Tips and Tricks About Computers, Web Development, Linux, the Internet and the Like
open source
Nexuiz 2.5 is released!
Apr 3rd
Quoting the change log:
Almost a year of hard work, 3000 single changes, new developers and players, a few tourneys and lots of matches have passed since the last release.
Today the Alientrap team is proud to bring you a new and improved Nexuiz! Still trying to achieve this fine balance between fun and a challenge, you will notice lots of small additions that will make playing even more fun.
Some larger changes like the new guns and particle effects will make you want to dive into the great and friendly Nexuiz community, while the large additions including the race game mode, some new maps and improved netcode will take away lots of hours of your free time.
Do you dare to take a look and see for yourself what a totally free and open source game can be?
New features include:
- Completely redone HUD and user adjustable scoreboard
- Totally rewritten Client/Server communication to cut the bandwidth usage in half
- New gamemode “Race”. Try to get from start to end of a level as fast as possible. Available as free-for-all and team variant. Further allows to play with or without a qualification period.
- Added several new weapons (on-hand Grappling Hook, Port-O-Launch, T.A.G. Seeker, Heavy Laser Assault Cannon, Rifle)
- Map editor NetRadiant included
- Improved all effects for eye candy and tweakability
- All maps recompiled with external lightmaps which allow for much crisper shadows
- Added maps desertfactory (DM, TDM, MinstaGib), racetrack (Race) and made aggressor support Key Hunt
- New player sounds, announcer sounds/voices, textures, crosshairs, weapon models, effects and menu skins
- Added support for video capture to OggTheora
- Integrated the Havoc mod into the menu! Havoc servers use quite different physics and weapons, give it a try!
- Fixed a crash with ATI drivers on shutdown or vid_restart
- Fixed several problems with lagging gameplay/crashes/wrong display of effects
- Improved bots (teamworking, bunnyhopping, swimming, better way finding, support for ladders, less CPU usage, faster map loading)
- Better visual display of carried items (Strength, Shield, flags and keys)
- Better parental guidance support with cl_gentle and cl_nogibs
- Lots of tourney-related features (timeout/in, spectator-slots, allready, warmup mode, lockteams, unlockteams, movetoteam_red/blue/…, nospectators, records, cointoss)
- Added some effects customization options like cl_casings, cl_weaponpriority
- Many more map entities allowing for more dynamic maps
- Restructured and improved menu: demos menu and multiple campaigns are back, also added an advanced menu containing ALL settings of the game
For a more complete list of changes see: https://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=672474&group_id=81584
As usual, you can download the newest release from our download page.
If you are providing a mirror of the release, please notify us so we can add it to the official mirror list. For any comments, suggestions or questions, please refer to our forum or the FAQ.
Because of many major changes there is NO PATCH available.
To make sure nothing breaks, you should use a new directory to unzip Nexuiz 2.5!
If you use 2.5 and see a server with no gametype it’s an 2.4.2 server, don’t play on those.
Alientrap is also currently looking for new coders, modelers, mappers and people experienced with creating sound effects. If you feel like helping improve Nexuiz or Zymotic please contact the team via forum or IRC.
You can Download Nexuiz Here. To run Nexuiz, extract the files anywhere on your computer and run the executable. Try GLX first and if you experience problems, you hardware maybe better suited for the SDL version. The main difference between the two is the software libraries they are compiled for.
If you’d like to spread the word, it’s a good idea to share the Nexuiz 2.5 release on your facebook account. You can digg it here: http://digg.com/pc_games/Nexuiz_2_5_is_released
Batch images conversion – color to transparency from the linux terminal
Mar 31st
I’ve been re-theming and old forum and the themes that are available are a little less than perfect for our needs. I found a few suitable templates but it still results in me creating a mash-up. Some of the images (though gif) set the image background color to that of the site background. As I was using a different color, this obviously looked bad but I wasn’t about to manually edit all the files to give them transparency.
