Packages

Install Package

• Click on the Terminal icon at the top:
  
  
  
• A Terminal window will open:
  
  
  • Input the following command at the terminal:
    

    sudo apt-get update

    This will update the list of available updates, and may take a minute or so to run.
    The pi@raspberrypi:~ $ prompt will appear once the command is finished.
    
    
  • Input the following command at the terminal:
    

    sudo apt-get install <package name>

    Where <package name> is the name of the package that you want to install.
    A list of packages can be found at http://www.raspberryconnect.com/raspbian-packages-list
    
    
  • The package will install, and this may take a minute or so.
    Press the Y key (followed by the return key) if you are asked if you want to continue.
    The pi@raspberrypi:~ $ prompt will appear once the command is finished.
    
    
  • So, if you want to install the gThumb package for example:
    
    
    • Input the following commands at the terminal:
      

      sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install gThumb

      
      
    • gThumb will now download and install
      
      
    • Once gThumb has installed, an entry for it will be added to the Application menu, under the Graphics sub-menu.
      Obviously the location of the menu item will depend on what package is being installed.
      
      

Create a Desktop Shortcut for the Package

• Right click on the desktop, select Create New... and click on Empty File.
  
  
• A Creating... window will open:
  
  
  • Input a name for the empty file.
    The name must end in .desktop, so I usually use <package name>.desktop as the name.
    For gThumb I would use gThumb.desktop as the name.
    
    
  • Press the OK button
    
    
• A new file will appear on the desktop.
  
  
• Double click on the new file to open it.
  
  
• The new file will now open into a text editor:
  
  
  • Input the following text into the file:
    
    

    [Desktop Entry] Name=<package name> Comment=<package description> Icon=<package icon> Exec=<package location> Type=Application Encoding=UTF-8 Terminal=false Categories=None;

    
    Where:
    
    
    • <package name> is the name of the package.
      
      
    • <package description> is a description of the package.
      
      
    • <package icon> is the location of an icon for the shortcut.
      There are a number of icons that can be used in the /usr/share/pixmaps folder.
      
      Often, just putting the package name in lowercase will use the package icon.
      
      
    • <package location>
      Usually this will be /usr/bin/<package name>.
      
      
    Note that if you are unsure about any of these entries should be, the applications menu shortcuts menu items can be found in the /usr/share/applications folder.
    If you right click on one of these items, and click on Text Editor in the menu that appears, then the file will open in a text editor and the associated values can be copied into the desktop shortcut file.
    
    
  • So the following could be used for a desktop shortcut for gThumb:
    
    

    [Desktop Entry] Name=gThumb Comment=gThumb image viewer and browser Icon=gthumb Exec=/usr/bin/gthumb Type=Application Encoding=UTF-8 Terminal=false Categories=None;

    
    
  • Save the file.