Desktop apps

zubozrout

Hello,
the feature was removed from the default installation but you can still get them working on any Ubuntu touch device.

So here is what you need to do:

Install "Desktop Apps Scope" so that you can browse your legacy (X11) apps and execute them.
https://uappexplorer.com/app/libertine-scope.ubuntu
Now you should connect your phone to your computer as this is easier done on desktop rather than on the device itself. However, if you set your phone terminal not to suspend itself or you will supervise it all the time it is also possible to do this on your device.
If you are going the desktop computer way you need to enable developer mode on your device (so have some kind of a pin or password set on your phone - it should tell you when enabling the developer mode). Then you need to execute "phablet-shell" or "adb shell" (without the quotes) on your PC.
If you are doing this directly on your device, just open the terminal app (must be installed).
Either way you are now in your Ubuntu device shell. So execute this in order to create an Ubuntu container to hold your apps: libertine-container-manager create --id ubuntu --name 'ubuntu'
Change the name and ID if you'd like.
This is a lengthy process and will take some time on the device (about 10 minutes).
Now you have the container set up. In order to maintain it you can execute something like this:
libertine-container-manager exec --command "/bin/bash" --id ubuntu
Once executed you'll have the superuser shell of the inside container and you can do "apt install firefox" or whatever you want, just like on the desktop.
You can also install apps like this: "libertine-container-manager install-package -p firefox -i ubuntu"

Once app or apps are installed just go to the scope installed in the first step (you must enable it by swiping from the bottom edge on the main screen). If it was already enabled refreshing the view may be necessary.

For more info about what you can do with the Ubuntu container see "libertine-container-manager --help".

Lakotaubp

Thank you, will give it a go.

Lakotaubp

@zubozrout Thanks for the info. First part all OK. Second part being abit awkward, keep getting container id Ubuntu does not exist message. Will tryagain later.

timppa

Hi

I think the "proper" way of installing packages is using:

libertine-container-manager install-package -i id_of_container -p package

Lakotaubp

@Lakota Tried again all unto point 4 OK. The exec --command bit still returning container id Ubuntu does not exist. This is on m10fhd.
As I'm no programmer do I need to do all sections again I.e. 3 and for or can I just re try part 4 when I get time. As far as I could tell the the container was created as per part three. All this was done via the terminal on the machine.
Also tried on bq 5hd with similar results except for saying IDgroups: cannot find name for group ID1001, 1002,1003,1004,1005 and a few others.

doniks

@Lakota said in Desktop apps:

@Lakota Tried again all unto point 4 OK. The exec --command bit still returning container id Ubuntu does not exist. This is on m10fhd.

Better stick to the "install-package" command timppa suggested, respectively the alternative in part 4 of zubozrout's suggestion. In most cases the exec way should work as well, but safe yourself some headache and stick to the "standard" way with "install-package" until you get some familiarity.

As I'm no programmer do I need to do all sections again I.e. 3 and for or can I just re try part 4 when I get time. As far as I could tell the the container was created as per part three. All this was done via the terminal on the machine.

Continuing with step 4 is fine. If you suspect your container is somehow messed up check the other commands to list and delete containers with --help.

Also tried on bq 5hd with similar results except for saying IDgroups: cannot find name for group ID1001, 1002,1003,1004,1005 and a few others.

You are into the intricacies of the exec command. The missing group ids are just some noncritical warning. I think you ARE INSIDE the container now, but the system doesn't help you much in knowing/recognizing this. You can try to derive from things like "ls /" whether you are INSIDE or OUTSIDE of the container.

But as I said above, I'd advise you to stay away from the exec command for the beginning.

Lakotaubp

@doniks Thanks for the hint about being in the container. I was apparently and have Firefox and libre office on the bq. Will try m10 later

ronnietucker

Weird. I just tried this just now (BQ M10 FHD) and got the error message:

E: Couldn't download packages: e2fsprogs libcryptsetup4
Failed to create container

Apparently it's a bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libertine/+bug/1672231

Lakotaubp

@ronnietucker After many attempt I now have Firefox running on the m10 and apparently also libreoffice is installed according to the terminal, but its not showing in the scope. So need to sort that.
It was very hit and miss with the container (see above comments). Still not sure what caused the issue will read the bugreports, but did follow the advice given above which helped massively. Also was using hotel wifi which was also abit iffy at the time and might not have helped. I did end up running the create container part about 4times before everthing fell into place..

Marathon2422

@zubozrout said in Desktop apps:

libertine-container-manager create --id ubuntu --name 'ubuntu'

From my pro 5

ntu0.2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
x11-common
libxtst6:armhf
isc-dhcp-client
at-spi2-core
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Failure installing humanity-icon-theme during container creation
phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$

tried it on my pro5, this just FYI,no reply needed

zubozrout

@Marathon2422 Well, sometimes this happens when you run those commands directly using the terminal app on the device. Logging in via adb/phablet-shell or ssh and managing the containers from the remote computer may possibly fix this.

Marathon2422

@zubozrout I was doing it on the device,because on the PC, it does not accept fastboot or adb,as unlocked/unrestricted, maybe related to having flyme on it.

doniks

@Marathon2422 said in Desktop apps:

@zubozrout I was doing it on the device,because on the PC, it does not accept fastboot or adb,as unlocked/unrestricted, maybe related to having flyme on it.

Do you mean you had flyme on it earlier, or you do have it on now. If you have it now, does that mean you are talking about some kind of multi-boot setup?

If you can't get adb working for whatever reason you could try to set up ssh access and create the container that way.

Marathon2422

@doniks Thanks, I tried it on my m10fhd,it works on that,( my pro 5 was an original Ubuntu I switched to flyme and now is back on ubports).

Marathon2422

@doniks I had the same,when I went into the container, I went ahead and tried : apt install gimp: And it installed it ok. I only have 1/2 screen size tho ?

Youbountoo

@Marathon2422 Same problem here with GIMP and Firefox on my Aquaris M10 phablet! Plus Libre Office and VLC don't seem to be working...

zubozrout

I believe that most of the issues you encounter may be caused by calling all those commands directly using the terminal app on the device. I've experienced something similar as the mentioned issues on my MX4 as well. There were some problems with apt not being able to install all packages but I don't recall the cause of this issue. Anyway apt was informing me about this while running this on the device itself so it was obvious there is something wrong.

I would encourage you to delete you currently created container and start from scratch remotely - either using phablet-shell/adb-shell or ssh if you have that set up from your computer. Running apt remotely should eliminate those issues.

Youbountoo

I tried to use phablet-shell on my laptop, but I can't even create an id. Nothing happens...

doniks

@Youbountoo said in Desktop apps:

I tried to use phablet-shell on my laptop, but I can't even create an id. Nothing happens...

Copy paste your exact commands and the exact output. Be as descriptive as possible, otherwise it's hard to help you.

PS: I'm not a big fan of having multiple conversations in the same thread. I suggest other people that have some problem with desktop apps, open their own threads unless they know it's the same problem. That makes for way more productive conversations.

Youbountoo

I have the following lines:

daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 *
daemon started successfully *
Then, after the command libertine-container-manager create --id myname --name 'myname' nothing happens, even after 5 minutes...
Thank you!