These notes are kindly provided by our Debian package maintainer, Oleksandr Moskalenko. <malex at tagancha.org>. Please direct questions related to Scribus on Debian to the above email.
"Debian" name here encompasses Debian proper (unstable/testing/stable also known as sid/etch/sarge) and at least Ubuntu breezy/hoary. Instructions on rebuilding the source package may be applicable to other Debian derivatives and custom distributions.Currently there are following Scribus-related packages in Debian:
Scribus team also maintains an unofficial (outside of Debian proper) repository that contains some of the packages mentioned above with the most notable difference being a more frequent update schedule compared to Debian proper. There are a couple reasons for the existence of this upstream repository. Debian development has a limit on how often a scribus package can be updated. It could sometimes take weeks between consecutive uploads as the package could be waiting on other related packages before it can move from Unstable (sid) into Testing (currently etch). Because of that the official packages are usually behind those available in our upstream archives. Packages in our upstream repositories usually follow scribus development fairly closely via cvs snapshot builds. For instance, if you discovered a but you are advised to install the most recent package as the bug might have already been fixed and a fixed package is available. This is called "the Scribus magic (TM)". Also, our repositories contain builds for Ubuntu Hoary and Breezy branches (ix86 architecture).
We actually maintain two identical repositories to provide bandwidth redundancy and failover capability to our distribution of Debian scribus packages. These repositories contain x86 packages for Debian stable,testing and unstable and Ubuntu hoary and breezy branches. If you are using a different Debian-based distribution or your hardware is not x86-based such as PowerPC or AMD64 you can easily build a Scribus package from our source package, so do not consider it as a strong obstacle to using these packages.
To use our repositories add the appropriate source lines from the following list to your /etc/apt/sources.list file. Note that the lines starting with "deb" are used for installation of the pre-compiled binary packages and the line starting with "deb-src" are for the source package for building a binary package for your distribution (if it has a different set of libraries), hardware (if it's not x86) or compiler optimizations (if you really know you want them).
# debian.scribus.net - Primary repository
deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ stable main non-free contrib
deb-src http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ stable main non-free contrib
# debian.tagancha.org - Backup repository
deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ stable main non-free contrib
deb-src http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ stable main non-free contrib
# debian.scribus.net - Primary repository
deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ testing main non-free contrib
deb-src http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
# debian.tagancha.org - Backup repository
deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ testing main non-free contrib
deb-src http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
# debian.scribus.net - Primary repository
deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
deb-src http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
# debian.tagancha.org - Backup repository
deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
deb-src http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib
# debian.scribus.net - Primary repository
deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ hoary main restricted
deb-src http://debian.scribus.net/debian/ hoary main restricted
# debian.tagancha.org - Backup repository
deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ hoary main restricted
deb-src http://debian.tagancha.org/debian/ hoary main restricted
# debian.scribus.net - Primary repository
deb http://debian.scribus.net/debian breezy main restricted
deb-src http://debian.scribus.net/debian breezy main restricted
# debian.tagancha.org - Backup repository
deb http://debian.tagancha.org/debian breezy main restricted
deb-src http://debian.tagancha.org/debian breezy main restricted
Our repositories are cryptographically signed for added security. Add the gpg-keys for our repositories to avoid having to confirm your installation choice to the package manager each time you update a scribus or scribus-ng package.
root$ gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net --recv-keys DA286F326C5F196Bor as a normal user (with an appropriate entry for apt-key in the sudoers file):
root$ gpg --armor --export DA286F326C5F196B | apt-key add -
user$ gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net --recv-keys DA286F326C5F196B
user$ gpg --armor --export DA286F326C5F196B | sudo apt-key add -
Once you added the relevant sources lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list you can run:
aptitude install scribus scribus-ngor
apt-get install scribus scribus-ng
in a root terminal or use your favorite graphical apt-get front-end such as synaptic or aptitude. Don't forget to "Reload Package List" in the synaptic. It's the equivalent of "apt-get (or aptitude) update" and has to be done to make new packages from our repositories available to your package management tools.
Please do not file bug reports about the packages from these upstream repositories in the Debian or Ubuntu BTS (Bug Tracking Systems). Use the distribution BTS for the package version that is in that distribution. However, if you cold verify that the bug is present in the package version in Debian, by all means feel free to file a bug report through the Debian BTS. You are encouraged to contact the maintainer Oleksandr (Alex) Moskalenko directly if you have package installation questions or related Scribus issues that you believe do not belong in Scribus BTS or for comments and suggestions about this document. If you have a Scribus issue that is not related to Debian packaging you may find it easier to just use the scribus BTS at http://bugs.scribus.net for reporting bugs as such issues would be forwarded from the Debian BTS to the Scribus BTS by the maintainer anyway.
You don't have to log on as root, but you have to have superuser privileges to edit the /etc/apt/sources.list file. Fortunately, on a Linux system you can do that with ease. Please open a root terminal or open a regular terminal and become root through a "su" command. You will have to provide root password when prompted. Then, you can launch your favorite text editor from that terminal and edit the sources.list file as outlined in the http://wiki.scribus.net/index.php/Scribus_on_Debian_GNU/Linux page. Alternatively, you can do a bit more work upfront to achieve a more permanent access to package manipulation system. If you are familiar with the VI editor you can do the following:
Now you are ready to launch the very nice graphical apt-get front-end Synaptic with a "sudo synaptic" command at any time. If you are a new Linux user, Synaptic will help you get started easier than you probably would with command line tools. Once you launch Synaptic select the "Settings/Repositories" menu entry. Click on the "New" button and type or paste in the appropriate source lines. For example for "Debian Sarge": URI: http://debian.scribus.net/debian/
Don't forget to enable that repository by selecting a checkbox in the leftmost column. Now you can reload repository information by clicking on the "Reload" button in the main Synaptic window. Then you click on the "Search" button and search for "scribus". Once "scribus", "scribus-ng", "scribus-doc", and "scribus-template" packages are found you can mark them for installation by double-clicking on them or by right-clicking and selecting "Mark for installation". When you are done, click on the "Apply" button to proceed with installation. After that you should have the packages installed and may begin to use Scribus.
Instructions below have been rendered mostly obsolete for the x86 architecture by the new repositories. If you have non-x86 hardware or would like to build an optimized package you can still use these instructions. You can submit packages for other architectures to me and I will place them into the repository. If you have a non-x86 arch or would like to optimize the packages for your CPT you can achive these goals by a very simple package rebuild. Make sure that you have the deb-src lines for scribus repositories uncommented and run the following commands:
The cool way (TM) - as root or set up sudo for yourself as a user:
apt-get install apt-build
Answer questions about your CPU and stuff - see an excellent document at http://julien.danjou.info/article-apt-build.html)
apt-build update
apt-build install scribus (or scribus-ng)
apt-get install apt-src
apt-src -i install scribus
Configure apt-src: Add the following lines to /etc/apt/apt.conf or ~/.apt-src/config file:
APT::Src::RootCommand su -c;
APT::Src::BuildDeps
This is especially convenient if you set up the no-password su to root for yourself through pam. Otherwise you'll likely have to type a password.
apt-get source -b scribus scribus-ng
apt-get build-dep scribus-ng (or scribus)
apt-get install devscripts build-essential fakerootNote: This creates a minimal build environment.
apt-get source scribus-ng (or "scribus" instead of "scribus-ng")
apt-get build-dep scribus-ng (or scribus)
cd scribus.... or scribus-ng...
Use the actual directory names.
debuild -us -uc
cd ..
dpkg -i scribus_.... or scribus-ng_....
As of 2006-01-30 this how-to has been originally created for Scribus Wiki page by the following Scribus Wiki users: malex (Oleksandr Moskalenko), mhanski (Maciej Hanski), Zero0w (Wily Yuen), JureCuhalev, Cbradney (Craig Bradney), and Joolsr. This page is licensed CC BY-SA.
One thing which sets Scribus apart is the enthusiastic and friendly Scribus community that assists beginner and pro alike. You can take part in many ways: our mailing list, the IRC channel, email, the wiki, contracted support and finally the bugtracker. These options add to your Scribus experience and we think you will find it very rewarding.