Ubuntu: Questions and Answers (2014)
PPA
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A PPA is a personal package archive generally hosted by launchpad.net. PPAs allow developers to distribute software in a manner similar to Ubuntu repository items using apt-get.
Users can add a PPA to their system with the apt-get add repository command or through the Software Sources application. This allows users to install, update and remove PPA packages just like regular repository packages.
You can use the ppa-purge command to remove a PPA, or you can remove it through Software Sources.
Questions
Q: What are PPAs and how do I use them?
Tags: ppa (Next Q)
I keep reading about Personal Package Archives ('PPAs') and people answer questions with a link to a PPA. What's the best way to use these?
There are multiple valid answers for this question spanning over several versions of Ubuntu. For your convenience, an index of each is below.
· Ubuntu 11.04 and newer
· Ubuntu 10.10
· Ubuntu 10.04
· Command Line
· What is a PPA?
· Removing a PPA
Tags: ppa (Next Q)
User: jorge-castro
Answer by alaukik
For Ubuntu 11.04 and newer
Before adding a PPA you should be aware of some of the risks involved:
· Are "PPA's" safe to add to my system, and what are some "red flags" to watch out for?
Always remember that PPAs are provided by the community, you should be aware of the possible risks before just adding a PPA.
· First open the dash by either clicking on the Home button (On the top-left Corner) or pressing the Super Key .
· Search for 'Software Center' and launch the Ubuntu software center.
· Move the mouse to the top panel where the name of the application is written.
· Now Go to the Edit menu and select Software Sources.
· Enter your password when prompted.
· Switch to the 'Other Software' tab.
· Now click 'Add', a box will appear.
· You have to enter the PPA in the box. It can be found in BOLD on the launchpad page.
· Now click 'Add source' and close the Software Sources. The cache will be refreshed
· Now install the software from the software center.
Answer by florian-diesch
What is PPA?
PPAs are for non standard software/updates. They are generally used by people who want the latest and greatest. If you are going extra lengths to get this kind of software, then you are expected to know what you are doing. The selection in the Software Centre is ample for most human beings.
Command Line
On the command line you can add a PPA using add-apt-repository, e.g.:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwibber-daily/ppa
To remove a PPA remove the corresponding files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d (this does not remove the packages you installed from the PPA). To see the packages available from a PPA or remove packages installed from a PPA press the "Origin" button on the lower left of the Synaptic window and choose the PPA from the list.
With can use the usual Software Sources dialog and add ppa:gwibber-daily/ppa where it asks for a APT line and enable or disable them just like other repositories.
As anybody can create a PPA there's no guarantee for quality or security of a PPA - just like with any other unofficial software source you have to decide yourself if a PPA it's trustworthy or not. And like any other unofficial software packages from a PPA can cause all sorts of difficulties especially when upgrading to a new release of Ubuntu.
Answer by andrewsomething
For Ubuntu 10.10
While many find it easier to add PPAs using command line tools, this can be done through Ubuntu Software Center for those who prefer graphical interfaces. For this demo, we will be adding the PPA for the Banshee Team in order to get the latest stable release of Banshee.
We'll begin by opening the Ubuntu Software Center which can be found in the Applications menu.
Applications > Ubuntu Software Center
Now in Software Center, go to Edit > Software Sources
You will be asked to enter your administrative password.
Now in Software Sources open the Other Software tab and press Add.
In this dialog, we will enter the PPA's information.
This information is found on the PPA's website in bold under the heading Adding this PPA to your system. For the Banshee PPA, it looks like this:
Now we can close Software Sources and Software Center will automatically update so that you can access the new packages from the PPA.
The packages available from the PPA can be seen by expanding the Get Software menu in Software Center's left column.
Tags: ppa (Next Q)
Q: Where can I find a Subversion 1.7 binary?
Tags: ppa (Next Q)
Does anybody know of a ppa or source I can get a subverison 1.7 deb?
It was just released yesterday so I'm sure something will show up eventually. However I figure this will be a good place to post when something is released.
Tags: ppa (Next Q)
User: ryu
Answer by richard-povinelli
As of Ubuntu 12.10, subversion 1.7 is available as part of the distribution. Subversion can be installed using apt-get.
sudo apt-get install subversion
For earlier versions of Ubuntu, there is a ppa available at subversion-1.7. The repository can be added as follows:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:dominik-stadler/subversion-1.7
To get the latest version of subversion update and upgrade the repository.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
I needed to also do a dist-upgrade.
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
I'm assuming that you already have subversion installed, if not:
sudo apt-get install subversion
Answer by waylon-flinn
There's also a ppa supported directly by the subversion team: "Subversion" team.
You should be able to add the ppa with the following command:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:svn/ppa
The apt-add-repository command is provided by the python-software-properties package, so make sure to install it first.
Note: RabbitVCS seems to have a problem with subversion 1.7: Rabbitvcs does not mark as versioned subfodlers/files in svn 1.7. This is fixed in the trunk but hasn't (yet) been pushed to a build.
Answer by fernando
The Wandisco script actually install a new repository which contains the .deb file for installing SVN 1.7.
Almost the same can be accomplish by executing the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository 'deb http://opensource.wandisco.com/ubuntu lucid svn17'
sudo wget -q http://opensource.wandisco.com/wandisco-debian.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install subversion
Tags: ppa (Next Q)
Q: How do I install latest PHP in supported Ubuntu versions (like 5.4.x in Ubuntu 12.04)?
Tags: ppa php (Next Q)
I am trying to update to php 5.4 in Ubuntu 12.04, and I can only get 5.3.6 using official repositories (using apt-get).
I'm not really sure how to do a manual update I'm sorta new to ubuntu, but I need to play around with the new php features!
Tags: ppa php (Next Q)
User: kavisiegel
Answer by matteosister
You could use a PPA to stay up-to-date with PHP. I use:
https://launchpad.net/~ondrej/+archive/php5 
It's now on 5.5 and also includes Apache 2.4 update. For Apache 2.2+ PHP 5.4 repository, see the bottom of the answer.
If you want use this PHP, do this:
ppa:ondrej/php5 (Click here for instructions on using PPAs.)
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php5
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install php5
If you don't have add-apt-repository binary do the following:
sudo apt-get install python-software-properties
Precautions:
· Are PPA's safe to add to my system and what are some "red flags" to watch out for?
For Ubuntu 12.10
Ubuntu 12.10's official repository is updated to PHP 5.4. You should use the main repository package if you can. To do this, just install PHP5without enabling any PPA.
PHP 5.4
Prepackaged latest PHP 5.4 now resides in separate PPA: ppa:ondrej/php5-oldstable
Tags: ppa php (Next Q)
Q: How can PPAs be removed?
Q: What are PPAs and how do I use them?
Q: How to install Eclipse?
Q: Are PPA's safe to add to my system and what are some "red flags" to watch out for?
Q: How to add a PPA on a server?
Q: Where can I find a Subversion 1.7 binary?
Q: How do I install latest PHP in supported Ubuntu versions (like 5.4.x in Ubuntu 12.04)?
Q: How can I get a list of all repositories and PPAs from the command line?