F15: Upgrade from Fedora 14 to 15 on home-built Linux Desktop 2

I simply used preupgrade, as in §6.3.10. The only delay was when it asked me to delete unused kernels in /boot to make enough space for the new stuff--nice!

Most of my issues had to do with getting everything (particular music/audio stuff) going on a 64-bit Linux system for the first time. In particular, lots of paths needed to be changed from /usr/lib to /usr/lib64/ here and there. In my opinion, wordlengths should not be encoded into directory names. Let each .o file identify its architecture (as I believe they already do), and let loaders print error messages if they can't find the architecture they need.

F15 Issues (mid-July 2011):

• The Emacs editor pane often freezes. It seems to reliably come back after accessing an Emacs menu item in the window frame. You can trigger it by clicking to the right of the 'Help' menu item. See https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=600325 for details. Interestingly, the bug also bites when using Emacs remotely from a MacBook (Emacs on Fedora 15, X windows display on the MacBook).

• Emacs still crashes immediately when run as root. This bug has been around for a long time. It may not be considered a bug, but rather a security limitation. GConf complains that it ``failed to contact configuration server.'' Also, gedit crashes similarly when run as root. Searching around, I found out that a workaround is to use "su -" in place of "su". To avoid some warnings, sudo mkdir -p /root/.local/share.

• Emacs still cannot display \texttt{text} in latex-mode. Each ``verbatim'' character displays as a black rectangle. A work-around is to go to ``M-x text-mode''. This bug has been around since at least F14 as well. I may need to install some missing font. A bizarre workaround is to install emacs-auctex. See https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=684797 for details.

• Apparently it is no longer possible to configure the command line used to start an app from its launcher icon. I used to set geometry in emacs, and I had a special one for starting up in sclang mode. This is real regression in the GNOME 3, but there is a way out: See ``alacarte'' below. It appears GNOME 3 is somewhat simplified by default to avoid intimidating new users, so experienced users have to go figure out how to get back their lost functionality by installing finer-grained add-ons. While this is annoying, a lot of the new features in GNOME 3 are great, such as dragging windows to the left or right to make them fill half the screen for side-by-side viewing. I found a helpful intro at http://blog.randell.ph/2011/05/29/gnome-3-on-fedora-15/, and a nice ``GNOME 3 Cheat Sheet'' at http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/CheatSheet.

• It is also very sad that nautilus can no longer be invoked with a directory name on the command line. They didn't even provide an option for that. The mac has a great command 'open' which will take any argument and try to open it with the right app (Finder for dirs). I have an alias 'o' for 'open' on the Mac and 'nautilus' on Linux. Now the Linux version can only open my home directory. Regression! It appears Fedora wants to be the desktop for tablets and smart-phones, etc. I think this is misguided for an OS that's supposed to be bleeding edge. The very least they could do is maintain the ``desktop power-user'' features and bring them back in some ``theme'' preset named something like ``AllBellsAndWistles''. Instead, they are driving us to search out other desktop environments. I tried XFCE and found it too unstable (perhaps due to my graphics card), but otherwise looking very promising. I also tried KDE but found it too heavy on resource usage (i.e., slow on my older machines). So, for now I am stuck searching for work-arounds to the general trend to dumb-down the Fedora user interface. I suppose it makes sense that Red Hat would want to aim for unsophisticated users since ultimately their business model is to support such users for $, but hey guys, you have to develop on that system as well! Can't you conveniently preserve the good old power-linux features for yourselves? Maybe the philosophy is ``if the (l)user can find easily it, we will have to support it.'' I guess I should switch to debian or something. (Update 9/25/13: Since the MacBook Pro became available with a 768GB SSD, I've been able do everything I need to do there. I now use my Linux machines as backup servers and occasionally ssh in to do large compiles and such. I won't be upgrading them further until I have to.)

