PPA Testing

During the test cycle, the developers might ask you to perform specific tasks. Such requests might be phrased something like this:

• please install application from ppa:xyz and test.

(What is a ppa?)

(What is an application?)

(What is a developer aka dev?)

As developers talk in code language, you might understand their requests less than you do Klingon. Wiki writers translate and explain code language for the rest of us to understand. (Go to the Ubuntu Forums, Launchpad mailing lists, Ubuntu channels on freenode IRC, or Facebook if you need human interaction.)

In the example below, you will see an application named "application" from the PPA named "ppa:xyz". These two pieces of information will be given to you by a Dev or via the Ubuntu-Quality mailing list.

If you ever feel unsure of the precise names of either the application or the ppa, please STOP, and ASK the Devs. Do NOT install ppa's that you do not fully trust because they can be a source of malware. If in doubt.... ASK. Some PPA's will ask for acceptance of a GPG key. Again, if in doubt about anything, please, don't be shy, JUST ASK.

How to Install a ppa (aka Adding)

Open a terminal session, then press ENTER after each line separately, as follows:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:xyz
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install application

If being asked to accept a GPG key, the steps will be slightly different. At the step

      sudo apt-add-repository ppa:xyz

you will asked to accept the GPG key. When this message appears, simply press ENTER to accept - provided you trust the PPA.

What the above does:

1. sudo apt-add-repository ppa:xyz - adds the ppa called xyz to your system index,

2. sudo apt-get update - tells your system it is there to be used.

3. sudo apt-get install application - installs the application.

How to Remove a ppa

If the new application does not work, report a Bug. After you report the bug, you may want or need to get rid of the application and re-install the current version.

Open a terminal session, then press ENTER after each line separately, as follows:

sudo apt-add-repository -r ppa:xyz
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get remove application
sudo apt-get install application

What the above does:

1. sudo apt-add-repository -r ppa:xyz - removes the test ppa area

2. sudo apt-get update - tells your system that it is no longer to be used

3. sudo apt-get remove application - removes the new version

4. sudo apt-get install application - now that the test ppa is no longer in use, the install will 'grab' the one from the normal area.

GPG Keys

A full description of GPG keys and their use can be found at About GPG Keys.