gconftool-2

Using the gconf tool to make changes to your desktop from the command line. These allow you to script changes you make every time to upgrade.

These have been tested on the Gnome Desktop on Lynx & Maverick.

Copy and paste these commands into a Terminal [Applications], [Accessories], [Terminal]

## Add icons to the [System] menu. ##
gconftool-2 --type Boolean --set /desktop/gnome/interface/menus_have_icons True

## Remove shutdown “Do you really want to do this 60 second count down” question ##
gconftool-2 --type Boolean --set /apps/indicator-session/suppress_logout_restart_shutdown True

## Return to old Update notification icon in top menu ##
gconftool-2 --type Boolean --set /apps/update-notifier/auto_launch False

gconftool-2 --type int --set /apps/update-notifier/regular_auto_launch_interval 0

## Add Banner message to GDM ##
sudo -u gdm gconftool-2 --set --type string /apps/gdm/simple-greeter/banner_message_text “Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat 64 Bit”

sudo -u gdm gconftool-2 --set --type string /apps/gdm/simple-greeter/banner_message_text_nochooser “Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat 64 Bit”

sudo -u gdm gconftool-2 --set --type boolean /apps/gdm/simple-greeter/banner_message_enable true

## Set wallpaper ##
gconftool-2 --type string --set /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename /home/Pictures/My_Wallpaper.jpg

10 Things to Do After installing Maverick

Before you mess, backup the sources.list with;
$ sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.bak

1] Select a new wallpaper as the wallpaper has not improved since the purple tie dyed T Shirt look of Lucid. Right Click the desktop and select [Change Desktop Background] and select any other wallpaper from the defaults or one of your own.

2] remove the revolting purple background to the graphical login window, install GDM2 Setup

GDM2 Setup, A login interface management utility for the new GDM. Allows for wallpaper setting, autologin option, prompted or userlist login, etc.

The setup utility that comes in Ubuntu Karmic (and many other Gnome based distros) is missing most of the older GDM setup utility’s functionality. This application puts the functionality back in the hands of the users through a familiar and simple GUI. https://launchpad.net/gdm2setup
Add this empty directory first [the program halts if it can’t find it, a bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/gdm2setup/+bug/560130 that should have been sorted by now guys];

$ sudo mkdir /usr/share/images/xsplash

Add source with;

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gdm2setup/gdm2setup

there is no Maverick repo yet, so you then need to open [System], [Administration], [Synaptic Package manager], {settings], [Repositories] and click on the “other Software” Tab. Now highlight the gdm2setup line and select [Edit] and change Maverick back to Lucid and close.

then update

$ sudo apt-get update

now add the program

$ sudo apt-get install python-gdm2setup

Then find the program called Login Screen (GDM2Setup) in [System], [Administration]

3] Swap the Close/Min & Max buttons back to the Right on the Windows, try if for a while first as it hear to stay! “windicators” are on their way for right hand side.

Install Ubuntu Tweak http://ubuntu-tweak.com/

Add Ubuntu Tweak source
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak

Then find the program called Ubuntu Tweak in [Applications], [System Tools] and in the program select [Windows Manager Settings], [Windows Titlebar Button Layout]

4] Remove the Social networking/message notification indicators i.e. the new “me” menu and the “envelope” from the top Right Hand notification area, I’m not Social and proud of it :-).

remove me-menu with;

$ sudo apt-get remove -y indicator-me

remove the envelope with;

$ sudo apt-get remove -y indicator-messages

both will disapear on rebooting the desktop.

5] Add the Gnome Configuration Editor to your menus. Right Click on the [Application] menu and select [Edit Menus], then select [System Tools] and place a tick in the box next to [Configuration Editor] and then select [Close]. Now select [Applications], [System Tools] then [Configuration Editor]

6] Remove the 60 second to shutdown confirmation message. Open the Configuration Editor [see 4 above] in Applications, [System Tools] now using the left-hand menu select [apps], then [indicator-sessions] and tick the box next to [ suppress_logout_restart_shutdown ] then [File], [Quit]

Or in a Terminal;
$ gconftool-2 --type Boolean --set /apps/indicator-session/suppress_logout_restart_shutdown True

7] Updates: revert back to the update icon in the top toolbar, open Gnome Configuration Editor [see 4 above], then navigate to [apps], [update-notifier] and untick the [auto-launch] option, then change the [regular_auto_launch_interval] to zero, then [File], [Quit] and reboot your PC.

