Installing AutoKey from an Ubuntu repository

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keith

unread,
Nov 11, 2011, 10:20:40 AM11/11/11
to autokey-users
This is the last section of the Installation manual to be reviewed.
Next week it should be available on the Google code wiki, hopefully
for download as well as viewing.

Please review it and point out all my typos, spelling errors, and
bloopers. If you think anything should be added or explained in more
detail please say so, I want this to be useful for everyone, novice
and expert...

This will be the beginning of the Installation section with the other
sections I posted previously following it. This version is plain text
only, the version to be posted on the wiki will be formated in HTML
code and have headers, code blocks, bold text, etc.

Keith

________________
General Information


First time installation:

Carefully following the instructions in the section "Ubuntu
Installation" or if building from source code in the section "Building
and installing from a deb package", should seamlessly install AutoKey


Upgrades from previous versions:

1 - If you already have AutoKey installed, you do not need to remove
the previous version of AutoKey in order to upgrade.

2 - You Must quit AutoKey and make sure the AutoKey icon is not in the
"Notification Area" or "System Tray" prior to starting the
installation.

3 - You should backup ~/.config/autokey or at least copy the directory
to somewhere in your home directory prior to doing an upgrade. That is
the only thing that you need to back up. AutoKey will also make an
additional backup copy of your configuration file before it upgrades
it to v0.80 format.

4 - Carefully following the instructions in the section "Ubuntu
Installation" or if building from source code in the section "Building
and installing from a deb package", should seamlessly upgrade your
current version to the new one and include all phrases and scripts
that you have previously created.

______________________________
Installing AutoKey from a Repository

Installing AutoKey for Ubuntu using a .deb file is easy. A "*.deb"
file is the format that Ubuntu requires to be used to install software
using Ubuntu software repositories. Using a repository you can have
AutoKey automatically installed--with all dependencies--using two
different methods:

Note that most of the time either choice below will install the latest
version--but not all. If you want to be sure that you are installing
the latest version then compare the listed version here,
http://code.google.com/p/autokey/downloads/list, with the version
offered from the repository sources described below. If the version
shown there is more recent (higher number) than the ones in your
repositories--and you want the newer version--you will have to
download it and build the package from source (see build from source).

_________________________________
1 - Using the Ubuntu repositories for your version of Ubuntu to
install AutoKey.

Since AutoKey is already available in the Ubuntu repositories, you can
use any of the software installation programs that came with your
version of Ubuntu to install AutoKey--the same way you install
standard Ubuntu packages. Examples of software installation programs
are; Synaptic, Adept, Ubuntu Software Center, apt or any other Ubuntu
installation program that you prefer.

________________________
2 - Using Autokey's PPA

If you are new to Ubuntu I am sure you are wondering what is a PPA.
PPA stands for Personal Package Archive and is a way for individuals
who have created programs for Ubuntu to create and maintain a
repository that the software installation programs in Ubuntu can use
to install them. This allows you to install your packages in the
same way you install standard Ubuntu packages as well as automatically
receive update notices. They are not checked or monitored by the
creators of Ubuntu and they are not responsible for any problems--nor
do they want to hear about them. You install software from PPA's at
your own risk.

Using AutoKey's PPA located at https://launchpad.net/~cdekter/+archive/ppa/+index#
is the best way to keep AutoKey updated. To use the PPA you have to
add it to your system's repository list. This can be done using the
command line in a terminal (which probably seems intimidating but is
actually the easiest) or using your favorite Ubuntu software
installer.

Under the heading "Adding this PPA to your system" on AutoKey's PPA
page, both methods are described.

Using the Command Line to add the repository:

The link "Read about installing" https://launchpad.net/+help/soyuz/ppa-sources-list.html
describes how to use the command line in a terminal to add the
repository and the software key. Most problems you will have using
this method will be from typos or not specifying your version of
Ubuntu correctly.

NOTE: Before you use the instructions below, make sure you close any
software installation program that may be running--or you will get an
error message. To avoid errors only one program at a time is allowed
to use the repository.

