Installing Packages with KPM

Installing Packages with KPM

This tutorial will guide you through the process of finding and installing packages using KPM.

Popular Packages Available

KPM offers a variety of useful packages for your Kindle, including:

• blockamazon: Block Amazon services on your Kindle
• gnomegames: Classic GNOME games for Kindle
• kindlefetch: System information display
• kwordle: Wordle game for Kindle
• kanki: Flashcard app for language learning

For a complete list of available packages and detailed descriptions, see the Available Packages page.

Finding Available Packages

Before installing a package, you might want to see what's available in the repositories:

To list all available packages:

kpm -Qr

This will display all packages available from configured mirrors.

Checking if a Package is Available

To check if a specific package is available:

kpm -Qr package-name

For example:

kpm -Qr kindlefetch

This will check all configured mirrors for the package.

Installing a Package

To install a package:

kpm -S package-name

For example:

kpm -S kindlefetch

During the installation process:

1. KPM will download the package from the mirror
2. Extract the files to the appropriate locations (usually in /mnt/us/kpm/packages/)
3. Run the package's install.sh script
4. Update the installed package list

What Happens During Installation

When you install a package with KPM, the following steps occur:

1. KPM checks if the package is already installed
2. It looks for the package in the configured mirrors
3. If found, it downloads the package archive (usually a ZIP file)
4. The archive is extracted to /mnt/us/kpm/packages/package-name/
5. The install.sh script from the package is executed
6. The package name is added to the installed package list

Verifying Installation

To verify that a package is installed:

kpm -Ql package-name

For example:

kpm -Ql kindlefetch

Running Installed Applications

Most packages will install executables to /mnt/us/kpm/packages/bin/, which should be in your PATH. This means you can simply run the commands directly from KTerm.

For example, after installing kindlefetch:

kindlefetch

If you get a "command not found" error, you may need to restart KTerm or add /mnt/us/kpm/packages/bin to your PATH manually.

Removing Packages

To remove an installed package:

kpm -R package-name

For example:

kpm -R kindlefetch

This will run the package's uninstall.sh script and remove it from the installed package list.

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

If you encounter problems during installation:

1. Package not found: Check that you spelled the package name correctly and that the package is available in the configured mirrors
2. Download failures: Ensure your Kindle is connected to the internet
3. Installation script errors: Check if the package's install.sh script has any specific requirements
4. Permission issues: Make sure you have sufficient permissions to write to the installation directories
5. Insufficient space: Free up space on your device
6. Network problems: Check your Kindle's network connection

For additional help with specific packages, refer to our Package Reference section.