Installing OpenERP on Ubuntu

I have recently improved the installation guide for OpenERP on Ubuntu (8.04). Previously, this documentation was available on the old OpenERP wiki, but it has been lost to the public during an upgrade of the website. The contents of this documentation has been sent to me as an author and I am happy to provide it below.

I’ve added information on how to check server logs on startup, how to make it work with the right port with PostgreSQL 8.3 and how to connect with the client once the installation is over.

OpenERP, previously called TinyERP, but renamed due to the mismatch between its name and its size, is an open-source ERP system written (mostly) in Python and initiated in Belgium by one of our professional acquaintances.

We are currently trying it out in order to evaluate its potential.

Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex)

Install Client 4.2.3.4

Install client dependencies:

$ sudo apt-get install python-egenix-mxdatetime python-egenix-mxtools

Download OpenERP/TinyERP deb package from the official unstable Debian
repository. (It’s not recommended add this repository to your apt
sources list. There are many *realy* unstable packages on it).

http://packages.debian.org/sid/all/tinyerp-client/download

After download, install:

$ sudo dpkg -i tinyerp-client_4.2.3.4-1_all.deb

Install Server 4.2.3.4

Install server dependencies:

$ sudo apt-get install python-psycopg python-libxslt1 python-reportlab python-tz libpq5 python-egenix-mxdatetime python-egenix-mxtools python-xml python-lxml

Download OpenERP/TinyERP deb package from the official unstable Debian
repository. (It’s not recommended add this repository to your apt
sources list. There are many *realy* unstable packages on it).

http://packages.debian.org/sid/all/tinyerp-server/download

After download, install:

$ sudo dpkg -i tinyerp-server_4.2.3.4-3_all.deb

PostgreSQL database

The server requires PostgreSQL database. To install type:

$ sudo apt-get install postgresql

Create the database

When the PostgreSQL are done, you have to create a database. Type:

$ sudo su postgres
$ createuser -U postgres –createdb –no-adduser -P terp
$ createdb -U postgres -O terp –encoding=UNICODE terp
$ exit

Set your DB password (created above) in /etc/default/tinyerp-server file:

$ sudo gedit /etc/default/tinyerp-server

Like this:

# Specify the database password (Default: not set).
DATABASE_PASSWORD=”my_role_password”

Restart Server

After set the password we need restart the server:

sudo /etc/init.d/tinyerp-server restart

Connecting with TinyERP/OpenERP client

If you have installed the client, use the Applications -> Internet ->Tiny ERP Client

The default connection settings should already be the ones you configured in the server’s configuration file.

If you haven’t created any other account yet, use admin/admin to connect with the client, and define the installation settings (your company details, mainly).

Hardy Heron (8.04) and Gutsy Gibbon (7.10)

Install packages

Install all packages listed below (some might be installed already), or
just type:

$ sudo apt-get install python-xml python-libxml2 python-libxslt1 python-psycopg python-imaging python-pyparsing python-reportlab graphviz python-tz python-pyopenssl gs-gpl python-matplotlib

PostgreSQL database

Installation

Install PostgreSQL 8.2.x on Synaptic, or type:

$ sudo apt-get install postgresql-8.2

Note: There some troubles related with PostregreSQL 8.3 as exposed in this bug report. Avoid it on this TinyERP/OpenERP version (4.2.0-1ubuntu1).

Note: Now PostgreSQL 8.3 works with TinyERP 4.2 with 4.2.3.2 and later

Create the database

When the PostgreSQL are done, you have to create a database.Type:

$ sudo su postgres
$ createuser -U postgres –createdb –no-adduser -P terp
$ createdb -U postgres -O terp –encoding=UNICODE terp
$ exit

See Setup a Postgresql user and database for details.

It is not recommended to use another username for the database user, as the distinction between the system user and the database user is not strong enough at this point in time (version 2.4) and it might result in you not being able to create new databases from the client interfaces.

Install TinyERP 4.2.2 Server and Client

Note: Ubuntu packages will create a *terp* system user that will be used to start the
server and possibly (for some operations like creating a new database) to connect to the database.

32bits architecture

There is now a repository which holds the new 4.2.2 of tinyerp for
Ubuntu (it might also work on debian).

The repository can be found on http://ubuntu.roomandspace.com/. Just go
there and add the repository, so this should update your 4.2.2 of
tinyerp, but it does not automaticaly update existing database, only a
new installation is tested.

After add repository install from Synaptic, or type:

$ sudo apt-get install tinyerp-server tinyerp-client

64bits architecture

The repository does not work with x86_64 architecture, so you have to install them manualy.

First download TinyERP .deb files (“tinyerp-server_4.2.2-1_all.deb” and “tinyerp-client_4.2.2-1_all.deb”) directly from the repository folder.

http://ubuntu.roomandspace.com/dists/hardy/main/binary-i386/

Now install the packages manualy.

