UbuntuHandbook | Author Archives

Archives For jimingkui

How to Install StepMania 5.0.10 in Ubuntu 18.04/16.04 via PPA

Last updated: April 22, 2024

StepMania is a free dance and rhythm game for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It features 3D graphics, keyboard and “dance pad” support, and an editor for creating your own steps.

StepMania 5.0.10, the most recent stable release, has been released for more than a month. Due to lack of Ubuntu binaries, I’ve finally built this release into PPA available for Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04 and Ubuntu 14.04.

Install StepMania 5 via PPA:

UPDATE: The PPA supports until Ubuntu 18.04! For Ubuntu 20.04 and later, please use Flatpak package instead, see this step by step guide for details

Before getting started, remove previous release and backup songs if any.

1. Add PPA.

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/stepmania

Type in your password (no visual feedback just type in mind) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. After that, search for and install stepmania via Synaptic Package Manager after clicking Refresh.

Or run below commands one by one in terminal to refresh index and install the game:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install stepmania

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb packages from This Page. Ubuntu 14.04 and its derivatives need FFmpeg.

3. (Optional) To remove the PPA and uninstall the game, run:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/stepmania

sudo apt-get remove stepmania stepmania-data

In addition, after first launch the game will create .stepmania-5.0 folder in user root directory. Press Ctrl+H to view this hidden folder and install Themes, Songs, etc into sub-folders.

Song directory structure: root folder (.stepmania-5.0/Songs) -> group folder -> song/simfile folder -> *.png, *.mp3/*.ogg, *.sm/*.ssc/etc files

Get more songs: stepmania.com/forums/songs/

In Howtos stepmania, stepmania ppa

How to Install Light Table 0.8 in Ubuntu 14.04, 15.10

Last updated: December 12, 2015

The Light Table IDE has just reached a new stable release after more than one year of development. Now it provides 64-bit only binary for Linux.

Changes in LightTable 0.8.0:

CHANGED: We have switched to Electron from NW.js
CHANGED: LT’s releases and self-updating processes are completely in the open on Github
ADDED: LT can be built from source with provided scripts across supported platforms
ADDED: Most of LT’s node libraries are installed as npm dependencies instead of as forked libraries
ADDED: Significant documentation. See more below
FIX: Major usability issues on >= OSX 10.10
CHANGED: 32-bit linux is no longer an official download. Building from source will still be supported
FIX: ClojureScript eval for modern versions of ClojureScript
More details at github.com/LightTable/LightTable/releases

How to Install Light Table 0.8.0 in Ubuntu:

Below steps show you how to install the official binary in Ubuntu. Works on all current Ubuntu releases (64-bit only).

Before getting started, please make a backup if you have a previous release installed.

1. Download the Linux binary from link below:

lighttable-0.8.0-linux.tar.gz

2. Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T keys. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

gksudo file-roller ~/Downloads/lighttable-0.8.0-linux.tar.gz

Install gksu from Ubuntu Software Center if the command does not work.

3. Previous command opens the downloaded archive via Archive Manager using root user privilege.

When it opens, do:

right-click and rename the folder name to LightTable
extract it to Computer -> /opt/ directory.

Finally you should have the LightTable installed to /opt/ directory:

4. Create a launcher so you can start LightTable from Unity Dash or App Launcher.

Open terminal and run below command to create & edit a launcher file for LightTable:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/applications/lighttable.desktop

When the file opens via Gedit text editor, paste below and save the file:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Light Table
GenericName=Text Editor
Comment=Open source IDE that modify, from running programs to embed websites and games
Exec=/opt/LightTable/LightTable %F
Terminal=false
MimeType=text/plain;
Icon=/opt/LightTable/resources/app/core/img/lticon.png
Categories=TextEditor;Development;Utility;
StartupNotify=true
Actions=Window;Document;

Name[en_US]=Light Table

[Desktop Action Window]
Name=New Window
Exec=/opt/LightTable/LightTable -n
OnlyShowIn=Unity;

[Desktop Action Document]
Name=New File
Exec=/opt/LightTable/LightTable --command new_file
OnlyShowIn=Unity;

So it looks like:

Finally launch the IDE from Unity Dash or Application Launcher and enjoy!

