[SOLVED] Installing from repositories

Mitt Green · 02-10-2016, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_crunch

I'm sorry, I'm trying my best to learn. This is a forum for helping new users, not for criticizing them surely?

But I still can't get my head around this repository stuff guys. No one has took the time to give me a proper explanation, instead just swatting me with "use the repos".

If I'm correct, can you just use the command

Code:

sudo apt-get install <thing>

will this install stuff straight from these repository things? I have 'googled' this, I know they're archives of online software programs, I know there's 4 of them... but I'm not exactly sure how to use them.

A short guide (I prefer using plain apt instead of apt-get, apt-cache etc.):

Prior to all you have to update information about packages in repositories:

Code:

apt update

First you want to search for packages; their names can differ from the names of source packages. Repositories contain precompiled binaries, which means that you don't have to search the world wide web for sources. So, to search:

Code:

apt search <package>

An example output:

Code:

$ apt search file-roller
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
file-roller/unstable 3.16.4-1 amd64
  archive manager for GNOME

Second, to install:

Code:

apt install <package>

Consult with apt search to type a proper name of a package.

Third, to remove a package:

Code:

apt remove <package>

or to remove completely, including configuration files:

Code:

apt purge <package>

When removing something, consult with dependencies - packages that will be removed as well because this particular package is needed for them to run. An example:

Code:

$ sudo apt purge 0ad
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  0ad-data-common fonts-texgyre libboost-filesystem1.58.0
  libboost-system1.58.0 libgloox13v5 libnvtt2 libsdl2-2.0-0 libsndio6.0
  libwxbase3.0-0v5 libwxgtk3.0-0v5
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  0ad* 0ad-data*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 7 not upgraded.
After this operation, 1,535 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

chris_crunch · 02-10-2016, 03:11 AM

Finally, someone who has taken the time to explain things clearly.

Thank you Mitt! This makes a lot more sense than what I've previously heard. I'm assuming that you could download other package managers like Synaptic to do a similar job, but using apt, which is the standard package manager for Debian, is also basically the same thing, it's just a matter of user preference?

And I just have one more question:

Code:

 libcuda1-346-updates/trusty-updates,trusty-security 352.63-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 amd64
  Transitional package for libcuda1-352-updates

I guess that trusty-updates is a particular type of mirror repository? Why is my system using this instead of either Universe etc.?

NGIB · 02-10-2016, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_crunch

Finally, someone who has taken the time to explain things clearly.

Ok, I'm done with you. You do realize that we all expect you to actually put in some effort to read and understand on your own? I spoon feed my one year old grandson and that's my linit...

Mitt Green · 02-10-2016, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_crunch

Finally, someone who has taken the time to explain things clearly.

Thank you Mitt! This makes a lot more sense than what I've previously heard. I'm assuming that you could download other package managers like Synaptic to do a similar job, but using apt, which is the standard package manager for Debian, is also basically the same thing, it's just a matter of user preference?

And I just have one more question:

Code:

 libcuda1-346-updates/trusty-updates,trusty-security 352.63-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 amd64
  Transitional package for libcuda1-352-updates

I guess that trusty-updates is a particular type of mirror repository? Why is my system using this instead of either Universe etc.?

dpkg is actually default in both Ubuntu and Debian but it doesn't deal with repositories, and is only used to deal with local packages (for all features type man dpkg). APT is kind of a front-end for dpkg with some additional functions, like online repositories.

The file /etc/apt/sources.list contains information on repositories that APT uses. Please, post output using

Code:

cat /etc/apt/sources.list

Ubuntu divides software into four main sub-repositories:

Main - contains only supported by Ubuntu free software;
Universe - contains unsupported but free software;
Restricted - contains supported non-free software;
Multiverse - contains unsupported non-free software.

Updates contain newer versions of packages, provided by these four.

So, print the output, we'll see what you have.

By the way, man pages are a great source of information about a programme. The descriptions there are highly technical and informative. It's a good habit to read them fully, though it surely requires some time.

Mitt Green · 02-10-2016, 03:36 AM

Just my two cents.

Using command-line tools is by far the best way to get used to a command-line interface. They have advantages:

they are simple
they are fast
they will help you if your graphical user interface is broken
it's a traditional Unix way
they will help you understand your computer better

chris_crunch · 02-10-2016, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitt Green

So, print the output, we'll see what you have.

Thanks Mitt. This stuff is pretty overwhelming to get your head round at first, your help is definitely speeding up my learning curve! Okay,

Code:

chris@chris-crunch:/etc/apt$ cat sources.list
#deb cdrom:[Xubuntu 14.04 LTS _Trusty Tahr_ - Release amd64 (20140416.2)]/ trusty main multiverse restricted universe

# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty universe
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty universe
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates universe
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to 
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in 
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty multiverse
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates multiverse

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main
deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main

Mitt Green · 02-10-2016, 10:13 AM

Put where lacking universe, multiverse, etc., so it will look like this:

Code:

deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main universe restricted multiverse

Tinkster · 02-10-2016, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NGIB

Ok, I'm done with you. You do realize that we all expect you to actually put in some effort to read and understand on your own? I spoon feed my one year old grandson and that's my linit...

Ummm ... instead of being rude and stating that you're done with him, why don't you save your breath
and my time and simply remain quiet?

Thanks,
Tink