Linux on funinkina's corner

Reverse Engineering A Printer Driver For Linux

Sun, 17 May 2026 02:40:34 +0530

Context

I have this Ricoh SP 200 printer, a simple and cheap black-and-white laser printer. The issue is that the official drivers are only available for Windows. CUPS on Linux is excellent and supports most printers out of the box, so naturally I tried everything: foo2zjs, OpenPrinting, HPLIP, Gutenprint. Nothing. This printer is truly one of a kind in the worst possible way.

My only option was a Windows VM with USB passthrough, which worked but required booting into a VM just to print something. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and write the driver myself. How hard could it be?

Contributing to the Linux Kernel

Sun, 10 May 2026 23:27:20 +0530

I have been running Linux on my HP Pavilion Plus Laptop 14-eh0xxx since 2022, and inevitably, as with most Linux installations, some things will not work perfectly with your hardware.

Initially there were a few rough edges, like the fingerprint scanner and the mute LED on the function key. The mute button itself worked, but the small orange LED that should indicate the muted state did not. My knowledge of how to fix these kinds of issues was very limited back then, so I just decided to live with it.

SSH for Noobs

Mon, 19 May 2025 21:51:21 +0530

Many of you must have worked with AWS or GCP at some point, and even if you were scared of the terminals, you might have been forced to use it. And you also must have accessed the terminal of your service from your local terminal. But wait, how is that possible? How can you access the console of another system from your own?

The answer: SSH

So, what SSH actually is, and how can you use it effectively without just copy-pasting commands from the internet? Let’s explore that in this blog post.

Weekly Commits

Wed, 14 May 2025 00:30:42 +0530

Weekly Commits GNOME Extension — Visualize Your GitHub Activity Right from the Top Bar

Why I Built This

As developers, we spend hours coding, committing, and pushing changes — but rarely do we take a moment to reflect on our consistency. While GitHub contribution graphs are nice, they live on a webpage, buried behind a few clicks.

I wanted something more immediate and minimal. I wanted to see my GitHub commit activity at a glance — right from my GNOME desktop environment. So I built Weekly Commits, a GNOME Shell extension that brings your GitHub commit stats to your system’s top bar.

RSync Backup Script

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:45:51 +0530

This is a simple, customizable shell script designed to help users back up specific parts of their home directory to an external drive. It leverages the power of the rsync command for efficient file synchronization.

GitHub Repository: funinkina/rsync-backup-script

Since it is just a script, you can just copy from here

#!/bin/bash

# List the FOLDER NAMES within your home directory you want to back up.
# Do NOT include the full path, just the name relative to $HOME.
# Example: SOURCE_DIRS=("Documents" "Pictures" "Projects" ".config/some_app")
SOURCE_DIRS=(
 "Academics"
 "assets"
 "Codes"
 "Documents"
 "dotfiles"
 "Pictures"
 "Hackathons"
 "Notes"
 "Projects"
 ".mozilla"
 ".ssh"
 # Add more directories here...
 # ".config" # Be careful with large hidden dirs, they might contain caches too
 # ".local/share/some_app" # Example of nested path
)

# --- !!! IMPORTANT: External Disk Path !!! ---
# Example: DEST_BASE_DIR="/media/your_username/MyExternalUSB/Backups"
# Ensure this directory exists and you have write permissions.
DEST_BASE_DIR="/mnt" # <<< --- CHANGE THIS ---

# --- !!! IMPORTANT: Destination Subfolder Name !!! ---
# Define the name of the FOLDER *INSIDE* DEST_BASE_DIR where this specific backup will go.
# Leave empty to use the default (current date and time).
# Example 1 (Fixed Name): DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME="MyHomeBackup"
# Example 2 (Date Based): DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME="backup_$(date +%Y-%m-%d)"
# Default (Date & Time):
_DEFAULT_SUBFOLDER_NAME="backup_$(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S)"
DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME="archlinux_backup" # <<< --- SET YOUR DESIRED FOLDER NAME HERE, OR LEAVE EMPTY FOR DEFAULT

# List of directory NAMES to exclude. These will be excluded wherever they appear.
EXCLUDE_DIRS=(
 "node_modules"
 "venv"
 ".venv"
 "env"
 "__pycache__"
 "Cache"
 "cache"
 ".cache"
 "build"
 "dist"
 ".gradle"
 "target"
 ".DS_Store"
 "Thumbs.db"
 ".Trash"
 "*-cache"
 ".npm"
 ".yarn"
)

if [[ -z "$DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME" ]]; then
 DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME="$_DEFAULT_SUBFOLDER_NAME"
 echo "INFO: Using default destination subfolder name: $DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME"
fi