In Howtos IDE, Light Table

Install KeePassX 2.0 in Ubuntu 16.04, 15.10, 14.04

Last updated: August 4, 2016

KeePassX, a native Linux port of KeePass password manager, finally reached the 2.0 release after several years of development.

KeePassX 2 has been rewritten from scratch. It uses the new .kdbx (same as KeePass 2) database format. You can import your .kdb database from 0.4 series from menu Database > Import KeePass 1 database.

New features include:

Multiple attachments per entry
Add custom key/value pairs to entries
Open multiple database in one window

For more details, see official release note.

How to Install KeePassX 2 in Ubuntu:

The official KeePassX PPA does not update at the moment, but a third-party PPA has built the KeePassX 2.0 for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 15.04, and ~~Ubuntu 14.04 LTS~~.

1. Add PPA

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:eugenesan/ppa

Update: The 14.04 package so far is broken in the eugenesan/ppa. Use this PPA instead with yubikey support:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hda-me/keepassx2-yubico

Type in your password when it asks (no visual feedback just type in mind) and hit Enter to continue.

2. After that, upgrade KeePassX by running Software Updater. Or run below commands one by one in terminal:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install keepassx

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb installer directly from HERE.

3. (Optional) As a third-party PPA, it also contains many other applications. You may remove the PPA after installation by either using Software & Updates -> Other Software tab, or running below command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:eugenesan/ppa && sudo apt-get update

In Howtos, News KeePass, KeePassX, password manager

How to Customize Time & Date Format in Ubuntu Panel

Last updated: February 2, 2019

This quick tutorial is going to show you how to customize your Time & Date indicator in Ubuntu panel, though there are already a few options available in the settings page.

This does no longer work for Ubuntu 18.04 and higher as they switched to Gnome Desktop, see this tutorial instead.

To get started, search for and install dconf Editor in Ubuntu Software Center. Then launch the software and follow below steps:

1. When dconf Editor launches, navigate to com -> canonical -> indicator -> datetime. Set the value of time-format to custom.

You can also do this via a command in terminal:

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.datetime time-format 'custom'

2. Now you can customize the Time & Date format by editing the value of custom-time-format.

You can also do this via command:

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.datetime custom-time-format 'FORMAT_VALUE_HERE'

Interpreted sequences are:

%a = abbreviated weekday name
%A = full weekday name
%b = abbreviated month name
%B = full month name
%d = day of month
%l = hour ( 1..12), %I = hour (01..12)
%k = hour ( 1..23), %H = hour (01..23)
%M = minute (00..59)
%p = AM or PM, %P = am or pm.
%S = second (00..59)
open terminal and run command man date to get more details.

Some examples:

custom time format value: %a %H:%M %m/%d/%Y

%a %r %b %d or %a %I:%M:%S %p %b %d

%a %-d %b %l:%M %P %z

In Howtos custom time format

Install Open Broadcaster Software ‘obs-studio’ in Ubuntu 15.10

Last updated: December 5, 2015

OBS-Studio is a free and open-source software for video recording and live streaming. The software features:

Encoding using H264 (x264) and AAC.
Support for Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV) and NVENC.
Unlimited number of scenes and sources.
Live RTMP streaming to Twitch, YouTube, DailyMotion, Hitbox and more.
File output to MP4 or FLV.
GPU-based game capture for high performance game streaming.
DirectShow capture device support (webcams, capture cards, etc).
Windows 8 high speed monitor capture support.
Bilinear or lanczos3 resampling.

The current release is OBS Multiplatform 0.12.3, which added m3u8 file format for recording and fixed a few bugs.

Sorry that OBS doesn’t work for my laptop’s integrated graphics card. Picture from linux distro community forum

Install OBS-Studio in Ubuntu via PPA:

The software is available in a PPA repository for Ubuntu and derivatives users. Ubuntu 15.10 and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS are supported so far.

