Installing/Upgrading on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS/16.04 LTS

IMPORTANT: The information in this article is specific to Orchid version 1.12.7 or earlier.  Equivalent instructions for Orchid versions 2.0.0 and above are available in the Orchid Core VMS Installation Guide in the chapters "Installation: Working in Ubuntu 14.04" and "Installation: Working in Ubuntu 16.04".

Orchid is distributed on Ubuntu through debian package files (.deb files). The recommended method for installing the package file is through the GDebi Package Installer. GDebi can be used either through command line, or through the Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Important: Orchid can only be installed on a 64-bit operating system. If you are currently running a 32-bit operating system then the installer will return an "Architecture not supported error" and Orchid will fail to install. 

Note: You will need to be an administrator in order to install software. If the account you’re using is not an administrator account, you will need to login to administrator account before proceeding with the installation.

Installing through the Command Line (Ubuntu Server):

1. Open the “Terminal” program and navigate to the directory storing the Orchid installation package. 

2. Unless GDebi has been installed manually, it will need to be installed using the following command:

sudo apt-get -y install gdebi

It may take a few minutes for GDebi to install, depending on the speed of your system.

3. The gdebi command can now be used to install the Orchid debian package. The syntax is gdebi package-name.deb. For example, if the name of the package is ipc-orchid.deb, the following command would be used:

sudo gdebi --n ipc-orchid.deb

4. Shortly after running that command, you will be asked to accept the End User License Agreement. Hit the “Tab” key, then the “Enter” key after reading the agreement to proceed to with accepting it.

5. You will then be asked to accept the agreement in a separate prompt. Use the “Left Arrow” key to select “Yes” and hit “Enter” when you’re ready to accept the End User License Agreement.

6. The installer will then ask for the webserver port number to use for Orchid. By default, it is set to port 80, which is the recommended port for most installations. Update the port number only if Orchid needs to use a port other than 80, then hit the “Enter” key.

7. Enter the password you would like set for the default admin account, then hit the “Enter” key.

8. After setting a password, you will be asked to set the directory to store video archives. The default folder is /orchives. However, it can be changed to another directory if needed. Enter a new archives location if needed and hit the “Enter” key to proceed with the installation.

The installation will now complete automatically without any additional prompts, but may take a few minutes to complete. Orchid will start automatically once the package finishes installing.

Installing through the GUI (Ubuntu Desktop):

1. Open the Launcher and type “Software Center.”

2. Click the “Ubuntu Software Center” to open it.

3. In the search bar in the top right-hand corner of the Software Center, type “gdebi”

4. Click “GDebi Package Installer (gdebi)” which should be the first result, and then click the “Install” button.

5. After GDebi has finished installing, click the “Files” icon to open the Files Explorer, then navigate to the folder storing your Orchid package (.deb file).

6. Right-click on the Orchid package, hover over “Open With” with the mouse, then select the “GDebi Package Installer” option.

7. Once the GDebi package installer loads, click the “Install Package” button in the top right-hand corner of the window.

8. Shortly after clicking the “Install Package” button, you will be asked to accept the End User License Agreement. Check the “Do you accept the terms of agreement” box and click the “Forward” button after you have read the agreement.

9. The installer will ask you to set the webserver port, default admin password, and the directory to store archives:

• By default, the webserver port is set to port 80, which is recommended for most installations. Update the port number only if Orchid needs to use a port other than 80.
• Enter the password you would like to set for the default admin account.
• The default folder to store video archives on Linux is /orchives. However, it can be changed to another directory if needed. Enter a new archives location if needed.

10. Click the “Forward” button once the above step has been completed.

The installation will now complete automatically without any additional prompts, but may take a few minutes to complete. Once the package installer says “Installation Finished” at the top of the screen, click the “Close” button to close the installer and complete the installation. Orchid will start automatically once the installation is complete and will be accessible through the web browser.