Or in a Terminal;
$ gconftool-2 --type Boolean --set /apps/update-notifier/auto_launch False
and
$ gconftool-2 --type int --set /apps/update-notifier/regular_auto_launch_interval 0

8] Hate the Nautilus bread-crumb file path?, switch back to the text file path with Ctrl+l or / and back again with Esc. You can also switch permanently by opening the Gnome Configuration Editor [see 4 above], then navigate to [apps], [nautilus], [preferences] and putting a tick in the always_use_location_entry box.

9] Get Flash working in Firefox: Open Firefox and access [Tools], [Add-ons], select the [Get Add-ons] Tab and then [Browse All add-ons] then search for FLASH-AID and install it and follow the on screen instructions.

10] Enjoy…..

Things to do after installing Lucid Lynx 10.04

Before you mess, backup the sources.list with;
$ sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.bak

1] Select a new wallpaper to replace that dreadful purple tie dyed T Shirt look. Right Click the desktop and select [Change Desktop Background] and select any other wallpaper from the defaults or one of your own.

2] remove the revolting purple background to the graphical login window, install GDM2 Setup

GDM2 Setup, A login interface management utility for the new GDM. Allows for wallpaper setting, autologin option, prompted or userlist login, etc.

The setup utility that comes in Ubuntu Karmic (and many other Gnome based distros) is missing most of the older GDM setup utility’s functionality. This application puts the functionality back in the hands of the users through a familiar and simple GUI. https://launchpad.net/gdm2setup
Add this empty directory first;

$ sudo mkdir /usr/share/images/xsplash

Add source with;

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gdm2setup/gdm2setup

then update

$ sudo apt-get update

now add the program

$ sudo apt-get install python-gdm2setup

Then find the program called Login Screen (GDM2Setup) in [System], [Administration]

3] Swap the Close/Min & Max buttons back to the Right on the Windows, try if for a while first as it hear to stay! “windicators” are on their way for right hand side see here for an explanation and pictures!

Install Ubuntu tweak http://ubuntu-tweak.com/

Add Ubuntu Tweak source
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak

Then find the program called Ubuntu Tweak in [Applications], [System Tools] and in the program select [Windows Manager Settings], [Windows Titlebar Button Layout]

4] Remove the Social networking/message notification indicators i.e. the new “me” menu and the “envelope” from the top Right Hand notification area.

remove me-menu with;

$ sudo apt-get remove -y indicator-me

remove the envelope with;

$ sudo apt-get remove -y indicator-messages

both will disappear on rebooting the desktop.

5] Add the Gnome Configuration Editor to your menus. Right Click on the [Application] menu and select [Edit Menus], then select [System Tools] and place a tick in the box next to [Configuration Editor] and then select [Close]. Now select [Applications], [System Tools] then [Configuration Editor]

6] Remove the 60 second to shutdown confirmation message. Open the Configuration Editor [see 4 above] in Applications, [System Tools] now using the left-hand menu select [apps], then [indicator-sessions] and tick the box next to [ suppress_logout_restart_shutdown ] then [File], [Quit]

7] Updates: revert back to the update icon in the top toolbar, open Gnome Configuration Editor [see 4 above], then navigate to [apps], [update-notifier] and untick the [auto-launch]  option, then change the [regular_auto_launch_interval] to zero, then [File], [Quit] and reboot your PC.

8] Hate the Nautilus bread-crumb file path?, switch back to the text file path with Ctrl+l or / and back again with Esc. You can also switch permanently by opening the Gnome Configuration Editor [see 4 above], then navigate to [apps], [nautilus], [preferences] and putting a tick in the always_use_location_entry box.

9] Get Flash working in 64 bit Firefox; Visit the Adobe Site and download the 64 bit flashplayer version or go direct to libflashplayer-10.0.45.2.linux-x86_64.so.tar.gz. Remove any other versions of flash you have installed in Synaptic, close Firefox then untar libflashplayer-10.0.45.2.linux-x86_64.so.tar.gz and copy libflashplayer.so into /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/

Shutdown confirmation message

Remove the 60 second to shutdown confirmation message in Karmic Beta.

Open a [Terminal] and type gconf-editor and press [Enter], now using the left-hand menu select [apps], then [indicator-sessions] and tick the box next to [ suppress_logout_restart_shutdown ]