Installing debian files in ubuntu 10.04|Saving debian files while installing software/packages in ubuntu|Installing vlc in ubuntu

For new users installing software in ubuntu is cumbersome as downloading your softwares again after every fresh installation is annoying here is a solution for you if you have installed ubuntu and you want to store the softwares as you do in windows for future use.

When you install any package in ubuntu using apt-get install it first get downloaded in the cache located in /var/cache/apt/archives. Here all the debian files which are required by your software are downloaded first or you can say all the dependencies related to your software are stored here and as the downloaded finishes dpkg which is debian package manager installs the debian files using the files in current directory.So if you have debian files stored some where you can manually install your software,so our target here is to store debian files as we install any software so that we can manually install it in future if required.


Take an example suppose we are installing vlc media player,do as follows:
1. Clean the cache
[sudo apt-get clean]

2. Install vlc
[sudo apt-get install vlc]

3. Save the debian files related to vlc to some directory ,here I am using /home/tarun/vlc,you can choose any directory.
[cp  /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb   /home/tarun/vlc]

4. Now to reinstall vlc on some other machine having the same OS,copy the files to some place on the harddisk and reach to that directory using cd command.
[cd vlc]       //here you have to reach the vlc directory no matter where you have placed it
Now install vlc as follows:
[sudo dpkg -i *.deb]

Playing Restricted formats in ubuntu such as MP3,DAT,MPEG etc

Initially when I installed ubuntu I was unable to play my favourite music because these formats such as mp3,mpeg are restricted if you want to play them you have to install some packages.

Sol 1 is to open the terminal and install vlc as follows as vlc supports all formats I have heared:

tarun@chawla:~$ sudo apt-get update
(skip this if you have already updated)

tarun@chawla:~$sudo apt-get install vlc

After terminal finishes vlc is intsalled,run those music files with vlc.

or installed ubuntu-restricted-extras package which packages most of the plugins and software required to run day to day licensed things.
To install it do as follows:
tarun@chawla:~$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
(after updating as above,if you have already updated skip updating).
Enjoy the day