Bug on KDE-4.5.2

At least, there is a bug on KDE-4.5.2, that is, if the time is set back, for instance, a few hours or 1 day before, the KDE will be crashed. I had this experience last week, so that, I downgraded to KDE-4.5.1, then on the next few days (when I have passed the day that the setting made KDE crashed), I upgraded to KDE-4.5.2 again. Now, KDE-4.5.2 is running smoothly on my laptop.

A good news, if you get this problem, you don't need to do exactly what I have done. Simply, just clear the KDE cache on your home directory --please follow the guideline that has been suggested by Fabrizio Montesi on his blog-- or upgrade the KDE-4.5.2 to KDE-4.5.3  (see announcement) that has been released on Nov 3, 2010. For detail information about the bug, please refer to this KDE Bug Tracking System.

How to fix Windows 7 Boot Manager when failed to start?

After I repartitioned and installed Slackware64 on my laptop, the Windows 7 failed to start. The error status is 0xC0000225 and the error message is "the boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible". This problem is easy to be fixed as long as you have a Windows 7 Recovery Disk. You just boot your PC/laptop using this disk and follow the instruction for repairing the Windows. After repair is finished, the disk will restart your PC/Laptop, then, you will get back the Windows 7.

Please note that you have to use the same version of recovery disk, I mean, if you have Windows 7 32-bit on your PC/Laptop, you have to use Windows 7 32-bit Recovery Disk, vice versa. You can create your own Recovery Disk from your existing Windows 7. For further information about creating Recovery Disk, please consult to Microsoft website.

How to fix my silent laptop?

I have some problems with my new laptop: HP Pavilion dv3-4036TX. The first problem is the laptop was silent --it was no sound on the speaker-- after I installed Slackware64. However, if I plugged my headset to the  headset plug-in port, I can hear the sound clearly. The simple steps for fixing this problem:

• turn off the alsa using /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa stop
• run alsaconf then follow the instructions

Please note that you have to run the steps above as root.
Now, I can hear my favorite songs from the speaker.

The first problem is solved. There are another problems that still need to be solved. I will share to you after I find out the solutions.

My First Day on Academic Activities at NTU

Hi Readers,

Today (30/08/2010) is the first day of my MSc in Embedded System Program at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), as well, first day of all academic activities after Youth Olympic Games 2010. Moreover, it is my first time to enter Lee Wee Nam (LWN) Library, the library for Engineering and Science at NTU. All of those is very impressive and exciting for me.

First, I have had a discussion with A/Prof Suhaib about the topic of my dissertation project. I enjoyed the discussion and I have selected one topic from him for my dissertation. Tomorrow, I will register that topic to the School of Computer Engineering (SCE) System before I start to work on my dissertation.

Second, in LWN Library, there are so many journal that are "out of reached" by me when I was in Indonesia, most of them are IEEE society journal, on printed books, such as journal from Computational Intelligence Society, Computer Society, Robotics and Automation Society, Circuit and System Society, Education Society, Signal Processing Society, Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society, and so on. In addition, there are some magazines that I am interested in, such as, Scientific American, Scientific American Minds, Discover Magazine, etc. It is awesome for me. From now, I can "waste" my time in LWN Library to read fascinating topics on those journals and magazines, especially those are related to my dissertation.

In conclusion, I really enjoy my activities today.

That's all that I can share with you. Thank's for being my readers.

