PPA Testing

During the test cycle, one of the developers might ask you to perform a specific task. Such a request might be phrased something like this:

please install application from ppa:xyz and test.

(What is a ppa?)

(What is an application?)

As the developers spend most of their time talking in a language that I understand as well as I do Klingon I did ask for an explanation that humans could understand. In the below example, I will use the application named application from the PPA named ppa:xyz. These two pieces of information will be given to you. If you are ever in doubt of either the application or the ppa full names, please do ask the devs. Do not install ppa's that you do not fully trust, 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 ASK.

Installing (aka Adding)

Open a terminal session:

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, simply press Enter to accept, provided you trust the PPA.

What the above does:

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

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

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

Removing

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

Open a terminal session:

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 remove the test ppa area

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

3. sudo apt-get remove application remove 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.