[Solved] Help with Electrum on Ubuntu

[willy2streams]

I'm trying to install Electrum on Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS.  I followed instructions found here: https://electrum.org/#download

Install dependencies:

Code:

sudo apt-get install python3-pyqt5

Download package:

Code:

wget https://download.electrum.org/3.3.8/Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz

Verify signature:

Code:

wget https://download.electrum.org/3.3.8/Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz.asc
gpg --verify Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz.asc

Confirmed Thomas V's key.

Install with PIP:

Code:

sudo apt-get install python3-setuptools python3-pip
python3 -m pip install --user Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz[fast]

But nothing happens.  There's no Electrum icon in my tray, and I don't know if there's a command to start Electrum from the Terminal.  There is a new folder in my home directory named Electrum-3.3.8


If I enter the following commands into terminal I can get Electrum start.

Run without installing:

Code:

tar -xvf Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz
python3 Electrum-3.3.8/run_electrum

Is there a way to install it so I can just double click an icon?

[jackg]

From what I remember you just type electrum in the terminal...

I'm not sure how to get it to appear as a desktop icon though as I don't even think it makes "start" menu links.

[joniboini]

An alternative would be using the appimage.

As jackg said, typing electrum on your terminal should be good enough if you successfully install it. That home folder likely comes from the tar extraction from the run without install command.

[Abdussamad]

Create a shortcut manually to ~/.local/bin/electrum. Because you did a --user install using pip it's installed it in your home directory. 

[BitMaxz]

Did you try to check your menu then use the search box and use the term "electrum" if it shows the Electrum as a result then right-click it then choose "add to desktop". Now it should show the icon on the desktop. If not then better check this video below.

- https://youtube.com/watch?v=6EVmp8gAqYA

[willy2streams]

Thank for all the replies.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong.  In the last command should I change "--user" to "--willy2streams"?

example:

This:

Code:

python3 -m pip install --user Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz[fast]

Should be this:

Code:

python3 -m pip install --willy2streams Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz[fast]

Just an example, my username on the computer is not the same as here.

[Abdussamad]

no don't do that. just create a shortcut on your desktop that points to /home/willy2streams/.local/bin/electrum

[IeSua]

@willy2streams

Try this:

Code:

sudo apt install python3-pyqt5

Code:

wget https://download.electrum.org/3.3.8/Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz

Code:

sudo apt install python3-setuptools python3-pip

Code:

sudo pip3 install Electrum-3.3.8.tar.gz

Code:

electrum

[willy2streams]

I'm sure I followed the steps correctly.  It still only works if I run without install.  I'm trying to install it onto a USB stick, if that makes any difference.

[BitMaxz]

I'm sure I followed the steps correctly.  It still only works if I run without install.  I'm trying to install it onto a USB stick, if that makes any difference.

Your Electurm is installed correctly what you need is to have the icon?

If you want to have a shortcut icon on the desktop you need to follow the guide that I posted above as on the video or do this command below.

Code:

touch ~/Desktop/electrum.desktop
nano ~/Desktop/electrum.desktop

# Paste the following code inside the editor, save and close.

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Electrum
Comment=Lightweight Bitcoin Wallet.
GenericName=Bitcoin Wallet.
Exec=/usr/local/bin/electrum
Icon=/opt/electrum/electrum-icon.png
Type=Application

# Download icon for the shortcut

cd /opt/
sudo mkdir -p electrum
cd electrum
sudo wget http://icons.iconarchive.com/icons/alecive/flatwoken/256/Apps-Electrum-icon.png
sudo mv Apps-Electrum-icon.png electrum-icon.png

# Change shortcut permission
chmod +x ~/Desktop/electrum.desktop

# Add shortcut to launcher
sudo cp ~/Desktop/electrum.desktop /usr/share/applications/

Now it should show the shortcut on your desktop.

The method above your post is a guide to install the Electrum it will not help to make a shortcut icon in your desktop launcher. Don't forget to restart your PC/relogin to see the Electrum under desktop launcher.

[willy2streams]

Your Electurm is installed correctly what you need is to have the icon?

Yes, I'd like an icon but that's not the only issue.  Electrum will not start by entering the "electrum" command in terminal.  It seems like it should start by doing that if it's installed correctly.

A little background of what I'm trying to do - I have the OS installed onto a USB stick, and I'm trying to install Electrum on it so I can use it to boot my computer for "off-line" use.  I'm not sure it's a good idea, but my plan is to use the USB to boot the PC only when I want to access cold storage, but use the PC like normal when booting off my internal hard drive.

Thank you all for your help.

[Abdussamad]

Your Electurm is installed correctly what you need is to have the icon?

Yes, I'd like an icon but that's not the only issue.  Electrum will not start by entering the "electrum" command in terminal.  It seems like it should start by doing that if it's installed correctly.

Add ~/.local/bin to your PATH variable and it will:

Code:

export PATH="$PATH:/home/willy2streams/.local/bin"

Add the above line to your .bashrc file. Then close and open the terminal again and hopefully it'll work.

As I said before the installation instructions provided on the electrum download page are for an unprivileged user installation because they don't want you fetching modules from pip as root.

[BitMaxz]

Yes, I'd like an icon but that's not the only issue.  Electrum will not start by entering the "electrum" command in terminal.  It seems like it should start by doing that if it's installed correctly.

It will not open if the Electrum wallet is installed in the different path you need to target the location where Electrum is installed.

Try to find the folder then open the terminal on that Electrum folder or open terminal and locate the location of the electrum folder through commands.

If not it might be a glitch you need to uninstall the Electrum and reinstall it again just like what they did from here https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/issues/4721

It's a well-known issue that Ubuntu 18.04 is a buggy OS of Linux when installing Electrum.

If you have a telegram account you can contact me @BitMaxz I will try to help you I just need your screenshot to see your progress.

[willy2streams]

If not it might be a glitch you need to uninstall the Electrum and reinstall it again just like what they did from here https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/issues/4721

It's a well-known issue that Ubuntu 18.04 is a buggy OS of Linux when installing Electrum.

This worked after a restart.  I also made a shortcut on the desktop.  The install didn't include an icon, which really bugged me.  I had to copy electrum.png from windows.

This is the code I used in the electrum.desktop shortcut I created:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=3.3.8
Type=Application
Terminal=False
Exec=/home/willy2streams/.local/bin/electrum
Name=Electrum
Comment=Electrum
Icon=/home/willy2streams/.electrum/electrum.png

Thank you all for your help.

[Abdussamad]

lol you don't need to manually create a .desktop file. right clicking on the desktop should provide you with an option to create a shortcut to any application or file on your system!

[DireWolfM14]

lol you don't need to manually create a .desktop file. right clicking on the desktop should provide you with an option to create a shortcut to any application or file on your system!

Are you sure you're talking about Ubuntu?  It's been a while since I've used Mint OS, which might have a feature like that since it attempts to mimic Windows OS.  Unless I'm missing something, Ubuntu 18.04 does not have a feature to create a desktop shortcut under the right-click menu. 

[Abdussamad]

lol you don't need to manually create a .desktop file. right clicking on the desktop should provide you with an option to create a shortcut to any application or file on your system!

Are you sure you're talking about Ubuntu?  It's been a while since I've used Mint OS, which might have a feature like that since it attempts to mimic Windows OS.  Unless I'm missing something, Ubuntu 18.04 does not have a feature to create a desktop shortcut under the right-click menu. 

Depends on the desktop environment you are using. Gnome may not allow you to create icons on the desktop but it must have some alternative like a menu or a dashboard where you can do that. Being able to create shortcuts is a basic feature of every DE!