FULL_DEST_PATH="$DEST_BASE_DIR/$DEST_SUBFOLDER_NAME"

if [[ "$DEST_BASE_DIR" == "/path/to/your/external/disk/backup_area" ]] || [[ -z "$DEST_BASE_DIR" ]]; then
 echo "ERROR: Please configure the 'DEST_BASE_DIR' variable in this script."
 exit 1
fi

if [ ! -d "$DEST_BASE_DIR" ]; then
 echo "ERROR: Base destination directory '$DEST_BASE_DIR' not found."
 echo "Please ensure the external disk is mounted and the path is correct."
 exit 1
fi

if [ ! -w "$DEST_BASE_DIR" ]; then
 echo "ERROR: Base destination directory '$DEST_BASE_DIR' is not writable."
 echo "Please check permissions."
 exit 1
fi

RSYNC_EXCLUDES=()
for dir in "${EXCLUDE_DIRS[@]}"; do
 RSYNC_EXCLUDES+=(--exclude="$dir")
done

RSYNC_OPTS=(-av --progress --delete "${RSYNC_EXCLUDES[@]}")
# RSYNC_OPTS=(-av --progress "${RSYNC_EXCLUDES[@]}") # Default: Safer without --delete

echo "Attempting to create destination folder: $FULL_DEST_PATH"
mkdir -p "$FULL_DEST_PATH"
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
 echo "ERROR: Failed to create destination folder '$FULL_DEST_PATH'."
 echo "Please check permissions and path validity."
 exit 1
fi
echo "Destination folder ready."

echo "==========================================="
echo "Starting Backup"
echo "Source Base: $HOME"
echo "Destination: $FULL_DEST_PATH"
echo "Excluded Directories: ${EXCLUDE_DIRS[*]}"
echo "==========================================="
echo

errors=0
processed_count=0

DEST_PARENT_FOR_RSYNC="$FULL_DEST_PATH/"

for src_dir in "${SOURCE_DIRS[@]}"; do
 SOURCE_PATH="$HOME/$src_dir"

 echo "--- Processing: '$src_dir' ---"

 if [ ! -e "$SOURCE_PATH" ]; then
 echo "WARNING: Source '$SOURCE_PATH' does not exist. Skipping."
 echo "--------------------------------------"
 continue
 fi

 echo "Running: rsync ${RSYNC_OPTS[*]} \"$SOURCE_PATH\" \"$DEST_PARENT_FOR_RSYNC\""
 rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$SOURCE_PATH" "$DEST_PARENT_FOR_RSYNC"

 rsync_exit_status=$?
 if [ $rsync_exit_status -ne 0 ]; then
 echo "ERROR: rsync failed for '$SOURCE_PATH' with exit code $rsync_exit_status."
 errors=$((errors + 1))
 else
 echo "Successfully processed '$src_dir'."
 processed_count=$((processed_count + 1))
 fi
 echo "--------------------------------------"
 echo

done

echo "==========================================="
echo "Backup Finished"
if [ $errors -gt 0 ]; then
 echo "WARNING: Encountered $errors errors during backup."
 echo "Processed $processed_count directories successfully before errors or completion."
 echo "Backup located at: $FULL_DEST_PATH"
 exit 1 
else
 echo "All specified source directories ($processed_count) processed successfully."
 echo "Backup complete in: $FULL_DEST_PATH"
 exit 0 
fi
echo "==========================================="

How it is built

The project is implemented as a standard shell script. It utilizes the command-line utility rsync as its core engine for performing the backup operations, known for its efficiency in handling file transfers and synchronizations. The script is designed to be highly customizable by directly editing its contents, facilitated by being “well commented” to guide users in modifying parameters like source folders, excluded paths, and the backup destination.

Building OCR in Plasma's Spectacle using C++

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:10:15 +0530

🔍 The Why?

A while ago I made a python script that achieved the same goal but in GNOME desktop environment. You can read more about it here . That also uses Tesseract to extract the text and displays a GTK window to copy or save. But recently, I switched to KDE Plasma and I wanted to have the same functionality in Spectacle, the default screenshot tool in KDE Plasma. So I decided to write one for KDE Plasma too.

Spectacle Ocr Screenshot

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:13:54 +0530

Spectacle OCR Screenshot is a straightforward Qt application designed for the KDE desktop environment. It integrates seamlessly with KDE’s native Spectacle screenshot tool to enable users to quickly extract text and decode QR codes directly from captured screen regions.

GitHub Repository: funinkina/spectacle-ocr-screenshot

Why I made this?

Oftentimes I needed to copy a error or debug message from the screen but it won’t be in a nice text box, so i decided to make this simple utility to do that for me. Basically the same tool as funinkina/Gnome-OCR-Screenshot but for KDE desktop.

Terminal Emulators: Under the Hood

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:44:45 +0530

A little overview about terminals

As a developer, you must have gotten your hands dirty with terminal emulators at some point in your career. They are powerful tools that allow you to interact with your operating system and run commands from the command line. You might think that it is just text in a black box, but it’s much more than that.