Being aware of the amazing command line tool for Linux, ImageMagick, I set out to find a tool to help me. I found a transparency flag, calculated the RGB values with the eyedropper in GIMP, then after a test run, I through it in a for loop.

So a directory down from my image source, I created a folder called “new” and ran the following color and like magic, they were all converted.
for image in *.gif; do convert -transparent 'RGB(48,71,94)' $image ../new/$image; done
Free Resume Templates – Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Dec 24th
With more and more people using the Internet as a way to market themselves or find employees, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes the norm. As an employee, I find it an easy way to convey information about myself to employers. As an employer, it gives me an idea of a person’s professionalism and understanding of the age that I can easily reference or ask a friend for an opinion on.
I present to you my first two pieces of work released under the creative commons, 100% XHTML/CSS valid resume templates.
Resume Template – Modern v1 by Tyler Mulligan
Released under the Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License you may freely use and modify this resume template as long as you leave in the credit to me in footer, don’t sell it and release it under the same or similar license (see the link for details).
To use it Download the zip from the Resume link in the footer, extract the files, edit them for your liking and information, upload them to your server and then upload the zip so others may easily download the template from your footer.
Resume Template – Neo v1 by Tyler Mulligan
Released under the Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License you may freely use and modify this resume template as long as you leave in the credit to me in footer, don’t sell it and release it under the same or similar license (see the link for details).
To use it Download the zip from the Resume link in the footer, extract the files, edit them for your liking and information, upload them to your server and then upload the zip so others may easily download the template from your footer.
If you make any changes to these, I’d be glad if you told me. The XHTML is pretty solid but I was pretty conservative when it came to the CSS to keep the classic look and feel of a document.
Ubuntu Window Management with Multiple Monitors, Window Effects and Default File Associations
Nov 25th
Multiple Monitors Window Management in Ubuntu
Moving your applications from one monitor to the next with hotkeys
I’ve been using multiple monitors for a while now, Starting with a 17″ CRT with a 19″ CRT and moving up to two 19″ LCD, then 3, then temporarily one wide screen and back to 2. Something I always loved having as a utility in ultramon that I couldn’t find in Ubuntu (Gnome) or any window manager for that matter, was the ability to move applications from monitor to monitor. I had assumed the search futile until I was searching about some questions I had concerning Compiz-fusion with dual monitors and I came about this thread on Ubuntu forums which brightened up my day. A fellow named gfixler posted a bash script that utilizes command line applications to move the windows.
For you multi-monitor users seeking salvation from removing your hand from the keyboard to move your application from one monitor to another, here’s the skinny on getting it setup using compiz-fusion, aka Advanced Desktop Effects, to set my keybinds.
1. Open a terminal and setup your prerequisites with apt-get:
sudo apt-get install wmctrl xprop xwininfo
If you get errors about x11-utils, just ignore them, this package will handle your needs.
2. Next, lets put the script somewhere you can call it, say “~/scripts”
mkdir ~/scripts && cd ~/scripts && touch movewin.sh && chmod +x movewin.sh && gedit movewin.sh
2. Paste the following code, find the first function “getNumberOfMonitors” and configure it to the number of monitors you have (default 2).