This is what you would type in a terminal to install the PPA for Lucid
(10.04) and later versions of Ubuntu:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cdekter/ppa

Then you would need to enter this in order to update the contents of
the PPA's repository on your system.

sudo apt-get update

Once this is done your favorite software installation program "should"
automatically be able to see and use the updates. If it does not then
use the "Reload/Update Package Information" icon or menu selection in
your software installation program.

If you are using an earlier version of Ubuntu, the instructions for
earlier versions are on that page as well.

________________________________________
Using your favorite installation program to add the repository:

If you want to use your favorite software installer, on the page
https://launchpad.net/~cdekter/+archive/ppa/+index# the instructions
are under the sub-heading "Technical details about this PPA". Just
click on the arrow to the left of the heading and the instructions
will appear. Be sure and select your version in the text box to the
right of the sub-heading "Display sources.list entries for:". The
entries for the version you selected will appear in the box below.

Since each of the different software installation programs you might
be using will have a different method of adding a repository you will
have to figure out how to use them by reading their documentation or
man page.

_______________________
3 - For all other Linux versions you will have to build a Debian
package from source code.

___________________
Problems or Questions

If you have a problem or questions, join the AutoKey Users group at
http://groups.google.com/group/autokey-users and post your questions
there. You can--and should--search this forum for information on how
to do what you are having problems doing as well as for information
about any installation problem you are having before you post your
question.

If you have a problem that you want to post and request help with,
please read the troubleshooting guide before you post your question
and provide the information that it recommends. The troubleshooting
guide and all other online documentation is located here:
http://code.google.com/p/autokey/w/list .

Luke Faraone

unread,
Nov 11, 2011, 10:23:58 AM11/11/11
to autoke...@googlegroups.com, keith
On 11/11/11 10:20, keith wrote:
> 3 - For all other Linux versions you will have to build a Debian
> package from source code.

Er, what? Autokey was packaged first in Debian; Ubuntu simply imports
the Debian package[1]. Granted, that version is old, but that is
something I intend to fix in the near future.

[1]: http://packages.debian.org/sid/autokey-gtk


--
Luke Faraone;; Debian & Ubuntu Developer; Sugar Labs, Systems
lfaraone on irc.[freenode,oftc].net -- http://luke.faraone.cc
PGP fprint: 5189 2A7D 16D0 49BB 046B DC77 9732 5DD8 F9FD D506

signature.asc

Joe

unread,
Nov 12, 2011, 3:19:35 PM11/12/11
to autoke...@googlegroups.com
Looks good. Specifics inline.

On 11/11/2011 10:20 AM, keith wrote:
> This is the last section of the Installation manual to be reviewed.
> Next week it should be available on the Google code wiki, hopefully
> for download as well as viewing.
>
> Please review it and point out all my typos, spelling errors, and
> bloopers. If you think anything should be added or explained in more
> detail please say so, I want this to be useful for everyone, novice
> and expert...
>
> This will be the beginning of the Installation section with the other
> sections I posted previously following it. This version is plain text
> only, the version to be posted on the wiki will be formated in HTML
> code and have headers, code blocks, bold text, etc.
>
> Keith
>
> ________________
> General Information
>
>
> First time installation:
>
> Carefully following the instructions in the section "Ubuntu
> Installation" or if building from source code in the section "Building

Optional commas: or, if building from source code, [those/the instructions]


> and installing from a deb package", should seamlessly install AutoKey

or: Autokey can be installed from a deb package or built from source.
Carefully following the instructions for the appropriate method should
seamlessly install AutoKey. For the details, see the sections "Building
and installing from a deb package" and "Building Installation".
(this is just a suggestion for restructuring the point. It can be
improved upon.)

"Building Installation" -> "Installing from Source" ?


>
> Upgrades from previous versions:
>
> 1 - If you already have AutoKey installed, you do not need to remove
> the previous version of AutoKey in order to upgrade.
>
> 2 - You Must quit AutoKey and make sure the AutoKey icon is not in the
> "Notification Area" or "System Tray" prior to starting the
> installation.
>
> 3 - You should backup ~/.config/autokey or at least copy the directory
> to somewhere in your home directory prior to doing an upgrade. That is
> the only thing that you need to back up. AutoKey will also make an
> additional backup copy of your configuration file before it upgrades
> it to v0.80 format.
>

4 - (same as above - comma ...)