You see, in the early days of computing, a computer was literally a green/white text on a black background. This you can say is a true computer, you give some input, and you get some output. But as time went on, we moved on from that and started using graphical user interfaces (GUIs). GUIs allowed us to interact with our computers using a mouse and a keyboard, but they were not as powerful as terminal emulators. Behind the scenes, a GUI is just executing commands that we used to enter manually in the terminal.

A beginner's guide to Linux

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:45:33 +0530

📝 Why this guide?

When I first heard about Linux, I jumped headfirst into it. All I did was a few minutes of Googling about what it is, and how to install it. And for a short while, it works, but the moment you want to do more with it, you will use the things you learned from Windows or macOS and that has a high chance of breaking your system. This guide aims to help you understand the basics of linux and how to use it effectively. And more importantly, it will help you avoid common mistakes that can lead to system crashes or data loss. All those mistakes in the beginning broke my system so many times that I gave up on Linux for a while, then one day, I decided to do a good research and found out that Linux is not as hard as it seems. I started learning Linux again and now I can confidently say “I use Arch btw”. My aim with this guide is to make people know how to use linux effectively that most YouTube tutorials or online posts won’t tell you.

Enhancing Screenshots in GNOME with OCR

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 22:57:22 +0530

A while ago, I was working on a project, and the way error was being displayed, I could not copy the text directly to paste it in ChatGPT. I had to type the whole error message manually, which was a bit frustrating. I thought, what if I could just take a screenshot and extract the text from the image directly? That’s when I decided to enhance GNOME Screenshot with OCR. I mean windows snipping tool has this feature, why not GNOME Screenshot?

Gnome OCR Screenshot

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 20:04:01 +0530

GNOME Screenshot OCR is a simple, native tool for the GNOME desktop environment that allows users to instantly extract text or scan QR codes directly from a selected area of their screen via a screenshot.

GitHub Repository: funinkina/Gnome-OCR-Screenshot

Why I made this?

Oftentimes I needed to copy a error or debug message from the screen but it won’t be in a nice text box, so i decided to make this simple utility to do that for me.

The Way of Arch

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:14:53 +0530

Introduction

If it’s not clear by now, I use arch btw. But you might ask, why arch linux, what’s so special about it. After years of distro hopping I have realized what makes arch linux special, Its minimalism is its strength—allowing infinite customization to fit any workflow. It can be tweaked infinitely to your needs, regardless of the kind of work you do. Even if you are not an engineer, it will serve you pretty well instead of getting in your way. Though this guide is mainly targeted towards programmers. Starting with arch linux seems kinds daunting isn’t it? I mean the CLI installation might indeed throw off a beginner from trying arch. But then you realise it’s actually just copy pasting commands from the internet and pasting into your terminal. (Honestly, you should not run unknown scripts off of the internet without verifying).

Explaining Inodes In Linux

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 23:05:52 +0530

What are Inodes?

If you are a linux user, you must have encountered some kind Insufficient Permission or File not found errors. These errors are usually caused by the filesystem structure of linux. Ever wondered from where Linux reads these properties of a file? Also if you use symlinks (shortcuts if you are coming from windows) to a file, how is it resolved internally? When I was a beginner, I used to think that Linux reads these properties from the file itself. But then where are these properties stored in the file? It turns out, that’s not the case. Linux reads these properties from a data structure called Inode.

Simplifying Package installation on Arch Linux

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

All of us in the “Arch Btw” cult use it for one of its main selling points, the repositories. Arch Linux’s pragmatic approach to its packages makes it so much easier for users to sync packages without fiddling with multiple repositories and dependency hell, making it a one-stop solution. The Arch User Repository (AUR) is just a cherry on top. Including packages submitted by users makes it even more complete, removing the need for flatpaks or snaps. (Might cause dependency issues, we will discuss this later).

Manjaro Minimal Bootsplash

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 21:01:12 +0530

Manjaro Minimal Bootsplash is a custom theme for Plymouth, the graphical boot splash system used in many Linux distributions, specifically tailored for Manjaro Linux. It aims to provide a cleaner, more minimal look during the system boot process.

GitHub Repository: funinkina/manjaro-minimal-bootsplash

How it is built

This project is essentially a Plymouth theme package. It includes shell scripts (bootsplash-minimal.sh, bootsplash-packer) used to generate necessary files (like an STL model, which is part of the bootsplash mechanism) and assist in packaging. The theme itself defines how visual elements like the logo and spinner are displayed during boot. It’s designed to be built and installed as an Arch Linux package using makepkg, integrating into Manjaro’s package management system. The visual assets, particularly the spinner, were based on graphics from Preloaders.net and further modified. Installation involves modifying system configuration files like /etc/mkinitcpio.conf and /etc/default/grub to activate the theme.