PROLiNK PML501: Nano Wireless 2.4GHz Laser Mouse with 5-Button

Hari ini (16/08/2010), saya membeli sebuah mouse PROLiNK PML501 untuk menggantikan mouse saya yang lama. Saya memilih produk ini karena beberapa alasan utama, yaitu: USB bluetooth WiFi receiver adapter yang kecil (karena itu nama produk ini ada kata "Nano"), dapat digunakan pada berbagai tempat karena sensornya menggunakan laser, ergonomis, hemat daya (menurut spesifikasinya, dapat digunakan sampai 6 bulan hanya dengan 1 baterai ukuran AA), dan tertulis bahwa produk ini dapat dioperasikan pada sistem operasi Linux. Mouse ini beroperasi pada frekuensi WiFi 2.4GHz dengan modulasi GFSK dan mempunyai resolusi max 1600 cpi. Untuk tombolnya, mouse ini mempunyai 5 tombol, yaitu: left-click, right-click, middle-click (scroll wheel), dan 2 tombol untuk prev - next (letaknya di samping kiri, dioperasikan dengan ibu jari tangan kanan untuk right-handed person). Uniknya, scroll wheel pada mouse ini dapat digunakan untuk vertical scroll dan horizontal scroll (biasanya, scroll wheel mouse hanya untuk vertical scroll saja), sehingga pengguna dapat dengan mudah melihat dokumen atau halaman web yang membutuhkan geser atas-bawah dan kanan-kiri. Untuk geser ke kanan-kiri, pengguna tinggal "bend" scroll wheel tersebut ke kanan atau ke kiri. Sangat mengasyikkan. Selain itu, ada tombol untuk memilih resolusi mouse; apakah 800 cpi atau 1600cpi. Pada bagian bawah mouse, ada switch untuk ON/OFF, serta tempat untuk menyimpan USB bluetooth WiFi receiver adapter saat tidak digunakan. Ada bonusnya, yaitu pouch untuk menyimpan mouse.

Sewaktu dicoba pada laptop saya dengan Slackware64 13.1 -current, mouse ini dapat terdeteksi tanpa ada masalah. Kelima tombol berfungsi dengan baik, bahkan tombol untuk memilih resolusi juga dapat berfungsi (saya yakin pasti dapat juga digunakan dengan baik pada Slackware 13.1). Vertical scroll dan horizontal scroll juga berfungsi dengan mulus. Amat menyenangkan. Sekarang, jika saya ingin melakukan PREV ataupun NEXT pada firefox, saya cukup menekan tombol prev - next yang ada pada mouse ini. Juga, ketika saya ingin melakukan geser horisontal ke kanan atau ke kiri, saya tinggal membengkokkan (bend) scroll wheel dari mouse ini ke kanan atau ke kiri.

Summary:
Today (16/08/2010), I have just bought a wireless laser mouse, i.e., PROLiNK PML501, that is a nano wireless 2.4GHz laser mouse with 5-buttons manufactured by PROLiNK. I chose this product because it has a small USB bluetooth WiFi receiver adapter on frequency of 2.4GHz using GFSK modulation, it is a laser mouse, ergonomic, low power consumption (based on its specification, 1 AA-battery can power it for 6 months), and, the important thing, it can be operated in Linux Operating System. This mouse has resolution up to 1600 cpi and there is a button for changing resolution from 800 cpi to 1600 cpi, vice versa. The 5 buttons are left-click, right-click, middle-click (scroll wheel), and 2 buttons for selecting PREV or NEXT on the browser. For scroll wheel, it can handle vertical scroll, as usual, and the new function: horizontal scroll, so that, if we want to scroll the document or browser horizontally, just bend the scroll wheel to the left or right. Awesome! On the bottom of the mouse, there are an ON/OFF switch and a place for keeping USB bluetooth WiFi receiver adapter when it is not used. The last, there is a bonus: a pouch for keeping the mouse when we are on travelling.

When I tried the mouse on my laptop with Slackware64 13.1 -current, the USB bluetooth WiFi receiver adapter can be detected perfectly (see picture above) so that the mouse can be used smoothly (I am sure it can also be used smoothly on Slackware 13.1). All of buttons are functionally working. Very nice. Therefore, if I want to go PREV or NEXT on firefox browser, I just click the prev or next button on my mouse. Also, I can make horizontally scroll easily from my mouse by bending the scroll wheel to the left or right.

I'm now in Singapore

Dear Readers,

From the date of 12 August 2010, I will live in Singapore for 1 year (I hope and try to make it true) in order to take my Master of Science in Embedded System at Dept. of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU). I will always write that I think it is valuable to be shared to all my readers.

Thank you for being my readers.

