OpenSUSE Basic Training

From openSUSE

Version 10.3

• By: sgt-d / mailto:sgt-d@sodpit.com?subject=openSUSE_Basic_Training

• Status: 20071121 1.00 Rough Draft

Introduction

This page will attempt to help you with some of the basics for openSUSE 10.3. These are things everyone should know or at least attempt to learn.

This page includes some CLI applications that will help greatly if you ever have problems with your X server and you still need assistance on IRC in #suse.

Moreover, this page is a work in progress.

Document Conventions

[KEY] - this indicates a key or key combination that you need to press on your keyboard.

Online Resources

Live Support (IRC)

• Live Support: irc://irc.opensuse.org/suse

Official Sites

• openSUSE Main: http://opensuse.org
• Get openSUSE 10.3: http://software.opensuse.org
• openSUSE HOWTO's: http://opensuse.org/HOWTOs
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): http://opensuse-community.org/FAQ
• Restricted Formats (MP3, Encrypted DVD, MPEG-4, etc): http://opensuse-community.org/Restricted_Formats
• Package Search (Official): http://tinyurl.com/3bssxv
• Package Search (Webpin): http://tinyurl.com/yj6bkf

Video Drivers

• NVIDIA Video Drivers: http://opensuse.org/NVIDIA
• NVIDIA & AIGLX Helper Page: http://opensuse.org/AIGLX_%26_NVIDIA
• ATI Video Drivers: http://opensuse.org/ATI

Search Sites

• Google: http://google.com
• Linux Specific Google Search: http://google.com/linux
• openSUSE Site Search: http://tinyurl.com/2o2p6m

More Sites

• Spin Ink: http://spinink.net/suse-for-windows-users/
• Packman: http://packman.links2linux.org/
• Guru's RPM Site: http://linux01.gwdg.de/~pbleser/
• PlanetSUSE: http://planetsuse.org/
• suse-irc: http://suse-irc.org/
• IRC Channel Rules: http://suse-irc.org/rules.html
• IRC Channels: http://en.opensuse.org/Communicate/IRC
• IRC For Newbies: http://en.opensuse.org/Communicate/IRCforNewbies

Blogs

• guru/yaloki: http://dev-loki.blogspot.com/
• cyberorg: http://dev.compiz-fusion.org/~cyberorg/

System Management

Use YaST to manage your system.

If you have major problems using YaST in Gnome, switch from the Gtk interface to the Qt interface.

To switch YaST from Gtk to Qt Open the /etc/sysconfig/yast2 file as root:

su -c 'kate /etc/sysconfig/yast2'

Change WANTED_GUI="auto" to WANTED_GUI="qt", save the file and exit.

Then restart YaST.

Software Management

For starters, enable some of the software repositories in the YaST Community Repositories module.

You should always attempt to install software first with YaST Software Management (YSM).

If that fails, try the openSUSE Software Search: http://tinyurl.com/3bssxv.

Finally, if you can't find what you are looking for, consider installing the package with an RPM or DEB file. Try to use a supported version for your architecture, otherwise use a generic.

If all else fails, you may have to build packages from source.

• YaST Software Management

VT Switching

VT Switching is a very simple concept that everyone should know when using Linux.

Basically, VT Switching allows you to switch between several different (and already running) terminals on your system.

The common term "VT Switching" refers to both text terminals (TTY / "teletype") and video terminals (VT).

Generically speaking, VT's are all possible types of "virtual terminals".

In a default installation, openSUSE comes with six text terminals (TTY) and six video terminals (VT).

If you boot openSUSE in verbose mode, the text that scrolls by is on TTY1. When graphics mode starts you are automatically switched to VT7.

Write down these key combinations now please:

[Ctrl]+[Alt]+[F1] = TTY1

[Ctrl]+[Alt]+[F7] = VT7

Now try both of the key combinations, one at a time.

What you should have seen: When you switched to TTY1, that was "text mode" and offered a login screen. When you switched to VT7 it put you back on your running X session.

As you saw, TTY1 was allowing you to login. You could login on TTY1 as a normal user, or as root.

Hint: You cannot use "su" as a login name.

Anyway, you could login on TTY1 as root, and TTY2 as a normal user.

