PPA_Testing

Revision 11 as of 2013-07-29 16:18:47

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PPA Testing

Sometimes during the test cycle one of the developers may ask you to test something specific for them. This is often phrased as 

please install application from ppa:xyz  and retest.

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 application from the ppa ppa:xyz. These two pieces of information will be given to you. After installing an application from a test ppa area, it is wise to remove that ppa from your system else you will pull in any work in progress that the developer or team are doing each time you do a full system update. If you are 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

Adding

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

Now, if the new application broke your system, then you need to get rid of it and re-install the current version 

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.