add-apt-repository

[Lolo Uila]

Is add-apt-repository supposed to work in LMDE,because it doesn't work for me.

And if not, how do you add a ppa to LMDE?

[zerozero]

no, it doesnt work. ppas are ubuntu specific.
but the interesting question here is what ppa you really need? maybe theres a debian alternative.

[Lolo Uila]

I've been looking for themes and icon sets, and most of them say to add a ppa for the latest versions. Almost none have actual repository info, just ppa.

[craigevil]

I've been looking for themes and icon sets, and most of them say to add a ppa for the latest versions. Almost none have actual repository info, just ppa.

Post a url.

[cmost]

add-apt-repository is merely a script developed sometime ago by the Ubuntu community. You can add this script to any Debian based system, but then I would have to ask why you'd want to do so since Debian at large doesn't use PPAs.

More info here: http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/natty/man1/add-apt-repository.1.html

[viking777]

Ppa's are available in Debian, you just cant use the add-apt script. Here is an example:

Suppose you want to install the theme on this page:

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/install-orta- ... u-ppa.html

It tells you to:

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nikount/orta-desktop

Which you cant. So just take the ppa:nikount/orta-desktop bit and stick it into a search engine. The first page it comes up with is:

https://launchpad.net/~nikount/+archive/orta-desktop

Which in turn tells you:

This PPA can be added to your system manually by copying the lines below and adding them to your system's software sources.

Display sources.list entries for:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nikount/orta-desktop/ubuntu YOUR_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nikount/orta-desktop/ubuntu YOUR_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE main

I cant tell you if they all do that but a lot of them will.

[craigevil]

add-apt-repository works and is already in Debian.

$ apt-file search add-apt-repository
python-software-properties: /usr/bin/add-apt-repository
python-software-properties: /usr/share/man/man1/add-apt-repository.1.gz

Code: Select all

add-apt-repository(1)                                                                               add-apt-repository(1)

NAME
       add-apt-repository  -  Adds  a  repository into the /etc/apt/sources.list or /etc/apt/sources.list.d or removes an
       existing one

SYNOPSIS
       add-apt-repository [OPTIONS] REPOSITORY

DESCRIPTION
       add-apt-repository is a script which adds an external APT repository to either /etc/apt/sources.list or a file  in
       /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ or removes an already existing repository.

       The options supported by add-apt-repository are:

       -h, --help Show help message and exit

       -r, --remove Remove the specified repository

       -y, --yes Assume yes to all queries

       -k, --keyserver Use a custom keyserver URL instead of the default

REPOSITORY STRING
       REPOSITORY  can  be  either  a line that can be added directly to sources.list(5), or in the form ppa:<user>/<ppa-
       name> for adding Personal Package Archives.

       In the first form, REPOSITORY will just be appended to /etc/apt/sources.list.

       In the second form, ppa:<user>/<ppa-name> will be expanded to the full deb line of the PPA and added  into  a  new
       file in the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ directory.  The GPG public key of the newly added PPA will also be downloaded
       and added to apt's keyring.


but as viking777 pointed out it is usually easy enough to find the actual repository and add it to your sources.list.

[zerozero]

Ppa's are available in Debian, you just cant use the add-apt script.

ppa's are not available in debian, they can be used there (at your risk, if you know what you're doing and can afford tracking wild unsuspected breakages doing it).

point is, ppa's are just online repositories of software and some would be safer than others to use:
- would be suicidal to use ricotz or x-swat ppa's in debian; on the other hand bimsebasse ppa is a safe one (if you use cinnamon ofc);
- the script just doesn't work in debian because one letter in that script is capital and should be lowercase (can't really be bothered to track the bug again, but the bug report is old: just over one year now)

[...]
Suppose you want to install the theme on this page:

[...]


Which in turn tells you:

This PPA can be added to your system manually by copying the lines below and adding them to your system's software sources.

