What To Do If I Can't Find An Application In Add/Remove Software?

[abc123]

Hi,

I have added AUR and Flatpak to Add/Remove Software.
If I still can’t find an application what do I do?

[beermad]

At a guess, there just isn’t a package for it, assuming you can see everything else OK.
Perhaps it’s sufficiently obscure that nobody has built a package. All I can suggest is to download the source and build it yourself (any half-decent software will have instructions as to how to do this).

[abc123]

Ok.

I know trying to install a DEB/RPM on Arch based Linux is a no no.

[fbt89]

If you have a specific request maybe we can help you find it, or suggest an alternative?

[Wollie]

@abc123

If I still can’t find an application what do I do?

You could ask here for the specific package your are looking for. Maybe someone has a clue.

[Nachlese]

@abc123

I know trying to install a DEB/RPM on Arch based Linux is a no no.

Many AUR recipes (PKGBUILD) utilize DEB/RPM packages - repackaging them to be Arch packages.
The names of normal repo and AUR packages might just not be the same as the corresponding DEB or RPM while the packaged software is indeed the same.

Perhaps this interface:

Arch Linux - Package Search

or this for AUR:

AUR (en) - Packages

is more useful to search and find what you are looking for.

Or:
you could tell us … ask whether we might know …

[soundofthunder]

@abc123

If I still can’t find an application what do I do?

As a few have already suggested, naming the specific software will always be helpful. If a specific product is not available in Linux, others may be able to suggest an alternative.

Which application?

[Ben]

@abc123

If I still can’t find an application what do I do?

Your posts are strangely heading for dead ends very quickly.

‘What To Do If I Can’t Find ‘AN APPLICATION’’

1. Search pamac GUI
2. Make sure you know where the application is coming from (perhaps find it’s website).

❯ pamac search anapplication
                                                                                                                                                         
❯ 

No result…
Next up:

Brave Search

Again, no useful search.

Contrast this with:

Brave Search

In short, we need to apply some intelligence in problem solving using various means - I tend to START by searching internet and finding out what’s available.

Here’s another… I want Plex HPTC application (installed already on my TV):

Downloads

You see, it’s available via Flathub and Snap Store.

But I don’t want Snap, I could use Flathub…

Then I search pamac: plex HPTC

I see

1. Flathub Plex HPTC 1.69.0
2. AUR plex-htpc 1.69.0.2364-2

I like the second option… so I do:

pamac install plex-htpc

So you need two things:

1. Find the application
2. Find out how it is made available
3. Find the route to install it.

Not everything is in Repositories, not everything is in AUR, not everything is in Flathub, or Snap.

How to ask relevant Questions:

You can ask ‘How to drive?’
But then people can’t answer because you might be talking about a Juggernaut, or a Scooter…

So best you ask ‘How to drive a Honda Civic CVT transmission car’.

Try to understand, only you know what you’re talking about if you don’t include DETAILS.

If you don’t do this, then people will not be interested to follow up with your topics.

Why do you wish to hide the actual application you’re trying to install?

[soundofthunder]

@Ben

pamac install plex-htpc

pamac build plex-htpc

might be a better suggestion; even though install falls back to the appropriate command, at least, most times it does.

[owburp]

@soundofthunder

… others may be able to suggest an alternative.

Which application?

And if you are too shy to ask here, you can try searching this site –
https://alternativeto.net