How To Install PeaZip on Manjaro

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install PeaZip on Manjaro. PeaZip stands as one of the most versatile archive managers available for Linux users today. If you’re running Manjaro and looking for a powerful, feature-rich solution to handle compressed files, PeaZip offers an excellent balance of functionality and ease of use. This comprehensive guide walks you through multiple installation methods, post-installation configuration, and troubleshooting tips to ensure you get the most out of this powerful archive utility on your Manjaro system.

Understanding PeaZip and Its Versions

PeaZip is a free, open-source file archiver utility that supports an impressive range of archive formats, including 7Z, ARC, BZ2, GZ, ISO, RAR, TAR, ZIP, and many more. What sets PeaZip apart from other archive managers is its combination of a user-friendly interface with powerful compression capabilities, strong AES encryption features, and cross-platform availability.

When it comes to installing PeaZip on Manjaro, you have several options to choose from:

GTK2 vs Qt5 Versions: PeaZip comes in different versions based on GUI toolkits. The GTK2 version is often recommended for XFCE and GNOME desktop environments, while the Qt5 version works great with KDE Plasma.

Installation Methods Available:

• AUR (Arch User Repository) installation using GUI or command line
• Portable version that doesn’t require installation
• Flatpak installation for a containerized approach
• Building from source (for advanced users)

Each method has its advantages and potential challenges. Your choice should depend on your specific needs, technical expertise, and system configuration.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before diving into the installation process, it’s crucial to prepare your Manjaro system properly. These preliminary steps will help prevent potential issues and ensure a smooth installation experience.

Update Your Manjaro System

First, ensure your system is fully updated. Open a terminal and run:

sudo pacman-mirrors --fasttrack
sudo pacman -Syyu

The first command finds the fastest mirrors for your location, while the second updates all packages on your system. This step is essential as it prevents dependency conflicts that might arise with outdated packages.

Enable AUR Support

If you plan to install PeaZip from the AUR, you’ll need to ensure AUR support is enabled:

1. Open the Manjaro Settings Manager
2. Navigate to the “Third Party” tab
3. Enable AUR support if it isn’t already

Alternatively, you can install an AUR helper like yay or pamac if you prefer command-line installations:

sudo pacman -S yay

Backup Important Data

While installing an archive manager doesn’t typically pose risks to your system, it’s always good practice to back up important data before making system changes, especially if you plan to use PeaZip to manage critical archives.

Method 1: Installing PeaZip from AUR Using GUI

The most user-friendly way to install PeaZip on Manjaro is through the graphical Add/Remove Software utility, which provides access to both official repositories and the AUR.

Step-by-Step Installation

1. Open the Add/Remove Software application from your application menu.
2. Click on the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top-right corner.
3. Select “Preferences” from the dropdown menu.
4. Navigate to the “AUR” tab and enable AUR support if it isn’t already enabled.
5. Click “OK” to save the changes.
6. Return to the main interface and search for “peazip-gtk2” in the search bar.
7. Find the package in the search results (make sure it’s from the AUR repository).
8. Click on the “Install” button to begin the installation process.

During the installation, the system will resolve dependencies automatically. You might be prompted to confirm the installation of additional packages that PeaZip requires to function properly.

Understanding Build Process

When installing from AUR, the package is built from source on your system rather than installed as a pre-compiled binary. This means:

1. The build process might take longer than installing a standard package.
2. You might see compiler output in the terminal window.
3. The system will automatically handle dependencies, but you might be prompted to confirm certain installations.

Verifying the Installation

After the installation completes, you can verify it by:

1. Searching for “PeaZip” in your application menu
2. Right-clicking on an archive file and checking if PeaZip appears in the context menu
3. Running peazip in a terminal to see if the application launches

Method 2: Installing PeaZip from AUR Using Command Line

For users who prefer the terminal, installing PeaZip using an AUR helper like yay can be more efficient and provides more control over the installation process.

Installing with Yay

First, ensure you have yay installed:

sudo pacman -S yay

Then, search for PeaZip packages:

yay -Ss peazip

This command will display all available PeaZip packages in the repositories. Look for entries like peazip-gtk2 or peazip-qt5 depending on your preference.

