Greetings from the other side- Linux!

[Anarkali]

Hi to any geeky types out there,

I've just spent a rainy afternoon setting up Orphalese Tarot in Linux- with a fair degree of success!
It throws up a few error messages to begin with but works pretty well- with pop-up notes and spreads etc. I managed to register and drop my previously downloaded decks into the packs folder with ease.

I'm so pleased!

I will write a proper 'How-To", if anyone is interested, but for the bold or experienced here's the bare bones of it:
Kubuntu Hardy (in my case still with KDE 3)
The latest version of Wine from http://www.winehq.org/
Winetricks: http://wiki.winehq.org/winetricks I activated the winetricks components: dotnet20 fakeie6 and gecko

The only thing that isn't working so far is the web connection: I managed to get as far as the P2P File exchange interface, but it stalls when trying to connect. Similarly with the OTZ Forum.

So a big thumbs-up from me, and I hope this inspires the programmers to tweak OT to make it a little more Wine-friendly...


Anarkali

[WebWeaver]

Congrats! I don't use Linux, but know a few people who do. I'll make sure to let them know. Glad you shared your success with us. I know how great it feels when I've accomplished something I wasn't sure was going to work. WTG Anarkali!

[Programmer]

This certainly renews my interest in installing Linux, it would be cool to try and iron out those bugs.

I tried to install it on my old computer after I upgraded to my current one, but for some reason the installation program could not find my router, or couldn't work with it for some reason, and after a few hours I abandoned the attempt (it was a Friday night). I still have that box sitting their doing nothing, so it might soon be time to give it another try.

Is it possible to download the whole OS in a format that will go onto a single CD? Then I can try to get the internet connection working after Linux is installed.

BTW, it occurs to me to ask whether you were using the latest version of the program. Recent developments mean that older versions are not able to connect to the Deck Exchange now, and some will have trouble connecting to the OTZ too. I guess you were, but if the error message "object moved" sounds familiar that might have been the problem.

[Anarkali]

Hi,

Yes I was using the latest version of OT. I see a new version has just gone up today but I'll wait a little while before tinkering with my setup again :) I'm not in a great hurry to get online with it; I have a Windows partition so I can download decks from there. But it would be nice in the future...

Do have another try with Linux if it's been a while since you looked at it- I would say it is fit for regular humans now. Each new version gets dramatically better- the latest Kubuntu got my sound, wireless, and fancy graphics card working where previous versions took days of arcane rituals in the command line to crank them up. It even got Skype videocalling running without a hitch- great for tarotists. You can download Kubuntu, and most other Linux variants, to burn onto a single CD. Once you get it I think Winelib is what programmers use to convert their software.

Good luck!

Anarkali

[armahillo]

Anarkali --

Fellow linux user here -- am trying to convince the wifey to use Linux on our desktop computer (her primary machine). We're using Ubuntu 9.10 right now, will upgrade to 10.04 when it comes out of beta.

Anyways -- I winetrick'd the dotnet20 lib, fakeie6, and gecko -- but it's still tanking when I try to run Orphalese. The installation actually didn't even completely successfully, although it looks like most of the files are there. I got the installation to run MOST of the way through ok, and when it tanked I tried winetricking the msi2 library (the Orphalese page suggests that for win9x machines), and now it doesn't run at all.

Can you elaborate on your process that you got it working? What version of wine are you using, and what version of OT?

Thanks!

[Programmer]

Hi Armahillo,

I feel a bit bad about still not having got around to installing Linux, hopefully I will this summer.

My suggestion would be to see how far you can get without running the installation, but just by setting up the file structure on its own and trying to run the executable. The only DLLs that need to be present (besides the .NET Framework obviously) are the ones in the program directory itself which you can copy over from your wife's machine, plus the language resource subfolders etc.

The Windows Installer package is necessary to install the Windows Service which runs in the background if you go on to share decks on the deck exchange. I would not be at all surprised if the errors you were getting on install had to do with this rather than the program itself. The program should run fine without this being present though. I think the only effect of this not being present is it would prevent you from sharing decks - in theory you should be able to request them from other users without problems. Besides that all the Msi does is install some decks and spreads, which you can obviously do manually as well.

Good luck and let me know what errors you get!

Richard

[Anarkali]

Sorry, I did post a reply to this over the weekend but I guess it's been chewed. In a nutshell- I've not managed to upgrade OT further than 8.6, but it is still running fine, in fact better than at first, up through my automatic Kubuntu upgrades to the latest version. Still no luck getting either IE6 or IE7 to work in Wine though, so I keep the windows partition and manually move newly downloaded decks from the Windows install of OT across. Actually that's about the only reason I need Windows at all...

I know this is brief- you know how frustrating it is when you have to rewrite something.

[Anarkali]

After a long gap I managed to get OT running again very smoothly in Linux.
I'm really pleased because I've missed using OT, and resent the idea of using lots of hard drive space for a virtual box, or separate partition, just to use one Windows program. Maybe my success means it's possible for Mac users too?

Everything works great, including the P2P! Just a slight problem with the My Machines window and scroll for long pop up notes. Here's how I did it:

I have the latest version of Kubuntu.
* It is critical that you first remove all trace of Wine and Winetricks on your system if you've been using them previously.* You will need to install them completely fresh and clean in the manner below.
I installed Wine from the WineHQ, not via the kubuntu built-in package manager.

Code: Select all

  

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install wine1.6

I installed Winetricks from the winetricks website, not from the kubuntu built in package manager.

Code: Select all

cd ~
wget http://winetricks.org/winetricks
chmod +x winetricks

You'll then find it in your home folder .. run it from there.

I installed dotnet4.0 using Winetricks menu.

Select the default wineprefix> Install a Windows DLL or component

(when you select dotnet4.0 there is a snarky warning, ignore it, and you'll be just fine)

Then I simply went to the OT website and opened this file:

Upgrade 9.1.1.4 0.43 mb

Wine recognised it and installed it seamlessly. It even managed to locate the Packs folder in default Linux Documents folder.

I noticed that none of the desktop/start bar shortcuts worked though. If that happens to you, don't panic!. You can either manually open OT by clicking on tarot.exe in

[your home folder].wine/drive_c/Program Files/Orphalese/Orphalese Tarot/

or create your own shortcut on the KDE startbar. The command for this is:

wine "C:\Program Files/Orphalese/Orphalese Tarot\tarot.exe"

If all else fails you can type that command right into the commandline.

I hope this helps anyone out there crazy enough to run Linux and like Tarot! And a big thank you to Richard for keeping the whole thing going.

Best wishes,

Anarkali

[William Seward]

Does anyone have any newer information on this subject? I will try the above things, but it dates quite awhile back. I am a long time user of OT, but I use Linux Mint 17.3 currently. I run OT on Windows Vista on a virtual machine and it works pretty well. I have tried several times to install it using Wine or Play On Linux, to no success. The above tip looks like it is worth trying, though. Love the program. I just registered it, but have used it for quite awhile. I love having the ability to add decks and make my own custom spreads or import others. Thanks.

[Programmer]

I am afraid I don't have anything to add as I only use Windows. It would be great to hear from anyone who has more to offer on this...