John’s Technology Blog

Ever get in a Linux directory and realize that you like this directory, but you need to take a quick little fling in a different one? Your current directory can’t give you what you need at that moment, but you know you want to come right back to it when you are done.

Well, throw directory commitment out the door with Linux’s built-in tools, pushd and popd.

Lets say you are in directory x, but you need to do a few things in directory y in order to then complete your tasks in directory x. Simply, type in “pushd y”. Now you are in directory y. Stay a little while and do what you needed to do. Have your fun, but when it is time to get out and you want to be back with x, simply type “popd”. You’re back with x in no time.

With these tools you are simply pushing a directory onto a stack of directories. When you call the popd command, you just pop the current directory off the stack and return to the previous one. Easy!

Note: It is hazardous to your help to implement these tools in your own personal life – I recommend you only use these with directories – not people.

Another reason to love linux is the simple little “screen” utility available in the OS.

Screen lets you multiplex between console sessions.

Here are the commands I use the most:

screen -S —> lets you create a terminal session that is viewable when you ssh into the machine from somewhere else

screen -dr —-> detaches the other terminal from the screen session with that name and gives it to you

screen -x —-> lets you share the other terminal with the others using that same screen session.

When automating processes on a computer it is often very handy to do redirection. I know that linux has a lot of redirection capabilities, but recently I learned the Windows XP also has many of the same capabilities.

Some of the operators covered are: > >> <& >& | <

Microsoft has a page on their site that describes how these work.

I have a Palm Treo on which I run TCPMP (Free). I have a lot of DVD’s a home that I don’t watch. I exercise every day and like to watch tv on my Treo while I sweat.

After trying many things, I have found a way to get my DVD’s transfered over to a format that works with my Treo:
>>>>>>>

Load the DVD with DVD43 (Free Utility found on the Internet).

Open Handbrake (Another free utility found on the Internet).
For Source, choose the file system VIDEO_TS location
Click OK for it to search

Select a title
Select a destination
Encoder: MP4
Audo Encoder: AAC
Width/Height: 160×120 (or 320 x 240 if you Palm can handle it)

Video Settings
Avg. Bitrate: 120
Video Framerate: 15

Audio Settings
Bitrate: 32
Sample Rate: 22.05
Audio Track: English
AUdio Mixdown Enabled Stereo

<<<<<<<

The files are generally about 45-50 MB per 1 hour of video. I have a 1GB card so that I can download several movies or Series Episodes at one time.

I can now be entertained while I exercise. – I just wish I could start losing weight!