# Knowing Knoppix/Other applications

Knoppix includes many other useful and fun applications. There isn\'t
space to describe them all fully here. In this section are some of the
highlights to look out for.

# Graphics

## The Gimp

!Gimp 2.2.8 in twm
(Knoppix
4.0.2)")
The GNU Image Manipulation
Program^Wikipedia\ article^
(The Gimp) is a wonderful graphics editor. It is for painting, image
editing and photo retouching. Many people think The Gimp is the greatest
thing after Linux itself.

-   To start using it in KDE, click K menu -\> Multimedia -\> Graphics
    -\> The Gimp.
-   In twm, click on the
    desktop, hold down the mouse button for the Main Menu and follow
    through Debian \> Apps \> Graphics \> The GIMP.

The screenshot thumbnail shows Wilber, the Gimp\'s mascot. Wilber was
created by Tuomas Kuosmanen, also known as "Tiger T". Underneath is the
Gimp Toolbox, and a Brushes dialog.\

## ImageMagick

!ImageMagick 6.0.6 in twm (Knoppix
4.0.2)")
ImageMagick is the mainstay of classic
Knoppix versions (those older than 6.0) and typically takes less
resources than The GIMP, so resource usage depends on actual image size.

ImageMagick contains many image editing features, which for an advanced
user manifest in the number of command-line utilities; For common users,
it uses an X GUI for showing and changing images called IMDisplay.

### Invoking

-   KDE: K menu \> Multimedia \> Viewers \> ImageMagick
-   twm: Main Menu \> Debian \> Apps \> Viewers \> ImageMagick
-   From the console ImageMagick is invoked with either the `display` or
    `display &` command. The latter command sequence with an ampersand
    `&` is preferable, as it separates the ImageMagick window from the
    console.

### Characteristics

In Knoppix, ImageMagick typically starts up with a default image and a
file open dialog. To access functions outside opening a file right away,
the user must close the filepicker and click once on the default image,
which will open the Commands window.

Thus clicking on an image (not just the default image) opens or closes
the Commands window.

ImageMagick uses a very basic graphical user interface (GUI), much of
which consists of the Commands window, function menus and manipulation
dialogs, all of which must be operated with a mouse.

Clicking a function button opens a command menu, but moving the mouse
cursor away or clicking on other windows does not close menus (at least
in twm). A user can have one menu be closed by clicking on another menu
button to access functions there; to close a menu until further use, the
user must click on the \"Image Magick\" logo in the Commands window.

Closing an image window from a window manager also closes ImageMagick.

### Caveats

In Knoppix 4.0.2 it is impossible to make screenshots with ImageMagick
(or through a command line with `display`) because of a bug.

Typically, screenshots can be made through File \> Open \> Grab, but
that won\'t work; editing the File Open textarea\'s content from
`/ramdisk/knoppix/x:` to something else won\'t help and the program will
yield this error text:

`` unable to open image `/ramdisk/knoppix/x:': No such file or directory : ``\
`[empty space for text]`

The solution is to use either of the following alternatives in order of
resource usage (the list is slightly subjective):

-   **KSnapshot,** which uses underlying libraries of KDE and its
    framework. Invoked through

:\* KDE: K Menu \> Graphics \> Screen Capture Program

:\* twm: Main Menu \> Debian \> Apps \> Graphics \> KSnapshot

:\* Command line: `ksnapshot &`

-   **The GIMP**;
-   and ---

## X Window Dump

X Window Dump, or xwd for short, is a command-line app for making
screenshots. Being the least resource-intensive of all, it dumps an
image of either a targeted window or the whole screen. The simplest way
to invoke the program:

`xwd -out imagename.xwd &`

This changes the mouse cursor to a crosshair pixmap for targeting a
window or a free area (the desktop) for the whole screen. The dumped
screenshot can then be converted to PNG with ImageMagick. For more on
xwd and making PNG screendumps from the outset, see Starting
Sessions#Making
screenshots
from the Guide to X11 wikibook or the xwd man
page.

In twm, one can write the command in the rxvt
console whilst not yet executing it, then iconify the rxvt window and
move its icon to an accessible area. The user can then bring up a
desired visual setup for the screenshot, move the mouse over the rxvt
icon (and not de-iconify it) and then press enter.

This works by way of an rxvt window being able to receive input even
when *iconified*, with the mouse cursor hovering above the icon either
on the desktop or in the TWM Icon Manager. --- Such behaviour in Knoppix
has been observed to be specific to rxvt only.

