Pure Walt, from Concentrated Thought
Installed HomeBrew to get Node.js, used the node package manager to get CoffeeScript, added a TextMate Bundle for CoffeeScript and got a “coffee: command not found” when doing a Command-B. WTF? Here’s how I fixed it.
I installed CoffeeScript on OS X using HomeBrew.
Got this error while using the CoffeeScript bundle for TextMate with the Command-B to Compile and Display JS.
/tmp/temp_textmate.CZvit9: line 12: coffee: command not found
In a new document, typing the word coffee and pressing Control-R to run it, didn’t work.
However, running coffee from the command line worked.
$ coffee -v
CoffeeScript version 1.1.2
Solution: Add /usr/local/bin to the TextMate path.
Safari 5.1 and 1Password 3.7.x not playing well? Getting a Database error? No such column? Overview key missing? Try this… it worked for me.
I’ve been having a very nasty problem using Safari 5.1 with the latest 1Password software, while other browsers like Chrome and Firefox work just fine. I get a red ‘Problem with database’ message that says “Database error: no such column: overview_key”. It looks something like this:
Here’s how I fixed it
Start Safari, go to Safari / Preferences… / Extensions, and remove the 1Password extension if you have it. Close Safari. Re-open Safari. Close Safari using the magical sequence Command-Option-Q. Re-open Safari. Open 1Password and use it’s preferences panel to reinstall the Safari extension. Go back to Safari, and if you’re as lucky as I was, it’ll work.
Having problems installing Node.JS because of missing OpenSSL problems? Here’s the solution to that problem for OS X.
When I went to go install a copy of node.JS on OS X 10.6, I ran into a little snag. Using git, or more specifically Tower, I was able to pull node right from github.
The steps to install node are as simple as:
$ ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install
However, I was having problems at the ./configure stage. It was reporting:
Checking for openssl : not found
This resulted in a link error if one tries the make command.
Many of the web resources suggest installing libssl-dev, although being on OS X (and not Ubuntu) and having openssl already installed on my system, it turns out it was the detection mechanism and not a missing library that was the problem.
What I needed was the pkg-config package, because if it isn’t around, the configure step simply skips the check reporting openssl isn’t present.
To install it, I used Homebrew, a fantastic modern package manager that works exceptionally well with OS X.
All I needed to do was this step, and then the commands above.
$ brew install pkg-config
Node then worked like a champ.
A great guy named Nicholas put out an easy to use script to unban an ip address that’s been banned by denyhosts. Here’s me gushing with praise since I could be lazy and not have to write it, along with the script so you can benefit from his contribution as well.
A big thanks to Nicholas Avenell, who solved a problem I’ve been having for a while: How to remove a host that denyhosts has banned. Yes, the FAQ for denyhosts has the manual steps listed, but Nicholas scripted it. And it works great.
Copy Nicholas’s script into a file, give it execute permissions, and run it with root privileges passing in the IP address you’d like to unban:
#/bin/sh
REMOVE=$1
/etc/init.d/denyhosts stop
cd /var/lib/denyhosts
for THISFILE in hosts hosts-restricted hosts-root hosts-valid users-hosts;
do
mv $THISFILE /tmp/;
cat /tmp/$THISFILE | grep -v $REMOVE > $THISFILE;
rm /tmp/$THISFILE;
done;
mv /etc/hosts.deny /tmp/
cat /tmp/hosts.deny | grep -v $REMOVE > /etc/hosts.deny;
rm /tmp/hosts.deny
/etc/init.d/denyhosts start
Nicholas, you rule. Thanks.
Ubuntu’s graphical environment stopped working under Parallels after an upgrade. Turns out the Parallels Tools was incompatible with the newer release. Here’s how I fixed it.
I recently ran into a problem upgrading to Ubuntu 10.10 in Parallels. The graphical interface (runlevel 5) wasn’t coming up after the reboot, instead I was getting the command line version (runlevel 3).
When I booted Ubuntu, I got a message stating that /media/psf could not be mounted.
Here’s how I solved it.
This tip gave me insight that the problem was an old Parallels Tool that was incompatible with the newer Ubuntu.
Ubuntu gave a preference for skipping the mount (S) or booting manually (M) to fix it. I booted manually, went to the /etc/init.d directory, and moved the prltoolsd to another directory to get it out of the way, and then rebooted.
# mv /etc/init.d/prltoolsd ~myaccount
# reboot
Parallels then let me boot in safe graphical mode. On the desktop was a virtual Parallels Tools volume, already mounted.
I opened up the terminal to a bash prompt, changed to the directory with the Parallels install script, and ran it with the remove option, then rebooted again:
$ cd ‘/media/Parallels Tools’
$ sudo ./install -r
$ sudo reboot
GNU Grub came up and I booted back to the generic kernel. Things were back to normal.