1. Add the PPA

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:obsproject/obs-studio

Type in your password when it asks, no visual feedback so just type in mind, and hit Enter to continue.

2. For Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and derivatives only.

The Software requires ffmpeg which is not included in 14.04’s official repositories. If you don’t have ffmpeg installed, add below PPA via command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kirillshkrogalev/ffmpeg-next

3. After that, search for and install obs-studio via Synaptic Package Manager after clicking the Refresh button.

Or run below commands one by one in terminal:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install obs-studio

How to Uninstall:

You may remove both PPAs by launching Software & Updates and navigating to Other Software tab, and remove the broadcaster software via Synaptic Package Manager or by running below command in terminal:

sudo apt-get remove obs-studio && sudo apt-get autoremove

In Howtos open broadcast software

Install Enlightenment e20 in Ubuntu 15.10, 14.04

Last updated: December 2, 2015

The Enlightenment 0.20 was released two days ago. Here’s how to install it via PPA in Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04, and derivatives.

The E20 development cycle has come to a close, with 1890 patches submitted by over 50 developers in the course of 441 days.
25+ reported Coverity analyzer issues and 165 tickets were addressed during this time (based on commit message tagging).
I’d like to personally thank everyone who contributed, whether by submitting patches, writing documentation, reporting bugs, or simply providing feedback on IRC.

Enlightenment E20 features:

Full Wayland support
New screen management infrastructure and dialog
New audio mixer infrastructure and gadget
Many internal widgets replaced with Elementary
Improved FreeBSD support
Geolocation module

How to Install Enlightenment E20 in Ubuntu:

There’s a PPA repository contains stable version of e20 packages for Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04, and Ubuntu 12.04.

1. Add PPA

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and hit Enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:niko2040/e19

Type in your password when it asks, no visual feedback just type in mind, and hit Enter to continue.

2. After that, install enlightenment via Synaptic Package Manager. Or run below commands one by one in terminal:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install enlightenment

You may also install Rage video player and Terminology terminal emulator via:

sudo apt-get install rage terminology

Once installed, log out and log in back with Enlightenment session.

In Howtos Enlightenment

How to Install 0 A.D. Alpha 19 Syllepsis in Ubuntu via PPA

Last updated: November 27, 2015

The nineteenth alpha version of 0 A.D., a free, open-source game of ancient warfare, was released yesterday. PPA’s ready for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, and Ubuntu 12.04.

0 A.D. Alpha 19 named ‘Syllepsis’. It features new victory modes, a ceasefire game mode, attack coordination, 3 new skirmish maps, new animals, visual replay, and eight times maximum map height support. See release note.

Install 0 A.D. from PPA:

There’s an official PPA repository for all current Ubuntu releases and derivatives. Follow below steps to add PPA and install the game.

1. Add 0 A.D. PPA

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below commands and hit Enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:wfg/0ad

Type in your password when it asks, no visual feedback so just type in mind, and hit Enter to continue.

2. Install or Upgrade the game.

If you have a previous version installed on your system, upgrade the game by launching Software Updater and installing available updates after checking for updates:

Or you may run below commands one by one in terminal to refresh system cache and install (or upgrade) the game:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install 0ad

3. (Optional) Uninstall

remove the PPA via Software & Updates -> Other Software tab and remove the 0 A.D. using Software Center.

In Howtos 0 A.D., Arianne game

How to Install GIMP 2.8.16 in Ubuntu 16.04, 15.10, 14.04

Last updated: November 24, 2015

GIMP image editor 2.8.16 was released on its 20th birthday. Here’s how to install or upgrade in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04 and their derivatives, e.g., Linux Mint 17.x/13, Elementary OS Freya.

GIMP 2.8.16 features support for layer groups in OpenRaster files, fixes for layer groups support in PSD, various user inrterface improvements, OSX build system fixes, translation updates, and more changes. Read the official announcement.

How to Install or Upgrade:

Thanks to Otto Meier, an Ubuntu PPA with latest GIMP packages is available for all current Ubuntu releases and derivatives.

1. Add GIMP PPA

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and hit Enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:otto-kesselgulasch/gimp

Type in your password when it asks, no visual feedback so just type in mind, and hit enter to continue.

