Linux Olivia 15 - apt-get - Not found [IP: 91.189.91.14 80]

Hi there, this morning I came across this very annoying message from my linux Mint (Olivia 15):

Err http://archive.ubuntu.com raring-updates/universe i386 Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.91.14 80] Err http://archive.ubuntu.com raring-updates/multiverse i386 Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.91.14 80] Fetched 163 kB in 23s (6838 B/s) W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/main/binary-amd64/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/universe/binary-amd64/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/main/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/restricted/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/universe/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80] W: Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/raring-security/multiverse/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.201 80]

So... after a while I've found that this is probably caused from Raring Ringtail (13.04) becoming EOL!

I've opened Synaptic, and then I've disabled old raring* repos.
The problem is that while trying to add new repositories, it suddenly crashed leaving me alone with a worse problem: apt-get stopped working at all.

Then, the solution:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

mine looked like: 
# deb http://archive.getdeb.net/ubuntu/ raring-getdeb ap ps games 

# deb http://repository.spotify.com/ stable non-fre e 

I've added: 

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main restricted universe multiverse 

It works like a charm!

Cheers,

pietro

Normal Map Plugin - GIMP

TIP OF THE DAY
 
I'm back just to share a very simple trick that I didn't know before: how and where to find the GIMP plugin for Normal Maps. This is a very useful plugin  as it works like Nvidia plugin for Photoshop, but it runs on GIMP and therefore on Linux.

So: I first decided to download sources and compile it on my own... I've solved some dependencies but I was still stuck on a "Package gimp-2.0 was not found in the pkg-config search path. [...]". Too much time. I was needing it to work immediately.

Then I discovered the packages:

• gimp-data-extras
• gimp-plugin-registry 

These packages come with lots of plugin, and what I need is under
Filter -> Map -> NormalMap

Ready to use and working like a charm.

Pietro 

File sync with Ubuntu 12.xx

Hi there,
yesterday I had a little problem: compare two directories in order to update each other, getting back two perfect copies. Easy.
I was used to compare directories with Sync'n'Go with Windows, but... now I'm working with Ubuntu! So, do you know a good utility to get the same result?

After a little google surf, I found Meld Diff in the official Ubuntu 12.01 repository. It has a very minimal interface, but it doesn't work on my pc: infact while it can compare two (or more) directories but the button "Copy right" (or left) doesn't do anything.

So I've googled a little more, and I've found FreeFileSync and it's working very well. I'm planning to use it for backup purposes as soon as I'll come back to my office in Milan.
You can download the executables, the sources, or simply add the repository to yours and install it through apt-get:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:freefilesync/ffs

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install freefilesync

Now you can find it in you dashhome, typing "FreeFileSync" and of course, you can also pin it into you launchbar!

CAD on Linux: a case study

Warning: this review is currently "work in progress". I'm updating it.


Hi folks, I'm currently working on a little task (some plants 2.5D, you can see some of them on my flickr portfolio http://www.flickr.com/photos/pietrograndi/sets/72157622248043397/).
Actually I rarely accept this kind of work, but I thought this could be an hard test for CAD on my linux laptop for a rainy Sunday :-)
So, let's test it.


Input files format: Autocad 2012 DWG
Converted to DXF 2007 with Autocad WS on Chrome - Linux Ubuntu 11.10 x64




FreeCad http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/index.php?title=Main_Page

• no DWG support
• ok DXF support
• crash on a 1.6Mb DXF
• unable to use it, I think it's the worst cad I've used on Linux

LibreCad http://librecad.org/cms/home.html

• no DWG support
• ok DXF support
• crash on a 1.6Mb DXF
• unable to use it, too slow

QCad http://www.ribbonsoft.com/en/

2.0.5-free version

• no DWG support
• ok DXF support
• it works, but I'm a registered user: why couldn't I use the commercial version???

QCad http://www.ribbonsoft.com/en/

3rc2 - commercial version

• unable to run (tgz and bin packages)
• error: ./qcad-bin: error while loading shared libraries: libGLU.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
• I've buyed it in 2011 and use it on windows 
• in the official forum this issues are "Discussion moved to bugtracker: "  and of course, nothing changes.

• UPDATE:
• I have to apologize with Ribbonsoft: on their website I've found this solution: "Ubuntu 11.04 64bit requires package "ia32-libs" to be installed."
• installing "ia32-libs" through Ubuntu Software Center solved the issue
• Ok DWG support - Autocad 2012 - VERY GOOD!

At the moment I'm working on QCad 3rc5, commercial version.

As soon as I'll terminate my works I'll post an update. I usually use it on Windows.


here's a screenshot:

UPDATE:
Finally I've found QCad really useful and reliable: for about 30€ you got a good software. Obviously, you won't think to substitute Autocad, but for a 3D artist who use CAD only for cleaning and export purposes is the best choice in my opinion. It's just a bit slow in viewport but not so bad.


note on other products:
LibreCad and FreeCad were unusable for my work.
I've tryed Draftsight on Windows and I think it's one of the best but I was unable to find it for Linux 64 (can someone suggest me were I can find it?) and it's not free for commercial use.
AutocadWS is really cool and free but it's good only for opening and converting DWG files.
I wish to test BricsCad but anyway it's too expensive.
BRL-CAD: I'd like to have the time to compile and test it. Maybe in the future...

Pietro