hallo everybody,
i ve finally managed to install pd-extended under edgy, yet all of the externals (gem, pdp, pmpd etc.) won t work.
as a linux newbie i d be gratefull for any advice on solving this and installing externals in general.

thank you
hafi

i think for some externs you need to actually compile/install, not just install pd-extended... i had to do this with Gem and it worked fine after, not sure about pdp/pmpd though. i think pd-extended contains the objects for these externals but is missing some key elements... that's just speculation though

They are packaged in Debian Etch - might or might not work on Ubuntu Edgy, but should be worth a try :
http://packages.debian.org/testing/graphics/gem
http://packages.debian.org/testing/graphics/pd-pdp
http://packages.debian.org/testing/sound/pd-zexy

thanks for your replies, i m afraid iam still a bit confused.
the procedure in windows is: get the external object, place it in the externals folder and things should work.
maybe i m still missing some linux basics (or a lot), but there must be some general things like this to look out for when trying to expand pd?

Hey Hafi,

The list of packages that Pill gave you should work on Edgy. How you install a Debian package is a bit different than adding a .dll file in Windows.

You can do two things, either add a line like the one below to the file in /etc/apt/sources.list

deb ftp://ftp.fi.debian.org/debian/ stable main testing

That example is for the Finland mirror. You will already have a line like it in your sources.list file. The crucial part is to have "testing" in there, which is where the Gem packages live.

Then just say

sudo apt-get install Gem

and it should do everything for you.

ALternatively, download the packages from the links above, which are .deb packages, and say something like

sudo dpkg -i Gem.deb

This method may cause you dependency problems though so be warned.

An even better way is to do some reseach on the very good Ubuntu forums about installing "testing" packages. If you do everything through the proper package manager it's bound to be less painful in the end.

If you don't know what you're doing, better that you don't point to the Debian repositories, one mistake and you will toast your OS.
But nevermind, after some checking everything is already packaged for Ubuntu, but you must enable the Universe repositories to see them (----> synaptic/apt user manual)
http://packages.ubuntu.com/edgy/graphics/pd-pdp
http://packages.ubuntu.com/edgy/graphics/gem

i've already tried two ways:
installing pd, gem and pdp from the ubuntu repositories/synaptic and installing pd-extended via checkinstall
both ways all externals won't work, yet with synaptic i'm sure they're installed somewhere.
today i've noticed the path.. and startup... options from the file menu i'm not familiar with from windows. i guess these have to point to the appropriate libs to make the externals run?
been fiddling around with the different paths in my filesystem without result.
everything i can find in /usr/local seem to be the docs and example patches.
thanks for your patience,
but at the moment this is one of my major setbacks as newbie linux user, reading of all the superior linux-only externals, but not getting anywhere near to using them.

" i guess these have to point to the appropriate libs to make the externals run?"

Aye, sounds like you're on the right track now. You do need the right paths at startup.
I have a startup script that looks like...

#!/bin/sh
/usr/local/bin/pd -r 44100 -channels 4 -audiobuf 160 -audiodev 1 \
-path /usr/local/lib/pd/externs \
-path /usr/local/lib/pd/iemabs \

and you can also modify your .pdsettings file, which is probably in your
home dir. Search for it with

locate .pdsettings

and try adding a line like

loadlib1: Gem

A third option is to add entries to the Path from under the File menu in Pd.

To find where things are do

updatedb

(and make a cup of tea)

then

locate pd_linux | less

to see a list of every linux Pd external on your system

and so on

thank, you for your help,
managed to run pdp & gem installed from the repositories by simply typing gem and pdp in the startup options.
(i got there by copying my windows settings )
right now some nvidia glx update has confused my gdm, so i'l be sticking to windows till i've got more time and nerves.

@obiwannabe: thanks for your commandline tips, i think thats something you don't find enough about on the web.