I just download the 2.77 tarball for Linux but I don't see a way to install the program. I can navigate to the extracted directory and run Blender via ./blender or ./blender-softwaregl but I don't see an install script. Am I missing something?
No, you don't miss anything. The tarball for Linux as well as the zipped version for Windows has no installation routine whatsoever. Extract the archive to whatever directory you like, create a link and you're set. If it runs fine, there are no drawbacks besides of manual updates.
I started using the tarball version years ago after running into downgrades during system updates quite frequently. I always extract it into /home/username/bin/ and also create my link in /home/username/bin/
Alternatively you can use /usr/local/bin/ which would be the correct directory for packages that aren't managed by the system's package manager.
If you want to use an installed version, search the repo of your Linux Distribution.
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$\begingroup$ Thanks for your help. I ended using the To install blender from PPA: option found here tipsonubuntu.com/2015/04/03/… but I will remember you advice and I might just start trying to go that route. I prefer not to add unknowns to my repositories. $\endgroup$ – user344658 Sep 11 '16 at 17:40
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$\begingroup$ You're welcome. Sometimes certain packages are just easier to manage outside of the Distribution's repo lists. I use openSUSE and while things got a lot better there, I feel much safer now to have more control over my main working tools. $\endgroup$ – metaphor_set Sep 11 '16 at 17:47
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$\begingroup$ @user344658 I'd go with
/usr/local
, as anybin
should be reserved for actual executables. Coming from multiuser environments, I tend to avoid/home
for these things. Whether you symlink the blender executable to/usr/local/bin
or append to thePATH
variable, as I suggested, is merely a matter of taste. $\endgroup$ – user27640 Sep 11 '16 at 17:53
blender
from anywhere, include the directory in thePATH
environment variable. $\endgroup$ – user27640 Sep 11 '16 at 17:13