Caveat

In Knoppix 4.0.2, xwd is unable to capture the main OpenOffice.org
window or the root window showing the main OO.o window, if screen color
depth for Knoppix has been set to 16 bits (65,536 colours) with the
`depth=16` startup parameter. Attempting to make a screenshot at that
color depth will yield an error. This may be because of OO.o\'s use of
gradients in its user interface.

The solution is to try to make a screenshot with GIMP or to run Knoppix
with color depth of at least 24 bits; monitor and video adapter
combinations not supporting such a set-up are few and far between.

# Office applications

## OpenOffice.org office suite

!OpenOffice.org 1.1.3 in a setup similar to Knoppix 3.7 (Mandriva
Linux
10.1^Mandrakelinux\ at\ the\ time^)")
OpenOffice.org is the slowest but most
powerful office application in Knoppix. OpenOffice.org combines word
processing, spreadsheets, presentations, drawing, and databases in one
huge package.

On older computers, OpenOffice.org versions 2.x and earlier may take
several minutes to start, because the application takes its time loading
language aids (dictionaries and thesauri). Every successive version of
the package has more language aids with it.

*For instructions on how to disable writing aids and other optimization
tips, see the Performance
Tips chapter from the
OpenOffice.org book.*

As part of framework changes, language aids are integrated in the form
of separate extension modules with OO.o 3.0 and later and language
modules\' default amount reduced as a result (as usual, every
language-specific installation of OO.o still includes the modules
specific to its respective package).

Starting with Knoppix 6.4.3, the distribution has switched to
LibreOffice, a functionally equivalent
fork of OpenOffice.org.[^1]

### Invoking

To begin using OpenOffice.org:

In KDE:

Click K menu -\> Office -\> OpenOffice.org -\> OpenOffice.

In twm:

In Knoppix 4.0.2, OpenOffice.org is absent from the default menu; This
means that other window managers in Knoppix lack the relevant menu
hooks, too. A user can start OO.o from the command line, or rectify this
situation by adding the following preformatted text to the local
.twmrc file:

• Add text (boldfaced here for emphasis) into the section (within curly
brackets) of the Debian submenu:

`menu "/Debian"`\
`{`\
`  "Apps" f.menu "/Debian/Apps"`\
`  `**`"OpenOffice.org" f.menu "/Debian/OOo"`**\
`  "Games" f.menu "/Debian/Games"`\
`  "Help" f.menu "/Debian/Help"`\
`  "Screen" f.menu "/Debian/Screen"`\
`  "System" f.menu "/Debian/System"`\
`  "XShells" f.menu "/Debian/XShells"`\
`}`

• Then add the following (avoid pasting inside other menu sections):

    menu "/Debian/OOo" {
    "Writer" f.exec "soffice -writer -nocrashreport &"
    "Web" f.exec "soffice -web -nocrashreport &"
    "Calc" f.exec "soffice -calc -nocrashreport &"
    "Impress" f.exec "soffice -impress -nocrashreport &"
    "Math" f.exec "soffice -math -nocrashreport &"
    "Global" f.exec "soffice &"
    }

:   `<span style="font-size:88%">`{=html}\^ Using the `-nocrashreport`
    flag for `soffice` alone causes OO.o to launch with Writer;
    `-global` or `-nodefault` command-line flags are thus not
    necessary.`</span>`{=html}

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```

:   `<span style="font-size:88%">`{=html}In a computer environment with
    a limited amount of useful (RAM) memory, using the `-nocrashreport`
    command-line option disables invoking the crash reporter, if it
    happens that OO.o crashes and OO.o\'s document recovery mechanism
    and crash reporter are invoked at next program
    start.`</span>`{=html}

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```

:   `<span style="font-size:88%">`{=html}The crash reporter would ask
    for confirmation to send crash data to Sun Microsystems (acquired by
    Oracle in 2010). If the crash reporter does appear, then it\'s best
    not to send crash data, because Knoppix has moved away from
    OpenOffice.org to LibreOffice and it\'s pointless to send crash data
    about earlier OO.o versions.`</span>`{=html}

• Save `.twmrc` and restart twm.

Command line:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
    soffice &#91;-writer|-web|-calc|-impress|-math&#93; &#91;-nocrashreport&#93; &

\^ Flags in square brackets to start different OO.o apps are optional.

