Q7 - Custom Application Installation (Stock OS/Repositories)

[ColdSun]

Hello,

Nate asked that I post some further information on a working repository for Q7 applications. Please keep in mind that not all of these applications will work. Also, this repository is meant to be used through the system without downloading the DEB files to your device, but right now I've not figured out how to do that. I'm hoping folks with more information will add to this thread, but at least we can get people started here. These applications are in folders alphabetically. If you have questions about an application, it is best to google the name to find out an application's functionality.

Repository Link: http://repository.handhelds.org/hast...pool/universe/

Preparation

Be sure you can run the package installer, as some folks have reported issues doing so. Some SDHC cards have problems being read by the device, if you get an error about the "SD Card Init Fail" your SDHC card is likely not compatible and you should pick up a new one.

1. Format your standard SD card for FAT32 (use a card reader and your Windows PC or if you have something else to do it you can do it that way) - don't put any files on it
2. Make sure the SmartQ 7 is OFF and insert the newly formatted SD card.
3. After the device boots up, click on the SmartQ icon (looks kind of like four colored circles in the top left of the screen) to bring down the system menu.
4. Select System Tools
5. Select GDebi Package Installer
6. Let the package installer finish loading - it might take a little while. If you get an SD Card Failed to Init error - then your SD card may not be compatible or you might have skipped step 1 and had an existing soft.img file that needs to be removed from the card. Be sure you format it just for good measure.
7. At this point you can close the GDebi Package Installer. We will be opening it later, when we begin to install our new applications. Normally, for Linux, you would simply use a repository and grab whatever applications you need. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get that working yet. So we need to download them to the device.

If you receive this error message when trying to install a DEB package or running GDebi:

If you receive this error message:

Failed to run gdebi-btk '--non=interactive' '/media/disk/mirage_0.9-1_arm.deb' as user root. Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

1. Open evilvte (SmartQ icon, then under Accessories) and type this command exactly how you see it:

sudo touch ~/.Xauthority && sudo chown $LOGNAME ~/.Xauthority && chmod 775 ~/. Xauthority

Installing Applications

1. Download the DEB file you want for the application you would like to install from the Repository link above. Be sure you download or copy the DEB file to your SD card in the Q7. Do not install this from your 1GB flash on the Q7.

2. Some applications have dependancies! If you get an error while installing your application that a dependancy is missing, look for that dependancy in the repository in alphabetical order. If you still need help, please post here.

3. Click the SmartQ icon (top left of screen) to open the system menu.

4. Select System Tools

5. Select GDebi Package Installer

6. Click the File menu from the package installer.

7. Select Open from the File Menu.

8. Navigate to Disk (should be a shortcut there for it now) - if you don't find it, never fear - just find the Media/Disk folder from the root of the device file structure.

9. You should have saved the above DEB Install Package files and they should be listed here. Click the [name of file you downloaded].deb file and click the Open button.

NOTE: You may receive an error message talking about the package already being available in your software channel (remember what I said about being able to download these automatically? Well we will figure this out in the near future). Just ignore it by clicking the CONTINUE button.

10. Select the Install Package button to the top right of the current dialog window that gives information about the packet itself. This will install the required python imaging files. This might take a few minutes so grab a drink and relax.

11. You should see a message indicating the package has been successfully installed. Click to close the message and you should be back at the packet's information screen. At this point we are ready to install the next DEB package.

12. Select Open from the File Menu.

13. Navigate to Disk (should be a shortcut there for it now) - if you don't find it, never fear - just find the Media/Disk folder from the root of the device file structure.

14. You should have saved the above DEB Install Package files and they should be listed here. Click the [name of file you downloaded].deb file and click the Open button.

NOTE: You may receive an error message talking about the package already being available in your software channel. Just ignore it by clicking the OK button.

15. Select the Install Package button to the top right of the current dialog window that gives information about the packet itself. This will install the required Comix files to the device.

16. Don't worry! The hard part is over. You might notice no icon on your desktop for the Comix program. Never fear! We fill put one there. Click the SmartQ icon in the top left of your device's screen.

17. Select System Tools

18. Select PC Man File Manager

19. Go to /usr/share/applications

20. You should see an icon for your newly installed application here. Drag a box around the icon for the application (do NOT flick on the icon itself or the app will launch). Click Edit from the menu and Select Copy to copy the file to memory.

21. Go to /home/user/desktop and click Edit and Paste the file to the desktop. You can now launch your application from the desktop!

Hope this helps some folks and please add to this thread with any suggestions you would like.

Regards,
Cold

[lugusto]

This may work (didn't tested it yet, my Internet access is atm only with cables :/ ), since it is based on an Ubuntu version:

1) Open the evilvte
2) Run sudo leafpad /etc/apt/sources.list
3) Add this line:

deb http://repository.handhelds.org/hasty-armv6el-vfp/ hasty main universe multiverse

4) Save the file and close leafpad
5) Run sudo apt-get update
6) After those steps, run sudo apt-get install <softwarename>
7) When finished, type sudo apt-get clean to delete the downloaded files and keep only the instaled software

You can try also to play with the sudo ln command (doc here) in order to create a symbolic link to mislead the operational system (to save the temp. downloaded files in the SD card instead of in the internal memory). apt-get downloads those files to /var/cache/apt/archives and the mountpoint to the SD card in Smart Q7 is /home/user/desktop/disk

Sorry for my poor English and sorry if those instructions are a bit disorderly, I'm busy right now to write with more details. You can try to search on Google the esoteric command names to learn more about the indicated steps

[wermy]

Thanks for the instructions, ColdSun! A nice thing about the apt-get method lugusto posted is that, assuming it works (I still don't have mine so I can't try yet), it should resolve dependancies all by itself. I use apt-get all the time to install stuff on desktop Ubuntu and MintLinux, so I hope this works.

[celtica96]

Originally Posted by lugusto

This may work (didn't tested it yet, my Internet access is atm only with cables :/ ), since it is based on an Ubuntu version:

1) Open the evilvte
2) Run sudo leafpad /etc/apt/sources.list
3) Add this line:

deb http://repository.handhelds.org/hasty-armv6el-vfp/ hasty main universe multiverse

4) Save the file and close leafpad
5) Run sudo apt-get update
6) After those steps, run sudo apt-get install <softwarename>
7) When finished, type sudo apt-get clean to delete the downloaded files and keep only the instaled software

You can try also to play with the sudo ln command (doc here) in order to create a symbolic link to mislead the operational system (to save the temp. downloaded files in the SD card instead of in the internal memory). apt-get downloads those files to /var/cache/apt/archives and the mountpoint to the SD card in Smart Q7 is /home/user/desktop/disk

Sorry for my poor English and sorry if those instructions are a bit disorderly, I'm busy right now to write with more details. You can try to search on Google the esoteric command names to learn more about the indicated steps

Thanks.

This worked for me.

Others who try this may see various "Failed to fetch..." messages associated with the 192.168.2.239 Internet address.

These are referring to the Chinese repository not the repository.handhelds.org one. Just ignore them.