To install the GTK2 version:

yay -S peazip-gtk2

Or for the Qt5 version:

yay -S peazip-qt5

Understanding Terminal Output

During installation, pay attention to the terminal output as it provides valuable information:

1. The list of dependencies that will be installed
2. Any conflicts that might arise
3. Build progress and potential errors
4. Configuration options you might need to select

If you encounter the common 7zip dependency issue that some users report, see the troubleshooting section below for solutions.

Verifying Command Line Installation

To verify the installation was successful:

which peazip

This should return the path to the PeaZip executable, typically /usr/bin/peazip.

Method 3: Using the Portable Version

The portable version of PeaZip offers a convenient way to use the application without going through a formal installation process. This approach is particularly useful if you:

• Want to try PeaZip before committing to an installation
• Need to use PeaZip temporarily
• Prefer not to modify your system
• Are facing dependency issues with other installation methods

Downloading and Extracting

1. Visit the official PeaZip website and navigate to the Linux downloads section.
2. Download the portable tarball version for Linux x86_64.
3. Open your file manager and navigate to the download location.
4. Right-click on the downloaded tarball and select “Extract here” or use a terminal:

tar -xzf peazip_portable_*.tar.gz -C ~/Applications

This extracts PeaZip to a folder called “Applications” in your home directory. You can choose any location you prefer.

Running the Portable Version

To run the portable version:

1. Navigate to the extracted folder
2. Find the peazip executable file
3. Double-click it or run from terminal:

cd ~/Applications/peazip_portable
./peazip

Creating Desktop Integration Manually

To integrate the portable version with your desktop environment:

1. Create a desktop entry file:

nano ~/.local/share/applications/peazip-portable.desktop

2. Add the following content (adjust paths as needed):

[Desktop Entry]
Name=PeaZip Portable
Comment=Archive manager
Exec=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/Applications/peazip_portable/peazip %F
Icon=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/Applications/peazip_portable/res/share/icons/peazip.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Utility;Archiving;
MimeType=application/x-compressed-tar;application/x-bzip-compressed-tar;application/x-tar;application/zip;application/x-7z-compressed;

3. Save the file and update your desktop database:

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications

Method 4: Installing PeaZip via Flatpak

Flatpak offers a containerized approach to application installation, which can help avoid dependency issues and conflicts with system libraries. Manjaro 20 and newer versions come with Flatpak support pre-installed.

Setting Up Flatpak Support

1. Ensure Flatpak is properly configured on your system:

sudo pacman -S flatpak

2. Add the Flathub repository if it’s not already added:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

3. Restart your system to complete the Flatpak setup.

Installing PeaZip with Flatpak

To install PeaZip via Flatpak:

flatpak install flathub io.github.peazip.PeaZip

The system will display information about the package and ask for confirmation. Type ‘y’ and press Enter to continue. Flatpak will download and install PeaZip along with any required runtime dependencies.

Understanding Flatpak Sandbox Limitations

Flatpak applications run in a sandbox environment, which provides security benefits but can also lead to some limitations:

1. Access to your file system may be restricted
2. Integration with other applications might be less seamless
3. Performance might be slightly affected

To grant PeaZip additional permissions:

flatpak override io.github.peazip.PeaZip --filesystem=home

This allows PeaZip to access your home directory.

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

Even with careful preparation, you might encounter some challenges when installing PeaZip on Manjaro. Here are solutions to the most common issues:

Resolving the 7zip Dependency Issue

A recurring problem reported by users is the “couldn’t satisfy 7zip dependency” error when installing from AUR. To resolve this:

1. Try installing the 7zip package manually:

yay -S p7zip

2. If that doesn’t work, try the alternative implementation:

yay -S p7zip-natspec

3. If both fail, consider using the Flatpak version which bundles dependencies.

Handling “Could Not Satisfy Dependencies” Errors

These errors typically occur when there’s a version mismatch or missing package. Try:

1. Updating your system completely:

sudo pacman -Syyu

2. Installing specific dependencies manually:

sudo pacman -S lib32-gtk2 lib32-ncurses desktop-file-utils

3. Checking the AUR comments for that package, as other users might have posted solutions.

Fixing Broken AUR Builds

If the build process fails:

1. Clear the build cache and try again:

yay -Scc
yay -S peazip-gtk2

2. Check if the PKGBUILD needs modification:

yay -G peazip-gtk2
cd peazip-gtk2
# Edit PKGBUILD as needed
makepkg -si

Permission Issues

If you encounter permission errors:

sudo chown -R $(whoami):$(whoami) ~/.cache/yay
sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/peazip  # If executable permission is missing

Post-Installation Configuration

After successfully installing PeaZip, take some time to configure it to match your workflow and preferences.