Genius iSlim 310 Webcam

Beberapa waktu yang lalu, saya membeli webcam Genius iSlim 310 yang murah (sekitar Rp. 145.000,00) untuk memperlengkapi laptop saya yang belum ada built-in webcam.Fitur dari webcam ini adalah sebagai berikut: 300k pixel, resolusi VGA up to 30fps ada mikrofon dapat diatur posisinya untuk desktop maupun laptop frame format: PJPG (tetapi di website tertulis JPEG/WMV; mungkin karena menggunakan driver untuk jendela) fokus manual USB 1.1 Windows & Mac Support

Saya penasaran dengan pernyataan yang tertulis pada website Genius, bahwa webcam ini hanya disupport untuk penggunaan di Windows & Mac. Apakah di Linux, webcam ini tidak dapat digunakan?

Setelah saya coba untuk pasang ke laptop saya yang berisi Slackware64 13.1, ternyata hasilnya seperti gambar berikut ini:

Hanya mikrofonnya saja yang dikenali. Dari hasil lsusb, saya mendapatkan:

Lalu dengan VID 093Ah dan PID 2625h tersebut, saya search di internet, didapatkan, image chip yang digunakan adalah PAC7302, yang ternyata telah disupport oleh Linux Kernel dengan video driver gspca. Akan tetapi, jika diselidiki lebih lanjut, pada kernel source file pac7302.c yang terdapat pada /usr/src/linux/drivers/media/video/gspca maka tidak ada VID dan PID pada tabel usb_device_id (lihat tabel berikut ini), sehingga, walaupun driver telah ada, webcam tersebut tetap tidak dikenali.

/* -- module initialisation -- */
static const struct usb_device_id device_table[] __devinitconst = {
    {USB_DEVICE(0x06f8, 0x3009)},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2620)},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2621)},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2622), .driver_info = FL_VFLIP},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2624), .driver_info = FL_VFLIP},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2626)},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2628)},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2629), .driver_info = FL_VFLIP},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x262a)},
    {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x262c)},
    {}
};
MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(usb, device_table);

Dari website https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/106041/, telah tersedia patch untuk kernel sehingga webcam ini dikenali oleh sistem.

diff --git a/Documentation/video4linux/gspca.txt b/Documentation/video4linux/gspca.txt
index f13eb03..f9b9d32 100644
--- a/Documentation/video4linux/gspca.txt
+++ b/Documentation/video4linux/gspca.txt
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ pac7302  093a:2620 Apollo AC-905
 pac7302  093a:2621 PAC731x
 pac7302  093a:2622 Genius Eye 312
 pac7302  093a:2624 PAC7302
+pac7302  093a:2625 Genius iSlim 310
 pac7302  093a:2626 Labtec 2200
 pac7302  093a:2628 Genius iLook 300
 pac7302  093a:2629 Genious iSlim 300
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/gspca/pac7302.c b/drivers/media/video/gspca/pac7302.c
index 2a68220..7c0f265 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/gspca/pac7302.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/gspca/pac7302.c
@@ -1200,6 +1200,7 @@ static const struct usb_device_id device_table[] __devinitconst = {
 {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2621)},
 {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2622), .driver_info = FL_VFLIP},
 {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2624), .driver_info = FL_VFLIP},
+ {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2625)},
 {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2626)},
 {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2628)},
 {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2629), .driver_info = FL_VFLIP},

Patch tersebut dicopy dari website tersebut, lalu disimpan pada suatu file yang diberi nama, misalnya: patch-genius-islim-310, dan diletakkan dalam directory /usr/src. Selanjutnya, saya mendownload kernel source 2.6.34 dan extract ke /usr/src. Sebagai catatan, versi kernel yang digunakan tidak harus versi 2.6.34, asalkan, versi kernel yang digunakan telah mensupport PAC7302 (saya tidak tahu mulai versi berapa). Beberapa langkah selanjutnya (root mode) pada Slackware64 atau Slackware 13.1 adalah sebagai berikut:

