Overview and howtos on packages
Hello Guys,
I am a newbie to Mepis. I have just downloaded the 3 extra CD for SimplyMEPIS 3.4-3 in the hope that I would find among them my very favorite applications.
I have just very briefly scanned trough the apt-get application far to brief to learn anything. before I continue in this path I would like to read an overview on how packages can be installed, repaired and removed in Mepis. How to install applications on the Extra CD's. How mepis handles the same on packages not available in the 'standard' mepis environment.
My favorite packages listed by priorities:
package CD1 CD2 CD3
Opera No No No
Abiword No Yes No
Krusader No No No
Gnumeric No Yes No
So, this CD's don't include Opera and Krusader. When I work with multiple distros it's convenient to use the same basic applications on all of them.
Opera is my favorite because it's very fast, include mail client, RSS, news and have a nice Spam filtering. I use it in XP, Mandriva and hopefully in MEPIS.
Krusader er a very powerful and fast Linux KDE file manager.
Where can I find this to applications for use in Mepis but mainly where I can find overview and howtos.
Opera: Go to
Opera:
Go to http://www.opera.com/download/?platform=linux&oldbrowser=1
Click on 'Other/Static DEB'
(*) Static QT Package
Download from your chosen mirror site.
Install with dpgk or KPackage.
Home of the Point-N-Click Help Files ~ How To Ask Questions the Smart Way
extra CD's
Thanks for reply and advice EnigmaOne,
An add one please. The mepis manual describes how to add the extra CD to App-get application. I see no reason to burn these CD's, is there a way to add these CD iso to app-get without burning???
I will appreciate your reply
Arne
sure
you can mount the iso on a loopback interface
mkdir /mnt/cdpretend
mount -o /place/where/i/put/the/iso /mnt/cdpretend
this is a useful trick for many things including persuading machines running a foreign OS that you have a local copy of the CD when it is really a hard drive image of the Cd
Doc beat me to it!
Doc beat me to it! LOL
{Side-Note to drlizau (because I don't have her eMail addy):
If you get a chance, would you drop by my site, and give me your reactions/opinions/whatever?
(I'm switching to a new look-n-feel and format that should be easier on the eyes and load times.)
}
Home of the Point-N-Click Help Files ~ How To Ask Questions the Smart Way
fstab
Thanks for reply drlizau,
I believe an fstab entry is needed,
When I run ???mount -o /home/arne/ISO /mnt/cdpretend??? I get:
mount: can't find /mnt/cdpretend in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
I have never used this '-o' before and I think a special entry is needed in 'fstab' or is it '/mtab'
Arne
Create The Directory
arne, if you need to mount a partition to a directory, you must first make sure the directory exists to become the "mount point".
As user root simply perform the command "mkdir /mnt/cdpretend" or whatever name you choose. If you need to create a /sub/sub/subdirectory then you can issue "mkdir -p /sub/sub/subdirectory" the "-p" causes mkdir to "create needed parents" if they don't exist. So if "/sub" didn't exist then "/sub" would be created, then "/sub/sub" then finally "/sub/sub/subdirectory" without you getting an error message.
If you like what you've created and want it to be permanent, then put it in /etc/fstab not mtab (that file is a list of what's currently mounted; it is recreated each boot).
Jon
Yes the directory /mnt/cdpretend exist
But it show up empty. Why is that. What would be the correct entry in Fstab, please.
Arne
Empty Directory
The directory /mnt/cdpretend will be empty until a partition is mounted to it. Did you create it as user root? Also, what is the actual name of the ISO file that you are trying to mount? Are you sure that it is complete? Do an md5sum on it to ensure you have the whole thing.
Jon
Summary of what I did
Thanks for reply, Jon,
I did the following:
# mkdir /mnt/cdpretend
# mount -o /home/arne/ISO /mnt/cdpretend
and get: ???mount: can't find /mnt/cdpretend in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab???
Last question:
I downloaded the 3 extra CD for 3.4.3 from Mepis subscription site.
I was surprised I could not find any 'md5sum' for these downloads on the website. Even if I do an md5sum on the downloaded files I have nothing to compare it with.
I downloaded them originally to the desktop and copied them to /home/arne/ISO in terminal.
