Archives For News

Free open-source software updates and Linux news

LiVES video editor and VJ tool released version 2.10.2 a few days ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and Ubuntu 18.10.

LiVES 2.10.2 release highlights:

  • Fix serious bug in lives_popen() – may prevent saving of new sets.
  • Add in part of the fix for multi_encoder3 which was overlooked in 2.10.1
  • Fix regression in get_extension().
  • Fix regression in get_frame_count().
  • Add new icons.
  • Correctly reset video playback plugin after cancelling quick transcode.
  • Improved youtube downloading.

How to Install Lives 2.10.2 in Ubuntu:

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut and then run command to add the unofficial PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/lives

Type in your password (no visual feedback while typing due to security reason) when it asks and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade the software from an existing release via Software Updater:

or simply run commands in terminal to install or upgrade LiVES:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install lives lives-plugins

Uninstall:

To remove the software, simply run commands:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove lives lives-plugins

The PPA can be removed via Software & Updates utility under Other Software tab.

Alternative toolbar plugin released a new bug-fix version today with the latest Rhythmbox music player 3.4.3 compatibility.

Alternative toolbar is a third-party plugin for Rhythmbox. It replaces the default header bar with Gnome-style client-side decoration. And the standard toolbar replaced by a compact toolbar.

The plugin is installed in Ubuntu 18.04 and higher out-of-the-box. However, it does not work well in the most recent Rhythmbox 3.4.3 release.

For Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 18.10 users upgraded to Rhythmbox 3.4.3, you may do following steps to update the Alternative Toolbar plugin:

1. Open terminal either from app launcher or via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

Type user password (no asterisks feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then launch Software Updater, and update Rhythmbox as well as the plugin:

Uninstall:

You can remove the PPA by launching Software & Updates and navigate to Other Software tab. Or simply run command in terminal:

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

Rhythmbox 3.4.3 Released with Numerous Bug Fixes

Last updated: January 8, 2019

The default Rhythmbox music player released version 3.4.3 a few days ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.04.

Rhythmbox 3.4.3 release highlights:

  • Improved Android plugin to work better with Samsung and Android 9 devices
  • Replaced status bar with floating bar as used by Nautilus
  • Fixed crash when store request processing fails
  • Fixed crashes when editing auto playlist sorted by Location / Bitrate
  • Fixed crashes when insert a cd
  • Fixed issue that can not transfer songs to phone over MTP
  • And many other changes.

How to Install Rhythmbox 3.4.3 in Ubuntu:

For Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 18.10 and derivatives, you can install Rhythmbox 3.4.3 from the unofficial PPA.

1. Open terminal either from app launcher or via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

Type user password (no asterisks feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then launch Software Updater, upgrade the music player packages:

How to Restore:

You can purge the PPA which also downgrade Rhythmbox to the stock version via command:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

MKVToolNix 30.0.0 Released with W64 Support

Last updated: January 4, 2019

MKVToolNix 30.0.0 was released today with new features, enhancements, and bug-fixes.

MKVToolNix 30.0.0 release highlights:

  • mkvextract now writes W64 files for .w64 file or file size > 4 GB
  • Add button to show the 10 most recently used output directories.
  • Predefined split sizes and durations can now be customized in the preferences.
  • Add option to append chapters from an existing file to the current open editor tab.
  • Add new context menu action to copy selected entry to another open editor tab.
  • And more other changes, see the release note for details.

How to Install MKVToolNix 30.0.0 in Ubuntu:

The latest MKVToolNix packages will be soon made into its official apt repository for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Linux Mint 19/18, and higher

Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching it from app launcher. When it opens, do following steps:

1. Run command to add the repository:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb https://mkvtoolnix.download/ubuntu/ $(lsb_release -sc) main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bunkus.org.list'

Replace $(lsb_release -sc) with bionic for Linux Mint 19, or xenial for Linux Mint 18.x. And input your password (no asterisks while typing) when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then install the key:

wget -q -O - https://mkvtoolnix.download/gpg-pub-moritzbunkus.txt | sudo apt-key add -

3. Finally either upgrade the software via Software Updater (Update Manager):

or run command to install the software packages:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install mkvtoolnix mkvtoolnix-gui

Uninstall:

To remove the apt repository, launch Software & Updates utility and navigate to Other Software tab.

To remove MKVToolNix, use Synaptic Package Manager or run following command:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove mkvtoolnix mkvtoolnix-gui

Free accounting software GnuCash 3.4 was released a few days ago with tons of bug-fixes and improvements. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 18.10.

According to the release note, GnuCash 3.4 redesigned gnc-uri-utils, cleaned up more report code, improved toolbar buttons, text options widget, and fixed a large number of bugs.

How to Install GnuCash 3.4 in Ubuntu 18.04:

While GnuCash flatpak package is still at version 3.2, you can install the latest 3.4 release via an unofficial PPA for Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 18.10.

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut key. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:sicklylife/gnucash

Type user password (no asterisks feedback) for sudo prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then either upgrade GnuCash via Software Updater, or install it via command:

sudo apt install gnucash

Uninstall:

To remove GnuCash 3.4, run command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove gnucash

And remove the PPA via Software & Updates -> Other Software.

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-*