Archives For November 30, 1999

VLC media player released version 3.0.5 a few days ago with performance improvements and numerous fixes. Here’s how to install it in all current Ubuntu releases.

VLC 3.0.5 release highlights:

  • Faster and more complete support for the AV1 codec
  • Compatibility with macOS 10.14 “Mojave”, with native dark mode, and notarization
  • Improvements for Blu-ray playback, RTP and UDP streams
  • Improvements for MP4, MKV, CAF and AV1 media
  • Improvements for HDR support, tone-mapping and native Windows HDR support
  • Fixes for Chromecast, Direct3D11, Youtube and subtitles rendering

How to Install VLC 3.0.5 in Ubuntu:

Linux Snap package:

The official VLC snap package (containerized software package) has been updated to v3.0.5. For Ubuntu 18.04 and higher, simply install it from Ubuntu Software.

For Ubuntu 16.04, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to install the snap package:

sudo apt install snapd && sudo snap install vlc

VLC package for Ubuntu:

Ubuntu comes with VLC package (see previous picture), and offers software updates through updates repository.

NOTE VLC 3.0.5 is not available at the moment of writing. As usual, the new release package will be published in a few days.

For Ubuntu 18.04 and higher, simply install VLC .deb package from Ubuntu Software, and VLC 3.0.5 package will be available via Software Updater once published.

Audacious audio player released version 3.10.1 today with some important bugs fixed. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 16.04, and Ubuntu 18.10.

Audacious 3.10.1 fixed following issues:

  • Crash on invalid tuple D-Bus request
  • Playlist search in Qt5 is really slow on huge playlists
  • Song Info window takes a few seconds to appear or UI freezes, when listening to an MP3 stream
  • Audtool doesn’t output UTF-8 on Windows
  • Info popup causes segmentation fault in Qt 5 UI
  • Playlist drag-and-drop no longer working in 3.10 (Qt UI)
  • Floating-point WavPack files play as noise

How to Install Audacious 3.10.1 in Ubuntu:

You can install the new release packages in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 16.04, and Ubuntu 18.10 via the unofficial PPA.

1. Open terminal by either pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or searching for ‘terminal’ from software launcher. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

Type your password (no asterisks feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then you can upgrade Audacious via Software Updater:

or run commands one by one in terminal to install or upgrade the audio player:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install audacious audacious-plugins

Uninstall:

You can easily remove the PPA either by going to Software & Updates utility -> Other Software tab, or by running command:

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

To remove audacious, either use your system package manager or run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove audacious audacious-plugins

Linux Kernel 4.20 was released a few days ago. Linus Torvalds announced:

Let’s face it, last week wasn’t quite as quiet as I would have hoped for, but there really doesn’t seem to be any point to delay 4.20 because everybody is already taking a break.

And it’s not like there are any known issues, it’s just that the shortlog below is a bit longer than I would have wished for. Nothing screams “oh, that’s scary”, though.

And as part of the “everybody is already taking a break”, I can happily report that I already have quite a few early pull requests in my inbox. I encouraged people to get it over and done with, so that people can just relax over the year-end holidays. In fact, I probably won’t start pulling for a couple of days, but otherwise let’s just try to keep to the normal merge window schedule, even if most people hopefully won’t even be back until over the merge window is over.

As to the details of this last week of 4.20 – most of it is networking (drivers, core networking fixes, bpf). There’s a few other non-network driver updates too, and a revert series of some of the x86 inline asm changes that were obviated by upcoming compiler support.

… …

Changes in Linux 4.20 include:

  • AMD Picasso APU support as well as Raven 2 APU support
  • Intel DRM driver has full PPGTT support for Haswell/Ivy/Valley View hardware.
  • The open-source NVIDIA Nouveau driver has initial HDMI 2.0 support.
  • The NVIDIA Xavier “Tegra194” SoC has initial display support.
  • Support for the Hygon Dhyana CPUs
  • Intel 2.5G Ethernet support via the new “IGC” driver.
  • LG Gram laptop support
  • File systems improvements, drivers updates, and many other changes.

How to Install Linux Kernel 4.20 in Ubuntu:

For easy way, there are a few third party tools, e.g., UKTools and Ukuu, make it easy to install the latest Kernel in Ubuntu.