Display sources.list entries for:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nikount/orta-desktop/ubuntu YOUR_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nikount/orta-desktop/ubuntu YOUR_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE main

[...]

this is the most confusing part usually:
- which is the recommended MY_UBUNTU_VERSION_HERE?
- ubuntu (the non-lts releases) are loosely based on sid ( that is, on a snapshot of sid from a couple months before the release date)
- the lts are based (loosely) on testing (again in a snapshot with a few months old when the release goes final)
- adding to the confusion, lmde (the default repos) are a snapshot of testing;
- honestly, which one to choose? quatzal? precise? oneiric? or trial&error?

[cmost]

add-apt-repository works and is already in Debian.

Yes, but it doesn't work, so my question is...why is it even there? Moreover, most of the Debian community doesn't use PPAs. Sure, a few might exist, but since the aforementioned script doesn't work in Debian, why bother?

[xircon]

I use lots of PPAs, if I break my system it is my fault. I use the following script (because the python script does not work):

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
if [ $# -eq 1 ]
NM=`uname -a && date`
NAME=`echo $NM | md5sum | cut -f1 -d" "`
then
   ppa_name=`echo "$1" | cut -d":" -f2 -s`
   if [ -z "$ppa_name" ]
   then
      echo "PPA name not found"
      echo "Utility to add PPA repositories in your debian machine"
      echo "$0 ppa:user/ppa-name"
   else
      echo "$ppa_name"
      echo "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/$ppa_name/ubuntu oneiric main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
      apt-get update >> /dev/null 2> /tmp/${NAME}_apt_add_key.txt
      key=`cat /tmp/${NAME}_apt_add_key.txt | cut -d":" -f6 | cut -d" " -f3`
      apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys $key
      rm -rf /tmp/${NAME}_apt_add_key.txt
   fi
else
   echo "Utility to add PPA repositories in your debian machine"
   echo "$0 ppa:user/ppa-name"
fi:


I tend to use oneric, but occasionally use natty or precise.

I saved it to /usr/bin/aar.

For reference here is my current sources.list:

Code: Select all

# deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
# deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
# deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
# deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org squeeze main non-free
# deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import backport romeo
deb-src http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import backport romeo #Added by software-properties
deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org testing main non-free
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free

## sid ##
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org sid main non-free

## experimental ##
#deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian experimental main contrib non-free
#deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian experimental main contrib non-free
#deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org experimental main non-free

######## siduction #######
# Siduction Repositories - http://packages.siduction.org/?Repositories
# siduction
deb http://packages.siduction.org/siduction unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/siduction unstable main contrib non-free
# Community
deb http://packages.siduction.org/community unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/community unstable main contrib non-free
# User
deb http://packages.siduction.org/user unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/user unstable main contrib non-free
# Fixes
deb http://packages.siduction.org/fixes unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/fixes unstable main contrib non-free
# Experimental
# deb http://packages.siduction.org/experimental unstable main contrib non-free
# deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/experimental unstable main contrib non-free
# kde-next
# deb http://packages.siduction.org/kdenext experimental main
# deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/kdenext experimental main
# Experimental Snapshots
# deb http://packages.siduction.org/experimental-snapshots experimental main
# deb-src http://packages.siduction.org/experimental-snapshots experimental main


#Mate
deb http://tridex.net/repo/debian/ wheezy main

#Autokey
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/cdekter/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

#Themes - WebUpd8
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/themes/ubuntu oneiric main

#Mint menu
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/neelance/awn/ubuntu lucid main

#Cardapio
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/cardapio-team/unstable/ubuntu lucid main

#Get-iPlayer
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/jon-hedgerows/get-iplayer/ubuntu oneiric main

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/gnome3/ubuntu oneiric main

#Scribus
# deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ unstable main
# deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ unstable main

#Awoken icon theme
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/alecive/antigone/ubuntu oneiric main

