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ThinClient — Ad Hoc Package Installation

Installing a Linux Package

Advanced users and administrators can install any applications from Debian packages directly on the ThinClient. Like the OS itself, the programs installed this way reside in RAM and reboot to a clean state.

This approach delivers required functionality on the ThinClients, even when no suitable package is available for the openthinclient manager.

Install a program package using the command-line program apt or the terminal program aptitude .

Before using the package manager, update the package index.


 apt aptitude 

1. Update package information

sudo apt update

sudo aptitude

Pressthe U key

2. Search for a package

 apt search <Suchbegriff>
  1. Pressthe / keyto start the search
  2. PressNto continue searching
    . Press SHIFTandN for a backward search. 

3. Install the package

sudo apt -y install <Paketname>

 ℹ️ Use the parameter `-y` to suppress the installation confirmation prompt; it's optional.

  1. Select the desired packages with the + key ℹ️ Deselect with the : key 
  2. Apply and review the selected packages with the G key 
  3. Start the installation by pressingG 

Keep Linux packages available on the NFS server.

If a package is used frequently, create a local copy of all necessary package files in a persistent home directory or in the Custom folder of the openthinclient Management Server.

Automate installation with a command-line application.

1. Update the package information

sudo apt update

2. Download the package and all dependencies

Option 1 — apt-get

Simulate the installation and display the package names:sudo apt-get --dry-run install <PACKAGE> | grep -Po 'Inst \K\S+'

Download the .deb files to the current directory.apt-get download <PACKAGE> apt-get download <PACKAGE2> apt-get download <PACKAGE3> ...

Option 2 — aptitude

Download the package and all dependencies:sudo aptitude --download-only install <PACKAGE>

The downloaded .deb files can be found at /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
3. Upload all .debfiles to the NFS server

Use SCP or the openthinclient Manager’s file browser, for example.
4. Install the packages. sudo dpkg -i <Paketpfad>
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