents are only available while the source application is open and that can be a little disconcerting for new users. Fortunately, there are a couple of options available from the Ubuntu & Mint software repositories.

Glipper is a clipboard manager that works with Gnome.

"It maintains a history of text copied to the clipboard from which you can choose. Glipper uses plugins to give the user all the extra functionality.

In previous versions Glipper was a GNOME applet, but now it uses app indicator to support Ubuntu Unity and Ubuntu's Gnome Classic."

As I don't use Gnome, I've chosen Parcellite which integrates well with the AWN notification applet.

"Parcellite is a lightweight GTK+ clipboard manager. This is a stripped down, basic-features-only clipboard manager with a small memory footprint for those who like simplicity."

Both are excellent applications and, if you find yourself doing a lot of copy/paste (or authoring your own blog!) either would prove to be an invaluable addition to your application armoury.

Oh, and a little confession is in order: I didn't know about the middle button trick until I started researching clipboards for Linux!

Sources & References:

• Launchpad: Glipper
• Sourceforge: Parcellite

Keyping Safe

I've been doing a little bit of housekeeping today - catching up on those important/non-urgent tasks that never seem to get done.

One of the things that I've been meaning to find is a Linux replacement for Spb Wallet. I use this program a lot: I originally bought (yes, purchased!) it for my WinMob device, but I also used the desktop version extensively before I found my way to Ubuntu. Interestingly, the alternative that I settled on is a cross-platform application called KeePassX originally written for Windows in 2003.

The application has a good pedigree and it can be found in both the Mint and Ubuntu official software repositories.

KeePassX is available from your software repository in Mint & Ubuntu.

Once the application is downloaded and installed, it can be opened from the Accessories menu.

Finding KeePassX from the Main Menu

It's got a nice (simple) interface for creating and using password databases and one really nice feature is that you can import .xml files (exported from other PC) so you don't have to recreate your password store from scratch on every machine!

The KeePass Main Window

If you have trouble remembering a multitude of passwords for online accounts, servers, hardware, and the seemingly endless other authentication requirements, this handy application might be just what you've been looking for.

Sources & References:

• KeePassX: Home Page
• Wikipedia: KeePass

Blogilo - Update - Update

I finally abandoned my Blogilo experiment. The truth is that it's just as easy to use Scite (or any other text editor that handles html) and preview your text in the browser of your choice. This is not so much a reflection on Blogilo, it's more in recognition that blogger doesn't accomodate all the app's nice features and the only thing that changes my tag attributes is me.

It's a simple work around if you don't want to use the web-based dashboard for drafting posts (especially if they're long posts!) but you do have to copy and paste the text into blogger's New Post dialog when you're ready to upload your text. Of course, Scite won't upload picture files but that's no disadvantage compared to Blogilo.

1. Install Scite from the Ubuntu Software Centre.
2. You can open Scite from the Programming menu or, if you prefer, move the shortcut to the location of your choice using the menu editor (Preferences > Main Menu).
3. When you're drafting your text, make sure that your Language is set to HypertextF12.
4. Save your draft (at any time) in the location of your choice with a .html file extension.
5. To preview your draft, simply right-click your file in Nautilus and, from the Open With option, select your browser of choice.
6. To update your preview, save the file in Scite and reload the tab in your browser.

Perhaps the preview isn't as pretty as it is in Blogilo, but it's certainly good enough for debugging text and working on your prose!

Preview your Draft Posts with Scite

Cryptic - The Postman Always Rings Twice

Sharing enctypted files with other Ubuntu users is straightforward enough, but real-world situations are rarely so simple. For one thing, it seems a little pointless encrypting files if you attach them to email messages that pretty much anyone can read and, for another, most people don't use Ubuntu (hard to believe, I know!).

So, the question is, can you exchange encrypted files and email with Windows users? The answer is most assuredly, yes!

The embedded email client in Ubuntu is Evolution and it supports "signing and encrypting mail via GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) and S/MIME" out of the box. However if, like me, you have migrated to Thunderbird, you can extend the security capabilities of the client by adding the Enigmail plugin. Using both of these applications is a simple affair: draft your email and, before you click Send, click on the Security toolbar button or menu option in the message window. The plugin will prompt you for the relevant key and handles the encryption for you.

For Windows users looking for PGP support, there is Gpg4win. I've tested this on my Vista machine with Microsoft® Outlook 2003 and it works - eventually. The Windows OS being what it is, I found that multiple reboots were required to get the plugin working and that importing my key proved to be problematic: however, when I did get it to work, it performs excellently and there is a superb manual that goes a long way to helping novices get the installation right.