## KOffice

KOffice is a simple office suite, for
word-processing, spreadsheet, drawing, presentations and other tasks.
Unlike OpenOffice, KOffice is quick to start. To begin, click K menu -\>
Office -\> KOffice, then click the program you would like to use.

KOffice is present in Knoppix versions of up to 3.1--3.3 and
4.0.2--5.3.1. CD variants of these versions of the distribution might
not contain it.

## Gnumeric

!Gnumeric 1.6.3
Gnumeric is a powerful standalone spreadsheet
application. Like KOffice, Gnumeric is quick to start. To begin, click K
menu -\> Office -\> Gnumeric.

Gnumeric is present in Knoppix versions up to 3.1--3.3; 4.0.2--5.3.1 and
6.2.1--6.4.4 (the latest version). Modern CD variants might not contain
it.

## AbiWord

AbiWord is a simple word standalone processor.
To get started, click K menu -\> Office -\> AbiWord word processor.
Compared to OpenOffice Writer and KOffice, abiword is lighter with less
bloat.

# Wine

Wine "wikilink") is an application compatibility
layer that allows programs written for Windows to run in Linux. Its
self-explanatory meaning has become a recursive backronym, which is
***W**ine **I**s **N**ot an **E**mulator*.

Knoppix has typically included a contemporary snapshot of the program\'s
releases, which are more outdated with every older version of the
distribution. While Wine can run a large variety of Windows
applications, then there are some that won\'t run with it, and some apps
that may run with varying degrees of success.

## Invoking

One way to invoke a Windows program though Wine is through the command
line:

`$ wine /path/to/application.exe &`

Assuming an existing Windows installation on a hard drive, programs can
be run from there by mounting the hard drive:

`$ mount /mnt/hda1`

and then invoking Wine to run an application originally made for
Windows:

`$ wine "/mnt/hda1/Program Files/K-Meleon/k-meleon.exe" &`

!Wine Launch Window.\
Wine v.20050725 at Knoppix
4.0.2

:   `<SMALL STYLE="font-size:90%">`{=html}**\^** Because the
    `Program Files` folder contains a space, the whole path must be
    surrounded with double quotes.`</SMALL>`{=html}

In either case, the Wine Launch Window will start, to notify the user of
the activity. The launch window can be set not to be shown in the future
when invoking Wine.

If Wine hasn\'t been run before, the Wine launch processes create
necessary configuration folders and support files and then launch the
requested application (the K-Meleon browser in this case).

After exiting a Window program, Wine will show either a status message
that the program closed with success or an error message. A number of
seconds may pass between the apparent program exit and the status
message.

## Caveats present in Knoppix 4.0.2

Depending on a version of Knoppix, Wine might or might not be included
in the default menu file.

The following are caveats specific to Knoppix 4.0.2. Wine version
20050725 is a pre-beta release and running Windows software with that
may not be easy:

-   The Wine menuitem is not in the default menu file in Knoppix 4.0.2;
-   Shortcut menus of programs that use the native Windows widget
    toolkit are inaccessible; Commands from the menu bar can only be
    accessed classic Mac-style: by clicking on a menu item and holding
    the mouse button down the menu to reach and invoke a command. (This
    has been observed in the twm window manager.)
-   Standard text find functionality does not work, while alternative
    implementations do (examples are various find bars);
-   Some newer applications\' functionality is hampered: For example,
    the URL bar in K-Meleon 1.5.4 is not functional --- URLs can be
    entered by editing bookmarks and then accessing those.

### Non-permanence

After using a Windows program through Wine, saving the configuration and
restarting the computer with said configuration, launching Windows
programs becomes impossible because of very slightly corrupted file
paths. A workaround is to delete the `.wine` configuration directory in
the local user folder:

``` bash
knoppix@[knoppix]$ rm -r -f .wine
```

:   `<SMALL STYLE="font-size:90%">`{=html}*\^* Where: `rm` (remove) is
    the delete command, `-r` stands for *recursive* (deletes the
    folder), `-f` stands for *force \[delete\]*, which does not ask for
    confirmation before deletion (therefore no
    verbosity).`</SMALL>`{=html}

--- After that, it\'s possible to run the programs again but any Wine
settings are then also deleted.

### Font issues

By default, Windows programs\' UI texts are displayed in a font called
Adventure, which is shown in small type, and is ugly and unsuitable for
use in user interfaces. This is because of a bug in Wine, which has been
fixed in later versions, but software on a Live-CD distribution is
static and therefore requires a workaround described below.

