Ubuntu Unofficial Repository

JCFP maintains an Ubuntu package which is stored in an unofficial repository¹.

The following part is (c) 2008 by JCF Ploemen

How To

I've created a repository with the latest version of SABnzbd+. When using this repository, you will be able to easily install the program and its dependencies, and in case any new version of the program becomes available, you will be automatically notified just like with any other updated package. Reasonable efforts will be made to keep things as up-to-date as possible; do note however that I'm not glued to my pc. Be patient.

Currently gutsy (7.10), hardy (8.04), intrepid (8.10), and jaunty (9.04) are supported. Note that in order to satisfy all dependencies, both Ubuntu's universe and multiverse repositories must be enabled on your system.

As with any repository, this one too has to be added to your /etc/apt/sources.list. To do so, run the following command in a terminal:

echo "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/jcfp/ppa/ubuntu $(lsb_release -c -s) main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list

Now add the repository's gpg key to the list of keys known and trusted by apt:

wget -SO- "http://keyserver.ubuntu.com:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x98703123E0F52B2BE16D586EF13930B14BB9F05F" | sudo apt-key add -

Next, tell apt to update, so it learns of the new package now available:

sudo apt-get update

Install the main program package, which includes the "Default" interface only. All dependencies will be automatically taken care of in this step:

sudo aptitude --with-recommends install sabnzbdplus

Finally, you can install the (optional but recommended) extra interface templates:

sudo aptitude install sabnzbdplus-theme-plush sabnzbdplus-theme-smpl sabnzbdplus-theme-iphone

And that's it. To start the program, just execute:

sabnzbdplus

Alternatively, the program can be started as a service (i.e., in the background on system boot) using the init.d script provided by the package. It will only work after you edit /etc/default/sabnzbdplus as per instructions in that file. Although for obvious reasons no browser is auto-started when running the program like this, the web interface is still available at the usual location of http://localhost:8080/sabnzbd/ (or whatever other host and port you configured).

The Fine Print

1. This is an unofficial package from an unofficial repository. Don't file bugs about packages installed from this repository in Ubuntu's bug tracker, instead complain on our forum.
2. Note that this package does a system-wide rather than a local install. The main executable is in /usr/bin, the templates reside under /usr/share, etc. As a result, the included cherrypy files aren't used. Too bad if you are unlucky enough to have another program require that other, incompatible version of cherrypy. You may thank the cherrypy developers for that.
3. Several small changes have been made compared to stock sabnzbd+; the only one relevant for everyday use is that the version from the package always tries to find and use the configuration in the home directory of the user starting it, even when run in the background. The standard one doesn't, instead - when run as a daemon - it always assumes its configuration is in the same directory as the executable. This is unpractical with a system-wide install on Linux, since it causes the program to attempt to store its configuration file in /usr/bin.
4. The package has been accepted into Ubuntu (starting with jaunty/9.04). Next stop: debian (don't hold your breath though - some dependency needs updating first). The repository will continue to exist, and be updated much more frequently than the official ones where packages don't usually get updated alot inbetween releases.

If you are interested in packaging, want to grab the source package, or just check out the build logs, visit the launchpad ppa page of the repository.

Enjoy!

Footnotes

1. Remember that this package is not created and therefore not supported by the SABnzbd team! But do feel free to ask questions on the forum, which is frequently vistited by JCFP.