WIth the latest version of Parallels installed, and the old Parallels Tools uninstalled, I was able to open a Terminal, sudo to root, and install the new version of Parallel’s tool. Apparently the incompatibility has been resolved.
Is WordPress giving you server errors when you try to update or upload themes? Are your only two options FTP and FTPS (which is not SFTP)? Here’s how to fix that, make WordPress work with SSH, giving you an SSH2 option for updating. And it works.
A major shout of thanks goes to Jon for his WordPress post entitled Enabling SSH/SFTP Updates.
I’d been struggling with making WordPress updates work properly for the longest time, setting up file ownerships and permissions. Things always seemed to be mostly right. If I tried to do an update of any form, I’d see this:
Error: There was an error connecting to the server
WordPress offers FTP and FTPS (SSL).
I’d try the secure option and things just would not work. Then I’d go examine my SFTP connections and my SSH, and it’d all be working fine.
It took bdawson‘s post on FTPS vs. SFTP to make me realize I was so falling into the habit of typing STFP that I didn’t realize that wasn’t what WordPress was offering!
With Jon’s post, enabling SFTP in WordPress becomes trivial.
The SSH2 option then presents itself, and all is right in the world. Thanks guys!
Caught in the Java depreciation battle under OS 10.6 and can’t find where the Java Development Kit (JDK) now resides? Here’s a command that will tell you, allowing you to still use InteliJ and other IDEs on OS X.
There’s a lot going on with Java at the moment. Oracle acquires Sun, putting the language in squarely in hands that don’t inspire trust; the same thing happened with MySQL. Meanwhile, the Apache Software Foundation quits the Java SE/EE Executive Committee. And now Apple deprecates Java, and the reason doesn’t appear to be what you’d think.
Starting with OS X 10.6.3 update, developers got caught in the back lash. Things moved on the file system.
Upgrading IntelliJ, the IDE was asking me where my JDK was, as it certainly wasn’t where the software, or I, thought it should be.
You won’t find the location using /Applications/Utilities/Java Preferences.app.
But you can find it with some digging. Thanks to this developer release note from Apple, the following command from Terminal will spew out some XML.
$ /usr/libexec/java_home –xml
Find the dictionary section that has ‘x86_64’ in it, and you’ll find an entry that has a ‘JVMHomePath’ with something like:
/System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents/Home
You want to provide this full path to the IDE as where the JDK lives.
It’s worth pointing out that Apple recommends that if you install any 3rd party JVMs they should be installed in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines or ~/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines.
Using a MySQL DOT-Net Conncetor and getting these error messages? Shared Memory Provider: No Process is on the other end of the pipe. Error 0. Unable to find the request .NET Framework Data Provider. It may not be installed. Or your login not working, but your password is right? Try this solution.
Using Visual Studio 2010, it’s possible to use MySQL databases. The trick is to use the MySQL DotNET Connector.
Everything was going swimmingly until for what appeared to be no reason, until one day I went to work on my project and I started getting a strange error message for what appeared to be no reason.
Exploring the exception shows that a connection to the database is made, but the login has failed for the username. However, the username and password work when logging in using the MySQL client. No drivers have changed, and MySQL works with all other applications just fine, just not the Microsoft development IDE. The connection string validated in a test environment, as did a raw connection with the MySqlConnection. EntityFrameworks, not so much.
Attempting to use EntityFrameworks from VS2010 results in an error dialog box that when dismissed goes back to the database wizard that brings up the dialog box again; the only way out is using Task Manager and violently killing the IDE’s process.
Attempting to use the .MySQL .NET/Connector installer to repair the installation doesn’t help, either. Yes, it updates the .dll files, yes it tweaks the registry, but no, it doesn’t help.
Making a new project and creating a new ADO.NET Data Model reveals something interesting: the MySQL providers are not listed anymore in VS2010.
The solution is to UNINSTALL the DotConnector and then re-INSTALL the same MySQL .NET/Connector.
The full installer indicates that it updates the VS2008 and VS2010 development environments. Trying the IDE again works perfectly. The ADO.NET Data Model shows the MySQL Data Provider, the Entity Frameworks doesn’t get stuck in an endless loop, and my code worked again without change.
What happened to cause all this? Turns out I had installed a minor VS2010 hotfix service pack at the end of the weekend. The result? The update silently uninstalled all non-Microsoft data providers.
Updates, please don’t do that…
Clearly, I’m not happy about that. Especially since it did it silently. If it told me that it was going to, or if it asked me to reinstall after the fact, I could live with it.
I’d rather eat an orange then brush my teeth with peppermint toothpaste than deal with cleaning up my system after using Intego’s software. If anything can bring the Windows reboot experience, coupled with the leaving of software cruft, to the Mac platform, this software does it in my opinion. Here’s how I finally got rid of it all. I hope.
