Half a Page of Scribbled Linux

The DVD burner on Boon has been producing discs with errors on them. I’ve got lots of photos to transfer off the computer, but don’t trust Boon’s burner. Here’s how to get the photos on a DVD burned from another computer, in this case Mothball.

• Create a directory to-dvd separate from where the photos are stored.
• Move directories from the Photos directory to to-dvd. Keep adding until the size is almost 4.4 GB. Use du -hs to-dvd to check the size.
• Make a cover for the DVD slim case using cdlabelgen:
  • Select a photo for the DVD cover.  Convert it to EPS with this ImageMagick command:  convert img_1234.jpg cover.eps. Note the photo will be scaled to an aspect ratio of 1:1, so you might want to crop it first.
  • Make a list of the contents of of the disc.  It’s a text file called items.txt with each line looking like this:

  {#M}2009 Aug. 29  Summer Vacation

  • Make a postscript image of the cover with this command:

  cdlabelgen --category "My Photos" --subcategory "Feb. - Aug. 2009" --cover-image cover.eps --cover-image-scaleratio 0 --slim-case --no-date --items-from-file items.txt --output-file photos-label.ps

  • Check the label with GhostScript: gs photos-label.ps, then print it (this is for 3 copies): lp -d HP8450 -o sides=one-sided -n 3 photos-label.ps
  • Put the label file in the to-dvd directory so if you want to copy the disc later, you’ll have the label too.
• Start k3b and select New Data DVD Project.
• Drag the contents of to-dvd to the file list on the lower right of the k3b window.
• Choose “Project/Burn” from the menu.
  • Under the Writing tab, select “only create image”.
  • Check the file name on the Image tab to make sure its where you want it. K3b also tells you if there’s enough space for your ISO.
  • On the Filesystem tab, make sure File System is set to “Linux/Unix + Windows”.
  • On the Multisession tab, select “No multisession”. (Does this matter with an ISO?)
• Press Start to create the ISO.
• sftp the ISO from Boon to Mothball:
  sftp mothball
  ftp>put Photos.iso [this takes about 15 minutes on my 100 Mbit/sec LAN.]
  ftp>exit

Of course, if you don’t have an ailing DVD burner, you can just burn the disc from k3b and be done with it.  In that case, don’t check “only create image” before you burn the disc and you’re done.

On Mothball:

• Start k3b
• Choose “Tools/Burn DVD ISO Image…” from the menu
• Choose your ISO file
• Under settings, you might want to enable “verify written data”

Or you can burn the ISO from the command line: growisofs -Z /dev/dvdrw=photos.iso
Remember to make a few copies and give them to the people in your photos and your family. The best back-up solution is one that stores your data in geographically disparate locations.

• Run Kino <.dv file>
• On the export tab:
  • Enter a file name
  • File Format: 8- DVD
  • Deinterlace: None
  • Leave Aspect ratio on Autodetect
• Press Export
• Create the DVD with DVD Styler and burn an ISO
• Burn the DVD with K3B (menu Tools/Burn DVD ISO Image)