converting office2007 docs into open office

since i use open.office and, unfortunately, many of my students computers are now being delivered with ms.office.2007 -- on occasion, i find myself unable to open some of their documents.

luckily, you can obtain a copy of an odfconverter.
unluckily, it doesn't directly install in my mandriva.2008.1 build. so, thanks to a clever solution by open.office.ninja :

begin by making sure 'alien' is installed. it is included in mandriva.2008, but not installed by default. alien allows conversions among the rpm, dpkg, stampede slp, and slackware tgz file formats.
take the odfconverter.rpm file and make tgz file.

alien -ct odf-converter-1.1-7.i586.rpm

extract resulting file, odf-converter-1.1.tgz, via your favorite method.

then, use the 'su' command to become root and execute the following commands.
[notice that i have been working in my 'Download' subdirectory.]

[root@localhost Download]# cp usr/lib/ooo-2.0/program/OdfConverter /usr/bin
[root@localhost Download]# cp usr/lib/ooo-2.0/program/OdfConverter /usr/lib/openoffice/program/

to make openoffice use the odfconverter automatically
(per http://wvarner.blogspot.com/2008/02/microsoft-docx-files-on-ubuntu-gusty.html ) but with directory structures ever-so-slightly modified for mandriva 2008.1:

[root@localhost Download]# cp usr/lib/ooo-2.0/program/OdfConverter
/usr/lib/ooo-2.2/program/

[root@localhost Download]# cp usr/lib/ooo-2.0/share/registry/modules/org/openoffice/TypeDetection/Filter/MOOXFilter_cpp.xcu /usr/lib/ooo-2.2/share/registry/modules/org/openoffice/TypeDetection/Filter/

[root@localhost Download]# cp usr/lib/ooo-2.0/share/registry/modules/org/openoffice/TypeDetection/Types/MOOXTypeDetection.xcu /usr/lib/ooo-2.2/share/registry/modules/org/openoffice/TypeDetection/Types/

and.... we're off!!!

simple xrandr fix

somehow this escaped me... in your xorg.conf file, add the following entry to the [screen] section
.

• Option "RandRRotation" "true"

now, both xrandr and krandr work.
(some minor fixes to make the stylus track properly under rotated screen to follow)

duh.

[note added 2008/01/20: if you use the suggestion located here, which replaces the 'intel' with 'i810' driver in your xorg.conf file -- you WILL lose your wacom tablet... ]

linux, x60t and a non-working stylus

2 days ago, my stylus stopped working. no number of reboots, x-server restarts or 'setserial ... ' commands had any effect. a quick run of wacdump resulted in some interesting "high bit" and "lobit" errors in the lower right hand corner of the results screen.

i removed all the wacom software and reloaded from mandriva sources to no avail. i then built the wacom drivers from source with no joy. i dumped it all... reloaded the mandriva version of the wacom drivers..... and .... nothing but "high bit" errors from wacdump.

inspiration struck and i opened my local .xinitrc file -- and it included a set of commands that i did NOT enter, as follows (probably from wacomcpl):

xsetwacom set stylus TPCButton "on"
xsetwacom set stylus button3 "Button 3"
xsetwacom set stylus button2 "Button 2"
xsetwacom set stylus button1 "Button 1"
xsetwacom set stylus ClickForce "6"
xsetwacom set stylus PressCurve "0 0 100 100"
xsetwacom set eraser bottomy "18449"
xsetwacom set eraser bottomx "24622"
xsetwacom set eraser topy "73"
xsetwacom set eraser topx "45"
xsetwacom set stylus bottomy "18449"
xsetwacom set stylus bottomx "24622"
xsetwacom set stylus topy "73"
xsetwacom set stylus topx "45"
xsetwacom set eraser ClickForce "6"
xsetwacom set eraser PressCurve "0 0 100 100"
xsetwacom set eraser button1 "Button 1"

after deleting them and restarting x... everything was back to 'normal', i can even point and click with my fingertip!

it also may be my imagination -- but the stylus appears to be less 'jittery' in gimp. the eraser, however, still does not work (nor does the stylus button).