• In System Settings / Keyboard / Shortcuts:

   
    Ctrl+Alt+E = emacs -geometry 80x50
    Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E = emacs -sclang -geometry 80x50 /l/tests.sc
    Ctrl+Alt+S = emacs -sclang -geometry 80x50 /l/tests.sc
    Ctrl+Alt+C = google-chrome
    Ctrl+Alt+T = gnome-terminal [in Launchers]
    Ctrl+Alt+J = qjackctl
  

  Note that new shortcuts (all but gnome-terminal) have to go under ``Custom Shortcuts'' -- the ``+'' button is disabled in all the other categories, such as Launchers, where the above should arguably go (and where Terminal already is). The xml definitions for them can be found in  /.gconf/desktop/gnome/keybindings/custom0, etc. Of course, we're supposed to edit them via the GUI.

• Bug: I map the caps-lock key to control, and if I try to type a shortcut while logging in, I can get stuck with caps-lock on and no way to turn it off. Caps-lock should be disabled when there is no way to set it using the keyboard.

• Integrating pulseaudio and JACK is not stable. After getting JACK working with my UA-25EX, I added the following two lines to /etc/pulse/default.pa, as described by the Fedora 14 Musician's Guide:

   
    load-module module-jack-sink
    load-module module-jack-source
  

  followed by killall pulseaudio and lots of futzing. The bottom line is that the system frequently pauses for several seconds. In between pauses you get maybe 3 seconds to type something useful. To avoid this, I'm assigning general audio to the motherboard audio CODEC, managed by pulseaudio, and my UA-25EX interface is owned by JACK. At the moment, I have to switch between two pairs of headphones, but I'll soon have a mixer for both.

• Pd-extended more or less works, but there is a large delay from MIDI, and I often hear digital noise that sounds like small underruns in the D/A converter (a UA-25EX audio interface) when playing a canned MIDI file in a Pd patch. In contrast, SuperCollider plays MIDI files with no such distortion. To be sure about this, I need to try using the same synthpatch in both Pd and SC (which can be done because I'm generally working with Faust-generated patches).

• Printing failed to work. Somehow it had the wrong IP address. This problem may have existed before upgrading to F15 since I don't remember printing on Linux since I reset the printer's firmware (in order to get wireless printing working on an old MacBook). I was able to fix the problem by navigating to http://localhost:631/printers/HL2170W and selecting modify_printer/Other_Network_Printers/LPD_LPR_Host_or_Printer/Continue/<edit IP address>/Continue. I got the correct IP address by selecting "Attached Devices" in my router's admin Web interface. Why is printing always a can of worms?

• I hooked up the HDMI output of my Sapphire Radeon 4650 graphics card to our main TV (a two-year old Panasonic ``VIERA'' type), and only ``THX mode'' would show the whole screen. All other modes cut off the ``Activities'' menu on the left (called the ``dash''). Worse, audio does not make it. The HDMI audio device appears to be supported, since you can select ``HDA ATI HDMI'' as the Sound Output device, but I could never get a sound on the TV from it, nor any kind of error message. I tried all the supposedly supported sampling rates. I get the same behavior going into the receiver. My guess is that there is something wrong with the HDMI audio format supplied by the graphics card, since all sorts of game machines work just fine into the same HDMI connector(s), and the video is doing ok. However, it could also be a Fedora 15 driver problem for the HDMI sound output.

• Google Voice voicemails cannot be played in the Chrome browser. I can play .wav and .mp3 files from the Internet in Chrome. The problem appears to be in the Javascript transport interface; when I press the play button, it completely disappears. I'm running google-chrome-beta. If I try google-chrome-stable, it can't use my "profile" because it belongs with the beta version, and it doesn't tell me where it is so I might try deleting it. It would be nice if it offered to start a new compatible profile and tell me where the incompatible one exists on the disk.

