(Solved outside LMF)Where is the installed utility?

[Alvin]

When a utility is installed by the synaptic package manager, let's say to control the monitor's brightness, where is it to be found? I just installed "brightnessctl" but I cannot find it in my applications or accessories or any other place?

[Moem]

That looks like an application without a GUI, that has to be used inside a terminal. Those kind of applications do not appear in the menu.
If you are on Cinnamon, there are several applets that you could use to control your monitor's brightness.

[Flemur]

When a utility is installed by the synaptic package manager, let's say to control the monitor's brightness, where is it to be found? I just installed "brightnessctl" but I cannot find it in my applications or accessories or any other place?

Try this - it'll tell where an executable is installed, and it's name, which might be different than the package name, but won't tell about the menu:

Code: Select all

dpkg-query -L brightnessctl | grep bin 

Not that you really need to know where the executable is installed as long as it's in your $PATH, but you can check the name.
Edit: and other packages install multiple executables, e.g. alsa-utils which has 20.

[Alvin]

Moem: Would you kindly tell me how to find the several dimming programs you referred to in Mint Cinnamon? I have searched but not found.

[Alvin]

Flemur : I see a note asking me to mark something "Solved". It seems to refer to a backing up problem I had. Is that on the software forum? Is it recent?

[Alvin]

Flemur: Your message states:

"Not that you really need to know where the executable is installed as long as it's in your $PATH, but you can check the name.
Edit: and other packages install multiple executables, e.g. alsa-utils which has 20."

I have no idea what all that means. I would like an app I can start from my desktop or from the bottom panel for adjusting the brightness of my monitor.

If you would, please use the common English language rather than technical in replying to me. I do not understand $PATH, executable, alsa-utils "Edit: and other packages install multiple executables, e.g. alsa-utils which has 20." or similar expressions.

The reason I visit the forum is because I do not know or wish to embark on a journey to learn them.

[RIH]

There is a cinnamon spice available here..
https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/applets/view/286
You download the .zip file (probably to the Downloads Folder).
Right mouse click on the file & select Open with Archive Manager.
Select Extract & Left mouse click on Home Folder in the window that appears, then .local Folder "*", then share Folder, then cinnamon Folder &, lastly, the applets Folder. Click OK to extract the file there.

Next, right mouse click in an empty space in the right hand panel & select Applets from the Menu.
The Brightness and Gamma applet should appear in the list. Select the tick box next to the applet to make it appear in the panel.

You can now select to alter brightness through the new icon.

applet.png (15.2 KiB) Viewed 841 times

Note:
The applet does have a warning that in certain cases it can cause Cinnamon to crash & that if that does happen, to remove it.
That did not occur in my installation..

"*" I believe that you will need to have right mouse clicked in Nemo (the File Manager) & ticked the "Show Hidden Files" box for the .local Folder to appear..

[Alvin]

I found a program online called "Desktop dimmer" . Below is a link to it:'

https://github.com/sidneys/desktop-dimmer/releases

You choose the download suitable for your system. I guessed mine to be the one that contains deb and 64. I did not need any additional computer linguistics or jargon.

What use is a computer to non-techs, if they have to become techies to use it, I wonder!

Thanks to all: those who tried to help and those whose help I could not utilize.

[Moem]

Moem: Would you kindly tell me how to find the several dimming programs you referred to in Mint Cinnamon? I have searched but not found.

Applets are not really programs. They are tiny utilities that live on the panel.
Applets in Cinnamon are found in the Applets window (you can open it from the menu, it's under Preferences). The window has two tabs, one to download and one to manage; note that to add an applet to the panel, you will need to find it on the Manage tab (and if it's not already there, use the Download tab to download and install it), select it by clicking on it, and then click the + sign at the bottom of the window.

You are already using several applets. The main menu, for example, is an applet. And so is the clock in the corner.

[Alvin]

Moem: I found no dimming applet among the applets available to me on Linux Mint 19.1. I consider that a severe omission. To be able to control the screen's brightness is essential to comfortable use of a computer.

As I have already posted, when I marked this as "Solved", I found a dimming program by searching the internet. It was found with others for other systems than mine. Some thoughtful person made them available without charge. That filled the omission of Linux.

[RIH]

As i said before..
There IS such an applet available for the Cinnamon desktop.
You just need to look in Cinnamon Spices, under applets.
https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/applets/popular

They are simple to install & come with instructions..
https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/applets/view/286

[Moem]

Moem: I found no dimming applet among the applets available to me on Linux Mint 19.1. I consider that a severe omission. To be able to control the screen's brightness is essential to comfortable use of a computer.

Well, I only need to click the brightness keys on my keyboard. If you don't have those, that is a severe omission. But not on the part of Linux.

Anyway, I strongly suspect you overlooked an applet or two, possibly because you were looking for the word 'dimming' or checking only the Manage tab, but what do I know. I was only trying to help. You seem very eager to jump to the conclusion that 'Linux' is at fault here and I'll just leave you to it. I'm glad that you solved your problem in a different way.

[Alvin]

Moem: Curious, if there is an applet offered in the Linux Mint 19.1 system that provides for "dimming" the monitor screen or controlling its brightness, that you have sent me several replies but not one of them offers the name of the applet! You criticize me as, essentially, seeking to find fault with Linux, but you do not avoid such faulting by the very simple means of naming the applet and describing where to find it within the Linux Mint 19.1 cinnamon system. I think that if your goal is to be helpful in a forum that is supposed to be a help forum for beginners, that you would have done so at the outset. Here we are many messages later, and you still have not done so.

[Moem]

Moem: Curious, if there is an applet offered in the Linux Mint 19.1 system that provides for "dimming" the monitor screen or controlling its brightness, that you have sent me several replies but not one of them offers the name of the applet!

The reason for that is very simple: I'm on 20.3 and cannot be absolutely sure that the applets and their names are the same in 19.1. And so I don't want to lead you astray.
I have however told you where to look: in the Applets setting window. That is the easiest way to find, install and add an applet. Much easier than the instructions on https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/applets

If you are curious and want to compare: for Mint 20.x there are 'Brightness and Gamma applet', 'DDC/CI Monitor Brightness' and 'DDC/CI Multi-Monitor' as well as 'QRedshift'. All of these can be found on the Download tab of the Applets setting window.