Ubuntu - Configuring For Programming

This is a checklist and a set of tips on setting up a complete ubuntu

installation suitable for software development and scientific research.

These instructions were tested on Ubuntu 12.04, 11.10 but are almost the same for 11.04.

Installing Packages

Be resourceful. Install most of the stuff you'll ever need so you don't have to worry about it later. After this, your system will consume about 15GB total

apt-get install kdenlive kino texlive-full blender konqueror konq-plugins  glade gtk-gnutella freemind emacs scilab octave ipython ddd xmaxima gap r-base r-base-dev r-recommended gnuplot imagemagick inkscape gimp digikam compizconfig-settings-manager pitivi python-kiwi apache2 ssh recordmydesktop mplayer gxine vlc ffmpeg puredata puredata-import git-core git-svn git-cvs kubuntu-full amarok cmake cmake-curses-gui autoconf automake libtool ekiga chromium-browser konsole  gitk gitg irssi xfig gv amule amule-emc qbittorrent nicotine gtk-gnutella kubuntu-full kubuntu-desktop vim-gnome mesa-utils dconf-tools sshfs pdftk libmagick++-dev gimp-data-extras gimp-plugin-registry gnome-tweak-tool v4l-utils synaptic libv4l-dev swig tcllib ardour audacity audacious jackd qjackctl unrar unison-gtk php5 libproc-processtable-perl guvcview exuberant-ctags gthumb xzgv

Getting back to Ubuntu / Unity (for 13.10 users)

The above commands installs kubuntu-full to get programs and libs from ubuntu. But if you want to go back to unity just do this:

• edit the file /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
• change the line user-session to be

user-session=ubuntu

• change the line greeter-session to be

greeter-session=unity-greeter 

Remove the unified menu feature

apt-get remove indicator-appmenu 

Clipboard history manager

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:diodon-team/stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install diodon

System usage indicator

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:indicator-multiload/stable-daily
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install indicator-multiload

Dev libs

Get dev libs indirectly through build-dep:

apt-get build-dep scilab evince okular digikam mplayer gimp libreoffice firefox empathy kino vlc gxine puredata ardour lmms

Dev utilities

Apt-file

Apt-file to search for packages containing a specified file (useful for compiling)

apt-get install apt-file

sample usage:

# one-time: 
apt-file update    
# all other times:
apt-file find arquivo_exemplo.h

Apt-rdepends

Apt-rdepends to search for packages depending on a specified package (useful for compiling)

apt-get install apt-rdepends

sample usage:

apt-rdepends --reverse (packagename)

Other

No Ubuntu 11.10, Gnome shell:

apt-get install gnome-shell

Other Configs

• capslock -> additional control
• nvidia-drivers
• wish 8.5 (see listamacambira email) - nice tcl/tk GUI
• Explore o gnome-tweak-tool

You might want to change UID to same as the UID of your other computers or external hard drives (same with GID)

usermod -u UID username
groupmod -g GID username

This will take care of everything inside /home/username, /etc/passwd and the like. Remember to edit /etc/login.defs if your UID is below 1000

Cuda

If you have a cuda-capable NVidia GPU, follow this:

http://hdfpga.blogspot.com/2011/05/install-cuda-40-on-ubuntu-1104.html

Automation Script

The latest instructions on this page are automated inside an install script that is shipped as part of the Lab Macambira utils Git repository:

http://labmacambira.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=labmacambira/utils;a=blob;f=configure-ubuntu-for-programming;hb=HEAD

You can download it using Git (for easily downloading later updates) like this:

   $ git clone git://labmacambira.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/labmacambira/utils

Or, if you are a Lab Macambira comitter or if you have a sourceforge user:

   $ git clone ssh://<usuario>@labmacambira.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/labmacambira/utils

The above script is pretty much like achieving a developer's distro on top of a raw ubuntu installation.

See also

• Manual do Novato for Lab Macambira n00b guidance
• Configuring Mac OS X for programming open source and beyond