I recently purchased a Mac bundle with software and it included software from Intego, consisting of the Personal Antispam and Personal Backup applications. I installed them, and from that point forward it was an experience I’ve regretted and have been trying to undo. Only now do I think I’ve made some progress toward that goal.
Frankly, I didn’t get what the backup software did for me over many of the free solutions out there, and while the personal antispam look intriguing, it was intrusive as well and I decided to fall back to Apple’s spam filter included in Mail.
Even if a product doesn’t make it into my main line of recommendations, I often will keep it around in the event I suddenly have use for it. This, for example, is how TypeIt4Me eventually won me over.
Intego went out of their way to annoy me straight from the start. How so? Every time I went to install a package from them, they felt the need to do what appeared to be a gratuitous reboot. It was like being on frickin’ Windows. And they had to install their own update manager, which had to take a glory spot in the menu bar. And it had to do updates, which required even more reboots. I was done with them at that point, but don’t even get me started on the subscription scheme that rode on top of the atrocity.
So I wrote to them asking them how to uninstall their software. Here’s the reply I got:
Proper removal of the software package requires using the Installer package located in your software bundle or disc. If you have manually attempted to remove the software, you will need to first, reinstall the software again, then use the same Installer package to properly remove the applications.
If you need to, you can re-download the installer for Internet Security Barrier X6 using the link below:
http://www.integodownload.com/en/isbx6.html
Open the installer and select to uninstall all software. Restart your computer.
Great, another reboot. Lucky for me, I hadn’t tried to go off on my own path, plus I had the original installation utility. I tried it, and it appeared to work.
Notice I said appeared?
One week later, LittleSnitch pops up and reports my system is spontaneously trying to access Intego’s update service for the very set of applications that, for all evidence I could tell, I removed and forgot about. Apparently, no so.
LittleSnitch also reveals it’s TaskManagerDaemon who’s trying to deal with Intego’s NetUpdate buried in /Library/Intego. Thank you LittleSnitch, curse you Intego.
Intego leaves cruft. Running cruft. Seems this isn’t new of them, according to Apple archives.
Part of the Mac culture is being a good citizen. In my opinion, I feel they aren’t.
After uninstalling the software in exactly the manner they prescribe, enter this this command at your terminal:
sudo find / -name Intego -print
I suspect you’ll develop a similar facial tick as it starts returning output after scanning your disk.
Go grab a root shell, you’re gonna wanna also wipe out:
Oh, and you’ll want to Reboot as well.
…it’s not like I had other applications up or was doing anything important.
After the reboot, you’ll notice tons of console messages from launchd. Now you need to do this.
$ launchctl
launchd% remove com.intego.task.manager.notifier
launchd% remove com.intego.netupdate.agent
launchd% exit
And, you’ll need to remove some .plist files:
$ sudo rm -v /Library/LaunchAgents/*intego*
$ sudo rm -v /Library/LaunchDaemons/*intego*
And preferences, frameworks, keychains, and widgets:
$ sudo rm -vrf /Library/PreferencePanes/NetUpdate.prefPane
$ sudo rm -vrf /Library/Frameworks/IntegoiCalFramework.framework/
$ sudo rm -v /Library/Keychains/Intego.keychain
$ sudo rm -vrf /Library/Widgets/Intego\ Status.wdgt/
Reboot again.
UPDATE (12-Dec-2010): I’ve been in contact with Intego Support, support@intego.com, and they were kind enough to provide this extra information:
If there is anything left on your computer, you can remove it manually.
Can you please go into the following areas on the computer and delete any traces of Intego or VirusBarrier:
/Macintosh HD/Library/Intego
/Macintosh HD/Library/LaunchDaemons
/Macintosh HD/Library/LaunchAgents
/Macintosh HD/Applications
/Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences
/Macintosh HD/Library/Logs
/Macintosh HD/Library/Receipts
/Macintosh HD/Library/Startupitems
/Macintosh HD/Library/WidgetsHome Folder:
~/Library/Application Support
~/Library/Preferences
They were right, there’s logs, too.
$ sudo rm -rf /Library/Logs/NetUpdate/
Review: Walt gives Intego software installation TWO thumbs down. The reasons are obvious.
Trying to video conference with Skype and getting a message saying the camera is in use by another application with no video feed sent out? Try this.
Recently I was attempting to use Skype, but it reported that “Your camera is in use by another application” and I couldn’t get any video feed, though the camera turned on.
Then I found this post which suggested removing the file
/Library/QuickTime/CamCamX5.component from the system, although I found it’s possible just to move it out of that directory.
Restarting Skype, the video conference worked perfectly.
Yahoo concurs. Here’s more on CamCamX. And here’s another thread saying to remove it.
Operating System: OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)