You can also manually download the .deb binary packages:

Depends on your OS type, download and install the packages in turns:

  1. linux-headers-4.20.0-xxxxxx_all.deb
  2. linux-headers-4.20.0-xxx-generic(/lowlatency)_xxx_amd64(/i386).deb
  3. linux-modules-4.20.0-xxx-generic(/lowlatency)_xxx_amd64(/i386).deb
  4. linux-image-xxx-4.20.0-xxx-generic(/lowlatency)_xxx_amd64(/i386).deb

Select generic for common system, and lowlatency for a low latency system (e.g. for recording audio), amd64 for 64bit system, i386 for 32bit system, or armhf, arm64, etc for other OS types.

Also you can download and install the kernel binaries via terminal commands (Ctrl+Alt+T):

For 64-bit OS:

cd /tmp/

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-headers-4.20.0-042000_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_all.deb

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-headers-4.20.0-042000-generic_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_amd64.deb

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-image-unsigned-4.20.0-042000-generic_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_amd64.deb

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-modules-4.20.0-042000-generic_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_amd64.deb

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

for 32-bit OS:

cd /tmp/

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-headers-4.20.0-042000_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_all.deb

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-headers-4.20.0-042000-generic_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_i386.deb

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-image-4.20.0-042000-generic_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_i386.deb

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.20/linux-modules-4.20.0-042000-generic_4.20.0-042000.201812232030_i386.deb

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Once installed, restart your computer and enjoy!

Uninstall Linux Kernel 4.20:

Restart your machine and select boot with the previous kernel in boot menu ‘Grub2 -> Advanced Option for Ubuntu’. Then run command to remove Linux Kernel 4.20.0:

sudo dpkg --purge linux-image-4.20.0-042000-generic linux-image-unsigned-4.20.0-042000-generic

Musical notation software MuseScore 3.0 was released a few hours ago with full of new features and improvements.

MuseScore 3.0 release highlights:

  • Automatic placement to resolve potential collisions between elements
  • System dividers that automatically generate dividers between systems
  • Temporary and cutaway staves
  • MuseJazz font
  • Named noteheads
  • Tours – get online help automatically
  • Timeline – navigate using a graphical overview of the music structure
  • Score comparison tool
  • Single page mode – vertically scrolling view of your score
  • Palette search
  • Timewise note input and editing
  • Alt+Right/Left shortcuts to navigate through each element of your score
  • Improved parts facility, Mixer, and Piano Roll Editor, and redesigned Play Panel

How to Install MuseScore 3.0 in Ubuntu:

AppImage:

The software offers official Appimage, non-install executable file to launch MuseScore, which is available for download at the link below:

Once you get it, right-click and go to file Properties to make it executable, and finally run the Appimage to launch MuseScore.

Snap Package:

The official Snap package is on the way. For Ubuntu 18.04 and higher, simply install it from Ubuntu Software. It will automatically update to MuseScore 3.0 once the snap package is published.

or run command in terminal for Ubuntu 16.04 and higher.:

sudo snap install musescore

Ubuntu PPA:

The software also has a stable PPA contains the latest .deb packages for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and Ubuntu 18.10.

NOTE: MuseScore 3.0 is not available in the PPA at the moment of writing.

1. Open terminal and run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mscore-ubuntu/mscore-stable

2. Then you can update the Ubuntu legacy package (see picture 3) via Software Updater.

Or run command to install MuseScure .deb package:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install musescore

Kid3 audio tag editor released version 3.7.0 a few hours ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.10, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 16.04, and Linux Mint 18.x, 19.x.

The most important new feature in Kid3 3.7.0 is a playlist editor. Playlist items can be added, removed and reordered. Improvements include editors for the formats to convert between tags and file names and drop down lists with available tag values when multiple files are selected. The new file list fixes problems with updates when directories are renamed.

