FunOS

How to Install LibrePCB on FunOS

/

LibrePCB is a powerful and user-friendly open-source EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tool that allows users to design schematics and printed circuit boards (PCBs) with ease. For electronics enthusiasts, hobbyists, and professionals using FunOS, installing LibrePCB is simple and can be done without needing root privileges or system-wide changes. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to install and uninstall LibrePCB on FunOS.

Table of Contents

What is LibrePCB?

LibrePCB is a cross-platform, open-source EDA software designed to create electronic schematics and PCB layouts. It is developed with a modern, clean interface and is suitable for both beginners and experienced engineers. Unlike many other EDA tools, LibrePCB does not rely on a database server and avoids complex setup procedures. Key features include:

Integrated schematic and PCB layout editor
Centralized library management
Real-time design rule checks
3D viewer for PCB designs
Portable project format suitable for version control

LibrePCB runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it an ideal choice for users seeking a free and open solution for electronics design.

How to Install LibrePCB on FunOS

Step 1: Download the LibrePCB tarball (.tar.gz) File

1. Visit the LibrePCB official download page: https://librepcb.org/download/

2. Click on the text that says “Portable Archive”

3. Save the .tar.gz file to your Downloads directory

Step 2: Open a Terminal

You can open the terminal in three different ways:

Click the Menu in the lower-left corner, then click Terminal
Click the Terminal icon in the Tray
Press Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard

Step 3: Navigate to the Downloads Directory

cd ~/Downloads

Step 4: Extract the .tar.gz File

tar -xvzf librepcb-*.tar.gz -C ~/
mv ~/librepcb-* ~/.librepcb

Step 5: Navigate to the Home Directory

cd

Step 6: Create a Symbolic Link to the LibrePCB Executable

mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
ln -sf ~/.librepcb/bin/librepcb ~/.local/bin/librepcb
ln -sf ~/.librepcb/bin/librepcb-cli ~/.local/bin/librepcb-cli

Step 7: Create a Desktop Entry for LibrePCB

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
cp ~/.librepcb/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop
sed -i "s|^Exec=.*|Exec=$HOME/.librepcb/bin/librepcb %U|" ~/.local/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop

Step 8: Copy the LibrePCB Icon Theme to the Local Icons Directory

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/icons
cp -r ~/.librepcb/share/icons/hicolor ~/.local/share/icons

Step 9: Register LibrePCB MIME Types in the System

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/mime/packages
cp ~/.librepcb/share/mime/packages/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.xml ~/.local/share/mime/packages/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.xml
update-mime-database ~/.local/share/mime

Step 10: Remove the Downloaded .tar.gz File

rm -f ~/Downloads/librepcb-*.tar.gz

Step 11: Reload the Menu

Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
Click Reload menu

Launching LibrePCB

To launch LibrePCB:

Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
Look in the Development category
Click LibrePCB to open the application

How to Uninstall LibrePCB on FunOS

Step 1: Open a Terminal

Open the terminal using one of the three methods mentioned earlier.

Step 2: Remove the LibrePCB Directory

rm -rf ~/.librepcb

Step 3: Remove the Symbolic Link

rm -f ~/.local/bin/librepcb
rm -f ~/.local/bin/librepcb-cli

Step 4: Remove the Desktop Entry

rm -f ~/.local/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop

Step 5: Remove the LibrePCB Icon Theme

rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/16x16/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/24x24/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/32x32/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/64x64/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.svg
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/org.librepcb.LibrePCB-archive.svg
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/org.librepcb.LibrePCB-file.svg
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/org.librepcb.LibrePCB-project.svg

Step 6: Unregister LibrePCB MIME Types from the System

rm -f ~/.local/share/mime/packages/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.xml
update-mime-database ~/.local/share/mime

Step 7: Remove User Data (Optional)

rm -rf ~/.cache/LibrePCB
rm -rf ~/.config/LibrePCB
rm -rf ~/.local/share/librepcb
rm -rf ~/LibrePCB-Workspace

Step 8: Reload the Menu

Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
Click Reload menu

Conclusion

LibrePCB is a feature-rich, modern EDA tool that fits well into the FunOS ecosystem. By following the detailed steps in this guide, you can easily install and start using LibrePCB without needing administrator privileges. If you ever decide to remove it, the uninstallation steps ensure a clean removal from your system. Happy PCB designing!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply