VLC Installation guide written by a newbie for a newbie

I've attempted to collect in one place all the VLC installation steps found in various posting on various website.

By the way, it makes it much easier if you think of this activity as a fun activity... and if you are not in a hurry. I've had to install VLC several times. Most of my installation problems were due to rushing through the installation.

Installation notes:

Everything is done in the terminal.

Alt + F2

check run in terminal

click on run

Until I discovered the above commands, I used to open up my terminal from the Advanced Menu by right clicking on the desktop and selecting Terminal. (To enable the advanced menu see http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/09/05 ... page2.html --Note I have not tested the other tips shown, I have only tested the enabling of Advanced Menu.)

A) Once you have your terminal opened up, go to

http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/11/inst ... linux.html
(if you want to see where I found the code)

B) Copy and Paste these commands into the terminal:

1)

sudo rpm -Uvh http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm

then press the enter key and wait until loading is finished. (NOTE: I messed it up once by typing in the terminal before the code was loaded/processed). Wait until you see the the user prompt again.

NOTE: The code has finished running when you see the following:

[user@localhost ~]$

2)

sudo rpm -Uvh http://rpms.kwizart.net/kwizart-release-8.rpm

then press the enter key and wait until loading is finished

3)

sudo yum install --enablerepo=kwizart-testing vlc vlc-core mozilla-vlc

then press the enter key and wait until loading is finished (This one takes some time.) Do not press any key until all the code is loaded.

You will see the following error message:

Error: Missing Dependency: libpulse.so.0(PULSE_0) is needed by package vlc
Error: Missing Dependency: libdc1394.so.22 is needed by package ffmpeg-libs
Error: Missing Dependency: libdvdnav.so.4 is needed by package vlc-core


C) At this point, go to:

http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/09/upda ... ories.html
(if you want to see where I found the code)

and copy and paste the following command into the terminal to download the missing dependency files:

1)

sudo yum install fedora-release

then press the enter key and wait until loading is finished --this loading/processing of code takes even longer!

2)

You will then be prompted several times to select y/N. Type y and press the enter key

When you see Complete! you are almost done.

D)

Then go to
http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/11/inst ... linux.html
(if you want to see where I found the code)

and copy and run the following code:

sudo sed s/%U// -i /usr/share/applications/livna-vlc.desktop
dca add 12 "file='/usr/share/applications/livna-vlc.desktop'"

E)

Then in your terminal enter

sudo su
(this may require a password)
This gives you the ability to process the install vlc command

you should now see

[user@localhost ~]$ sudo su
[root@localhost user]#


type your command:

yum install vlc

this will install 35 packages & other stuff.

Reboot your computer. You should now see the vlc icon.





Have fun installing VLC!

P.S. I was not able to uninstall Media Master -- even when running the code shown in other postings. As suggested in another post, I just moved the icon out of the way by dragging the icons I wanted to see if front of the Media Master icon.

Have a great Linux 2009!

 

Re: VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Got VLC installed and it plays fine from the advanced mode menu. But I wanted to add it to my desktop. Following the add desktop icon instructions, on the second command I get "bash: dca: command not found". Both commands were copied and pasted exactly as posted. What am I doing wrong?

Help.

 

Re: VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Treker, without wanting to muddy waters too much, as patrickscot did a pretty fine job in collating the various bits and bobs required to install Vlc, i prefer this metod for installing icon on desktop (last section 'D'):

open terminal and type following:

Code:

sudo mousepad /home/user/.config/xfce4/desktop/group-app.xml

and click enter

the box that appears will have a red warning bar at top, reminding you that you are editing code that can cause major problems if mucked around with... i would recomend ctl+a and copy and paste into a txt editor for safe keepings

if you scroll down to the yellow 'fun' section,approximately 3/4 way down, not first bit, you will see lines of code with various entries for you icons in the Fun menu list, the numbers indicating their position, copy the following into a space

Code:

<app sequence="5">/usr/share/applications/livna-vlc.desktop</app>

the number (in my case '5') needs to be changed if you have more applications... just check the numbers, and use whatever next highest up is.
go to the menu at top of the code editor and click on save
reboot and icon should now be in fun menu... clcik and drag to a more prominent position as you wish, if icon is not there, just repeat above steps and change the location number, it took me a few goes for some reason, but all ok now.

as a relative Linux noobie up until i bought the Acer, the instalation of Vlc has been a nice little challenge/project to get your teeth into the installing and adding desktop icons for me, took a few goes to get the number right, but got there in end. :mrgreen:

 

Re: VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

followed all the instructions listed by patrickscott - all worked according to plan - but what do I do now? How to I find the application on linux desktop - or where it has put the software to run it? Am utter and complete novice to linux and need very basic guides (this one was great and I thought I had cracked it!!!) Please advise as to what I need to do now - thank you

 

Re: VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

might sound daft, cos i forgot to do it once or twice, but have you remembered to re-boot? :roll:
the icon/s wont show up until a re-boot.... failing that, try altering the location numbers... i did "8" at first, to be sure it didnt clash, but that didnt work, but "7" did.. weird... but all works fine now :mrgreen:

 

Re: REVISED - VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Sorry! In my instructions, I forgot the last step:

Then in your terminal enter
sudo su
(this may require a password)
This gives you the ability to process the install vlc command

you should now see

[user@localhost ~]$ sudo su
[root@localhost user]#

type your command:

yum install vlc

this will install 35 packages & other stuff.

Reboot your computer. You should now see the vlc icon.


I have revised the original instructions.

 

Re: REVISED - VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou

I read a few guides but it just wasn't basic enough for me to understand. i'm now fully installed and running, once again thankyou.

