Linux Format - UK (2019-12)

60 LXF257 December 2019 http://www.linuxformat.com

from the Contributor Covenant, which only helps

highlight the maturity behind the project.

The project supports many different modes of

installation, depending on user preference. In addition

to installing the binary, which we’ll discuss in a moment,

you can also install it via Homebrew and Scarf. It’s also

possible to compile it from source, but that’s a slightly

more involved process, though not cumbersome. Since

WTF is a standalone binary, the easiest method is to

download latest binary release from GitHub:

$ cd Downloads/projects

$ wget -c https://github.com/wtfutil/wtf/releases/

download/v0.22.0/wtf_0.22.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz

$ tar xf wtf_0.22.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz

$ cd wtf_0.22.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz

$ sudo cp wtfutil /usr/local/bin

$ sudo chmod u+x /usr/local/bin/wtfutil

Here, we’ve downloaded the compressed tarball,

extracted files from it, moved it to the /usr/local/bin

directory and then made the file executable. You can

now run WTF with the wtfutil command.

Irrespective of how you choose to install WTF, it’ll be

mighty helpful if you also clone the Git repository locally

with the git clone https://github.com/wtfutil/wtf.git

command. We are primarily interested in the sample

configs and the modules directory. The former has

screenshots and several sample configuration files, to

help you better gauge the possibilities of WTF. You will

also find a list of all the supported modules within the

hat does a Dodge Charger have in common

with business server distributions such as

Zentyal and ClearOS? Having recently done a

Roundup featuring the latter two (LXF256) and also

driven the former while on vacation in the USA, the

author can confidently report that they all feature a

rather interactive and impressive-looking dashboard. In

computing terms, a dashboard is a user interface that

provides an organised layout for a variety of information

for quick assimilation. With WTF, you can quickly

configure a multi-paned dashboard for your terminal.

Distributed under the Mozilla Public Licence and

written in Go, the WTF project prominently features a

list of all its many contributors on its GitHub page. It

also has a rather detailed code of conduct , adopted

A dashboard for

your terminal

Dashboards usually provide a quick rundown of information at a glance.

Shashank Sharma reveals how you can set one up for your terminal.

Shashank Sharma

is a trial lawyer in

New Delhi and avid

Arch user. He’s

always on the hunt

for geeky

memorabilia.

CONFIGURING WTF

Put simply, rows break up the height of the WTF interface into

different elements. Similarly, columns break the width of the interface

into different elements. Our tests revealed that columns that are less

than 30 characters in width are unsuitable for most types of

information modules in WTF. With that in mind, let’s create a layout

using four columns of uniform width 35, and also three rows:

grid:

columns: [35, 35, 35, 35]

rows: [10, 10, 4]

The different columns and rows are numbered from 0 starting

from the left. So, the first widget will have top and left positions set at

0. The second widget in the first row will have top set to 0 but left set
   to 1, and so on. Similarly, the third widget in the second row will have
   top set to 1, but left position set to 2.
   For each widget, you must also specify its height and width. A multi-
   column widget spans horizontally, whereas a multi-row widget spans
   vertically. In the screenshot on page 63, the position for the Delhi
   High Court widget is:
   position:
   top: 1
   left: 0
   height: 1
   width: 3

OUR

EXPERT

TUTORIALS

The author’s home city is experiencing an unpleasant haze, which

translates into a dull representation in the weather widget. California,

on the other hand, is quite sunny.

W

WTF!

60 LXF257December 2019 6660Decmbr 219a0s 1

fromtheContributorCovenant,whichonlyhelps

highlightthematuritybehindtheproject.

Theprojectsupportsmanydifferentmodesof

installation,dependingonuserpreference.Inaddition

toinstallingthebinary,whichwe’lldiscussinamoment,

youcanalsoinstallitviaHomebrewandScarf.It’salso

possibletocompileitfromsource,butthat’saslightly

moreinvolvedprocess,thoughnotcumbersome.Since

WTFisastandalonebinary,theeasiestmethodisto

downloadlatestbinaryreleasefromGitHub:

$ cdDownloads/projects

$ wget-chttps://github.com/wtfutil/wtf/releases/

download/v0.22.0/wtf_0.22.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz

$ tarxfwtf_0.22.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz

$ cdwtf_0.22.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz

$ sudocpwtfutil/usr/local/bin

$ sudochmodu+x/usr/local/bin/wtfutil

Here,we’vedownloadedthecompressedtarball,

extractedfilesfromit,movedittothe/usr/local/bin

directoryandthenmadethefileexecutable.Youcan

nowrunWTFwiththewtfutil command.

IrrespectiveofhowyouchoosetoinstallWTF,it’llbe

mightyhelpfulifyoualsoclonetheGitrepositorylocally

withthegitclonehttps://github.com/wtfutil/wtf.git

command.Weareprimarilyinterestedinthesample

configsandthemodulesdirectory.Theformerhas

screenshotsandseveralsampleconfigurationfiles,to

helpyoubettergaugethepossibilitiesofWTF.Youwill

alsofindalistofallthesupportedmoduleswithinthe

hatdoesaDodgeChargerhaveincommon

withbusinessserverdistributionssuchas

ZentyalandClearOS?Havingrecentlydonea

Roundupfeaturingthelattertwo(LXF256)andalso

driventheformerwhileonvacationintheUSA,the

authorcanconfidentlyreportthattheyallfeaturea

ratherinteractiveandimpressive-lookingdashboard.In

computingterms,adashboardisauserinterfacethat

providesanorganisedlayoutforavarietyofinformation

forquickassimilation.WithWTF,youcanquickly

configureamulti-paneddashboardforyourterminal.

DistributedundertheMozillaPublicLicenceand

writteninGo,theWTFprojectprominentlyfeaturesa

listofallitsmanycontributorsonitsGitHubpage.It

alsohasaratherdetailedcodeofconduct,adopted

A dashboard for

your terminal

Dashboardsusuallyprovideaquickrundownofinformationataglance.

Shashank Sharmarevealshowyoucansetoneupforyourterminal.

ShashankSharma

isatriallawyerin

NewDelhiandavid

Archuser.He’s

alwaysonthehunt

forgeeky

memorabilia.

CONFIGURINGWTF

Putsimply,rowsbreakuptheheightoftheWTFinterfaceinto

differentelements.Similarly,columnsbreakthewidthoftheinterface

intodifferentelements.Ourtestsrevealedthatcolumnsthatareless

than 30 charactersinwidthareunsuitableformosttypesof

informationmodulesinWTF.Withthatinmind,let’screatealayout

usingfourcolumnsofuniformwidth35,andalsothreerows:

grid:

columns:[35,35,35,35]

rows:[10,10,4]

Thedifferentcolumnsandrowsarenumberedfrom 0 starting

fromtheleft.So,thefirstwidgetwillhavetopandleftpositionssetat

0.Thesecondwidgetinthefirstrowwillhavetopsetto 0 butleftset

to1,andsoon.Similarly,thethirdwidgetinthesecondrowwillhave

topsetto1,butleftpositionsetto2.

Foreachwidget,youmustalsospecifyitsheightandwidth.Amulti-

columnwidgetspanshorizontally,whereasamulti-rowwidgetspans

vertically.Inthescreenshotonpage63,thepositionfortheDelhi

HighCourtwidgetis:

position:

top: 1

left: 0

height: 1

width: 3

OUR

EXPERT

TUTORIALS

The author’s home city is experiencing an unpleasant haze, which

translates into a dull representation in the weather widget. California,

on the other hand, is quite sunny.

W

WTF!