• pada terminal: ln -s /usr/src/linux/linux-2.6.34 /usr/src/linux
• pada terminal: cd /usr/src/linux
• pada terminal: patch -p1 -i ../patch-genius-islim-310
• pada terminal: cp /boot/config-huge-2.6.33.4 /usr/src/linux/.config
• pada terminal: make oldconfig
• pada terminal: make xconfig atau make menuconfig (jika ingin mengganti konfigurasi)
• pada terminal: make bzImage
• pada terminal: cp arch/boot/x86/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34
• pada terminal: make modules
• pada terminal: make modules_install
• pada terminal: cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.34
• pada terminal: cp .config /boot/config-2.6.34
• edit lilo.conf jika diperlukan atau buat symlink dari vmlinuz-2.6.34, System.map-2.6.34, config-2.6.34 ke vmlinuz, System.map, dan config
• pada terminal: lilo
• restart untuk menggunakan kernel hasil patch

Untuk versi kernel atau distro Linux yang berbeda, silakan dikonversi sendiri. Hasilnya:

Webcam telah dikenali, baik video maupun audio (mikrofon). Hasil test dengan qv4l2:

Selanjutnya, saya mencoba untuk menggunakan webcam ini dengan skype, tidak ada masalah. Masalah baru muncul ketika saya mencoba untuk membuat program sederhana menggunakan OpenCV, ternyata, OpenCV tidak mengenali format PJPG, error message:

HIGHGUI ERROR: V4L2: Pixel format of incoming image is unsupported by OpenCV

Sebagai catatan, saya menggunakan OpenCV 2.0.0. Versi terbaru dari OpenCV adalah 2.1.0. Mungkin saja, pada versi 2.1.0, format PJPG telah disupport oleh OpenCV ... belum dicoba ... Jika Anda telah mencobanya sebelum saya mencoba, mohon diinformasikan ke saya. Summary: I have bought a cheap webcam from Genius, that is, Genius iSlim 310 for my laptop that is not equipped with built-in webcam. For the features and specification of this webcam, please check this website. Unfortunately, when I connected to my laptop with Slackware64 13.1, only the audio (microphone) has been recognized (see second picture). Result of lsusb indicated that VID and PID of this webcam are 093Ah and 2625h, respectively (see third picture). The VID and PID of this webcam give the information that image chip of this webcam is PAC7302 that has been supported by current kernel but the VID and PID are not listed on usb_device_id table in pac7302.c. From https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/106041/, I found that there is a patch for kernel to modify /usr/src/linux/drivers/media/video/gspca/pac7302.c so that the kernel can recognized the webcam when it is connected to system. The steps of patching and compiling the kernel in Slackware or Slackware64 13.1 (root mode) are:

• copy the newest version of kernel or the version that has supported PAC7302, then extract to /usr/src. I use kernel version of 2.6.34. The last kernel version of Slackware 13.1 is 2.6.33.4
• make symlink: ln -s /usr/src/linux/linux-2.6.34 /usr/src/linux
• save the patch from that website as a file, for instance, patch-genius-islim-310, then save that file in /usr/src directory
• in terminal: cd /usr/src/linux
• in terminal: patch -p1 -i ../patch-genius-islim-310
• in terminal: cp /boot/config-huge-2.6.33.4 /usr/src/linux/.config
• in terminal: make oldconfig
• in terminal: make xconfig or make menuconfig (if needed)
• in terminal: make bzImage
• in terminal: cp arch/boot/x86/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34
• in terminal: make modules
• in terminal: make modules_install
• in terminal: cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.34
• in terminal: cp .config /boot/config-2.6.34
• edit lilo.conf if needed or make symlink from vmlinuz-2.6.34, System.map-2.6.34, and config-2.6.34 to vmlinuz, System.map, and config respectively
• in terminal: lilo
• restart system for activating patched kernel 

Note that if you use different Linux distribution, different kernel version, and/or different boot loader, please convert yourself the steps above. The result of patched kernel is the system can recognized this webcam (see fourth picture). I have tested on qv4l2 (see fifth and sixth pictures)and skype, so far so good. However, when I tried to access the webcam from my own program that use OpenCV Library v.2.0.0, there was an error message that told if the PJPG is unsupported by OpenCV:

HIGHGUI ERROR: V4L2: Pixel format of incoming image is unsupported by OpenCV

I have not tried for OpenCV 2.1.0 yet. I will try it later if I have a chance. Please tell me if you have tried it.

OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 for Slackware64

Bagi pengguna Slackware64, kita dapat menggunakan OpenOffice versi 64-bit yang telah tersedia. Caranya amat sangat mudah. Anda hanya perlu mengerjakan beberapa langkah berikut ini:

1. Download OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 versi 64-bit di sini.
2. Download SlackBuild script di sini.
3. Extract compressed SlackBuild script openoffice.org.tar.gz (tar -xvzf openoffice.org.tar.gz) maka akan muncul directory openoffice.org
4. Copy atau move file OOo_3.2.1_Linux_x86-64_install-rpm-wJRE_en-US.tar.gz ke dalam directory tersebut pada langkah 3.
5. Dengan working directory openoffice.org dan user root, jalankan script openoffice.org.SlackBuild (./openoffice.org.SlackBuild).
6. Jika tidak ada error, maka Anda akan mendapatkan file /tmp/openoffice.org-3.2.1_en_US-x86_64-1_SBo.tgz
7. Jalankan upgradepkg --install-new /tmp/openoffice.org-3.2.1_en_US-x86_64-1_SBo.tgz (berlaku untuk install baru maupun upgrade).
8. Done.

Sangat mudah bukan?


Summary:
For anyone that use Slackware64, you can install and use OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 64-bit version that has been ready to be used very easily. You only have to do following steps:

1. Download OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 64-bit version here.
2. Download SlackBuild script here.
3. Extract compressed SlackBuild script openoffice.org.tar.gz (tar -xvzf openoffice.org.tar.gz) then you will see openoffice.org directory
   
4. Copy or move OOo_3.2.1_Linux_x86-64_install-rpm-wJRE_en-US.tar.gz into that directory.
5. Make sure the working directory is openoffice.org and as root user, run the script openoffice.org.SlackBuild using this command: ./openoffice.org.SlackBuild
6. If no error found, then you will get /tmp/openoffice.org-3.2.1_en_US-x86_64-1_SBo.tgz
7. Run upgradepkg --install-new /tmp/openoffice.org-3.2.1_en_US-x86_64-1_SBo.tgz for installing or upgrading OpenOffice.org to your system.
8. Done.

Piece a cake, isn't it?

Slack-ID Magazine

Sebenarnya sudah terlambat untuk menuliskan ini, tetapi, karena di mailing list id-slackware masih ada yang bertanya, lebih baik saya tuliskan saja di blog saya supaya yang membaca blog saya memperoleh informasi ini.


Pada bulan Desember 2009 yang lalu, telah diterbitkan edisi perdana dari majalah elektronik "Slack-ID", suatu majalah tentang Slackware dalam bahasa Indonesia yang ditulis oleh komunitas id-slackware. Tujuan dari majalah ini adalah untuk memberikan informasi tentang slackware kepada komunitas slackware di Indonesia, sebagai wadah untuk saling berbagi ilmu. Majalah ini tidak gratis. Hanya saja, untuk edisi perdana, diedarkan gratis; Anda bisa mendownload dari http://daunsalam.net/slackid.htm. Untuk edisi selanjutnya, Anda dapat memperolehnya dengan berkontribusi dana sebesar Rp. 10.000,00 per edisi. Seluruh dana yang diperoleh tidak dipakai untuk redaksi majalah ini, tetapi akan disumbangkan untuk membantu kelangsungan proyek resmi Slackware yang dipimpin oleh Patrick Volkerding.


Summary:
On December 2009, there are new release of Indonesian Slackware Magazine, "Slack-ID", an Indonesian magazine that talk about Slackware written by Indonesian Slackware Community. The aim of this magazine is to share information about Slackware for Indonesian Slackware community. For first edition, this magazine is free, you can download it from http://daunsalam.net/slackid.htm. However, for next editions, you have to pay the cost of Ro. 10.000,00 before you can download it. All of money earned from you will be sent to official Slackware Maintainer, Patrick Volkerding, for supporting him to maintain Slackware Project.