This is a thread where we collect short tips and tricks that can improve the Qubes experience for most users. We want to create a one-stop-post where people can quickly find and implement changes to their systems instead of having to search for and visit a hundred different posts.
Feel free to add your tip to this wiki post (anyone can edit this)
Guidelines These are subject to frequent and major changes while we figure out how this might work 1. Brevity is key--post as few words as possible 2. If your tip cannot be condensed into a few lines, it doesn't belong here 3. If your tip is niche with regard to Qubes users, it doesn't belong here* 4. Follow the established style convention 5. Give credit, even to yourself, and link to the original (if needed, also post as reply for a link) 6. Discussions regarding specific tips belong in their own threads if available
* "What's niche?" is going to spawn a lot of debate and angst, but this constraint is necessary to prevent the post from getting bloated and mostly irrelevant
VM Management
- Shut down selected window's VM - [dom0] Create /bin/halt-vm-by-window containing the code below, run chmod +x /bin/halt-vm-by-window, then map to shortcut @tasket
[details="halt-vm-by-window"]
#!/bin/bash
CUR_WIN_ID=`xdotool getwindowfocus`
CUR_VM=`xprop _QUBES_VMNAME -id $CUR_WIN_ID |cut -d \" -f2`
qvm-run $CUR_VM 'xdotool search --name "Mozilla Firefox" key ctrl+q'
qvm-run $CUR_VM 'xdotool search --name "Mozilla Thunderbird" key ctrl+q'
sleep 4
/usr/bin/qvm-shutdown $CUR_VM --wait --timeout=40
chmod +x [FILENAME], enter crontab -e, then add */5 * * * * [FILENAME] and save @ddevz
[details="/bin/dom0-Memory-Notification"]
#!/bin/bash
FREE_MEMORY=$((`free -g | grep '^Mem' | awk '{print $7}'`))
if (( $FREE_MEMORY < 4 )); then
notify-send --expire-time=360000 --urgency=critical 'dom0: Low memory' "Remaining: $FREE_MEMORY "
fi
#!/bin/bash
FREE_MEMORY=$((`xl info | grep free_memory | sed 's/^.*:\([0-9]*\)/\1/'` / 1000))
if (( $FREE_MEMORY < 8 )); then
notify-send --expire-time=360000 --urgency=critical 'Xen: Low memory' "Remaining:
$FREE_MEMORY"
fi
Input Devices
Prevent loss of control from sys-usb shutdown - [dom0] crontab -e, then enter * * * * * qvm-start --skip-if-running sys-usb > /dev/null 2>&1 and save. Reverse the change by commenting out that line @SteveC
Create a toggle to hide the cursor - [dom0] Install unclutter, run the code below (expandable), then map toggle-unclutter.sh to a key @ludovic vecna13 from the 2676 issue
[details="Hide cursor (dom0)"]
mkdir $HOME/bin
cat << 'EOF' | tee $HOME/bin/toggle-unclutter.sh
#! /bin/sh
if pgrep unclutter &> /dev/null 2>&1
then
killall unclutter
else
unclutter -idle 1 &
fi
EOF
chmod +x $HOME/bin/toggle-unclutter.sh
Storage - Send files directly to external storage mounted in other qube - [AppVM] Run the code below (expandable), then copy/move your file(s) @SteveC
[details="In destination qube:"]
In the following instructions [ORIGIN QUBE] is the qube name without brackets or slashes!
mkdir ~/QubesIncoming
mv ~/QubesIncoming/[ORIGIN QUBE] ~/QubesIncoming/[ORIGIN QUBE]_backup
ln -s [MOUNT POINT] ~/QubesIncoming/[ORIGIN QUBE]
WiFi
Keep WiFi off by default on boot - [TemplateVM] In sys-net's template, create /var/lib/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.state containing the code below (expandable) @Bearillo
[details="NetworkManager.state"]
[main]
WirelessEnabled=false
Soft toggle WiFi - [dom0] qvm-run sys-net -- "if nmcli radio wifi | head -c1 | egrep 'e'; then nmcli radio wifi off; else nmcli radio wifi on; fi" (can be mapped to shortcut) @Bearillo
Video playback
- Reduce VLC's CPU usage - [AppVM] In VLC's preferences, open 'Video' and change 'Output' to 'X11 video output (XCB)' @solene
- Reduce mpv's CPU usage (link includes guide for YouTube too) - [TemplateVM] In /etc/mpv/mpv.conf, insert vo=x11 and profile=sw-fast as separate lines @Bearillo
Notifications
xfce4-notifyd-config, then xfconf-query -c xfce4-notifyd -p /do-not-disturb --set true @solene