Note: VT10 is reserved for kernel logging.

Video Drivers

One of the first things you will probably want to do in openSUSE is install drivers for your video card. Compiz Fusion will come later :p

NVIDIA Video Drivers

• NVIDIA Video Drivers: http://opensuse.org/NVIDIA
• NVIDIA & AIGLX Helper Page: http://opensuse.org/AIGLX_%26_NVIDIA

1-Click Installers

Current NVIDIA Drivers (supports most new cards):

Legacy NVIDIA Drivers (supports older cards):

Also run this command:

su -c 'nvidia-xconfig --composite --render-accel --add-argb-glx-visuals'

ATI Video Drivers

• ATI Video Drivers: http://opensuse.org/ATI

Currently the recommended drivers to use with openSUSE are the 8.40.0 drivers. The older drivers have less issues and better performance.

ATI 8.40.0 Drivers

If you insist on using the newest drivers, use this link instead:

ATI 8.43.2 Drivers

Desktop Effects

Compiz Fusion (Official Version)

This section is NOT complete.

Compiz Fusion Git (Development Version)

This section is NOT complete.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

YaST

You can start the YaST GUI with this command:

/sbin/yast2

Command Line Interface (CLI)

CLI Commands

To get to a command line, open a terminal such as konsole or xterm, or switch to TTY1.

All of the CLI examples shown here assume that you are already in a terminal window or logged in on a TTY.

Start/Stop/Restart X

Init (Traditional Method)

Stop X server:

su -c 'init 3'

Start X server:

su -c 'init 5'

RCXDM (New Method)

Stop X server:

su -c 'rcxdm stop'

Start X server:

su -c 'rcxdm start'

Restart X server:

su -c 'rcxdm restart'

Zypper

Zypper is the command line interface for "YaST Software Management" (YSM) and "YaST Software Repositories" (YSR). Similar to YSM and YSR, Zypper must be run as root:

Examples

Get help:

su -c 'zypper -h'

To add a repository:

su -c 'zypper ar http://repository_address_here "name / alias for this repo"'

To install a package:

su -c 'zypper in irssi'

RPM

The "rpm" command allows you to install, upgrade or remove RPM's from the system.

Examples

Get help:

rpm --help

Install an RPM:

su -c 'rpm -ivh filename.rpm'

Upgrade an RPM:

su -c 'rpm -Uvh filename.rpm'

Uninstall an RPM:

 su -c 'rpm -e PackageName.rpm'

Note: the name of the package is case sensitive.

Example of how to query the RPM Database:

rpm -qa '*compiz*' | sort

CLI Applications

Command Line Interface (CLI) applications are extremely helpful, especially if you are having problems with graphics mode (X server). Some CLI applications allow you to use ICQ

System

YaST

You can use YaST in CLI:

yast

Editors

vi

pisses me off

joe

is ok

nano

old school

pico

jurassic

IRC/Communications

Warning: only run these as a normal user (not root).

licq, irssi, bitchx

Licq

You should run Licq one time in GUI mode to set everything up. For some reason, the initial setup doesn't save in CLI mode.

Only proceed after you have setup your account in GUI mode.

To start Licq in CLI mode type:

licq -p console

To get online:

/status online

For help:

/help

To get back to GUI mode:

licq -p kde-gui

Website:

http://licq.org/

Irssi

Irssi basics:

irssi -n sgt-d -c irc.opensuse.org
/msg nickserv identify goodtry
/join #suse

Website:

http://irssi.org/

BitchX

BitchX basics:

bitchx sgt-d irc.opensuse.org
/msg nickserv identify goodtry
/join #suse

Website:

http://bitchx.com/

Web Browsers

Here are some CLI web browsers... very handy if you ever have problems with X.

Links

Links works with both the mouse and keyboard.

Command:

links

Then use [Ctrl]+[G] to "go" to a page, or [Alt]+[F] to access the menus.

Website:

http://links.twibright.com/

Lynx

Lynx seems to work with the keyboard only.

Command:

lynx

Then use [G] to go to a page.

Website:

http://lynx.isc.org/

File Browsers

Midnight Commander

To run Midnight Commander:

mc