How to install software on Linux Mint

[pascal111]

I've read Linux Mint 17.3 User's guide for mate edition - https://linuxmint.com/documentation.php-, my current Linux on my PC is 19.1 mate, I've read about Software Center, Package Manager and "apt" command, I've read to the 1st post of this topic. I've no Internet connection now at home and I'm using another PC to invade internet, I want to install Gambas on my personal PC, so I can't use Software Center now, I'll download the package, I understood that in Linux we care about trusting sources for our Software, I searched in Ubuntu packages site and found these download choices like in this link:

https://packages.ubuntu.com/trusty/gambas3

Which one I've to download for Linux Mint ?
The sizes of Gambas 3 is so small although it's a graphical programming language environment and its equivalent in Windows, VB6 is about 300 MG, is it complete package for this programming language to download and trust?

[Ragz]

Thanks to all who put this together for us Newbies. Coming from 25 years in Windows and not knowing the Software Manager from the Synaptic Package Manager and how to download these packages has been instrumental. Great stuff and program and again most grateful to the people who have helped us with the learning curve.

[Matthew_Wai]

Install multiple .deb packages: As an alternative to the previous "Install a .deb package" description, if you have multiple .deb files you want to install you can easily install them in one go. To do so, put all the .deb files you want to install in one folder. Then in your file manager (like Nautilus, Caja, Dolphin, or Thunar) browse to that folder and select File > Open Folder in Terminal from the menu. In the terminal type the following command:

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

You did not mention how to download multiple .deb packages.
apt-get install --print-uris abiword
It will show the direct download URLs.

sudo apt-get --download-only install abiword
It will download the .deb packages to this folder: /var/cache/apt/archives

[johnnydel]

Thanks for the answer... helped a lot

[Matthew_Wai]

1. Add a PPA repository:

I just found this article: https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... s.html#ID1, which says:

1. Software from third-party repositories (like PPA's) and external .deb installers, is untested and unverified. Therefore it may damage the stability, the reliability and even the security of your system. It might even contain malware....

[Moem]

I just found this article: https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... s.html#ID1, which says:

1. Software from third-party repositories (like PPA's) and external .deb installers, is untested and unverified. Therefore it may damage the stability, the reliability and even the security of your system. It might even contain malware....

Yes. This is true. Anything you wanted to know about this? There's no question here.

If you wanted to know 'how can it be that some people recommend adding a PPA while others say PPAs may be dangerous?' then the answer is that because it's true that some PPAs can be dangerous, you should always think carefully about whether you need them and whether they seem reliable to you. In case of doubt, just start a thread on the forum and ask about a particular PPA.

If Xenopeek recommends a specific PPA, I would personally add it without any worry.

[Matthew_Wai]

If I add a PPA just for a newer version of a piece of software whose older version is already available in Software Manager, will it be safe? If I only add PPAs from https://launchpad.net/, will it be safe?
So far, I have only added this: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pulb/mailnag
Its old version in Software Manager was buggy.

[gm10]

1. Add a PPA repository:

I just found this article:

Regarding PPAs, that's no secret, launchpad.net tells you that before you ever add one:

If I add a PPA just for a newer version of a piece of software whose older version is already available in Software Manager, will it be safe? If I only add PPAs from https://launchpad.net/, will it be safe?
So far, I have only added this: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pulb/mailnag
Its old version in Software Manager was buggy.

It comes down to whether you trust the PPA owner. In the mailnag case the PPA is owned by the author of the software, so if you trust the software you should be good. I don't know either so don't take this as an endorsement though.

[Matthew_Wai]

It comes down to whether you trust the PPA owner.

It is hard to determine whether a PPA owner, an online stranger (e.g. gm10, no offence), is trustworthy.

[gm10]

It comes down to whether you trust the PPA owner.

It is hard to determine whether a PPA owner, an online stranger (e.g. gm10, no offence), is trustworthy.

Exactly my point. That's why you should be careful with PPAs.

