Double click .deb's to install?

[Kerberos]

Why can't you do this? It seems overly masochistic to require the command line, I seriously doubt it would take longer than 10 minutes to do, and would make life much easier.

Or is there a good reason why not?

[Stormy Eyes]

Or is there a good reason why not?

sudo dpkg -i foo.deb isn't that difficult, and you'll need the output if something goes wrong.

[Kerberos]

sudo dpkg -i foo.deb isn't that difficult, and you'll need the output if something goes wrong.
But why not just alert the user with a popup if something goes wrong, or log it somewhere? Why is typing sudo dpkg -i foo.deb superior to double clicking to a point where it makes the GUI method unneccesary?

[tageiru]

Installing .deb files are not really a common use case for debian derived systems. If someone wants to package something and offer it to the public they usually create a debian repository so that people that use the software can get updates automatically.

With that said I believe 6.04 will have a feature for installing .deb files by clicking on them.

[tufkakf]

Why can't you do this? It seems overly masochistic to require the command line, I seriously doubt it would take longer than 10 minutes to do, and would make life much easier.

Or is there a good reason why not?
Gdebi, which will be in dapper, allows you to do this.

It's even better, as it's not simply a frontend to dpkg (there are several already, btw.), but to apt, so that dependencies you need will also get automatically installed.

As to why there hasn't been such a program yet for ubuntu, I think the simple reason is that there wasn't one that worked the way the devs wanted it to work.

[tufkakf]

Oops, double post.

[Kerberos]

Installing .deb files are not really a common use case for debian derived systems. If someone wants to package something and offer it to the public they usually create a debian repository so that people that use the software can get updates automatically.

With that said I believe 6.04 will have a feature for installing .deb files by clicking on them.
That'll be nice (once they get it 6.04 stable). I find the repos a bit iffy - half the time synaptic doesn't work or the repo is down and sometimes its only available as a .deb - and its a good metaphor people can get their heads around 'download and open this to install'.

Stormy Eyes - Don't worry I am sure you can turn off the double click install when they do add it. ;)

[tufkakf]

That'll be nice (once they get it 6.04 stable). I find the repos a bit iffy - half the time synaptic doesn't work or the repo is down and sometimes its only available as a .deb - and its a good metaphor people can get their heads around 'download and open this to install'.

Stormy Eyes - Don't worry I am sure you can turn off the double click install when they do add it. ;)
Weird.
I'm using ubuntu now since pre-warty and can only remember having troubles with the repos twice. IIRC it was also fixed quickly both times.

[dabear]

I'm looking forward to gdebi, but if you want double click install of debs (without dependencies checkin), you could try my dadebstaller.

I know it kinda suck, and I have a newer version avvailable than posted on these forums, but I just can't find the cd I burned it to :p

[Alpha_toxic]

btw, in Kubuntu/KDE when you right click on a .deb you have "Kubuntu package maneger > install package" or sth like that. So it's not even comand line any more... :)

[Kerberos]

Weird.
I'm using ubuntu now since pre-warty and can only remember having troubles with the repos twice. IIRC it was also fixed quickly both times.
It didn't ever work initially due to the database being permenantly locked (despite nothing else using it). Some kind person gave me a command to type which fixed it, but its been flakey ever since. It also keeps showing me software that exists, but it isn't going to let me have unless I prod it repeatedly.

It did, however, have a version of scorched earth, which was nice. :)

[engla]

Seriously, you could make that thing yourself.

Make a python script that runs 'gksudo apt-get install' on the command line arguments, make the script nice and show errors with the dialog application.

Then select a deb -> open with -> choose the script. Then you can make it the default action.

[prizrak]

Weird.
I'm using ubuntu now since pre-warty and can only remember having troubles with the repos twice. IIRC it was also fixed quickly both times.
Kerberos has an Ubuntu curse upon him, he has not been able to get anything runnig properly. Also he is the most dedicated Ubuntu user I ever heard of, all he got is problems and is STILL at it :)

[tufkakf]

Kerberos has an Ubuntu curse upon him, he has not been able to get anything runnig properly. Also he is the most dedicated Ubuntu user I ever heard of, all he got is problems and is STILL at it :)
Ah, I see. Thanks for the explanation. ;)

[poofyhairguy]

As to why there hasn't been such a program yet for ubuntu, I think the simple reason is that there wasn't one that worked the way the devs wanted it to work.

You nailed it.

Remember folks, if Ubuntu were a child it would only be three years old!

[aysiu]

Kerberos, you're hellbent on using Ubuntu, but Mepis seems to be more up your alley--it can do a click-install of .deb files.

I know you hate Mepis, but you're hurting only yourself...

[Kerberos]

I know you hate Mepis.
I proper hate Mepis! :)

[aysiu]

Actually, Mepis uses KPackage to click-install .debs.
Any chance that a good old
sudo apt-get install kpackage could solve your problem in Ubuntu--at least for KDE?

[Paulus]

it's pretty clear that this is needed, could it be an addition to synaptic? - would make sense instead of having lots of programs doing similar things

[aysiu]

it's pretty clear that this is needed, could it be an addition to synaptic? - would make sense instead of having lots of programs doing similar things Ideally, Synaptic would be made so that it includes your desktop as a virtual repository, so that if your desktop's .deb needed dependencies, those could be fetched from your regular online repositories.

[engla]

Seriously, you could make that thing yourself.

Make a python script that runs 'gksudo apt-get install' on the command line arguments, make the script nice and show errors with the dialog application.

Then select a deb -> open with -> choose the script. Then you can make it the default action.

I'm learning python, so I had my try at it after bragging about this.

I made a small script that in theory gives you a double-click install of .debs. I haven't tested it a lot, but it seems to work.

The attached script is a python2.4 script. Make it executable, and name it .py and see if it works...

[Iandefor]

Why can't you do this? It seems overly masochistic to require the command line, I seriously doubt it would take longer than 10 minutes to do, and would make life much easier.

Or is there a good reason why not? I wouldn't call it "overly masochistic." But it is something I've been hearing about as of late. So I whipped up a script for people who are hankering for it. It isn't a "double-click install", but it provides a GUI for the installation of .debs.

It's pretty crappy at the moment, but I'll license it under the GPL for people who want to play with it a little.

to install it, extract the attached archive to ~, open up a terminal and type in


chmod 0775 ~/debinst && sudo cp /usr/bin open up gedit and paste the following into a new file:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Debian Installer
Exec=gksu debinst
Type=Application

and save it with the name "Debian Installer.desktop" on the Desktop. I'll let the end user come up with an icon suitable for it. To execute it, double-click the launcher on the desktop, and select the file from the selection dialog. Enjoy!

[mikwig]

debinst is quite well made.

[BoyOfDestiny]

debinst is quite well made.

Erm. This thread got revived huh?
Well gdebi is already with dapper. So yes, you can install by double clicking a deb, dependencies and all... :)

[jsgotangco]

gdebi is all you need. Download a deb, then just click on it (there's no menu entry for gdebi but its there when you need it).

[ComplexNumber]

just goes to show how limited debian is :D. if i double click an rpm on any distro, it will ask me if i want to install it or not. i can also install multiple rpm's this way.

[GarethMB]

gDebi is awesome.

[SeanTater]

They can be very easily installed for me -- but I;m using Kubuntu and konq --