Custom scripts to make (my) life easier

How to install?

Include the following in your .bashrc or .profile files by adding:

source $HOME/path_to/backup.sh
source $HOME/path_to/nvidia.sh
source $HOME/path_to/wifi.sh
source $HOME/path_to/smt.sh
source $HOME/path_to/man.sh

NOTE: Only tested in (Arch) GNU/Linux.

---

Description

• backup.sh: Copies files and folders of interest to a specified location by a .conf file. This configuration file looks like:

    /home/user/directory_A
    /home/user/directory_B
    /home/user/directory_C
    /home/user/file_A.sh
    /home/user/file_B.rs
    /home/user/file_C.so

There can be different profiles, each with its own .conf and destination. By default, I added HOME and WORK. Simple. But you can add as many as you like. To backup the data, type backup home or backup work in a terminal.

• nvidia.sh: Enables or disables discrete NVIDIA (OPTIMUS) GPU. Useful to extend battery life in beefy laptops when this GPU is not needed. Type nvidia on or nvidia off. NOTE: will ask for administrator (root) password to change status of /proc/acpi/bbswitch.

• wifi.sh: Enables or disables wireless interface (handy in non-distracting environments such as sway, herbstluftwm, i3, etc.). Type wifi on or wifi off in a terminal.

• smt.sh: Enables or disables simultaneous multithreading (a.k.a. hyperthreading). Why would you…? If you crush numbers heavily (model data fitting, solving ODEs, etc) hyperthreading reduces the computer’s performance by a factor of 2 (the program takes twice as long to complete). This is bad. However, it does improve performance in other tasks (i.e. compiling kernel takes half the time with hyperthreading). This is good. Type hyperthreading on or hyperthreading off before running your software. NOTE: will ask for administrator (root) password to change status of /sys/devices/system/cpu/smt/control.

• man.sh: Changes the default colours of the system reference manuals (man). Why not.

---