Dotfiles and build

My dotfiles for configuring my Arch-based operating system and the programmes I use to streamline research and publication (to journals, website, and personal and collaborative notes).

The dotfiles configure my desktop environment, terminal theme, shortkeys, keyboard language settings (Latin accents, Russian, Greek, Chinese), LaTeX write up workflow, with streamlined Inkscape figure drawing, Zotero bibliography plugins, and many other useful settings.

Table of Contents

• Dotfiles and build
• Table of Contents
  • What's in here?
  • Instructions
    • Installing Arch Linux
    • Cloning the repository
    • Install my programmes
      • Vim plugins
    • Keyboard
    • Firefox plugins
      • Zotero
      • Other plugins I recommend
    • Wallpaper
  • Troubleshooting
    • Installing Arch
      • First solution
      • Second solution
  • Thank you
    • Testers

What's in here?

• Alacritty is a terminal emulator
• Autokey with my dotfiles transforms hjkl to arrow keys, or shift arrow keys when ctrl is held simultaneously
• Caffeine to prevent sleep during full screen
• Fcitx language input
• Flameshot screen grab
• i3 and i3 polybar (personal configuration)
• Inkscape for LaTeX figures
• Inkscape-LaTeX integration by Gilles Catel ✝2022
• Luavim built up from a foundation of dotfiles by Elijan J. Mastnak
• Emojis! 🦄🌈🍭 Activate by pressing <mod+y>

Instructions

The most straightforward manner to implement my configuration --if you're not already on Arch --is to install Manjaro i3. Once that is up and running, then clone my dotfiles to your home directory.

Installing Arch Linux

Install Arch using the Manjaro i3 distribution, following the instructions therein. See troubleshooting should you encounter any problems.

Cloning the repository

Start your terminal --on i3, the shortcut is <mod+CR> i.e. your mod key (usually left windows key) + enter, simultaneously.

Next, enter these commands in order, pressing enter at the end of every line:

yay -S git
y
cd
git init
rm .bash_profile .Xresources .bashrc .config/i3/config
git remote add origin https://github.com/henrysheehy/dotfiles.git
git pull origin master

1. The first command installs git, a version control system i.e. for systematically sharing work; the second command confirms installation.
2. cd navigates to your home directory, wherein we want to install our dot files.
3. Initialise the git repository.
4. Remove conflicting files
5. Add my repository URL
6. Pull the branch i.e. download the files

Install my programmes

1. Update the local Arch Linux User Repository (AUR) with yay -Syu. This will also update your programmes and kernel.
2. Run sh .script/INSTALL.sh to install my programmes from the AUR and Python Package Index

Vim plugins

In order to install the plugins when using Vim for the first time, begin by enetering the following into your terminal

sh -c 'curl -fLo "${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}"/nvim/site/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs \
       https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim'

Next, open Vim by entering nvim $HOME/.config/nvim/init.lua. Inside the Vim instance, type :PlugInstall and enter.

Further information can be found in E. J. Mastnak's guide.

Keyboard

In order to use my keyboard (English, Greek, Chinese (Pinyin), Russian (phonetic), please execute sh .script/keyboard.sh for the first time, and if the .config/.keyboard configuration file is modified.

To use the languages

• Hold left-alt for Greek via XKB.
• Press right-windows key for Russian via XKB.
• Ctrl+spacebar for Chinese via Fcitx.

Firefox plugins

Zotero

1. Install the Zotero connector
2. Install Better BibTex
3. Configure shortcut for adding Zotero citation:Open about:addons in a Firefox tab 3.1. Press the wheel 3.2. Zotero Connector: Ctrl+Shift+F

Open Zotero using i3 with <mod+z>. You can now add citations from Firfox to the currently open Zotero folder.

Other plugins I recommend

• Vimium
• A password manager
• Darkreader

Wallpaper

Simply make a wallpaper folder mkdir Wallpaper in the home directory (cd, if you're not there already). Add your favourite pictures 😃 To randomly cycle wallpaper, restart i3 with mod+R.

Troubleshooting

Installing Arch

First solution

If you have difficulties installing Manjaro i3, attempt to install without connecting to the internet (to avoid unintentional kernel updates). Once you're up and running, install the stable arch kernel. This kernel was written for those experiencing kernel panics on the usual install. Install using

yay -S linux-lts

Importantly, don't run yay -Syu before installing this kernel! We don't want to update the repository or kernel before installing the stable kernel.

Second solution

If that fails, an alternative distribution which has succeeded for others (thanks Cris!) is Endeavour OS. As with Manjaro, install offline, and once running, install linux-lts.

Thank you

Thank you for using this repository. If it is helpful to you, kindly give it a star.

Testers

Thank you to Cris for testing this installation and helping to make it more stable for future users (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)

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My dotfiles for configuring Arch Linux
Copyright (C) 2023 Henry Joseph Sheehy
GNU 2.0 LICENSE