Upon starting a Windows program for the first time, Wine creates
Windows-like support directories and files, along with the Windows fonts
directory in the virtual \"C\" hard drive, the path of which in Knoppix
is:

`<SPAN STYLE="color:gray">`{=html}`/home/knoppix/``</SPAN>`{=html}`.wine/drive_c/windows/fonts`

The above `windows/fonts` directory is empty and Wine defers to a
fallback font, which for some reason is Adventure.

A usual way to solve this issue on permanent Linux installations is to
populate the directory with standard fonts, either those made
specifically for Windows or with substitutes.

Because of a Live CD\'s typically non-permanent nature and above
caveats, the workaround for a normal user interface font is to create a
symbolic link for `windows/fonts` to a specific font directory created
in Linux, but all this is effective only *after* `.wine` configuration
and support folders and files have been created by running a Windows
executable for the first time. Symlinking to a font directory goes like
this:

``` bash
$ ln -s /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-bitstream-vera .wine/drive_c/windows/fonts
```

:   `<SMALL STYLE="font-size:90%">`{=html}**\^** The dollar `$` sign is
    traditionally the command-line marker; `ln` is the *linking*
    command, `-s` stands for ***s**ymbolic*, the first path is the
    target path, the second path is the one from which the target is
    linked to. The symbolic link can be removed in the `fonts` directory
    with a simple `rm` command.`</SMALL>`{=html}

!The result of setting the default Wine font right, where a Windows
program\'s user interface font looks
normal
If a user is **consistently** using Knoppix 4.0.2 with the configuration
saving method, then they can add a command sequence with the above
command into their window manager menu file, especially because of the
non-permanent nature of Wine configuration data.

The following complex, yet handy, example set of commands for the
twm window manager assume
the presence of an existing hard drive and a Windows installation on it.
The sequence of commands first mounts the hard drive, then starts Wine,
which will create support folders and files to launch a screen saver,
and then links the actual font folders. The Blank Screen screensaver is
one of the smallest possible native Windows apps to close with the least
amount of user input (moving a mouse cursor in the screen saver window),
which means that the program will close almost by itself.

The highlighted part of configuration text is to be added:

```{=html}
<div style="height:auto; min-height:10.6em; overflow:auto;">
```
``` c
menu "/Debian/System"
{
  "Security" f.menu "/Debian/System/Security"
  ""    f.nop
  "Set Wine font" f.exec "mount /dev/hda1; wine \"/mnt/hda1/windows/system/Blank Screen.scr\" \/s && ln -s /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-bitstream-vera .wine/drive_c/windows/fonts &"
}
```

```{=html}
</div>
```

:   `<SMALL STYLE="font-size:90%">`{=html}**\^** The `f.nop` line
    following `Security` inserts a line break. `mount /dev/hda1` mounts
    the hard drive. The colon `;` ensures that the next command is
    started only after the previous command has been completed. Because
    `Blank Screen.scr` contains a space, the whole path to it must be
    wrapped in double quotes; these, in turn, must be escaped with a
    backslash `\` so as not to break the command sequence. The `/s`
    option starts the screensaver and not its configuration applet; As
    the option\'s trigger character is a forward-slash, which serves to
    separate directory names in Unix and like systems, then it\'s also
    escaped with a backslash `\` just to be on the safe side. Double
    ampersands `&&` serve to execute one *and* another command, and the
    last ampersand ensures the command or command sequence separates
    from its originator.`</SMALL>`{=html}

### Settings specific to TWM

Twm is a window manager,
which by the standards of today and at least 21 years
back^(as\ of\ 2011)^ exhibits non-standard behaviour for a windowing
environment, where a program window is rendered only after the user has
specified its location by moving the window\'s skeleton crosshairs to a
desired place on the screen and then clicking the main mouse/pointer
button.

The following instructions are meant to reduce the amount of user input when running Wine and setting up fonts for it

First off, after launching Wine to run a Windows program, Wine will
invoke the Wine Launch Window and then the Windows program itself. This
is two instances of moving a pointer and clicking the primary button,
which makes four movements. And setting the font right in Knoppix 4.0.2
beforehand will total eight movements.

One workaround is to click the \"Never display this message again\"
button in the Wine Launch Window. The button is self-explanatory.

Nevertheless, the Wine Launch Window also serves the purpose of showing
launch status of Wine and some users might want to keep seeing it
appear.