``Problems'':

> package-cleanup --problems
Loaded plugins: presto, refresh-packagekit
Package libpanelappletmm-2.26.0-2.fc12.x86_64 requires libpanel-applet-2.so.0()(64bit)
# yum remove libpanelappletmm

``Orphans'':

> package-cleanup --orphans
Loaded plugins: presto, refresh-packagekit
amsynth-1.2.2-1.fc12.ccrma.x86_64
brhl2170wlpr-2.0.2-1.i386
cupswrapperHL2170W-2.0.2-1.i386
eggdbus-0.6-2.fc13.i686
eggdbus-0.6-2.fc13.x86_64
fox-1.6.30-1.fc12.ccrma.x86_64
ifd-egate-0.05-22.x86_64
kernel-2.6.35.13-91.fc14.x86_64
kernel-2.6.35.13-92.fc14.x86_64
kernel-devel-2.6.35.13-91.fc14.x86_64
kernel-devel-2.6.35.13-92.fc14.x86_64
libnc-dap-3.7.4-3.fc14.x86_64
pam_smb-1.1.7-11.fc12.x86_64
phat-0.4.1-1.fc14.ccrma.x86_64
rezound-0.12.3beta-1.fc12.ccrma.x86_64
specimen-0.5.2-0.1.rc3.fc14.ccrma.x86_64
supercollider-beastmulchplugins-0.0-0.2.fc14.ccrma.x86_64
supercollider-beastmulchplugins-debuginfo-0.0-0.2.fc14.ccrma.x86_64

# yum remove kernel-2.6.35*
# yum remove kernel-devel-2.6.35*
[others kept to remind me about them]

Things done afterwards:

• yum install gnome-shell-extensions-alternative-status-menu followed by Alt + F2, r, <enter> [to get power-off in the upper-right user menu - I later learned that pressing ALT (``Command'' on my Mac Pro keyboard) would have worked while displaying that menu]
• yum install alacarte [now click on Applications / Main Menu]
• yum install alsamixergui
• Install downloaded nautilus-dropbox-0.6.8-1.fedora.x86_64.rpm
• gsettings set org.gnome.shell.clock show-date true [to get date display back on the Gnome top panel]
• Get faust2pd working [2011-08-02]:

  yum remove pure ;; v0.47-1.fc15 removed
  yum install hg ;; mercurial
  \hg clone http://pure-lang.googlecode.com/hg pure ;; I have an hg alias
  cd pure/pure
  autoreconf
  configure --enable-release
  make
  make check
  #make install
  /sbin/ldconfig
  ;; problem:
        > pure
        pure: error while loading shared libraries: libpure.so.7: 
              cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
  ;; fix:
  /sbin/ldconfig /usr/local/lib
  cd ../pure-xml
  #make install
  cd ../faust2pd
  #make install
  #make install-pd
  ;; problem: faust2pd simply exits, apparently doing nothing
  ;; fix:
  ;; See http://code.google.com/p/pure-lang/wiki/GettingStarted
  yum remove llvm ;; also removed llvm-devel, pure, pure-devel
  ;; obtain tarball for latest llvm (2.9) from llvm.org
  ./configure --enable-optimized --enable-targets=host-only
  make
  make check
  #make install
  cd <pure>/pure
  make clean
  autoreconf
  configure --enable-release
  ;; problem: 
  ;; interpreter.cc:66:40: fatal error: 
  ;; llvm/System/DynamicLibrary.h: No such file or directory
  #updatedb
  locate DynamicLibrary.h
  ;; study make files, configure.log, etc.
  configure ;; no --enable-release!
  make
  make check
  #make install
  cd ../faust2pd
  make clean
  make
  #make install
  ;; faust2pd now does something
  cd ../pd-pure
  ;; Needed the following lines inserted in Makefile after "# Linux":
  ;; PDDIR=/usr/lib64/pd-extended
  ;; CPPFLAGS = -I$(PDDIR)/include
  make
  #make install
  cd ../faust2pd
  ;; Edit Makefile as follows:
  pdprefix = /usr/lib64/pd-extended
  # where to install the Pd stuff
  libdir = $(pdprefix)/lib64
  datadir = $(libdir)/pd-extended/extra
  make
  make install
  make install-pd
  

• Add -path /usr/lib64/pd-extended/extra to .pdrc

• yum install libicu-devel [for SuperCollider build from source]

• To get my usual autolaunched apps when firing up GNOME 3, create the following files in ~/.config/autostart/:

  terminal.desktop
  chrome.desktop
  emacs.desktop
  

  by copying and editing the example dropbox.desktop that was installed automatically.