Kid3 3.7.0 release highlights:

  • Add and reorder playlist items using drag’n’drop.
  • Edit tags from files referenced in playlist.
  • Play songs from playlist.
  • Drag image files from file list to embed them in audio files.
  • Drag files from file list into other applications.
  • Reload action to refresh file list.
  • Completions with different values when selecting multiple files.
  • Option “–dbus” to have a D-Bus interface with kid3-cli.
  • Code “%{dirname}” to use current directory name when renaming.
  • Code “%{disk}” as alias for “%{disc number}”.
  • Edit list of availble formats to set file and directory names
  • Bug fixes and a few improvements.

How to Install Kid3 3.7.0 in Ubuntu:

The official Kid3 PPA contains the latest software packages for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and Ubuntu 18.10 so far.

Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for ‘terminal’ from software launcher. When it opens, do following steps one by one.

1. Copy and paste following command in terminal and hit run to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ufleisch/kid3

Type your password (no asterisks feedback due to security reason) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then you can upgrade Kid3 from a previous version via Software Updater:

or run commands one by one in terminal to install or upgrade to the latest tag editor:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install kid3-qt

For KUbuntu, you may replace kid3-qt with kid3 in the last command for KDE integration.

Uninstall

To remove the PPA repository, either open Software & Updates -> Other Software tab, or run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ufleisch/kid3

To remove the audio tag editor, either use your system package manager or run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove kid3 kid3-*

RawTherapee RAW image editor released version 5.5 last night with exciting new features. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.10, Ubuntu 18.04.

RawTherapee 5.5 release highlights:

  • Filter to remove striping artifacts and banding artifacts for any camera has a PDAF entry in camconst.json.
  • Ability to specify custom working color spaces through the workingspaces.json file.
  • Unbounded processing – allows you to decide whether out-of-gamut colors should get clipped.
  • New Shadows/Highlights tool (replaced previous one).
  • Contrast threshold mask which divides an image into areas of high and low detail, allowing the effect of certain tools (Sharpening, Post-Resize Sharpening, Microcontrast, Demosaicing) to be focused where it matters most and to mitigate the effect on areas where it would be undesirable.
  • Dual-demosaic algorithms, making use of the new contrast threshold mask, allowing one to use a combination of demosaicing algorithms where one is best for details and the other best for plain areas.
  • New color toning methods: Grid and Regions
  • Support for Blackmagic and Canon Magic Lantern lj92 encoded files.
  • New Soft Light tool which enhances contrast and saturation by emulating the effect of blending an image with a copy of itself in “soft light” blending mode in GIMP.
  • New Haze Removal tool to reduce the effects of haze or fog.
  • The Resize tool allows you to specify whether you want it to upscale or only downscale.
  • New icon and cursor theme. New cameras support, and new input color profiles.
  • Other new features, enhancements, and bug fixes.

Download / Install RawTherapee 5.5 in Ubuntu:

The official Linux Appimage, single executable file to launch the software, is available for download at the link below:

Go to file’s properties, allow executable file as program, and finally run it to launch RawTherapee 5.5.

There are also a few PPA repositories that contain RawTherapee packages for Ubuntu. I’ll update the tutorial once the 5.5 release package is available.

UPDATE: For Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 18.10, Linux Mint 19.x, you can install RawTherapee 5.5 via the unofficial PPA.

1. Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for “Terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:dhor/myway

Input your password (no asterisks feedback when typing) when it prompts and hit Enter to add the PPA.

2. After that, upgrade the software via Software Updater if a previous version was installed:

The upgrading process may be kept back if you were installing it from Ubuntu Software.

A workaround is simply running following commands instead to install or upgrade RawTherapee:

sudo apt-get install rawtherapee

How to Remove:

To uninstall the free raw developer, run command in terminal:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove rawtherapee

And remove the PPA via Software & Updates utility under Other Software tab, by removing the line says “http://ppa.launchpad.net/dhor/myway/ubuntu”.

Kdenlive, KDE Non-Linear Video Editor, released version 18.12 a few days ago with some crashes fixed and other improvements.

Kdenlive 18.12 release highlights:

  • Backport crash on image sequence import.
  • Backport fix for titler text gradient.
  • Add donation url to appdata.
  • Fix minor EBN issues and typos.
  • Fix play/pause on Windows.
  • Sync quickstart manual with UserBase.
  • Install doc files.
  • Make it compiles when we use QT_NO_NARROWING_CONVERSIONS_IN_CONNECT.
  • Fix minor EBN issues.