Avoiding window skeleton crosshairs by specifying window
geometry
won\'t work with Wine, because Wine launches more than one window, and
at least one of them is not native to X.

The workaround is in twm\'s `.twmrc` config file to have the Wine Launch
Window start in iconified form:

``` c
StartIconified {
"Wine Launch Window";
}
```

This will remove the need for the user to place the launch window
somewhere. (More windows can be in each following line added by
specifying the exact window title or app command with the same syntax.)

Secondly, when setting user interface fonts right for Wine-run apps, a
screen saver program is used to invoke Wine itself (See Font
issues above). Because it\'s a screen saver,
it requires the least amount of user input to quit the app, which is why
it won\'t require a title bar (for some reason, attached to the screen
saver by default), so as to have the least distance between the cursor
and the screensaver proper to dismiss it in nearly a click. The
`NoTitle` setting for the screen saver window in the .twmrc file applies
here:

``` c
NoTitle {
"Screen Saver";
}
```

The user then clicks to render the screen saver to just move the mouse
cursor southeast to close the applet. This should take only a second or
two.

# Toys and amusements

## KStars planetarium

KStars shows the position of the stars and
planets in the sky in real time. KStars can show the view of the sky
from hundreds of locations around the world. It also has a catalogue of
planets, stars and other objects. To start using KStars, click K menu
-\> Entertainment -\> Science -\> KStars.

## Frozen Bubble

!Frozen Bubble
screenshot
Frozen Bubble is an arcade style bubble
bursting game for one or two players. The idea is to hit two or more
other bubbles of the same colour to make them disappear. To start, click
K menu -\> Games -\> Tetris-like -\> Frozen-Bubble.

## KSokoban

KSokoban is a gemstone-pushing puzzle game. The
object of the game is to move the red diamonds onto the green squares,
only by pushing the red diamonds. Move the man using the cursor keys. To
begin, click K menu -\> Games -\> Tactics & Strategy -\> KSokoban.

## GTans

GTans is a shape-building puzzle game. Move,
rotate and flip the shapes to make the larger shape shown on the right
hand side. To start, click K menu -\> Games -\> Puzzles -\> GTans.

# Installing Applications not included on the CD

## About UnionFS

Starting with Knoppix 3.8 and higher, there is a new feature included
and enabled by default called UnionFS. This enables ANY file on the
filesystem to be changed, and when it is the new file is stored on the
RAMdisk, and the system knows not to refer to the \"old\" version of the
file on the CD.

This feature is important to allow you to add software that is not
included with the Knoppix distribution easily while running the system
from any Internet connected computer (high speed connection
recommended).

## Installing Packages

You will be using the standard debian packaging tool, apt-get. Don\'t
worry, apt-get is really easy to use.

1.  First, go to a command prompt with konsole and type in:

`sudo apt-get update`

1.  What this does is update the listing of available packages. \"sudo\"
    runs the command as the super-user, which must be done when working
    with apt-get.
2.  Next, find the package you want. You can find a searchable listing
    of all packages available for debian at:

`http://packages.debian.org`

1.  After finding your package, type in at the konsole prompt:

`sudo apt-get install packagename`

where \"packagename\" is replaced with the name of the package you want
to install.

As an example, say you want to work with the kdegames package (which
includes all the games included by default with the K Desktop
Environment). FYI, this package includes a wide range of games, from
remakes of classic arcade games, board games, as well as card games.

All you have to do is type at the prompt:

`sudo apt-get install kdegames`

## Miscellaneous Notes

You are limited in the amount of packages you can install by the amount
of your physical RAM. When you run apt-get, it will tell you the amount
of space the packages take up. Watch how many packages you install, if
you have 256 MB of RAM it\'s probably not wise (but may be possible) to
install about 230 MB of packages.

If the lack of packages on the CD concerns you, don\'t worry. There is
now a Knoppix Live DVD, which includes over 9 gigs of software
(uncompressed) on the DVD\... All your favorite packages are likely
included on this DVD!

To install more than one package, simply put a space between each
package you want to install, like this:

`apt-get install kdegames planetpenguin-racer gnome-games bsdgames`

Note to all debian users. Anyone who has used debian before will
probably be itching to issue

`apt-get upgrade`

You are urged not to do this as knoppix has many custom scripts that
apt-get upgrade seems to break.

## References

```{=html}
<references/>
```

[^1]:
    