Let's not get paranoid - it's unlikely that anyone is terribly interested in the bulk of email messages and attachments that we send off into the ether: however, it is nice to know that you can share confidential information with your colleagues, friends, and family without letting the whole world take a peak!

Sources & References:

• Gnome Projects: Evolution Features
• The Enigmail Project: Home
• Gpg4win: Home

Blogilo - Update

Hmmm....

There's some good news and some bad news with regard to my Blogilo experiment. I did (eventually) manage to get Blogilo to upload and publish a draft post to blogger; however, blogger doesn't support media uploads (so, no image uploads from the program) and the program also has a strange (and irritating) habit of altering html tag contents; particularly span attributes.

The problem with uploading seems to be caused by broken html code and fixing tags seems to resolve the problem. However, Blogio doesn't seem to have a debugging mode, so fixing problems can be frustrating. That said, this is more a reflection of my ability rather than the program's and I suspect that practise would help!

Of course, I can always draft my posts in Blogilo and copy & paste the content to my blogger post editor (giving me the option to save a local copy) but, equally, I can use Scite and save the draft in as an html file (for previewing), so I'm not entirely convinced - yet!

=-=-=-=-=
Powered by Blogilo

Blogilo

Somehow I managed to loose a whole draft post from blogger the other day - all of it!

I wouldn't have minded but it had taken several hours to compose (it wasn't even finished when disaster struck!) and, to make matters worse, I had no backup. In part I suspect that the problem was caused by my own incompetence and, in part, by the auto-save function in blogger but, whatever the cause, hours of work had been squandered by my own stupidity at not having a failsafe backup policy.

At the risk of appearing sanctimonious , I do try to learn from such experiences and I thought that it might not be a bad idea to find a better way of drafting long posts locally rather than tipping my thoughts straight into blogger - enter Blogilo.

"Blogilo is a Free/Open Source Blogging client, focused on simplicity and usability. Blogilo means “Blog Tool” in Esperanto."1

Blogilo can be installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre: just type Blogilo into the search box and click install.

The layout is intuitive with a Visual Editor window2, an html editor, a (a really nice touch) preview window.

So, in a sense, this post is an experiment to see if Blogilo can completely replace blogger's web-based dashboard (hence, the gratuitous use of superscript!). If it does, then perhaps some more posts on the utility of this program will be in order. Here goes!

Notes:
1 Source: Blogilo home page.
2 A WYSIWYG window.

Sources & References:

• Blogilo: Home Page

Skype Out

Skype crashed today - I realize that this is not exactly news, but there is a fix.

1. Go to the following folder:
   
   /home/YourLinuxUserName/.Skype
2. Delete the file shared.xml.
3. Restart Skype.
The Skype folder is a hidden folder - please check Show hidden files in your file browser to view and access it.

No jokes about the Microsoft purchase please ;)

Sources & References:

• BBC News: Technology Skype hit by global service crash
• Skype: [UPDATED] Problems signing into Skype and making calls for a small number of users

Ubuntu Has Form!

I hate form-filling but it's one of modernity's necessary evils.

Back in my Windows days, I used Adobe Acrobat to annotate pdf documents in order to save recipients the time and trouble of trying to decipher my handwriting but I haven't bothered finding an alternative for Ubuntu - until now. Recently my employer requested that I update my personal details, so I decided to give open-source another opportunity to demonstrate how completely it meets the challenge of its commercial rivals.

I settled on flpsed PDF Annotator - you can install it from the Ubuntu Software Centre.

Install flpsed from the Ubuntu Software Centre

"flpsed is a WYSIWYG pseudo PostScript editor. "Pseudo", because you can't remove or modify existing elements of a document. But flpsed lets you add arbitrary text lines to existing PostScript 1 documents. Added lines can later be reedited with flpsed. Using pdftops, which is part of xpdf one can convert PDF documents to PostScript and also add text to them. flpsed is useful for filling in forms, adding notes etc."

The GUI is a little rudimentary, but you only need to click on the document at the point that you want to insert your text and then type away!

Adding text using flpsed

So, if you hate form-filling, give this tremendous little app a try!

Notes:

• WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get

Sources & References:

• Johannes Hofmann - flpsed homepage

fAWNing over Avant Window Navigator

Perhaps the most notable feature of Linux is its versatility. Distros such as Ubuntu are endlessly configurable and there seems to be an inexhaustible supply of creative people developing applications to customize the user environment.