Arne
Try This
Arne, it may be because the "-o" (option) is trying to find what options you want to use. Try this instead:
The "-t" tells the mount command the type of file system you are using. BTW is the name of your file simply "ISO"? What is the full name of the file; that could be part of the problem too
I can't answer the question on the extras CD 'cause I haven't used them
Jon
No luck
Guys,
I was able to get the 3 extra CD files into 'apt-get', and to repeat myself, I did it to be able to install my favorite application;
Opera installed and working after download outside apt-get environment. Opera have no dependencies.
Abiword (from one of the extra CD) was the next one. apt-get list a huge list of dependencies which is understandable. Since apt-get apparently cannot install dependencies automatically. I found all dependencies in the extra CD's. So ok, now the problem is solved and only remain installation. .........
NO...NO.... because in the end apt-get flatly tells me: abiword vill not be installed. Please note that abiword and all the dependency files was on the extra CD's
Krusader was next. This was not on the 3 cd's so i went to the external downloade site and downloaded 3 version 1.5, 1.6, 1.7. 1.6 is stable for Debian. I tried install and the same huge list of dependencies pop up. Then numerous warnings even that the whole system could be corrupted if I installed. That scares a newbie and in my case I lost my appetite for install.
I may very well do it wrongly but my experience tells me that if not impossible it's very difficult to download new application with dependencies in MEPIS.
It may also be that I am spoiled by the wastly superior mandriva procedure for updates and installing new software using "urpmi". As an example download and install Krusader with all the neccesary dependencies is done by this simple cli command "urpmi krusader".
Some of the warnings shown must be due to unstable debian mirrors and the transitions to ubuntu. Then I can only welcome a speedy transition to ubuntu, because as of now I cannot use MEPIS.
Arne
Quote:It may also be that I
Mandrake's system is far harder than the Debian system.
I do recall that to configure urpmi I had to go to an external site and get a config file made to use.
It is also basically an attempt to copy the Debian system, far older and more mature.
To download a package in a debian system
you
(1) enable repositories
(2) apt-get update
(3) apt-get install foo.
since you got completely lost with the 'enabling CDs' you thought it was hard.
If you have a fast internet connection, we wouldn't recommend the cds at all because they date so quickly.
AbiWord
Arni, I have a friend who also likes AbiWord and has a dial-up line. Unfortunately, installation of this is a bear. I have not looked at AbiWord for a while so I have to guess that the reason for all of the problems is that there are so many dependencies of libraries in AbiWord. It seems to want to REMOVE lots of KDE stuff (if you have an older version of KDE installed) and INSTALL a lot of GNOME-related packages. The end result is: lots of download time on the phone.
As perspective on this problem, my friend has also downloaded the packages directly from the abiword site and has had similar problems.
Again, unfortunately I don't really know what the problem (or solution) is
Jon
Sorry, I don't agree with you
Thanks for comments, drlizau,
You didn't mentioned all the warnings this forum is full of "to be extremely careful when using apt-get since the debian mirrors can not be trusted". Even from the one who made MEPIS.
Your experience with urpmi is to old I am afraid, no need to go to external source.
For me it's not that important who copy who. The important thing is if it works or not. Apt-get does not work as it should do.
Yes I got lost on enabling the iso's. I was grateful for your advice but I believe it was not complete. Any way I solved it and added it to apt-get OK. My last reply was what happened after that.
I have a fast broadband connection but choose to download the 3 CD to avoid the warnings on this forum.
Arne
great confirmation
Thanks for reply, Jon,
I appreciate that you told me your friends experience, which confirm that my problem with Abiword is not due to error I made. I have to accept that abiword and krusader cannot be installed on MEPIS 3.4.3
Since abiword and the depenencies was on the 3 CD I wonder why it was included on the CD when it doesn't work.
At the moment I testing MEPIS 6 to get info on whats new and changed. For that reason MEPIS 3.4.3 is out.
Thanks
Arne
Disagree
obviously we will agree to disagree
there are old warnings about apt-get
and sage advice from Jon to simulate apt-get and check what the possibilities are
apt-get -s install foo
Stimulating Simulation
Arne, sorry you're having problems getting abiword installed. I know there are lots of people who like the abiword tools and I always like to have choices (especially when they're free). I just did a test installation on one of my boxes. Disclaimer: The system that I loaded is running Mepis 3.3.1-1, not 3.4-3 or 6.x. And it's not using the latest version of KDE.
