Installing Blender on Ubuntu

Software name : Blender
Homepage : http://www.blender.org/
Software version used for this installation : 2.4.3
Operating System use for this installation : Ubuntu 7.04
Recommended Hardware : 300 Mhz processor (CPU) minimum, internet connection

If you are used to an Operating System like Windows or MacOSX­ you may have installed software by downloading it from a website and double clicking on the downloaded file, and clicking through all the licence agreements, configuration options etc. This is the 'old' way of installing software. The 'new' way is much smarter - you choose what you want to install from a list and press 'go'. The rest - finding the files, downloading the files, installing software, is taken care of by Ubuntu itself while you go and get a cup of tea or work on something else. It can't get much easier. 

However, new ways take a little getting used to, and so we will first look at the basic tool needed to install software this way, and then how to use it to install Blender.

Warning: Can't find topic Tutorials.UbuntuSynaptic

Installing Blender with Synaptic Package Manager

Now the real business. It's pretty easy. Click on the nice big Search button:

The search window will open and now enter 'blender' in the field:

Great. Now press Search at the bottom right of the above window. The search should not take very long and when it is complete you will see Blender listed :

 

If you highlight Blender (by clicking once on the name) you will see some information about Blender displayed :

Now you can read the information if you wish but there is nothing critical there. Best thing to do is just to double-click on blender. By doing this you are 'marking' (choosing) the software for installation. If you do so then an additional window appears:

 

Now click Mark:

You have now told Synaptic Package Manager that you want to install Blender. If all is well then the package will be highlighted:

Now press the Apply button with the nice big tick next to it :

Next SPM informs you of how much space will be taken by the installation :

Now you can just click Apply at the bottom right of the screen and the installation will start. A progress bar will be shown:

When it is completed (downloading and installing) you will have this screen : 

That means all is well. Pat yourself on the back and press Close. Synaptic Package Manager will then return to its original state. Close it :

Now you can open audacity...just browse to the Applications menu, choose Graphics, select Blender and release the mouse :

If all is well you will see Blender:

Congrats!

Trouble?

If you did not see Blender open and nothing happened then it might be that you need to enable the right video drivers for your computer. Blender needs to have extra support for running your monitor or screen so it relies on small pieces of software ('drivers') that assist it with these processes. To check you have the right drivers operating first click on 'System' and then 'Administration', then 'Restricted Drivers Manager' :

Now you will be asked for a password. Use the password you used to log into the computer (or the 'superuser' or 'root' password if you know it), then you will see a window like this :

The information contained in your window may not match the above exactly as the driver listed will depend on what hardware you have installed.

Now double click on the 'enabled' check box and you should see this warning :

Click on 'Enable Driver' and an installation process will proceed, ending with the following screen :

If you hit 'Close' you will see this :

Now you need to restart your computer. Then try and open Blender again using the method described above.