Of course, tweaking your system with the latest eye-candy is a less risky proposition if you can do your experimenting (and make your mistakes!) on a spare machine first. Doubtless, my recent acquisition has inspired me to explore Ubuntu's potential in greater depth and I can do so without making speculative and potentially disastrous changes to the stable configuration on my desktop.

Recently I added Compiz to both my Ubuntu machines. Whilst the graphics and visual effects are superb, I really wanted to differentiate multiple workspaces in order to improve their utility (in plain language, I was looking for a way to have a different wallpaper on each workspace!). Compiz handles this effortlessly and I was (reasonably) pleased with the results. However, the problem with different wallpapers is that you often need to adjust the window decorations like the dreary Gnome Panels to suit the theme and these panels just don't lend themselves to the task. So, obviously the best thing to do is to get rid of the panels all together and replace them with a dockbar.

Avant Window Navigator

Although I tried a couple of dockbars (including docky and Simbar), I finally settled on Avant Window Navigator (AWN). This application is available from the Ubuntu Software Centre (in both Karmic and Lucid), so there's no requirement to compile the source code. Moreover, it is an intuitive application, that provides for a wide range of customizations.

To install AWN, you'll need to have a compositing manager installed and running (there are several available, including the one that I recommend, Compiz). Also, there are some technical specifications to meet, particularly if you're running an older pc with ageing graphics support (Karmic Desktop Effects, Lucid Desktop Effects).

If your system meets the installation criteria, the easiest way to install AWN is from the Ubuntu Software Centre (type “Avant” in the search box and select Avant Window Manager). I also recommend installing the following packages if they are not installed by default:

• Awn Settings
• python-awn-extras
• awn-applets-c-extras
• awn-applets-python-extras

Once you have installed AWN and configured your launchers (for instance, make sure that AWN is displaying a log-out applet or another method of shutting down the system (a terminal applet perhaps): more of that in another post) and applets, it's time to say goodbye to those dreary Gnome Panels.

If you have more than one panel running on your system, you can right-click all but one and select the delete pane option. You'll get the usual dire warning about your settings disappearing, but just click OK. To get rid of the last panel, open the Gnome Config Editor either via the Applications > System Tools menu or open a terminal and type:

gconf-editor

Navigate to desktop > gnome > session > required_components and delete the value in the panel option. Close the gconf-editor and you are good to go.

I'm currently running everything on AWN that I was on my two Gnome Panels including my bespoke FinchSync launcher.

On first sight, AWN appears a little MAC-centric for my tastes, but configuring it is easy and it is rapidly becoming indispensable – particularly the slick switcher application.

Now, that's really nice!

Sources & References:
Avant Window Navigator Wiki – Home Page
AWN Project Installation Guide
AWN Project Ubuntu Specific Installation Guide

Compiz - Multi-dimensional Eye Candy

Ubuntu provides multiple workspaces as part of its standard installation, but I've always felt that the default behaviour (identical appearance across all workspaces) is an impediment to its adoption. Of course, that's because I didn't know any better!

It is possible to have a different desktop background on each workspaces using a compositing manager called Compiz Fusion. However, to describe this software as a background manager is to do it a great disservice!

"Compiz is an OpenGL compositing manager that use GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap for binding redirected top-level windows to texture objects. It has a flexible plug-in system and it is designed to run well on most graphics hardware."

This is no idle boast: Compiz is not only running on my DELL Inspiron 1501, but it is also delivering the graphical enhancements promised on the Compiz Home Page.

"In a nutshell, Compiz is a compositing manager, which means that it enhances the overall user interaction by adding fancy effects to your windows, from drop shadows to awesome desktop effects like the Desktop Cube or the Expo view."

"Awesome" is not overstating the case!

The screen-cap (above) is lifted directly from my laptop. The cube can be rotated in any direction using a USB mouse and any workspace selected. It is no exaggeration to say that that this laptop could barely load Windows Vista a month or so ago, but it is now running graphics that would put most Windows desktops to shame.

The configurations possible from the CompizConfig Settings Manager are bewildering and it has taken me several hours to get to grips with just the basic settings. However, the result is a multi-workspace environment, each with its own background and all accessible using either mouse or keyboard.

To install Compiz on Ubuntu, open a terminal and type:

sudo apt-get install compiz compizconfig-settings-manager compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-plugins

You may also want the Simple CompizConfig Settings Manager!

sudo apt-get install simple-ccsm

Then, makes sure that the Enhanced features are enabled in the Appearance dialog (System > Preferences > Appearance > Visual Effects). Once done, you'll find the Config Settings Manager under the System > Preferences menu.