[karlchen]

<mod>
Help request on how to install amdgpu-pro by karozagorus moved into dedicated thread here
Help request on how to switch over from Windows 10 to Linux Mint by secinv moved into dedicated thread here
</mod>

[karlchen]

<mod>
Rant on the ways, how software can be installed on Linux Mint, split off and turned into a separate thread here:
Rant on "How to install software on Linux Mint"
</mod>

[Dragonteeth]

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this it helped me out of a hole.

[kirby_49]

Clear and help me to understand that software manager is the same as apt-get !
Thanks

[SteveR]

[*]Install a .deb package: .deb files are like .exe files on Windows. You download them from the Internet yourself, and they install in just a few clicks. To install the package either double-click it, or right-click on it and choose "Open With GDebi Package Installer". Enter your password if prompted. The rest should be automatic.

Usually you will find a .deb package for Ubuntu; those will work with Linux Mint (you can find the Ubuntu release on which your Linux Mint release is based here, in the "Package base" column, or ask on the forums for help on this).

[*]Install multiple .deb packages: As an alternative to the previous "Install a .deb package" description, if you have multiple .deb files you want to install you can easily install them in one go. To do so, put all the .deb files you want to install in one folder. Then in your file manager (like Nautilus, Caja, Dolphin, or Thunar) browse to that folder and select File > Open Folder in Terminal from the menu. In the terminal type the following command:

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

You will be asked for your password, so please type it and press enter to continue (no feedback will appear on the screen as you type, that is as expected). This will install all the .deb files inside the folder. If the .deb files have dependencies that are met by other .deb files in that folder, this command will install the .deb files in the correct order to meet those dependencies. If there are unmet dependencies (packages needed but missing from your system and this folder) you will be so informed.

I am having a minor problem with LibreOffice: Libreoffice 6.4.2.2 Cannot Access HELP. (I believe the PPA file for LibreOffice is "broken") While not a major concern, I continued to informally browse the the internet. I ran across this webpage, which speaks of installing LibreOffice based on the Debian version: How to install LibreOffice 6.4 on Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Debian…. This intrigued me as Mint is part of the title.

I followed the directions on the webpage for installing LibreOffice Debian. When I ran the final piece of code to theoretically complete the installation process, I received the "directory not found" error message.

The directions in post above state:

To do so, put all the .deb files you want to install in one folder. Then in your file manager (like Nautilus, Caja, Dolphin, or Thunar) browse to that folder and select File > Open Folder in Terminal from the menu.

Unfortunately I am unclear as to what that "one folder" is. I am left with two questions. What did I miss and should there be an "official" directory somewhere in the system files hierarchy for placing Debian packages?

[xenopeek]

Folder aka directory. Just put all the .deb files in one directory, any directory, then open a terminal in that directory and execute the dpkg command. I can't say if that's the right command for LibreOffice. Please make a new topic if you need further help.

[Dark Owl]

Apologies, this is a longish thread and I might have missed it, but I see no mention that installing software through the package manager (as recommended in post 1) only installs the software to be available to that one user account.

How does admin install software for all user accounts?

Having installed (and used) software in one user account, is there a way to make it available to all users without having to install and configure it all over again (and thereby create a duplicate)?

[xenopeek]

Programs you install through Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager are available for all users without needing to do anything.

The exception are Flatpaks, which you can install also through Software Manager. These are installed per user. You can recognize a program in Software Manager installs as a Flatpak because on the details page it has the heading "Details (Flatpak)".

Also .deb files you download an manually install are available to all users without needing to do anything. Or ways for manually installing software will likely be per user.

If you have a specific program you have this issue with, make a new topic to ask for help making it available for all users.

[Dark Owl]

Thank you, yes I see you are right. I created another user and the facilities I installed are all there. What I thought I had found in /home/<username> must be just configuration.

Unfortunately I had been reading up about it and got the wrong impression.

[akarydis]

Hi,

Haven't read all the posts, since were too many,

my suggestion for completely newbies is through the manager within the X interface, otherwise from CLI, i'd suggest sudo apt-cache search (name of package here) |more , and then sudo apt-get install (name of package).