Download / Install Kdenlive 18.12 in Ubuntu:

Before Kdenlive stable PPA and/or the flathub repository building the latest packages for Ubuntu Linux, you can download the Appimage from the link below:

Make it executable in the Appimage file properties, and run to launch the video editor.

Firefox 64.0 Released with Enhanced Tab Management

Last updated: December 11, 2018

Mozilla Firefox announced new stable 64.0 release a few hours ago with new features and performance improvements.

Mozilla Firefox 64.0 features:

  • Better recommendations: You may see suggestions in regular browsing mode for new and relevant Firefox features, services, and extensions based on how you use the web (for US users only)
  • Ability to select multiple tabs from the tab bar and close, move, bookmark, or pin them quickly and easily
  • New Task Manager page (about:performance) lets you see how much energy each open tab consumes and provides access to close tabs to conserve power
  • Enable link time optimization (Clang LTO) for Mac and Linux.
  • Add Share web pages option for Windows in the Page Actions menu
  • Added option to remove add-ons using the context menu on their toolbar buttons
  • Various security fixes and many other changes.

Install the Latest Firefox in Ubuntu:

The Firefox 64.0 packages for Ubuntu Linux will be available in 2 or 3 days.

At the time, Firefox snap package (available in Ubuntu Software) will automatic update to the 64.0 release.

To upgrade from the default Firefox packge, launch Software Updater and Firefox 64 package will be there once published.

FlightGear 2018.3 was finally released with many exciting new features, enhancements and bugfixes including usability improvements to the launcher, better visuals for AI and MP aircraft.

FlightGear 2018.3 release highlight according to the changelog:

  • Flightplan loading within the launcher.
  • Chinese, Russian and Italian translations for the launcher and UI
  • Improved support for the state of the aircraft depending on starting location
  • Improved joystick configuration and binding options.
  • Multiple Levels of Detail (LoD) for MP and AI aircraft. To improve performance, low-detail models are used when the viewer is far from the MP aircraft.
  • Fallback models to display in the case where a viewer does not have the MP aircraft installed.
  • Many improvements to AI models including new liveries, timetabled movements
  • Support for retrieving Canvas images over HTTP.
  • Improved cloud rendering with stronger Mie scattering on cloud fringes, improved scattering on cirrus clouds
  • Improved scenery for Hawaii, the default location for this release.
  • New scenery for Jan Mayen, situated northeast of Iceland. Including the active volcano of Beerenberg (2277m).
  • FG1000 glass panel display, based on the Garmin G1000
  • Improved Replay handling of AI aircraft and carriers – judge your own carrier landings.
  • KC-130 tanker aircraft for air-to-air refueling
  • Significant Aircraft updates

Download / Install FlightGear in Ubuntu:

For Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and higher, FlighGear 2018.3 will be available to install either via Ubuntu PPA, or Flathub repository (run in sandbox).

PyCharm 2018.3.1 Released with Various Bug Fixes

Last updated: December 6, 2018

PyCharm IDE released version 2018.3.1 one day ago with various bug fixes. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 16.04 and higher.

PyCharm 2018.3.1 release highlights:

  • A fix for the recently added WSL support in PyCharm 2018.3
  • An issue where PyCharm couldn’t correctly authenticate over SSH using a passphrase-protected private key has been resolved.
  • A few fixes for Docker and Docker Compose
  • Fixes for the embedded terminal
  • Many fixes coming from WebStorm, DataGrip and IntelliJ IDEA

How to Install PyCharm 2018.3.1 in Ubuntu:

Jetbrains offers official Snap package for Linux desktop, which keeps the IDE always up-to-date.

For Ubuntu 18.04 and higher, simply open Ubuntu Software, search for and install pycharm packages:

For Ubuntu 16.04, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and install snapd daemon via command:

sudo apt install snapd snapd-xdg-open

Then install PyCharm snap package via command:

sudo snap install pycharm-community --classic

In the command replace pycharm-community with pycharm-professional for the professional edition.

Uninstall:

To remove the PyCharm snap package, either use Ubuntu Software or run command in terminal:

sudo snap remove pycharm-professional pycharm-community