#Faenza/Faince icon theme
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tiheum/equinox/ubuntu oneiric main

#Mate
# deb http://tridex.net/repo/debian/ sid main

#Liquorix
deb http://liquorix.net/debian sid main

#Shutter
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/shutter/ppa/ubuntu natty main

#Docky
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/dockbar-main/ppa/ubuntu lucid main

#Marlin
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/marlin-devs/marlin-daily/ubuntu oneiric main

#Firefox
# deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-daily/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

#Nautilus actions
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/dr3mro/nautilus-actions-extra/ubuntu oneiric main

#Razorqt
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/razor-qt/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main


#0ad
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/wfg/0ad/ubuntu oneiric main

#Docky
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/docky-core/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

#Java
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/flexiondotorg/java/ubuntu oneiric main
deb http://www.duinsoft.nl/pkg debs all


#Webupd8
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nilarimogard/webupd8/ubuntu oneiric main

deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/glxdock/repository/debian unstable cairo-dock ## Cairo-Dock Stable

#LibreOffice
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/libreoffice/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

#VLC
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu precise main

#Elementary
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/elementary-os/testing/ubuntu oneiric main

#Vala
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/vala-team/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

#Audience
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/audience-members/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

# deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/gnome3-team/gnome3/ubuntu oneiric main
# deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ricotz/testing/ubuntu oneiric main

#Read-me
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/atareao/read-me/ubuntu precise main

#Cinnamon
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/bimsebasse/cinnamonextras/ubuntu oneiric main

#Pinta
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pinta-maintainers/pinta-stable/ubuntu oneiric main

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/venerix/blug/ubuntu oneiric main

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openismus-team/ppa/ubuntu oneiric main

#Geary
# deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/yorba/ppa/ubuntu precise main
# deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nemequ/sqlheavy/ubuntu precise main

#Gambas3
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nemh/gambas3/ubuntu oneiric main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nemh/gambas3/ubuntu oneiric main

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/gnome3/ubuntu oneiric main
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/cooperjona/nitrotasks/ubuntu oneiric main
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/sonkun/sfml/ubuntu precise main


As you can see I am a very naughty boy

But you do this at your own risk................................

Steve

[cmost]

@ Xircon

You are a very naughty boy indeed! So let me ask you a question. If you have the Cinnamon repository for Ubuntu and you upgrade to Gnome 3.4 from Debian Testing, does Cinnamon then work correctly in LMDE? I'm just curious because I've been avoided updating against Debian Testing due to the incompatibility that exists with Gnome 3.4 and LMDE's version of Cinnamon. I don't want to use MATE.

[xircon]

Not sure, I am running Cinnamon 1.4.0-UP3 compiled and packaged by fellow forum member Mockturtl. I am tracking Sid and tbh haven't booted into Gnome3 for a couple of months, synaptic reports gnome-shell version as 3.4.1-8.

From deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/bimsebasse/cin ... ras/ubuntu oneiric main repo I just picked some applets not available to LMDE users at the time. You can now get them from the website.

I cherry pick my programs from the repositories, if they don't work, I may spend up to a couple of hours trying to solve it, if that doesn't work then normally I give up. My main problem at the moment is a lot of PPA programs are using a higher version of libc6, which I just cannot upgrade to as it will trash my system.

I might be naughty, but I am not stupid, if you (think ) you know what you are doing and read all messages carefully, the worst thing you will have to do is uninstall or downgrade a program every now and again to solve an update program.

I also have a separate home partition so will never lose my personal data and a portable hard drive to back up to regularly with clonezilla.

Steve

[cmost]

Hey thanks for the tip! I didn't realize that someone was building updated Cinnamon builds for Debian Testing / Sid users! Now I have to decide whether to take the plunge, or simply wait for Clem and his boys to release LMDE UP5.

[xircon]

You have probably found it, but the thread is here:
viewtopic.php?f=190&t=90277&start=360
See last page for latest build.

Steve