Installing Apps on n800

[athreya]

guys im new to linux. i tried following instructions on maemo.org for installing certain apps (PIM) and it says unable to refresh list each time.

How does one install apps on this ? and what are the standard files it accepts? is it a .gz?

also can someone help me where i can find a Adobe Flash Player to play videos...i have a.gz file downloaded on my device but cant install it.

Please help.

[Gluz]

guys im new to linux. i tried following instructions on maemo.org for installing certain apps (PIM) and it says unable to refresh list each time.

How does one install apps on this ? and what are the standard files it accepts? is it a .gz?

also can someone help me where i can find a Adobe Flash Player to play videos...i have a.gz file downloaded on my device but cant install it.

Please help.

I have also problems installing GPE calendar and get the same error message when adding the repository. Could there be some problem with the repo?

[aflegg]

Why not use the .install files?

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/maemo/users/13924

[Gluz]

Why not use the .install files?

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/maemo/users/13924

Thanks! Have to give it a try when I get home :)

[athreya]

thanks for the headsup...it still does NOT install calender though it does install todo and contacts.

is there any other way of cracking this?

[Salidwyn]

I got the calendar to install fine. You have to add the repository links first though. Just click on the links below where the install files are and it will walk you through adding them.

I'm also new at this, having just driven an hour last night to get to the nearest CompUSA and then searching frantically around Boulder to find a decent Nintendo DS case to use. I'm very impressed with it out of the box though. All of this typed with the thumbpad.

[athreya]

can you post a link for the install files you used? the one i used from maemo doesnt work at all!thanks!

[ebunny]

I have been trying for weeks to get the calendar application to install also had no luck...this is the error I get:

unable to install gpe-calendar
application packages missing
libgrcpt11
libgpg -error0 (>=1.0)
libgcript11
libgpg-error0 (>=1.0)
libgcrpt11
libgpg-error0 (>=1.0)

I know absoutly nothing about this OS system so consider me lost...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

[dtw56]

I'm sympathetic with Ebunny; I can't figure out this installation process. I get the same error.

What does "You have to add the repository links first though" mean? Can someone explain it in english?

For example, when trying to install Canola they say to add basic Maemo respositories. When one clicks on the link, you get another set of links. When you click on that, then one is looking at some old golpher-like directory index. What do you do then?

I realize this is obvious to those who know but for us newbies it is very frustrating.

Thanks to anyone who is willing to help.

[Salidwyn]

http://ossostage.cidercone.com/~ferenc/

Go there first. This is where you will find all of the files I used to successfully install GPE.

Now you need to click on the bottom two links from your tablet.

These are the repositories you need and your tablet will walk you through adding them once you click on those links.

Once that's done, start with the calendar .install file and go down, installing the programs you want.

This isn't tough to do if you understand the basics of a computer. Don't let the fact that it's linux make you think you need to know linux to use it. I've never used linux before I bought this tablet less than a week ago and have found the experience so far to be pretty straight forward. Most people actually have some form of linux on their cell phones and have managed. This doesn't have to be much more complicated than that if you don't want to get that far into it.

[rhackenb]

I have a brand new n800. I have managed to find some installable apps and let the n800 download them wirelessly and install them. Here are a few questions I have:

1. What if I were to download an install file for an app on my desktop and transfer it to a place on the external storage card. Can I point the application manager at this file and install from there? I don't see how to do it because everything seems to be pointed at online repositories.

2. I was trying to install sqlite and was pointed on a forum to a .deb file. What do I do with that? If I were on my desktop linux system, I would use synaptic or apt-get. What do I do on the N800?

[rhackenb]

I found my answer to the .deb file install. I pointed the browser to the .deb file for sqlite and up popped the installer inviting me to install it. Unfortunately, I was told that it was uninstallable (not compatible with what I had or something like that). That's a separate issue but at least I know that you point the broswer to deb file and the n800 reacts appropriately. Isn't there a faq somewhere that explains simple things like this?

[TA-t3]

It's right there in the program handling tool.. start it as normal, you'll see that semi-graphical screen, then select the menu (the top line, with that little 'down' arrow), select Program, you'll see 'install from file' as the available option.

When there's stuff that needs to be installed from .deb (I prefer using a repository if possible) I usually put them in a specific directory on my memory card, the option I talk about above can install from there - it pops up a file manager.

[schmots]

Keep in mind.. your desktop is probably an x86 system, and the tablet is an ARM processor.. programs compiled for the x86 won't work on an ARM

[rhackenb]

It's right there in the program handling tool.. start it as normal, you'll see that semi-graphical screen, then select the menu (the top line, with that little 'down' arrow), select Program, you'll see 'install from file' as the available option.

When there's stuff that needs to be installed from .deb (I prefer using a repository if possible) I usually put them in a specific directory on my memory card, the option I talk about above can install from there - it pops up a file manager.

Thanks for the info. I am new at this and not used to the interface. So the solution is to launch the application manager, click on the top bar that says "Application Manager" and a dropdown menu appears. Click on "Application" and you get "Install from File".

I guess this assumes that the file is installable. Can I assume that any maemo .deb or .install file can be installed this way? Are there ary other extensions?

For those apps that don't have an installer associated with, I guess there are other procedures. I'll read up on that.

Thanks for the help.

[rhackenb]

Keep in mind.. your desktop is probably an x86 system, and the tablet is an ARM processor.. programs compiled for the x86 won't work on an ARM

Yes, i assumed that. I was just using the desktop to grab the file and move it over.

thanks

[dub]

how do you install a tar.gz file ? im trying to get "contacts" installed on my n800 IT and it does not have a .deb install file included. any help would be appreciated

[TA-t3]

A tar.gz file is a compressed 'tar' format archive, it could contain anything. Unless it contains a .deb file it's not installable. .tar.gz files are often used to distribute source code, for example.
If you are in an xterm windown (either on the N800 or a *nix desktop) you can check the content with 'tar ztvf filename.tar.gz' (which lists, but doesn't unpack the content).

[dub]

Thanks. So theres no way to install the application if a .deb is not included? If its source code can i not compile it and create a .deb to run on my IT? There are many apps on maemo that come only with the compressed source code and i would like to know how to install these (as ive seen others have).

[TA-t3]

I would be surprised if there are many apps on the maemo website which come only as source.. that sounds strange. If you tell us what you are looking for we may be able to direct you to the right place.

[dub]

I was trying to install "Contacts" by o-hand. There was no install link so i went to their homepage where they only provide the source tarball. Jonathan G. provided me with o-hands repository where i found the .deb file. Thanks for the help.

Is there somewhere that has a comprehensive list of repositories?

[RioT]

I was trying to install "Contacts" by o-hand. There was no install link so i went to their homepage where they only provide the source tarball. Jonathan G. provided me with o-hands repository where i found the .deb file. Thanks for the help.


i added the repo but there is no deb for "contacts". what repo did you add? or dO you have a link to the contacts deb?

[Nwgrange]

Thank you so much, I spent a lot of time last night trying to get this work.

Like several other folks who posted, I'd never used Linux before getting the N800. I generally pride myself on being a geek girl but the learning curve on setting up the apps on this has been steep.

I have found that the Linux user community is great about helping other users. Thanks again.