 

Re: REVISED - VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Maveric55, glad I could help. Since I had a hard time following the various VLC instructions, when I finally installed it, I decided to write a guide.

For those of you thinking of writing guides, we newbies need detailed, step by step guides.

Have a great, linux filled 2009.

 

Re: REVISED - VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Arg, I seem to be having dependency/repository issues, I had 0.8.6i and when I updated my VLC with the "official" patch it would no longer show video, only audio, so I un-installed the patch and now it won't run at all.

So I tried Macles and this set of instructions and it keeps erroring out with : sudo rpm -Uvh http://rpms.kwizart.net/kwizart-release-8.rpm
Retrieving http://rpms.kwizart.net/kwizart-release-8.rpm
error: skipping http://rpms.kwizart.net/kwizart-release-8.rpm - transfer failed - Unknown or unexpected error

and when I tried to run this: sudo yum install --enablerepo=kwizart-testing vlc vlc-core mozilla-vlc
Error getting repository data for kwizart-testing, repository not found

So what are my options at this point ? Does anyone have the download location for the older version, the one I did have to reinstall it that way ? Also is there someway of completely removing VLC to get a fresh start ? TIA

Edit: I was able to go back a version with the help of Macles in his comments
part of his VLC post. And if all else failed I did do a backup before I tried to upgrade my VLC, just glad I didn't have to use it.

 

Re: REVISED - VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Brilliant! Thank you to PatrickScott - your guide worked and and your last input solved my problem! Although I now have 2 vlc icons installed on my desktop! LOL - is this a problem or can I leave them both there? Any other downloads or advice in this step by step format all gratefully appreciated - thank you!!!!!!!!!

 

Re: REVISED - VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

Hello CaryGrant123,
I too at one point ended up with several icons --mine were of Skype-- and I attempted to remove them by deleting the unnecessary code. Macles* explains how to remove the second icon by going to the root and deleting the code. See:
http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/10/inst ... linux.html
and search for icon.

Note: I only found out too late-- after I had deleted the wrong code-- that one should use the ignore brackets and test the change before removing the code!



NOTE: I have not tested the code but I do know that it works in HTML.

I tried to remove the duplicate icons but removed some necessary code too! --I had four or five extra icons & I know nothing about code-- so my solution was to reinstall linpus, install the updates, install VLC.

(For some more info on code and icons, you may want to look at
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/09/05 ... page3.html )

Now that I have my AA1 the way I want it --with VLC , Skype and gpodder, I'm not going to do anything until I figure out how to make a restore/backup copy of my setup.

Have a great 2009!

 

Re: VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

I did as above and added GIMP to the desktop menu using sequence number 5 as it appeared to be free, VLC was already there and after rebooting VLC was gone and GIMP was not there. I tried to open up the Group-app.xml file but upon doing so found it to be empty, all default desktop apps are there but nothing I have added since.
Anybody got any ideas why this may be?

 

this happened to me as well... after slight sweat broke out i tried it again a few times and it was there... phew lol.. only thing i can thing of is check your spelling, as thats the only thing i can think was wrong also spaces "sudo mousepad /home/user/.config/xfce4/desktop/group-app.xml" there is a space after mousepad... also, i used to always type 'xface4' instead of the correct 'xfce4' :roll:
dont foget to hit save as well after adding the extra line
after a few goes, i decided might be best to make a complete copy of the group-app.xml file, ctl+a and copy into a text file as a precaution :shock:

 

If you omitted to make a copy of the group-app.xml file in the /home/user/.config/xfce4/desktop/ directory, you can also find a copy of the file under /root/.config/xfce4/desktop/group-app.xml

themadscotsman:
check the spelling on your command, the files group-app.xml has a lower case 'g', if you try to edit /home/user/.config/xfce4/desktop/Group-app.xml you will seen an empty file because linux is case sensitive and that file does not exist.

Secondly:
The laptop does not need to be restarted in order to see the changes to group-app.xml; run the script /etc/rc.d/session/xfdesktop.sh & to refresh the icons on the desktop.

 

Re: VLC Installation guide from a newbie for a newbie

I took the liberty of doing a little editing to make things a little clearer...

Using this information the desktop icon did indeed appear on the desktop in the "fun" section.

However, when I click on the icon VLC open up with an additional error box. The error says:

Unable to open '%U'

VLC still works but I still have no idea what this message is about. I also clicked on the 'don't show further errors' box but the same error message still pops up.

 

The same error message occurs when I went into the desktop manager and changed the line of code for the VLC icon from "livna-vlc" to "gimp" with the idea that the VLC icon on the desktop would be replaced by gimp's dog icon. It was, but launching, then closing gimp causes gimp to run a similar error message with the '%U' script.

So...I did a recovery and reinstalled VLC. Unfortunately, it's still the same old version (the desktop icon did mount on the desktop) Same error message when opening VLC from the desktop.


FIXED!

The offending line of code looks like this:

exec= vlc %U

I simply removed the %U

saved, closed, rebooted, verified no error window and VLC works fine.

 

pontificator open the livna-vlc.desktop with mousepad

sudo mousepad /usr/share/applications/livna-vlc.desktop

search the exec= ...line and remove this damned %U

save and close mousepad and reboot!

et voila!

 

That took care of the error box problem!

Even this dullard figured it out after five minutes.

The line of code looks like this:

Exec= vlc %U

Simply remove the % and the U then save, reboot.

It's gone! :lol:

 

Hi, i follow the guide and got the 35 packs installed but where is the vlc app? There is no icon. this is my first experience with linus OS. Thanks.

 

Access it by right clicking on the desktop and going to "Multimedia". If you haven't enabled the advanced desktop, it' won't right-click.

Directions for enabling the advanced desktop:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/09/05/ten_aspire_one_tips/page2.html