SkypeHowto

Skype is a proprietary peer-to-peer internet telephony (VoIP) network that offers a free, closed-source client application for Linux.

See http://www.skype.com for more information.

Skype is unsupported by Ubuntu, and is made available through a repository hosted by Skype Technologies. It is currently somewhat unstable in Ubuntu due to issues with the Enlightened Sound Daemon (ESD) and audio mixing, described in the Audio troubleshooting section below.

Installing Skype - Hoary(?)

I believe this chapter was valid for Hoary Hedgehog (Ubuntu 5.04). For a working procedure for Breezy Badger (Ubuntu 5.10), see below.

Add repository

Skype offers a package repository for users of Debian and Ubuntu. To add this repository, launch the Synaptic Package Manager from the System/Administration menu. Access the Repositories configuration from the Settings menu and press Add. Press Custom and enter deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable non-free into the APT line field. Press Add Repository and OK. Synaptic will now download the new package information.

Installing Skype

Search for Skype in the Synaptic Package Manager, select it for installation, and press Apply to install the package.

Installing dependencies

The package offered by Skype does not list an important KDE package as a dependency, and will not function if it is not installed. Search for libqt3c102-mt in the Synaptic Package Manager and select it for installation if it is not already installed.

Installing Skype - Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy Badger

Note: for an easier method, see ["Skype"]. These two pages should be merged, and the directions from below probably moved somewhere...

(Note: this chapter is based on [http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=43615 Simon80's] forum [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=40148 posting])

As of this writing (2005-10-31), the deb package provided by Skype does depend on the libqt3c102-mt package mentioned above, but Ubuntu doesn't provide a package with this name anymore. (For more information, see [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=40148#post383911 here]) The package provided by Skype is still usable however, by changing the dependency field in the package. In [http://home.versateladsl.be/wvermeir/ubuntu/skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386.deb this version of skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386] this is already done. (non-official download)

Here's how it's done:

* Download the package from http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-deb (Currently named skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386.deb)

* Make a directory to mess around in, and extract the package contents and control information there: (I'm assuming that the file is on the Desktop, change the path if necessary)

mkdir ~/skype-deb
cd ~/skype-deb
dpkg-deb -x ~/Desktop/skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386.deb skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386
dpkg-deb -e ~/Desktop/skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386.deb skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386/DEBIAN

* Replace "libqt3c102-mt" with "libqt3-mt" in the dependency field:

sed -i s/libqt3c102-mt/libqt3-mt/g skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386/DEBIAN/control

(You could also open the "control" file in a text editor and change the field by hand instead of using sed)

* Recreate the deb package (The package will be named skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386.deb and reside in the "skype-deb" folder)

dpkg-deb -b ./skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386

* The .deb package has some dependencies which may not be installed on your computer yet. This command should ensure you have everything:

sudo apt-get install libgcc1 libqt3-mt libstdc++5 

* You should now be able to install the package: (Be sure to install the newly created .deb, not the one you downloaded from Skype!)

sudo dpkg -i skype_1.2.0.18-1_i386.deb

Display configuration

See also QtGnome for who to make Skype (and other Qt applications) look more like Gnome.

Because Skype is a KDE application and KDE has not been configured for most Ubuntu users, Skype's typeface will appear very large. You can use either the kcontrol or the qt3-qtconfig package to configure the appearance of Skype and other KDE/QT applications. Of these two, the QT Configurator (qt3-qtconfig) has far less dependencies than kcontrol and will may therefore be more convenient for people who mostly use non-KDE software.

You can start QT Configurator with the "qtconfig" command. On the "Fonts" tab, choosing Font Family Sans Serif and Point Size 10 will give something that resembles Ubuntu's GNOME desktop.

If you installed the kcontrol package, you may now run it by entering kcontrol into the Applications/Run Application... prompt. Expand the Appearance & Themes menu and select Fonts. Press Adjust All Fonts and select Size. Lower this value to your preference (size 10 or 11 is usually satisfactory). Press OK and Apply and exit the KDE Control Center.

attachment:kcontrol.png

A quick fix, without installing any configuration packages, is to make a file qtrc in your $HOME/.qt directory, and put these two lines in it:

[General]
font=Bitstream Vera Sans Mono,9,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0

Running Skype

You may run Skype from the launcher installed to the Applications/Internet menu. After signing up if neccessary and logging in to your Skype account, test your configuration by choosing Tools/Add a Contact... and adding the echo123 user to your list. From the Contacts tab, dial this test service by selecting the Echo / Sound Test Service contact and pressing the large, green dial button. If you are able to hear a voice, then your sound configuration is successful. If not, you will need to configure your audio settings as documented below. At this point, Skype may be unresponsive. This is an indication that the ESD sound server is the cause of the problem and you should address the issue as documented below. If this is the case, attempt to close the Skype window and wait for the force-quit dialogue to appear.

Audio troubleshooting

Volume & levels

First ensure that your audio output and microphone input channels are not muted by selecting Volume Control from the Applications/Sound & Video menu. You may test that output is working with the Sound configuration applet in the System/Preferences menu. You may test that microphone input is working with the Sound Recorder application in the Applications/Sound & Video menu.

Skype audio device

If your audio levels are properly configured and you can hear audio in Skype, but your contacts cannot hear your input, you may need to change Skype's input device. Choose Tools/Options... and select Hand/Headsets. Experiment with different Calls selections, if they are available.

ESD configuration

A problem with the ESD (Enlightened Sound Daemon) server may cause issues with Skype for some users. If Skype is unable to make or recieve calls and continuously crashes, then a small change to the ESD configuration may help. Run:

sudo gedit /etc/esound/esd.conf

and change the line:

auto_spawn=0

to:

auto_spawn=1

Log out and back in to restart ESD, and test Skype again as above. It is likely that this solution will only work if Skype is the only application using audio. You will not be able to play music while using Skype, and you will not be able to use Skype while playing music.

If skype audio still doesn't work, than simply turn off sound daemon while using skype. Other sounds will not work while you use skype.

esdctl off
skype
esdctl on

This is a sound mixing issue that may be fixed in the next version of Ubuntu (Breezy Badger).

Communication/SkypeOut Troubleshooting

If you encounter problems like Skype hanging (requiring killing the process through System Tools => System Monitor) and if Skype is unable to dial out via SkypeOut you should uninstall the 'gnomemeeting' package via the Package Manager.