Linux Lite Forums
Software - Support => Tutorials => Topic started by: anon222 on August 10, 2014, 10:29:19 AM
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Installing software with synaptic package manager:
1. Open synaptic package manager
With menu (Install/Remove Software) or with this terminal command:
sudo synaptic
2. Click Reload to to download the latest package lists from the repositories.
3. Search for software in the search box.
4. Right click each software you want to install and mark them for installation.This will mark additional dependencies automatically.
5. After marking for installation, click on Apply to start downloading an installing all the marked applications.
PPA method:
1. Search for PPA's with google. Type something like "ppa for app"
For example: ppa for qmplay2, ppa for firefox
2. Open the terminal and add PPA address
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:whatever_the_address_ is
3. Update package lists from the repository.
sudo apt-get update
4. Install application with synaptic or use the terminal method.
Make sure those PPA's are trusted. For example if some sites recomend them. You don't want to install software from an untrusted source.
Also make sure to add only stable version of a PPA.
Another way to add PPA's is with GUI tool, enter:
software-properties-gtk --open-tab=1
Then click on Add and type in the PPA.
Installing applications with Terminal:
1. Open the terminal and type in
sudo apt-get update
2. Install the application, instead of 'name' type in application's package name
sudo apt-get install name
Optional: Instead of apt-get you can use aptitude (sudo aptitude install name)
If you know a certain aplication's name but you don't know the exact package name of that application so you can install it,
you can find the exact package name with apt-cache or aptitude:
apt-cache
The apt-cache command line tool is used for searching apt software package cache.
If you haven't done this allready, open your terminal and type:
sudo apt-get update
To list all the available packages, type this command:
apt-cache pkgnames
You can pipe the output of this command to less or more
apt-cache pkgnames | less
apt-cache pkgnames | more
Less allows you to scroll from within even a non-scrollable terminal, more prints a page then you press enter to bring up every line after that.
To find out the package name and it's description, use the "search" flag.
For example, you can search for gnome-mines.
apt-cache search gnome-mines
This is the output:
gnome-mines - popular minesweeper puzzle game for GNOME
gnomine - popular minesweeper puzzle game for GNOME (transitional package)
To display all packages starting with word "fire" ( you can use whatever) type:
apt-cache pkgnames fire
...
firefox
firefox-locale-zh-hant
firefox-locale-csb
firefox-locale-zu
firefox-mozsymbols
firebird2.5-super-dbg
firedns
firebird2.5-common
firehol
firefox-globalmenu
firefox-locale-ast
firebird2.5-examples
If you want to display package version number, check sums, size, installed size, category... use show:
apt-cache show firefox
To check dependencies for specific packages use showpkg.
apt-cache showpkg firefox
The stats sub command will display overall statistics about the cache.
apt-cache stats
aptitude
You can use ncurses interface (menu-like command line interface) or search through cli (command line interface).
To run aptitude with ncurses interface:
aptitude
If you don't know what you are doing don't use aptitude with NCURSES interface!
Seaching with CLI method:
This lists all avaiable packages.
aptitude search ~T | less
p -package is not installed
c -the package was deleted but its configuration files remain on the system
i -installed packages
v -virtual packages
A -package was automatically installed
This lists installed packages:
aptitude search ~i | less
This matches any package which is purely virtual: that is, its name is provided by a package or mentioned in a dependency, but no package of that name exists.
aptitude search ~v | less
This matches any installed package which can be upgraded
aptitude search ~U | less
Lists all firefox packages:
aptitude search firefox | less
This will list all packages containing word "fire":
aptitude search fire | less
This will list all installed packages containing word "fire":
aptitude search ~ifire | less
To display detailed information about package use show flag:
aptitude show firefox
Installing .deb packages:
If you downloaded .deb package from the internet there are two methods available to install software.
1. Find the .deb package double click .on it,(or type gdebi-gtk in the terminal and open the file with gdebi package manager) and click install.
2. Open the terminal,
cd path_to_the_directory_that_contains_the_.deb_file
Example: If you saved it in /home/user/Downloads type cd /home/user/Downloads
This will list all .deb files in the directory, it will help you with the next step because you will need .deb file's name.
ls *.deb
Install it with this, just change "filename" to the deb package name.
sudo dpkg -i filename.deb
Installing .run files
cd path_to_the_directory_that_contains_the_.run_file
chmod +x filename.run
./filename.run
or if it needs root permision
sudo ./filename.run
Installing .sh files
cd path_to_the_directory_that_contains_the_.sh_file
chmod +x filename.sh
./filename.sh
if it needs root permission
sudo ./filename.sh
Installing from source code
If you downloaded .tar .tar.bz tar.bz2 or even .zip archive from the internet these archives contain source code,
and you will have to compile that source code in order to install that software.
