Q: I have generated a set of icons for my site for various platforms/devices using realfavicongenerator.net. After incorporating them into my site, I have noticed that on iOS (Safari) and Android (Chrome), when adding a shortcut to my site on the desktop, my site is being treated like a web app. Chrome on Android shows "install app" instead of "add shortcut", and on both iOS and Android devices, clicking on the shortcut launches my site in web app mode, i.e., without the browser's navigation elements. How do I get my site to behave like a standard site, not a web app, again?
A:realfavicongenerator.net generates a file called site.webmanifest. It should be in the same folder as all your different generated favicons, likely in the root folder of your site. The content of the file will look similar to this:
If you change "standalone" to "browser", that should do it. Don't forget to clean your mobile browser's cache before you test it, as browsers tend to cache the manifest file.
Q: I'm looking for a piece of software on Linux that can help me generate QR codes. Ideally, something that can be easily installed on Linux Mint.
A: You can try qrencode. It's a command-line tool that can be installed either from the Terminal using sudo apt-get install qrencode or from the Software Manager (just type 'qrencode' in the search bar). Once installed, it can be launched from the Terminal like this: qrencode -o 'YourOutputFileName.png' 'Your text or URL here'. For example, if I wanted a QR code for my https://fmr.life site, I'd type qrencode -o fmrlifeqr.png 'https://fmr.life'. The output file fmrlifeqr.png would be saved in the Home folder.
Q: When trying to add a website shortcut to the home screen on Chrome for Android, Chrome sometimes replaces the 'Add to Home Screen' option with 'Install App'. I don't want to install it as an app but would rather add a standard shortcut instead, if possible. Is it possible, though?
Q: On my Android device, I would like to exclude some folders with image/video files from being displayed by apps that have access to the gallery. Can I do that?
A: You can. Using the file manager of your choice (I use Cx File Explorer, but you can use any one you prefer), go to the folder that contains the media files you don't want to be displayed by apps with access to the gallery. In that folder, create a blank file named .nomedia. That's it. That should do the trick.
Q: I heard they have Poundland in Poland too. Is that true?
A: Well, yes and no. Yes for the same vibe, no for the same name. It's not called Poundland in Poland, and it's not called Zlotyland (tee-hee) either. The one they have there is called Dealz, run by Pepco Group—the same Pepco Group that manages Poundland here in Blighty. Doesn’t their logo look somewhat familiar?
Q: How do I create a shortcut to a folder on my Linux Mint (Cinnamon) Desktop?
A: Open the Nemo file manager (Files), navigate to the Edit menu, then Preferences,then Context Menus. In the left column (Visible Entries), locate Make Link and tick that box. Now, right-click on the folder you want to create a shortcut for. You'll find the Make Link option in the menu. Click it, and a shortcut to that folder will be created. You can then copy or drag it onto the Desktop or any other location of your choice.
Q: My Linux setup runs on XFCE but there's no keyboard layout indicator on the panel. I have multliple language layouts installed and the swapping between the languages with a key combination works, it's just there's no indicator. What do I do?
A: Install xfce4-xkb-plugin then add it to the panel. Right-clicking on the panel then 'Add New Items' then 'Keyboard Layouts' should do the trick.