I am attempting to install a Debain package (Surfshark VPN) in EndeavourOS (arch) Linux using debtap

General system Applications
1

I am uncertain if this is the correct forum category to post this and if I am lost, please forgive me for not knowing where to post this.

I have completed this task using Fedora and alien (converting a deb install for rpm). And while Fedora can be a useful operating system, I much prefer EndeavourOS. I like it so much that I have been slowly converting some of my family to use EndeavourOS Linux. However, a few older (senior) members of my family are smart enough to use a VPN, but not so inclined to use the terminal. However, I set up their computer is likely going to be how it will remain (minus updates). They more GUI friendly, the better.

I do not pretend to be a super advance user. My biggest issues with Linux in general, the naming scheme. Things are no always transparent and so when a system says it is missing “gir1.2-nm-1.0” I am not sure what the comparison package is in another distro is or what alternative package my supply my requirements.

Here is the location of the deb file https://ocean.surfshark.com/debian/pool/main/s/surfshark/ I have successfully, I believe have debtap to convert this into surfshark-1.3.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

warning: cannot resolve "gir1.2-nm-1.0", a dependency of "surfshark"
warning: cannot resolve "lsb-base>=3.2", a dependency of "surfshark"
warning: cannot resolve "wireguard-modules>=0.0.20191219", a dependency of "surfshark"

But as I said, I am not 100% what the comparison package is in another distro is or what alternative package my supply my requirements.

2

It is in the AUR, and that is much better than trying to handle debtap.
See

yay -Ss surfshark

and select the one you want.

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3

There are no native current surfshark GUI in the AUR at the moment.

4

aur/surfshark-vpn-gui-git
Is this not the one?

5

That is a custom build which is not current and has not been updated in over a year.

6

Typically the PKGBUILD in git packages are not updated often because they get the source code directly from the latest git source.

But I have never used that package, so you may have a point.
And it looks like outdated…

7

Perhaps the following tutorial might help you to convert the deb package to an Arch installable one:

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8

The developer did not use Sufshark’s code. They made their own limited interface with no settings. Your choices are username, password, udp, and tcp. That’s it. It is missing many options and including missing WireGuard.

9

I suggest you look at the tutorial @pebcak mentioned. It is comprehensive and should help you do the job. Although it may require a fair amount of work…

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As I said, I have already, successfully, used debtap to accomplish my task. I am only looking for the answer of what the comparison package is in another distro is or what alternative package my supply my requirements.

gir1.2-nm-1.0
lsb-base
wireguard-modules
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I am not sure if I am not being clear or, in everyone’s effort to be helpful, they are only providing generic answers. I have already completed that task. I am only looking for the answer of what the comparison package is in another distro is or what alternative package my supply my requirements.

gir1.2-nm-1.0
lsb-base
wireguard-modules

If I am not being clear, please tell me what I have said that is confusing. The better we understand each other the better we can work on finding a resolve.

12

Tried to find some alternatives from the repos and AUR but found nothing so far.
Maybe someone else can find them. Searching the net might help, though it is not always easy.

Quite likely their code is (at least partially) included in other packages, but currently I don’t which.

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So you are in the same boat as me. Thanks for trying to help. Hopefully, as you said, someone with the knowledge of what package is in comparison to my needs.

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Arch [module & tools]

$ sudo pacman -S wireguard-tools

:question:

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That was a good guess, but I already have that installed.

I am looking for the package that add

gir1.2-nm-1.0
lsb-base
wireguard-modules

Or in this case their equivalency, since I suspect the naming scheme is what is different.

16

Good luck!
:mag_right:

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17

It may be hard or even impossible to find matches for those packages.

But where do you get those errors? While building your PKGBUILD with makepkg?

If so, then, as a long shot, try using makepkg option --nodeps in the hope that other Arch packages already have the needed code.

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I get those errors when I run

sudo pacman -U surfshark-1.3.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

I suspect the installation is looking for the specific named packages. The problem with Linux, in my opinion, is the naming scheme. I could very well have everything installed, but in one distro something will be called “X” and in another distro “Y” and they could be the exact same thing by the exact same development, with the exact same path, but the package is renamed by the distro. Once I am sure I have the required packages, I can tell the installer not to check for the dependencies and force the installation. You’d be surprised on how often that works.

19

SOLVED

Debtap informed me the following error when building

Warning: These dependencies (depend =   fields) could not be translated into Arch Linux packages names:
gir1.2-nm-1.0, lsb-base, wireguard-modules
Warning: These optional dependencies (optdepend =   fields) could not be translated into Arch Linux packages names:
fonts-noto-color-emoji, policykit-1

I am not worried about the optional dependencies. The primary 3 (required) was my focus. I am confident I have base working (obviously), but it isn’t called lsb-base in EndeavourOS (Arch), it is called lsb-release, but I also installed ld-lsb for good measure.

This left wireguard-modules, but I suspected wiregaurd-tools was what I needed. For good measure, I also installed wireguard-dkms (via aur).

This left gir. I cannot stress how much I love Linux, but dislike the naming sheme. I assumed the basics and made sure to focus on GObject libraries, so I made sure I have libgirepository, gir-to-d, and included girara on the off chance for user interface support.

:: If you want to edit .PKGINFO and .INSTALL files (in this order), press (1) For vi (2) For nano (3) For default editor (4) For a custom editor or any other key to continue:

After given this option, I picked number 2 (I’m a nano user) and removed those three dependencies, saved, then proceeded to run:

 sudo pacman -U surfshark-1.3.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

Then prayed, because honestly, that’s all you can do. lol

IT WORKS !!!

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20

The PKGBUILD exist on Manjaro gitlab - you could get it from there

gitlab.manjaro.org/packages/community/surfshark-gui-bin

Or install directly from Manjaro repo

sudo pacman -U http://mirror.easyname.at/manjaro/unstable/community/x86_64/surfshark-gui-bin-1.3.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
1 Like