files with ".do" extensions

[Preston Hagar]

On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:57 AM, Nathan Bahn <nathan.bahn at gmail.com> wrote:
> C.L.--
> Someone mentioned using the Adobe Reader.
> Unfortunately for me, however, the Synaptic Package Manager doesn't have it.
>  So I (after expending much in the way of blood, sweat and tears) eventually
> learned how to use the CLI to run the bin file -- and in the process
> discovered just why Linux seems condemned to occupy only 1% of the OS
> market; namely, that the CLI is an EXTREMELY unforgiving tool that also
> forces the user to brush up on his/her typing skills BIG TIME.  I
> practically developed a case of carpal tunnel syndrome just from all of the
> typing that I did!
>
> So -- after enduring all of the agonies that are unique to the CLI -- I was
> able to determine that the Adobe Reader does, in fact, print the graphics of
> a ".do" extension file adequately.  AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING
> TO DO WITH THE CLI EVER AGAIN! (I'd pontificate more on the evils of the
> CLI, but my wrists are too sore.)
> --N.B.
> --

I do have Dish Network and read/look at my bills using Firefox in
Linux, but I tried it in Chrome just so we could be on the same page.
The .do you are seeing is not "really" the file extension.  It is the
extension of the javascript page Dish Network has to "serve up" the
PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file that has your monthly statement in it.
Although it is tedious they don't always send it with the proper
extension, I can say from experience that getting multiple different
browsers to all give the user the same desired file name of a file you
are "pushing" as a download can be complicated. This is one of those
situations where it probably works fine with IE with Adobe Acrobat
installed, so they didn't bother to program further.   I saw that you
more or less got it working, but I will make a few notes that might
help in the future, or might clear things up.

1.  There are other decent PDF readers in Ubuntu other and Adobe
Acrobat Reader.  I saved my latest bill (as currentBillStatement.do)
and it opened in evince, epdfview, and xpdf with no issues (it would
probably open in other pdf readers, that is all I had installed on my
machine).

2. To be able to install Adobe Acrobat Reader in Synaptic (without
having to use the CLI), open up Synaptic, go to Settings->
Repositories, click "Other Software" and check the two entries with
"partner" at the end.  If you don't see any with partner at the end,
click Add and enter this line (replace lucid with your version of
Ubuntu if you are on something else):

deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner

Click the Reload button and you should be able to search for acroread,
which will install Adobe Acrobat Reader

Here is a how-to:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AcrobatHowTo

I use Adobe Acrobat reader most of the time, since even though it is
bloated, it just works.  On Dish's website, it actually pops up in
firefox and loads the bill in the browser.  I think though that with
Chrome (or at least the way it seems to me) you have to download the
file and then open it.

3.  As one last side note, a major help when doing CLI stuff that a
lot of people that don't use it often don't know about is tab
completion.   Typically (and there are some instances where this
doesn't work) you can just type the first little bit of a command or
file name and press the TAB key.  If there is only one match from what
you have typed so far, it will auto-complete it for you.  If it
doesn't auto complete, you can press the TAB key twice in a row and it
will show you all the possible matches.  You can then type a little
more to make it unique and hit TAB to auto complete.  This cuts down
greatly on both the amount you have to type and typo's/errors.


Anyway, glad you got it working.  Hope some of this info helps you or
someone else facing the same situation.

Preston