2. Install or Upgrade the editor.

After added the PPA, launch Software Updater (or Software Manager in Mint). After checking for updates, you’ll see GIMP in the update list. Click “Install Now” to upgrade it.

For those who prefer Linux commands, run below commands one by one to refresh your repository caches and install GIMP:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install gimp

3. (Optional) Uninstall.

Just in case you want to uninstall or downgrade GIMP image editor. Use Software Center to remove it, or run below commands one by one to purge PPA as well as downgrade the software:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge

sudo ppa-purge ppa:otto-kesselgulasch/gimp

That’s it. Enjoy!

In Howtos gimp, gimp PPA

How to Install Wireshark 2.0 in Ubuntu 15.10 Wily

Last updated: November 24, 2015

Wireshark has reached the new table 2.0 release recently and it has been made into Ubuntu 16.04’s official repositories. Here’s how to install Wireshark 2.0 in Ubuntu 15.10 using a PPA.

Wireshark 2.0 features a completely new user interface that provides a smoother, faster user experience. It has been fully rewritten in Qt5. It also has new protocol support, new file format decoding support, new dialogs, capture options, and many other improvements. See the release note.

Install Wireshark 2.0 in Ubuntu 15.10:

UPDATE: The official Wireshark PPA just updated with the 2.0 packages, available for not only Ubuntu 15.10, but also Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04 and Ubuntu 12.04.

1. Add PPA.

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T key combination. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:wireshark-dev/stable

Type in your password when it asks, no visual feedback so just type in mind, and hit Enter to continue.

2. Install / Upgrade Wireshark.

If you have a previous installed, launch Software Updater. After checking for updates, you’ll see this popular network protocol analyzer in the list. Install the updates and done.

Or, paste below commands one by one and run to update repository cache and install/upgrade the software:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install wireshark

3. Remove PPA.

~~The PPA also contains many other applications for 15.10 Wily, check HERE. You can keep the PPA or select remove it via below command once Wireshark 2.0 is installed.~~

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:nicola-onorata/desktop && sudo apt-get update

In Howtos network, wireshark

How to Install NVIDIA 358.16 Driver in Ubuntu 15.10, 14.04

Last updated: November 21, 2015

NVIDIA 358.16, the first stable release in NVIDIA 358 series, has been announced with some fixes to 358.09 (Beta) and other small features.

NVIDIA 358 added a new nvidia-modeset.ko kernel module that works in conjunction with the nvidia.ko kernel module to program the display engine of the GPU. In a later driver release, the nvidia-modeset.ko kernel driver will be used as a basis for the mode-setting interface provided by the kernel’s direct rendering manager (DRM).

Thew new driver also has new GLX protocol extensions and a new system memory allocation mechanism for large allocations in the OpenGL driver. New GPUs GeForce 805A and GeForce GTX 960A are supported. NVIDIA 358.16 also supports X.Org Server 1.18 and OpenGL 4.3

How to Install NVIDIA 358.16 in Ubuntu:

Please don’t do it on production machines unless you know what you’re doing and how to undo it.

For the official binaries, please go to nvidia.com/object/unix.html.

For those who prefer an Ubuntu PPA, I’d recommend the Graphics Drivers PPA. So far, Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04 are supported.

1. Add PPA.

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa

Type your password when it asks. No visual feedback, just type in mind and hit Enter to continue.

2. Refresh and install new driver.

After adding PPA, run below commands one by one to refresh repository cache and install new driver packages:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install nvidia-358 nvidia-settings

(Optional) Uninstall:

Boot into the recovery mode from the grub menu, and drop into root console. Then run below commands one by one:

Remount the file system as writable:

mount -o remount,rw /

Remove all nvidia packages:

apt-get purge nvidia*

Finally back to menu and reboot:

reboot

To disable/remove the graphics driver PPA, launch Software & Updates and navigate to Other Software tab.

In Howtos Nvidia Driver, Nvidia PPA

Archives For jimingkui

Install StepMania 5 via PPA:

Newsletter