• yum install emacs-auctex - bizarre workaround for emacs latex-mode verbatim bug: See https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=684797

• yum install alpine [convenient for reading email to root as root over an ssh connection]

• /sbin/ldconfig /usr/local/lib [why do I have to keep doing this?]

• echo /usr/local/lib » /etc/ld.so.conf [does this fix it?]

• yum install gitk [commit viewer for git]

• Switch from Planet-CCRMA SuperCollider stuff to latest git version:

  > yum remove supercollider*
  > git clone --recursive git://supercollider.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/supercollider/supercollider sc
  > cd sc; mkdir build; cd build; cmake ..; make; make install; cd ../..
  > git clone --recursive git://sc3-plugins.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/sc3-plugins/sc3-plugins
  > cd sc3-plugins/build; cmake -DSC_PATH=/usr/local/include/SuperCollider/ ..; make ; make install
  > cp <old-extensions-dir>/MIDIFile.sc ~/share/SuperCollider/Extensions/
  

• yum install lilypond [surprised not already there - moved out of Planet CCRMA and into Fedora?]
• yum install alsa-plugins-jack [provides PCM plugin 'jack']
• yum install nautilus-open-terminal [settling in...]
• yum install evince-nautilus
• yum install fluidsynth-dssi [surprised not already there]
• yum install pavucontrol [said to ``know about things none of the desktop-specific tools know about'' regarding sound hw]
• yum install dbench [for comparing HDD and SDD performance]
• yum install fwbackups [trying out new backup utilities]
• yum install bluecurve-gnome-theme [windows not pretty right now F15 versions were installed, so maybe they are behind]
• yum install qsampler [pulls in libgig, liblscp, linuxsampler]

  wget http://sonimusicae.free.fr/Host/Maestro-Concert-Grandv2.rar
  wget http://download.gna.org/unrar/unrar-0.0.1.tar.gz ;; failed!
  ;; unpack .rar file by transferring it to Mac and double-clicking (stuffit wins)
  yum install gigedit
  yum install linuxsampler-dssi
  yum install PersonalCopy-Lite-soundfont.noarch ;; General MIDI SoundFont
      ;; Installs SFs in /usr/share/soundfonts
      ;; I have not figured out how to use GM kits with LinuxSampler
  wget http://learjeff.net/sf/jRhodes3.sfArk.zip
  wget http://learjeff.net/sf/jRhodes3a-looped.sfArk.zip
  wget http://learjeff.net/sf/jRhodes3c-stereo.sfArk.zip
  wget http://www.melodymachine.com/files/sfarkxtc_lx86.tar.gz
  yum install wine ;; sigh
  Download sfark_setup.exe from http://melodymachine.com/sfark.htm
  wine sfark_setup.exe
  ;; copy *.sfArk files to ~/.wine/drive_c/users/me/Desktop = /home/me/Desktop
  ;; open them in sfArk
  ;; "process selected files"
  ;; *.sf2 created
  ;; copy them where desired
  ;; qsampler / linuxsampler doc: http://linuxsampler.org/documentation.html
  ;; qsampler / linuxsampler quick guide: http://bb.linuxsampler.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=81
  ;; Device: create a MIDI device (ALSA)
  ;; Device: create a JACK output audio device (2 chans)
  ;;  - optionally hook up the inputs/outputs (autoconnect later if saved)
  ;;  - otherwise use QJackCtl to hook up the connections
  ;; Instrument: Read GIG and/or SF2 files
  ;; Edit: Add a sample channel, select instrument, etc.
  ;; Save As to LSCP file
  

• yum install csound
• ...