x60t and linux update

just a quick update; i've been using my lenovo x60 table with the 2008.1 build of mandriva for several months. in general, it is extremely usable as a laptop and, to a lesser degree, a tablet.

problems:
i cannot get the tablet to autorotate and, while krandr worked fine in mandriva 2007 -- it appears to be broken in 2008.1.
[added note: must be x server issue as xrandr crashes x. hmmmm...]
i also cannot get the x server to recognize the eraser or pen-click/switch.

curiouser and curiouser:
the stylus works -- even after suspend to either memory or disk. even more curiouser (sic), the touchscreen also works with my finger (though, better with my fingernail!). i suspect that the stylus is NOT working via the x server, but rather via 'touchscreen' -- i've got to do some poking around in this regard.

below is a hand-drawn picture from gimp (pen width 3 pts) using the stylus. you can see the jitter .. which i have been unable to change using the details from the linuxwacom faq.
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recipe software

i'm a big fan and overuser of accuchef. that may read a bit strange, as i also predominately use linux as an operating system. to reconcile the fact that there are many highly useful windows-based applications that i enjoy using, i've also been a longtime registered user of codeweaver's crossover office (an wine-based project). designed to run ms.office, cxoffice is also handy for running programs like quicken ... and small, handy applications like ... accuchef! in fact, the recipes i've posted on gfb.log.alt were compiled and reside in my accuchef recipe database.

accuchef runs perfectly under cxoffice, though a small trick is required to update the windows registry to upgrade to the registered (i.e., paid) version of the software. after downloading and installing the shareware version, you will need to download the avsc.exe registration file (following the link that will be emailed to you).

• using the cxoffice program, run/install the avsc.exe file.
• when the winzip self-extractor window pops up, be sure that the "unzip to folder" option is pointing to your linux home directory (contrary to the accuchef directions...).
• within cxoffice, run the windows command "regedit.exe" which will bring up the ms.windows registry editor.
• under the "file" menu, choose the "import registry file" option.
  
• navigate to your linux home directory and choose the "avsc.reg" file.
  
• close the registry editor; start accuchef; and you're off to the races!!

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2008 NIH funding in danger

from a recent email from ASBMB:

'Alert: The President has threatened to veto the modest increases in NIH funding proposed by Congress.

What We Need From You: Your calls or e-mails to the White House urging the President not to veto the 2008 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill.

Background: The FY2008 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill (which allocates funding for the NIH and other federal agencies) has been approved by both houses of Congress and sent to the President for his signature.

The bill allocates $30 billion for NIH, a 3.1% increase over FY 2007, the first increase since 2003 that keeps the agency's budget even with inflation. The President has threatened to veto the bill because (among other reasons) the total spending in the bill is about $10 billion above his budget request.

It is unclear at this point whether there will be enough votes to override a veto in the House or the Senate. Therefore it is crucial that we do our best to discourage the President from casting a veto in the first place. It is critical that we protect the modest increase for NIH in the L/HHS bill because there could be no NIH increase at all this year if the bill is vetoed.

Action: Please contact the White House and urge the President to support biomedical research and sign the 2008 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill.

Please contact the White House at:

Email: comments@whitehouse.gov

Phone: 202-456-1111

Contact us if you have questions:

Peter Farnham, CAE ASBMB Public Affairs Officer pfarnham@asbmb.org 301/634-7384

Angela Hvitved, Ph.D. ASBMB Science Policy Fellow ahvitved@asbmb.org 301/634-7364

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x60 tablet info

some have asked; so, here we go!

[root@localhost gfb1] $ lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82573L Gigabit Ethernet Controller
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
15:00.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev b4)
15:00.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 09)
15:00.2 Generic system peripheral [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 18)

the wacom tablet is "WACf008" [ /sys/bus/pnp/devices/00:0b/id ]
CPU is "Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo CPU L2400 @ 1.66GHz" [ /proc/cpuinfo ]

since the install of mandriva 2008.0, most things are working very well... with the exception of the periodic loss of the stylus following 'sleep'.
curiously, the "setserial ... " command does not refresh/reload the stylus.