#!/bin/bash # swap_monitor.sh (original version) # Moves the active window to the other screen of a dual-screen Xinerama setup. # # movewin.sh (modified version) # allows movement of windows left and right between multiple monitors # # Requires: wmctrl, xprop, xwininfo # # Original Author: Raphael Wimmer # raphman@gmx.de # # Modified by: Gary Fixler # gfixler+bash@gmail.com function getNumberOfMonitors { # simply must be hardcoded # e.g. MatroxTripleHead2Go can service 3 screens, # but appears as only one monitor to the computer # change to your number of monitors echo 2 } function getMonitorWidth { numberOfMonitors=$(getNumberOfMonitors) monitorLine=$(xwininfo -root | grep "Width") monitorWidth=$((${monitorLine:8}/$numberOfMonitors )) echo $monitorWidth } function getActiveWindowID { activeWinLine=$(xprop -root | grep "_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW(WINDOW)") activeWinID="${activeWinLine:40}" echo $activeWinID } function getActiveWindowHorizontalPosition { activeWinID=$(getActiveWindowID) xPosLine=$(xwininfo -id $activeWinID | grep "Absolute upper-left X") xPos=${xPosLine:25} echo $xPos } function getActiveWindowWidth { activeWinID=$(getActiveWindowID) xWidthLine=$(xwininfo -id $activeWinID | grep "Width") xWidth=${xWidthLine:8} echo $xWidth } function getActiveWindowCurrentMonitor { numberOfMonitors=$(getNumberOfMonitors) monitorWidth=$(getMonitorWidth) activeWinID=$(getActiveWindowID) xPos=$(getActiveWindowHorizontalPosition) i="0" while [ $xPos -gt $monitorWidth ] do xPos=$[$xPos-$monitorWidth] i=$[$i+1] done echo $i } function getActiveWindowPositionOneMonitorToTheLeft { monitorWidth=$(getMonitorWidth) currentMonitor=$(getActiveWindowCurrentMonitor) activeWinID=$(getActiveWindowID) xPos=$(getActiveWindowHorizontalPosition) xPos=$[$xPos-$monitorWidth] echo $xPos } function getActiveWindowPositionOneMonitorToTheRight { monitorWidth=$(getMonitorWidth) numberOfMonitors=$(getNumberOfMonitors) currentMonitor=$(getActiveWindowCurrentMonitor) activeWinID=$(getActiveWindowID) xPos=$(getActiveWindowHorizontalPosition) xPos=$[$xPos+$monitorWidth] echo $xPos } function changeActiveWindowMonitor { activeWinID=$(getActiveWindowID) if [ $1 -eq "0" ] then newXPos=$(getActiveWindowPositionOneMonitorToTheLeft) newXPos=$[$newXPos-5] else newXPos=$(getActiveWindowPositionOneMonitorToTheRight) newXPos=$[$newXPos-5] fi winState=$(xprop -id ${activeWinID} | grep "_NET_WM_STATE(ATOM)" ) if [[ `echo ${winState} | grep "_NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_HORZ"` != "" ]] then maxH=1 wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -b remove,maximized_horz fi if [[ `echo ${winState} | grep "_NET_WM_STATE_MAXIMIZED_VERT"` != "" ]] then maxV=1 wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -b remove,maximized_vert fi if [[ `echo ${winState} | grep "_NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN"` != "" ]] then fulls=1 wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -b remove,fullscreen fi # move window (finally) wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -e 0,${newXPos},-1,-1,-1 # restore maximization ((${maxV})) && wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -b add,maximized_vert ((${maxH})) && wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -b add,maximized_horz ((${fulls})) && wmctrl -i -r ${activeWinID} -b add,fullscreen # raise window (seems to be necessary sometimes) wmctrl -i -a ${activeWinID} } function moveActiveWindowOneMonitorToTheLeft { changeActiveWindowMonitor 0 } function moveActiveWindowOneMonitorToTheRight { changeActiveWindowMonitor 1 } "$1" exit 0
3. Setup your hot keys with compiz-fusion. Go to System >> Preferences >> Advanced Desktop Effects. Inside “General Options“, click on the command tab (I apologize for my heinous blue links).
Use
scripts/./movewin.sh moveActiveWindowOneMonitorToTheRight
and
scripts/./movewin.sh moveActiveWindowOneMonitorToTheLeft
respectively
Per Application Window Effects in Ubuntu
Bring character and tickle your soul with per application window effects
Another cool feature Compiz-fusion has is window animations. My friend James Lindsay recently reminded me about Window Effects… which when I first install Ubuntu on my laptop, I experimented my butt off… but being a laptop… I just used simple ones I’d turn off half the time anyway. He asked me why I don’t use them on my desktop and I didn’t have a good reason. Well, now I have 2 good reasons to keep using compiz.
