I am using Ubuntu 10.10. I have a situation to where I need to use synaptic package instead of Ubuntu Software Center. How do I change the default *deb package manager from "Ubuntu Software Center" to "Synaptic Package Manager". I have users that are not to cli savvy so I need them to be able to do this in the GUI. I have clients that are having trouble installing a package that hangs because of the installation agreement(terminal window) that has to be answered but because the terminal window is not being displayed, it cannot be viewed it just hangs so I want them to use synaptic manager. thanks

I'm afraid I haven't heard of way of doing this, nor found anything on Google.

What exactly is the reason you can't use Ubuntu Software Center? And I don't think Ubuntu Software Center opens when you double-click a .deb, I'm pretty sure it's GDebi package installer. Alternatively, have you tried ?

I may be way off base here. But can't they install synaptic package manager in Ubuntu 10.10 (I don't run it) and make a launcher in taskbar or desktop and run it from there.

Ubuntu 10.10 has Synaptic
under System>Adminitration Tab

You do realize that Ubuntu Software Center already *is* easier to use than Synaptic? You have the descriptive package names to deal with, not the cryptic names of the package files.

Also, you don't have to click "Apply" to install packages in the Software Center; they automatically install.

Which makes me assume that the reason you need Synaptic is to install hundreds of packages at once. This makes sense, but Synaptic can still be found under System -> Admin. If it is necessary, a launcher on the top panel or on the desktop will provide easy access.

Just right-click the desktop, click "New launcher", type the launcher name "Synaptic Package Manager", and type gksudo /usr/sbin/synaptic for the command.

Many thanks for all the replies. Everyone is way off the target, let me explain a little better:

- We have developed a software package that is designed to use the default package installer "synaptic package manager" on Ubuntu 10.04. We have various packages for basically all flavors of Unix and Linux. If you do a tar.gz install then the first thing that is seen by the user is the "license agreement" and you answer "yes" and proceed with the installation. The most common method of installing this package for linux users that are nott "CLI" savvy is by using the DEB package that we have and using the default package installer of the past "synaptic package manager". In Ubuntu 10.10 they switched it to "Ubuntu Software Center". The problem with this is that is doesnt display the terminal windows like "synaptic package manager" does and therefor just hangs (license agreement) when the users choose this method. help?

Could you, instead of providing a .deb file, provide a .sh file (probably in a .tar.bz2 archive with the other installation files in it) which does the installation for them in the terminal? That way you have a terminal open already to display your license agreement.

thanks again,

they are pretty much set on keeping the packages the way that they are. I will look into that and suggest it to the developer group. They do not like much change. I was hoping for some switch or option that I can use with "Ubuntu Software Center". This is a pretty stupid question for I always just use a deb or tar install of packages but here it goes. This may work as well.

1 - How can I install DEB package via synaptic manager through the GUI if I download a package to lets say"~/Downloads/package.deb"

this would be a via alternative solution for these GUI users. thanks

How come you can't upload the standalone .deb to a PPA (Personal Package Archive) that you can create on Launchpad? There should be an option to create the PPA from your Launchpad profile. From there, just create an RSA encryption key and then upload the packages with dput.

This way, when the packages are uploaded, all users have to do is add the PPA to their Software Sources, access the PPA from the "Get Software" menu in the Software Center, and install the package from it.

Besides, Synaptic has absolutely no option to install standalone .deb files. That was GDebi before the Software Center replaced it in Ubuntu 10.10 both in functionality and as a default app.

thanks again for the response,

though many of our customers are savvy security engineers, you would be surprised at how many people with CISSP's and other certs under their belt really don't have a clue on driving linux. Many are Windows "GUI" pilots and need to have this install as easy as possible. I will just have to talk to the developers and include these suggestions and see what can be done. I guess Ubuntu default package manager from here on out will be "Software Center"

I find it rather inconceivable that no-one has ever needed to ask for user input during installation of a .deb file. So talking to the developers will achieve little, I feel. What is the code you are using to display the license agreement? As I presume you know, there's a preinst script run before you install the package - are you opening a terminal to ask questions, or are you trying to use "echo" statements in the preinst script?

When we use Xubuntu 10.10 the default package installer is," gdebi-gtk" and there is a terminal window that appears so you can accept the license agreement. I will take a look at the *.deb package and get back to here shortly.

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but a terminal opens when MySQL is installed through synaptic