First install build-essential
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential
1. Navigate to the directory where you downloaded archive and extract the archive
cd path_to_the_archive
Use this command to extract a .tar.gz file:
tar -xzvf filename.tar.gz
Or use this command to extract a .tar.bz2 file:
tar -xjvf filename.tar.bz2
Instead of extracting the archive with the Terminal, you can open the directory with file manager and use Xarchiver or any other application to do this.
2. Enter the extracted directory, it will be the same as the archive filename.
cd filename
3. Once you’re in the extracted directory run:
./configure
If it fails, it will tell you to install the dependencies. Install them:
sudo apt-get install whatever_it_tells_you
Note that some applications may not use ./configure. Check the “README” or “INSTALL” file in the application’s extracted folder for more specific instructions.
Repeat ./configure, and if it fails again install dependencies, and so on untill ./configure completes successfully.
4. Once ./configure completes successfully, you’re ready to compile.
Compile:
make
After this command finishes, the program is successfully compiled.
5. Use this command to install it to your system:
sudo make install
6. Note: Programs you install this way won’t be automatically updated even if they contain security vulnerabilities.
it’s a good idea to stick with distribution’s official packages or the ppa.
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Hi Misko_2083,
This is a fantastic tutorial. Thank you very much for the hard work!
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Hi Misko_2083,
This is a fantastic tutorial. Thank you very much for the hard work!
Hi Scott(0),
I'm glad someone appreciates. :)
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Great overview! ;)
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Wo misko_2083!!! Your a machine :) Freakin awesome, thank you and Stickied.
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Excellent tutorial misko_2083!!!
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Nice one, that's what you call a quality post :o 8)
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Nice one, that's what you call a quality post :o 8)
Thank you light. ;D
Excellent tutorial misko_2083!!!
Thank you!!!
Wo misko_2083!!! Your a machine :) Freakin awesome, thank you and Stickied.
Thank you Valtam, "I'll be back!" 8)
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Wow!! I wish there were posts, so thorough, like this one when I was a newby.
Thanks very much misko!!
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Hello!
Definitely an awesome tutorial. It clears up a lot of questions I had concerning compiling things from source...
73 DE N4RPS
Rob
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Thanks misko_2083
You are great and to write such clarity instruction.
Thank for your effort to this tutorial.
Chris
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Been looking all over for a tutorial exactly like this. What makes your tutorial a cut above the rest is the fact that all my questions have finally been answered. Have read many and the vast majority have left me with more questions than answers or written is such a way as to cause even more confusion.
When getting stuck, this will be my number one go to. Thank you so very much. (right here all along...)
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An excellent tutorial misko, thank you for making it :)
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Thanks guys, if you have any advice on how to make it even better please let me know.
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Thanks guys, if you have any advice on how to make it even better please let me know.
;D
Like a member here mentioned to me
Here is a tip
Install checkinstall
https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=841.msg4754#msg4754
Just playing around. I am a 12 year old at heart.
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Thanks guys, if you have any advice on how to make it even better please let me know.
;D
Like a member here mentioned to me
Here is a tip
Install checkinstall
https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/index.php?topic=841.msg4754#msg4754
Just playing around. I am a 12 year old at heart.
Those are the best. ;D
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Hello!
The 'Install Additional Software' graphic script is a real gem that distinguishes LL from everything else out there. The only thing I noticed was that when installing multiple programs, it asked me for confirmation for every program I chose. I'm sure there's a way around that...
73 DE N4RPS
Rob
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The only thing I noticed was that when installing multiple programs, it asked me for confirmation for every program I chose. I'm sure there's a way around that...
This gives people a chance to cancel any one of the options incase they ticked the wrong program on the main window.
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thank you for such a wonderful tutorial
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Great tutorial, Keep it up.
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Hi Misko_2083,
first of all many thanks for putting together this very useful info.
Thanks guys, if you have any advice on how to make it even better please let me know.
You presented the options how to do installations correctly. Well, we have to live in real world. I believe it would be good to mention negative practices which exist and maybe cannot be avoided in some cases. What do I mean?
For example, I want to use linux for one of my hobbies - 3D printing. Applications do exist at linux platform (http://slic3r.org/download (http://slic3r.org/download), http://www.pronterface.com/ (http://www.pronterface.com/),...) but at their webpages it is "recommended" to use "precompiled packages" packed in tar.gz form. Surprisingly for the linux newbie (like me) the packages do not contain source code for compilation, but binary executables or Python scripts. Where to extract them? Any "installation" needed? There are just vague instructions about dependencies needed partly mixed together with instructions for compilation from github source code. How confusing for a linux beginner who has no experience with this. I guess these examples are not an exception. Some explanation would be really helpful.