GNU/Linux


Splitting a zip file (or any file) into smaller parts

In this post, we will explain the following commands:

  1. zip Original.zip Original/
  2. split -b 5M -d Original.zip Parts.zip.
  3. cat Parts.zip* > Final.zip
  4. unzip Final.zip -d Final

These commands are commonly used in Linux/Unix systems and can be very helpful when working with large files or transferring files over a network.

Command 1: zip Original.zip Original/

The zip command is used to compress files and create a compressed archive. In this command, we are compressing the directory named Original and creating an archive named Original.zip. The -r option is used to recursively include all files and directories inside the Original directory in the archive.

Command 2: split -b 5M -d Original.zip Parts.zip.

The split command is used to split a large file into smaller files. In this command, we are splitting the file Original.zip into smaller files with a size of 5 MB each. The -b option specifies the size of each split file, and the -d option is used to create numeric suffixes for the split files. The Parts.zip is the prefix for the split files.

Command 3: cat Parts.zip* > Final.zip

The cat command is used to concatenate files and print the output to the standard output. In this command, we are concatenating all the split files (which have the prefix Parts.zip) into a single file named Final.zip. The * is a wildcard character that matches any file with the specified prefix.

Command 4: unzip Final.zip -d Final

The unzip command is used to extract files from a compressed archive. In this command, we extract the files from the archive Final.zip and store them in a directory named Final. The -d option is used to specify the destination directory for the extracted files.

In conclusion, these commands can be beneficial when working with large files or transferring files over a network. By using the zip and split commands, we can compress and split large files into smaller ones, making them easier to transfer. Then, using the cat command, we can concatenate the split files into a single file. Finally, we can use the unzip command to extract the files from the compressed archive.


Remove Disabled Snaps.

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LANG=C snap list --all | awk '/disabled/{print $1" --revision "$3}' | xargs -rn3 sudo snap remove;

Let us break down the command for you:

  1. LANG=C sets the language to English (C locale), which can be helpful to ensure consistent behavior across different systems with different default languages. We used this to make sure that the word disabled will appear for disabled snaps and not some other translation.
  2. snap list --all lists all installed snaps (i.e., packages) along with their details. The output of this command is piped to the following command.
  3. awk '/disabled/{print $1" --revision "$3}' searches for lines in the output that contain the word “disabled” and prints the first field (i.e., the name of the snap) followed by the string “–revision” and the third field (i.e., the revision number). This output is piped to the next command.
  4. xargs -rn3 sudo snap remove takes groups of three arguments from the input and runs the command snap remove with those arguments. In this case, the first argument is the name of the disabled snap; the second argument is the string “–revision”, and the third argument is the revision number. This will remove all disabled snaps and their associated revisions.

So, in summary, the command searches for all disabled snaps on the system, extracts their name and revision number and then removes them using the snap remove command. This is a very useful command to free up some space without losing data or functionality.


Linux mouse jiggler

Keep-Presence is an innovative program that automatically detects when you’re away from your computer and moves the mouse or presses a key to keep it active. This is especially helpful when you need to keep your computer running but don’t want it to lock or sleep due to inactivity.

What’s excellent about Keep-Presence is that it won’t interfere with your work while using your computer. Instead, it only activates when it detects that you’re away, so you can rest assured that your computer will remain active even if you step away from your desk for a few minutes.

This program is beneficial if you’re working remotely and need to step away from your computer frequently. With Keep-Presence, you can trick your machine into thinking you’re still working on it, which can be helpful if you need to step away for a short period and don’t want to constantly re-login or restart your work.

In summary, Keep-Presence is a helpful program that keeps your computer active even when you’re away. It’s an excellent tool for those who work remotely or need to step away from their desk frequently, and it won’t interfere with your work while using your computer.

This software is available in GitHub and the snap package manager.

https://github.com/carrot69/keep-presence/

To install using snap, execute the following command:

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sudo snap install keep-presence;
#Just execute the following to start the application with default settings
keep-presence;
#Use Ctrl+C to stop it.

We used it in Ubuntu 22.04LTS with success.

Optional arguments

-h, --help                        show this help message and exit
            
-s SECONDS, --seconds SECONDS     Define in seconds how long to wait after a user is
                                  considered idle. Default 300.

-p PIXELS, --pixels PIXELS        Set how many pixels the mouse should move. Default 1.

-c, --circular                    Move mouse in a circle. Default move diagonally.

-m MODE, --mode MODE              Available options: keyboard, mouse, both; default is mouse. 
                                  This is the action that will be executed when the user is idle. 
                                  If keyboard is selected, the program will press the shift key. 
                                  If mouse is selected, the program will move the mouse. 
                                  If both is selected, the program will do both actions.

-r RANDOM RANDOM, --random RANDOM RANDOM
                                  Usage: two numbers (ex. -r 3 10). Execute actions based on a 
                                  random interval between start and stop seconds. 
                                  Note: Overwrites the seconds argument.

Two Signal accounts on Ubuntu 22.04LTS

Signal is a widely used messaging app that prioritizes user privacy and security. However, there may be times when one needs to use multiple Signal accounts on the same device. In this blog post, we will discuss the problem of needing two Signal accounts on Ubuntu 22.04LTS and how to solve it by installing the beta version.

The Problem:

Let’s say you have two Signal accounts, one for personal use and the other for work. Unfortunately, Signal does not provide a built-in feature for running multiple accounts on the same device. This can be a frustrating problem for Ubuntu 22.04LTS users who want to use multiple Signal accounts. Fortunately, there is a solution, and that is to install the beta version of Signal on your device.

Installation Steps:

  1. Open the Terminal.
    The first step is to open the Terminal by clicking the Terminal icon or pressing the “Ctrl+Alt+T” keys.
  2. Add the Signal repository.
    To install the beta version of Signal on Ubuntu 22.04LTS, you need to add the Signal repository to your system. Run the following command to add the repository:

echo 'deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/signal-desktop-keyring.gpg] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial.list;

  1. Add Signal’s public key.
    Next, you need to add Signal’s public key to your system. This key is used to verify the authenticity of the packages in the repository. Run the following command to add the public key:

wget -O- https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/keys.asc | gpg --dearmor > signal-desktop-keyring.gpg;
cat signal-desktop-keyring.gpg | sudo tee -a /usr/share/keyrings/signal-desktop-keyring.gpg > /dev/null;

  1. Update the package list.
    After adding the repository and public key, you must update the package list. Run the following command to update the package list:

sudo apt update;

  1. Install the beta version of Signal.
    Finally, you can install the beta version of Signal by running the following command:

sudo apt install signal-desktop-beta;

This will install the beta version of Signal on your system, which you can use to run multiple Signal accounts.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, running multiple Signal accounts on Ubuntu 22.04LTS can be a problem. However, installing the beta version of Signal can solve this problem. Following the above installation steps, you can easily install the beta version of Signal on your device and use multiple Signal accounts without hassle.