on Wed, Nov 21, 2001 at 10:06:50PM +0200, Ian Balchin (fables@imaginet.co.za) wrote:
> Brenda, Matthew, et al,
>
> > You can try putting
> > echo "running /etc/bash.bashrc"
> > echo "running .bashrc"
> > etc in your startup files, and see the lines print out when
> > you log in. The full list of init files that are read for
> > each login and new shell is given in bash(1) (search for
> > INVOCATION) as Matthew Dalton suggested.
>
> Two great suggestions, I have put in the echo lines to all files and can see
> what is happening.
Howdy again, Ian.
You can also add, as a debugging aid:
set -v
...in any config script you want to trace. This will write the commands
to stdout (the screen) as they're executed. Helps in identifying where
errors are comming from. See man (1) bash for more information on the
various set commands and options.
Another trick I've used is the halve-and-conquor trick. Comment out
half the code in the files. See if your bug's there. If not, comment
out the other half. You can search through a script until you find the
offending line quickly this way. Most shell scripts are mostly
freestanding lines, so you can do this without shooting yourself in the
foot (too badly, at any rate) in the process.
> I was working thru the Config-HOWTO that came on the CD, but looking
> on the Debian site as suggested gave me an eye-opener. The HOWTO had
> been seriously updated (the one on my distribution disk was dated
> Sept 1999 inside, the online one was perhaps a month or so old).
Probably a common occurance. Documentation moves quickly, and the LDP
(Linux Documentation Project) has done a pretty good job of staying up
to date.
> Now, onto new fields, I am running emacs (emacs20 sometimes but see no
> difference)
They likely point at the same actual program.
> and am working thru the tutorial (the other night awoke dreaming of
> linux and had to have a session at 3.00 am before I could get back to
> sleep! Am I alone here?). OK so far.
Escape while you can!
> I guess I was looking for something like that, because I cannot see
> with emacs how you can make things bold, italic, or anything else.
You're discovering the distinction between text processing and a
typesetting or document preparation system.
Emacs is a text editor. It includes the ability to code up documents in
various markup languages -- HTML, LaTeX, DocBook, groff -- but the
actual formatting is a second, postprocessing step. Your best bet may
be to use LaTeX, it's a general-purpose markup language which produces
high-quality results. I've used it somewhat, though not a great deal.
Under a graphical GNU/Linux session, you'd have other options, including
a number of GUI worpdrocessors or more advanced editors which would work
more like a legacy MS Windows program. With your current setup, the
markup route is advised.
> Am I in for a major learning curve with tex or can I go looking on the
> web for a linux word processor, or am I missing something other than a
> few iq points?
For basic markup, HTML may suffice. Again, I'd suggest LaTeX. TeX is
going a bit too low-level for most work.
> End of the month I should get the modem. There seems to be a wide
> choice of programmes available for connecting to an isp
pppd. Pretty much end of story. The installer will walk you through
setup. The important thing is to know how your ISP wants you to
authenticate yourself -- your username, password, and any prefixes
required for entering either.
> and for receiving and processing email.
fetchmail, exim, and mutt. Procmail if you want filtering capabilities,
which is what it sounds like you're looking for from below.
> I assume that I will be getting nothing like Pegasus Mail, wonder
> which of the options I should be looking at for a reliable dialup
> account and an email programme capable of many things - I use it
> constantly, have mailing lists, bulging address books and emails going
> back 5-10 years on file. Any suggestions gratefully received. I
> wanted to have the modem on hand before I did anything.
Mutt will handle this for you well. There may be conversion programs to
port your existing mail and addressbook data over from Pegasus.
> If I might ask, how do you handle the huge volume of traffic on this
> list, there are hundreds of emails everytime that I connect.
Procmail, which filters my mail into a number of folders, and a heavy
finger on the delete key. Selective reading of threads. More
discipline than I've been practicing to avoid spending all day doing
mail ;-).
> i have a filter set up that deletes all mail from this list except
> those with the subject line as used. I looked at usenet, but
> linux.debian.user does not mirror this list - right? (maybe i must
> think also of getting newsgroups on the linubox as well as email)
muc.debian.user, IIRC, gateways this list, though it's one-way.
Postings to Usenet may not make the list.
Peace.
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