Install Helix Core Server on Linux

These steps are for the Ubuntu package manager for Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal Fossa), a popular version of Linux. If you want a different type of installation, see the Installing the server chapter of Helix Core Server Administrator Guide.

  1. Make sure that you have root access on your machine.

  2. Download the Perforce public key:
    $ wget https://package.perforce.com/perforce.pubkey

  3. Obtain the fingerprint of the public key:
    $ gpg -n --import --import-options import-show perforce.pubkey

  4. Verify the downloaded key matches the authentic Perforce fingerprint:

    $ gpg -n --import --import-options import-show perforce.pubkey | grep -q "E58131C0AEA7B082C6DC4C937123CB760FF18869" && echo "true"
    If true is the output, the key is valid.

  5. Add the public key to your keyring:
    $ wget -qO - https://package.perforce.com/perforce.pubkey | sudo apt-key add -

  6. Create a new file for the Perforce repository:
    $ sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/perforce.list

  7. In the new file, input the following line:
    deb http://package.perforce.com/apt/ubuntu focal release

  8. Save the file and exit your text editor.

Update your computer for the new Perforce repository

  1. Run this command:
    $ sudo apt-get update

  2. Install Helix Core using the built-in Ubuntu package manager:
    $ sudo apt-get install helix-p4d

  3. Enter Y to confirm and wait for the installation to complete.

Configure Perforce service after installation

After the helix-p4d package has been installed, additional configuration is required to create a Helix Core Server:

  1. Run configuration in interactive mode:

    $ sudo /opt/perforce/sbin/configure-helix-p4d.sh

    In interactive mode, the configuration script begins by displaying a summary of default settings and those which have optionally been set with a command line argument.

  2. Provide information to the configuration script.

  3. After the configuration has completed successfully, a summary is displayed with details about what was done, and where settings are stored.

You can now connect to the service, or you can manage the service using the p4dctl utility.

For more information about configure-helix-p4d.sh script, see Post-installation configuration in the Helix Core Server Administrator Guide.

You now have everything you need to get started:

  • Helix Core Command-Line Client (p4)

  • Helix Core Server (p4d)

  • A tool for managing the Perforce service (p4dctl)

  • An operating system user named perforce that is used to run the service.

Next, go to Install Helix Core Visual Client (P4V).