PPAs (Personal Package Archives) are a way ... (rest plural too)


> If you are new to Ubuntu I am sure you are wondering what is a PPA.
> PPA stands for Personal Package Archive and is a way for individuals
> who have created programs for Ubuntu to create and maintain a
> repository that the software installation programs in Ubuntu can use
> to install them. This allows you to install your packages in the
> same way you install standard Ubuntu packages as well as automatically
> receive update notices. They are not checked or monitored by the
> creators of Ubuntu and they are not responsible for any problems--nor
> do they want to hear about them. You install software from PPA's at

no apostrophe - I was making that mistake for years.


> your own risk.
>
> Using AutoKey's PPA located at https://launchpad.net/~cdekter/+archive/ppa/+index#
> is the best way to keep AutoKey updated. To use the PPA you have to

PPA,


> add it to your system's repository list. This can be done using the
> command line in a terminal (which probably seems intimidating but is

intimidating,


> actually the easiest) or using your favorite Ubuntu software
> installer.
>
> Under the heading "Adding this PPA to your system" on AutoKey's PPA
> page, both methods are described.
>
> Using the Command Line to add the repository:
>
> The link "Read about installing" https://launchpad.net/+help/soyuz/ppa-sources-list.html
> describes how to use the command line in a terminal to add the
> repository and the software key. Most problems you will have using
> this method will be from typos or not specifying your version of
> Ubuntu correctly.
>
> NOTE: Before you use the instructions below, make sure you close any
> software installation program that may be running--or you will get an
> error message. To avoid errors only one program at a time is allowed

errors,


> to use the repository.
>
> This is what you would type in a terminal to install the PPA for Lucid
> (10.04) and later versions of Ubuntu:
>
> sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cdekter/ppa
>
> Then you would need to enter this in order to update the contents of
> the PPA's repository on your system.
>
> sudo apt-get update
>
> Once this is done your favorite software installation program "should"
> automatically be able to see and use the updates. If it does not then

not,


> use the "Reload/Update Package Information" icon or menu selection in
> your software installation program.
>
> If you are using an earlier version of Ubuntu, the instructions for
> earlier versions are on that page as well.
>
> ________________________________________
> Using your favorite installation program to add the repository:
>
> If you want to use your favorite software installer, on the page
> https://launchpad.net/~cdekter/+archive/ppa/+index# the instructions
> are under the sub-heading "Technical details about this PPA". Just
> click on the arrow to the left of the heading and the instructions
> will appear. Be sure and select your version in the text box to the
> right of the sub-heading "Display sources.list entries for:". The
> entries for the version you selected will appear in the box below.
>
> Since each of the different software installation programs you might
> be using will have a different method of adding a repository you will
> have to figure out how to use them by reading their documentation or
> man page.
>
> _______________________
> 3 - For all other Linux versions you will have to build a Debian
> package from source code.

How does that help them? If there's no package, they build from
source. And, if there's still no package in a repo, where will updates,
etc. come from?

keith

unread,
Nov 13, 2011, 5:25:28 PM11/13/11
to autokey-users
Hi Joe

All above were good points.

I changed everything you referred too. Sometimes my way sometimes
yours--but it all got clearer I hope.

On your comment about "How does this help them" that one sentence got
changed to several paragraphs due to suggestions from Luke and several
other people. Hopefully they correct what you were pointing out.

Thanks for the help.

Keith

Joe

unread,
Nov 14, 2011, 5:28:30 AM11/14/11
to autoke...@googlegroups.com
That's cool. You're the author. I am just pointing out issues with
proposed solutions.

Joe

keith

unread,
Nov 18, 2011, 7:35:39 PM11/18/11
to autokey-users

Don't worry about any of that "your the author" stuff. That is not my
motivation...

I want to be the editor and coordinator that makes sure the best
possible documentation gets created.

So anyone else out there feel free to jump in with suggestions.

Keith

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