Results below are from performing "simulated" (-s) installation:
So I'm only showing one package to be removed. I don't currently have my 3.4-3 version, that is on my laptop, running. I'll check it later today. But the only guess I have as to why I only have one file to remove is because I also have GNOME previously installed on that box. If I recall from a test a number of weeks ago, I think AbiWord uses some (many?) of the GNOME libraries. But I'm not sure you want to load GNOME just so you can use AbiWord. "Yeah, we have this hearing aid that will fit inside your ear. Of course, the battery's the size of an automobile"
Jon
Interesting
Jon, I think you are right about the lack of GNOME trigger all this dependencies. Obviously the right thing to do is install GNOME first and then maybe abiword can be installed more easily.
In Mandriva I always install with both KDE and GNOME option. When I installed MEPIS 3.4.3 I was looking for this option but didn't see it. I suppose GNOME can be installed after complete MEPIS installation.
I will appreciate to hear how get one if you do it on your notebook.
Thanks for your effort so far.
Arne
download size 12.9MB
checking on a machine with no gnome libraries
root@1[peter]# apt-get -s install abiword
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
abiword-common libdb4.4 libenchant1c2a libgnomecups1.0-1
libgnomeprint2.2-0
libgnomeprint2.2-data libgnomeprintui2.2-0 libgnomeprintui2.2-common
libperl5.8 liburi-perl perl perl-base perl-modules perl-suid
Suggested packages:
abiword-plugins abiword-plugins-gnome libterm-readline-gnu-perl
libterm-readline-perl-perl
Recommended packages:
abiword-help aspell-en aspell6-dictionary perl-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
abiword abiword-common libdb4.4 libenchant1c2a libgnomecups1.0-1
libgnomeprint2.2-0 libgnomeprint2.2-data libgnomeprintui2.2-0
libgnomeprintui2.2-common
The following packages will be upgraded:
libperl5.8 liburi-perl perl perl-base perl-modules perl-suid
6 upgraded, 9 newly installed, 0 to remove and 677 not upgraded.
Inst perl-modules [5.8.7-10] (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing) []
Inst libdb4.4 (4.4.20-3 Debian:testing) []
Inst perl-suid [5.8.7-10] (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing) []
Inst libperl5.8 [5.8.7-10] (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing) []
Inst perl-base [5.8.7-10] (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing) [liburi-perl perl ]
Conf perl-base (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing) [liburi-perl perl ]
Inst perl [5.8.7-10] (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing)
Inst libenchant1c2a (1.1.6-1.2 Debian:testing)
Inst libgnomecups1.0-1 (0.2.2-1 Debian:testing)
Inst libgnomeprint2.2-data (2.12.1-3 Debian:testing)
Inst libgnomeprint2.2-0 (2.12.1-3 Debian:testing)
Inst libgnomeprintui2.2-common (2.12.1-2 Debian:testing)
Inst libgnomeprintui2.2-0 (2.12.1-2 Debian:testing)
Inst abiword-common (2.4.2-1 Debian:testing) []
Inst abiword (2.4.2-1+b1 Debian:testing)
Inst liburi-perl [1.35-1] (1.35-2 Debian:testing)
Conf libdb4.4 (4.4.20-3 Debian:testing)
Conf perl (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing)
Conf perl-modules (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing)
Conf libperl5.8 (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing)
Conf perl-suid (5.8.8-4 Debian:testing)
Conf libenchant1c2a (1.1.6-1.2 Debian:testing)
Conf libgnomecups1.0-1 (0.2.2-1 Debian:testing)
Conf libgnomeprint2.2-data (2.12.1-3 Debian:testing)
Conf libgnomeprint2.2-0 (2.12.1-3 Debian:testing)
Conf libgnomeprintui2.2-common (2.12.1-2 Debian:testing)
Conf libgnomeprintui2.2-0 (2.12.1-2 Debian:testing)
Conf abiword (2.4.2-1+b1 Debian:testing)
Conf abiword-common (2.4.2-1 Debian:testing)
Conf liburi-perl (1.35-2 Debian:testing)
12.9MB download, 19.1MB space required
Re: Overview and howtos on packages
Krusader is a very powerful and fast Linux KDE file manager.
Agreed. The twin-panel layout is much simpler to navigate and visualize. I would love to see it on the panel as a replacement for the Konqueror file manager portion. Konqueror is a great web browser.
Richard.