I made my Thunderbird use the airplane effect so when I send emails, it flys away and for Geany, I used the magic lamp for open, close, maximize and minimize (different speeds). It’s a fun little effect that breaks up the stiffness of the desktop.
Default File Associations in Ubuntu
geany > gedit
I was tired of gedit popping up when geany’s just as lightweight but more affective. So found a command and altered it a bit to make my default editor geany.
1. Open the terminal and create\open the following file:
gedit ~/.local/share/applications/defaults.list
If it’s blank, add “[Default Applications]“. If it’s not, find “[Default Applications]“.
2. Then, back to the terminal, grep the default files associations and replace gedit with your editor of choice
grep gedit /usr/share/applications/defaults.list | sed s/gedit/geany/g
Copy (ctrl+shift+c) and paste the output into gedit, below the “[Default Applications]” header.
3. Restart nautilus to load the changes (will close all your file managers that are open and blink/freeze your desktop for a second)
pkill nautilus
Good luck, have fun and happy coding
Geany, the Almost Notepad++, Improved gedit with a Few Extras That Make You Smile
Jul 21st
I was browsing around linuxappfinder.com today and came across Geany, which I’ve already gotten quite comfortable with.
Some features I found that make it similar to notepad++
- The hotkeys are very similar if not identical to notepad++ (gedit has different ones)
- It supports regex find/replace
- It supports ‘find in files’ – by using grep
- It’s a lightweight and efficient IDE
Some features Geany has that notepad++ doesn’t
- Status window with a history
- Scribble pad
- Built in terminal
- Color picker
- Support for projects
- Tight integration with my window manager
- The functions menu is expanded to contain all sorts of clever information that I can fold in a non buggy tree
Some features notepad++ has that geany doesn’t
- TextFX (neat macros that help you with string related pattern updates)
- GUI for changing theme colors
- Tabbed find/replace and find in all (nit pick)
Why I’m quickly choosing Geany over Notepad++
With tight integration with gnome (as opposed to notepad++ which I have to run through wine) and a package of dark themes which I was able to find quickly through the Geany’s FAQ.
I haven’t tried it on Windows yet but I’d imagine it’d run pretty well.. though you are missing out on a lot of things you can take advantage of in linux. If you’re a windows user and would like to give it a whirl, this will help you.
Where I’ve been (June 2008 Edition)
Jun 13th
So it’s been another interesting stretch of not blogging. A quick recap involves school, work, play and Nexuiz (which is a cross between work and play). For school, I managed a project called Object Organizer which you can learn more about in the wiki. I learned a lot about code, projects and people during this experience. I hope to share some techniques, such as the jQuery AJAX login I’ve developed with you all soon.
I’ve been really busy with my Senior Project / Nexuiz Community, Nexuiz Ninjaz developing a web based statistics frontend for players to check their stats. It will be similar to an already existing statistics script but we plan on doing a few things different. As the project grows, I will post information I find interesting about the project(s).
My main computer died and my thinkpad was going haywire so I was able to get another computer from a friend in exchange for work and I did a fresh OS install on my thinkpad. Both computers use Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04, the desktop dual boots into XP 64bit. I’ve stayed booted into Ubuntu most the time. And I’ve done many neat things with syncing my laptop and desktop. Utilizing programs such as Synergy and Unison.
Ubuntu has improved drastically since I’ve lasted tried it. There are a few annoying bugs… like the fact that xinerama is buggy with games causing me to create a single monitor xorg.conf I run in a different tty just for games but the time I’m spending configuring, is time I was wasting on windows before. As crappy as having my desktop die was, due to good planning I was able to recovery everything I need and this event has gotten me back into Linux.
I hope to have something more for you next post but if you can’t wait, start reading some of my other sites
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