Whilst the interface is not particularly intuitive, it is worth persevering. Setting wallpaper and animating the cube will test your patience, but there is help on the Compiz Wiki pages.

Sources & References:
Compiz Home
Compiz Fusion Ubuntu Documentation

Back to Backup

Actually, I hadn't figured out the what after all! My backup scheduled failed once I'd shut the system down and incremental backups never happened.

That's the bad news: the good news is that I've fixed and tested Simple Backup and I've got it working. The new features include:

• The latest version of sbackup (sbackup 0.11.4)
• A working (tested!) schedule
• Password protected destination directory
• Email confirmation of backup
• Confirmation notifications during scheduled backups

Here's how I did it:

Preparation and Installation

The easiest way to install the latest version of sbackup is via the Synaptic Package Manager. I find this method much easier than compiling code and building dependencies manually.

First, I had to remove the existing version of sbackup on the system; installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre. From a terminal:

sudo apt-get purge sbackup

The purge option removes both the software and the configuration files (because I wanted to configure the new build of sbackup from scratch). Had I used, sudo apt-get remove I would have left the configuration files on the system and these files are used by subsequent installations.

Once the original installation had been completely removed, I could add the nssbackup-team repository to the software sources:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nssbackup-team/ppa

Ubuntu automatically downloads the security key:

"Your system will now fetch the PPA's key. This enables your Ubuntu system to verify that the packages in the PPA have not been interfered with since they were built." Source: nssbackup Repository

Next was to update the packages in the Synaptic Package Manager.

sudo apt-get update

I opened Synaptic Package Manager to find the latest version of sbackup.


Typing sbackup in the search box and marking the sbackup package for installation is all that is required. The package sbackup-gtk was added automatically.


Clicking the Apply button on the main menu installs the latest version of sbackup (v. 0.11.4). Strangely, Simple Backup is no longer listed in the System > Administration Menu: it's now to be found lurking in the Applications > Accessories Menu and the Applications > System Tools Menu. If you want to run non-technical backups without schedules, use the first option: however, to schedule backups you need root privileges, so you must use the second option and type in your password when prompted. I suggest that you edit your menus to hide the version that you don't want to use!

Starting sbackup for the first time generates a warning that no profile has been found (to be expected as I purged the configuration file!): sbackup creates a default profile if one is not available.


I closed the warning dialog in order to begin configuring sbackup:


The first tab allows configuration of the frequency of full backup events and any compression or division of the backup files.

The Include tab allows you to specify what files are backed up. The default setting for the non-administratve mode is /home/usr/ which is likely to be a substantial directory. For the Administrative version, the options are:

1. /var/
2. /home/
3. /urs/local/
4. /etc/

I've chosen to test this version using a simple directory containing a few simple text files.


In the non-administrative mode, the Exclude tab is blank by default. However, you may wish to exclude temporary and cache files or excessively large files (movies, perhaps). The administrative version, excludes:

1. /media/
2. /var/run/
3. /var/cache/
4. /var/spool/
5. /var/tmp/

Which is much more sensible!

The Destination tab allows you to choose where your backup will be stored. The default is the /home/usr/.local/share/sbackup/backups directory: however, you can navigate to a local custom backup location or select the remote site option.


Interestingly, you can't type the location directly into the remote site dialog box: you must click Connect... in order to access the set remote target dialog. Here you can type in your server/host settings and security credentials (login and password) and also test the availability of the remote directory.

Warning: the non-administrative mode does not schedule backups and the Schedule tab is greyed out. However, Administrator mode facilitates both simple schedules or more complex cron jobs and also allows you to specify manual backups only (via the No scheduled backups option).

The Purging tab allows you to specify simple cut-off or logarithmic purging.

The final tab is a nice feature not available on the version from the Ubuntu Software Centre: it allows you to send a report of the backup activity via email. The output (in the form of a simple text document) is embedded in the email rather than being sent as an attachment.

There are also a couple of other nice touches with the most recent version, including notifications. One as a pop-up message at commencement:


The second as an icon on the panel:


One of the problems with the version from the Ubuntu Software Centre is that errors are dropped silently: in other words, if the backup fails you won't know that you have a problem unless you check your backup destination on a regular basis. These notifications (coupled with the email) negate this difficulty.

I've tested the system on my DELL Dimension: now all that I need to do is install and configure the latest version on my laptop and decide what to backup!

Useful Resources:
sbackup stable repository
FAQs for sbackup