Help...

[GusCE6]

I installed the VLC Player from their website. It will not play anything, although it does fire up. All I get is an error message telling me to check the log.

I have several Linux apps- games- in a folder. They include IPP Lemmings and the Linux version of "Micron." If I use the terminal it tells me that the file cannot be found.

Clearly this does not work the way Puppy Linux does. Linux does not include ready-to-go media apps and the like. I am assuming one must do something to "activate" these things.

In detail what must I do? I am using Bionic Beaver. This is on a chimera ASUS with NOTHING of importance (e.g. banking information) on it.

Thank you in advance.

(Note- I did somehow get the included media player working. Firefox now plays certain media files so obviously Bionic Beaver does not come with the needed codecs. Also note that the game foklders were simply copied onto the ASUS from a USB stick.)

 

[Brickwizard]

Make sure you have enabled DRM in firefox

 

[GusCE6]

How do you do that? Note that the games are simply copied over from a USB stick, and they do run with Puppy Linux Slacko 6.3.0 merely by clicking on them.

 

[Brickwizard]

it's in the Firefox settings and only applies to streaming via Firefox
I can't help with games as i am not a gamer

 

[GusCE6]

The games part might apply to apps in general?

I want to know why the VLC player, installed from the VLC website, fires up but will not play anything. Does it have to be "activated" in some way?

Also- the terminal window disavows the presence of the game files, saying not found, even though they are there. So those files seem "invisible" to Ubuntu.

 

[Brickwizard]

What is the distribution you are using?
The reason we recommend you only install applications available from your distribution repository, is they will usually automatically ask if you want to install any needed dependencies,

 

[GusCE6]

Bionic Beaver. Again, it's on a "throwaway" ASUS chimera, with no valuable info on it.

The games are in folders simply copied over from a USB stick.

I know in Android you have to do something to "activate" things so they are not invisible, unlike Windows and Puppy Linux, so what does one do here to activate them? And why doesn't the VLC Player play anything? Does it to have to be avtivated?

 

[KGIII]

You have to open the correct directory in the terminal and then the files will be case sensitive.

What directory are the files in and give a name of one of the files.

 

[Condobloke]

Download VLC from ubuntu's software repository...(i dont know its correct name...it will be in its menu)

 

[bob466]

VLC isn't the only one...you should try another...Celluloid ?

 

[GusCE6]

Update:

It took quite a bit of tinkering and stumbling around but I have managed to get the VLC Player running, and the default player. In the "Apps" window there are two VLC icons, and nothing has deleted the one that calls up the player that does not work. But now videos can be viewed.

More tinkering did get the 64-Bit version of "Foxtail" running. You cannot directly click anything, but if you call up the terminal window and type in

./run.sh

That gets it running. This only works with 64-Bit programs. I only thought of trying it with "Delores" now, but the Steam app was already installed, and I cannot be sure if it runs because of the run.sh trick or because it is installed on Steam. One thing is certain: you CANNOT get the game running via the Steam app- you get an error message about needed OpenGL not working with the graphics card- but finding the actual game file and clicking it does work. I would assume that with Bionic Beaver Steam knows to install and try Linux versions.

Earlier tinkering for the ancient 2001 Sony VAIO did allow me to remember PlayOnLinux, so when I saw it I tried it. It has gotten the 32-Bit Windows game "Deepica" running nicely, so once I figure out the procedure I can add more. Does anyone know of a version that runs on Puppy Linux 5.2.5 Lucid on a Pentium 3 256MB RAM device? It seems to work better than regular WINE.

I am typing this up on Firefox on Bionic Beaver at this website right now on the resurrected ASUS.

Note that during the ASUS' end I was stuck using the 2003 Dell. It is superior to the 2001 Sony, but is 256MB RAM, Pentium 4 1.8GHz, and falls short of the ASUS, especially watching large movies. So I managed to get a used Dell Latitude with 16GB RAM, 1 TB of storage, four CPUs running at 2.6GHz. It even runs "Autumn," the one and only game the ASUS cannot run in any way. Of course new Dell needs to run "Tanktics" with VirtualBox, using Windows XP Black edition (no activation codes). Yes, Bionic Beaver needs it too, PlayOnLinux gives the usual "incorrect DirectX" error message.

 

[GusCE6]

Now, is there a particular way one must have a Run.sh file to get 32-Bit Linux programs running, or unlike Windows does a 64-Bit Linux distro need some special preparation?

 

[f33dm3bits]

Clearly this does not work the way Puppy Linux does

What distribution are you using now, if you were using Puppy before

In detail what must I do? I am using Bionic Beaver. This is on a chimera ASUS with NOTHING of importance (e.g. banking information) on it.

Ubuntu Bionic Beaver?

Releases - Ubuntu Wiki

That version was end of life almost a year ago, so if you are using that you should update to actively supported version.

 

[kc1di]

Is this a windows Program? As far as VLC goes the repository one in Ubuntu works fine. you may need to install codecs to get some Video files to run. Check to make sure multi universe repository is activated
If not issue this command in a terminal

sudo add-apt-repository multiverse

Then

sudo apt update

Then

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

that should give you all the codecs needed to play most video formats.
If you have a file with run.sh and want in in the menu you will have to manually enter it.
But unless you have the subscribed to the extended support program (ubuntu Pro) 18.04 was EOL in May of 2023. and may no longer be able to access the repositories.

 

[GusCE6]

Got DOSBox running, but dragging game files to it does not work- I have to type in the usual sequence of commands.

 

[GusCE6]

Actually, quite a bit has been accomplished so far- thanks to everyone here for the tips!

Oh- using the USB trick for temporarily installing Puppy Linux 6.3.0 Slacko (in this case) does work on the Ubuntu ASUS. PlayOnLinux/WINE has problems with certain games such as "Puzzle Puppers" but through the Steam app I have the Linux version, which runs nicely. I do not know if it is actually standalone, but it does work. Utilities are good, but devices have been overpowered for that for decades, even the puny Windows CE 6 48MB RAM 8505 ARM processor 400MHz Sylvania netbook handles documents, even PDF and OTD, nicely courtesy of SoftMaker CE.

Now, if only Opera would update Opera Mini, all would really be well.