Installing OpenSCAD

I wanted to document the process to install OpenSCAD on my Linux laptop.

Ideally, all I should have to do to install OpenSCAD is type

sudo apt-get install openscad

at the prompt.  However, when I did that, I got an error message that the libcgal8 part could not be found.  I found an internet page that explains how to installed libcgal8.  I tried the easy part of simply running

sudo apt-get install libcgal8

That did not work either.  It said something about missing files.

The web page above said to make sure that the multiverse repository is enabled.  Here is a page that talks about adding repositories to the sources.list file.  I edited the /etc/apt/sources.list file and added the last two lines shown below in green.

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise universedeb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates universe## 19 Jan 2014.  Added multiverse lines.  ksb.deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise multiversedeb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates multiverse

Next, I executed

sudo apt-get update

A number of things were installed.  So, it must be looking at the multiverse repository now.  The next command to run was 

sudo apt-get install libcgal8

This time, it worked.  Just to keep things tidy, I ran 

sudo apt-get autoremove

Six programs were removed.  Finally, I executed

sudo apt-get install openscad

This worked as well.  

Phew!  That was too much work.  On a side note, I never would have been able to do this 10 years ago.  Linux and its documentation have really matured.  I wonder if I could have done all this through the GUI...

Here is the "hello world" drawing in open scad.  OpenSCAD works as well.  PTL!

I tried opening my dxf file using the command Pete Prodehl, self-proclaimed expert, shared with me 

linear_extrude(height = 10, center = true) import("./Things/ToolHolder.dxf");

but it did not work.  Well, at least it did not display anything.  I did not get any errors.  I'll have to make sure the dxf file is in the correct format and try again.  Progress is progress.