Setting PeaZip as Default Archive Manager

1. Open System Settings
2. Navigate to “Default Applications”
3. Find “Archive” or “Compressed files” category
4. Select PeaZip from the dropdown menu

Alternatively, you can right-click on an archive file, select “Properties” or “Open with,” and set PeaZip as the default application for that file type.

Configuring File Associations

PeaZip supports numerous archive formats. To ensure all formats open with PeaZip:

1. Launch PeaZip
2. Go to “Options” > “Settings”
3. Navigate to “Integration”
4. Click “Create file associations” for the formats you want to associate with PeaZip

Customizing the Interface

PeaZip offers extensive customization options:

1. Go to “Options” > “Settings”
2. Explore the various tabs to adjust:
   • Theme and appearance
   • Default compression settings
   • Extraction behavior
   • Interface layout

Setting Compression Preferences

To set your preferred compression method:

1. Go to “Options” > “Settings”
2. Navigate to “Archive” tab
3. Set default compression format (ZIP, 7Z, etc.)
4. Configure compression level (from fastest to best)

Basic Usage Tutorial

Now that PeaZip is installed and configured, let’s explore its basic functionality.

Creating New Archives

1. Launch PeaZip
2. Click on “Add” or press Alt+A
3. Select the files you want to compress
4. Choose the archive format from the dropdown menu
5. Adjust compression settings if needed
6. Click “OK” to create the archive

Alternatively, you can right-click on files in your file manager, select the PeaZip context menu, and choose “Add to archive.”

Extracting Content

To extract files from an archive:

1. Open the archive with PeaZip
2. Select the files you want to extract
3. Click “Extract” or press Alt+E
4. Choose the destination directory
5. Set extraction options as needed
6. Click “OK” to extract

For quick extraction, you can also right-click on an archive file in your file manager and select “Extract here” from the PeaZip context menu.

Managing Existing Archives

PeaZip allows you to:

1. Add files to existing archives (non-solid archives only)
2. Delete files from archives
3. Rename files within archives
4. Test archives for integrity
5. Convert between different archive formats

Advanced Features and Integration

PeaZip offers several advanced features that power users will appreciate.

Integration with File Managers

PeaZip integrates with popular file managers on Manjaro:

1. Dolphin (KDE): Right-click context menu provides PeaZip options
2. Thunar (XFCE): Custom actions can be added for PeaZip operations
3. Nautilus (GNOME): Extensions enable PeaZip integration

Command-line Features

Although PeaZip is primarily a GUI application, it offers command-line functionality:

peazip -add2archive "/path/to/archive.7z" "/path/to/files/"
peazip -ext2folder "/path/to/extract/" "/path/to/archive.zip"

Creating Self-extracting Archives

For sharing archives with users who might not have PeaZip:

1. Create your archive as usual
2. Go to “Tools” > “Convert”
3. Select “Self-extracting archive”
4. Choose your target platform
5. Set extraction options
6. Click “OK” to create the self-extracting archive

Setting Up Automated Backup Tasks

PeaZip can be used for simple backup tasks:

1. Create a script that uses PeaZip’s command-line features
2. Schedule the script using cron or systemd timers
3. Configure retention policies and backup rotation

Maintaining and Updating PeaZip

Checking for Updates

When installed from AUR, PeaZip will be updated when you update your system:

yay -Syu

For the Flatpak version:

flatpak update

For the portable version, you’ll need to manually download and extract the latest version.

Handling Version Upgrades

Major version upgrades might require additional steps:

1. Back up your PeaZip configuration:

cp -r ~/.config/peazip ~/peazip-config-backup

2. Perform the update
3. If issues arise, restore your configuration:

rm -rf ~/.config/peazip
cp -r ~/peazip-config-backup ~/.config/peazip

Reinstalling After Major Manjaro Updates

After significant system updates, you might need to reinstall PeaZip:

yay -S peazip-gtk2 --overwrite "*"

This ensures all components are properly reinstalled and linked.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed PeaZip. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the PeaZip file archiver utility on Manjaro Linux system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official PeaZip website.