$ sudo dpkg –install /tinyerp-client_4.2.2-1_all.deb
$ sudo dpkg –install /tinyerp-server_4.2.2-1_all.deb

Starting the server

Note: For 7.10 and Postgres 8.2, the default port for Postgres is 5432.
However the config file “/etc/default/tinyerp-server” has the postgres
port set at 5433. You must change this or you will get an error stating
“cannot connect to server”.

Note: For 8.04 and Postgres 8.3, the default port for Postgres is 5433,
and you might have the opposite problem that the port defined in the
tiny configuration is 5432. You must change this or you will get an
error stating “cannot connect to server”.

To change it, open a terminal and type:

$ sudo nano /etc/default/tinyerp-server

When it comes up, scroll down to the setting for postgres and change to
5432. Press “ctrl o” to save and “ctrl x” to exit. Restart the
tinyerp-server.

$ sudo /etc/init.d/tinyerp-server restart

The process will be started with a username depending on what USER you
have defined in /etc/default/tinyerp-server. For trial/development
purposes, you can use your Ubuntu username. However, for production
environments, using a specific Ubuntu user for the TinyERP/OpenERP
process is recommended.

If your server still doesn’t start, you can check the logs in real time
by using the command

$ sudo tail -f /var/log/tinyerp.log

Connecting with TinyERP/OpenERP client

If you have installed the client, use the Applications -> Internet ->
Tiny ERP Client

The default connection settings should already be the ones you
configured in the server’s configuration file.

If you haven’t created any other account yet, use admin/admin to connect
with the client, and define the installation settings (your company
details, mainly).

Creating more databases

Creating more databases can normally be done through the rich
TinyERP/OpenERP client, by using the /File -> Databases -> New database/
menu (using the default password “admin” if you haven’t changed it).

However, and as reported on the forum
, you might run into
the error “Could not create database” when doing that. On an Ubuntu (or
Debian) server, this might be due to one of two things, which you can
check out on the Linux troubleshooting page

Adding a module

You can add modules through the Administration -> Modules management ->
Import new module.

However, this depends on the permissions set on the
/usr/share/tinyerp-server/addons/ directory. If not set correctly, you
will receive the following error message:

Error !
Can not create the module file:
/usr/lib/tinyerp-server/addons/[yourmodule].zip!

The directory indicated is actually a symbolic link to
/usr/share/tinyerp-server/addons/

To make sure you can install new modules, you have to let the system
user *terp* write in this directory. For example, you could change the
permissions by issuing the following command:

sudo chown -R terp /usr/share/tinyerp-server/addons

Feisty/Edgy

Open ERP is available in the repositories. Use the instructions here:
InstallFromPackages to install server and/or client.

Note: In Edgy, the version of OpenERP is 3.3.0, in Feisty, it is 4.0.0.

Installation from source (for all versions)

Using Synaptic Package Manager

get (some might be installed already)

• python-xml
• python-libxml2
• python-libxslt1
• python-psycopg
• python-imaging
• python-pyparsing
• python-reportlab
• graphviz
• postgresql
• python-tz
• python-pyopenssl
• gs-gpl
• python-matplotlib

Using command line : (cut/paste in a terminal)

$ sudo apt-get install python-xml python-libxml2 python-libxslt1 python-psycopg python-imaging python-pyparsing
$ sudo apt-get install python-reportlab graphviz postgresql python-tz python-pyopenssl gs-gpl python-matplotlib
$ sudo apt-get install python-lxml python-pychart python-hippocanvas

Creating the database

When the installations are done, you have to create a database, see
Setup a Postgresql user and database

for details.

TinyERP Server

*And now* (This does not need to be done if you install using Synaptic
or apt-get) TinyERP server must be decompressed and started;

tar xzvf tinyerp_server-v…tar.gz
cd server/bin
tinyerp_server.py

Verbose version : Download and extract the TinyERP version of your
choice. Run the server as user “postgres” (by typing “sudo su postgres”
and your password (of the default user, not the postgres user) in the
terminal) and then typing “python2.4 tinyerp-server.py” in
“tinyerp-server-directory/bin/”. Your server is now running, check

$ ps ax

TinyERP Client

*Done* – next step is to get a client running.

Installing OpenERP Client on Ubuntu Linux Desktop

apt-get install tinyerp-client python-tz python-psycopg python-matplotlib

Now you got TinyERP installed but it is an old version. I install the
old version first because the new version from Room and Space
is missing the pixmaps. Do following
to install the new version.

Get deb file from Room and Space then
execute the deb file from desktop, don’t run as dpkg otherwise you might
not get all dependencies installed.

/As a side note the server deb file from Room and Space
, and probably the client as well will
also work on a debian box. I do have the server running on a Debian
box./ –gruessle

02:05, 4 October 2008 (UTC)

NOTES AND OLDIES

for *7.04 (“feisty fawn”)*, if you are using the development version of
tinyerp, you can use python2.5 (by replacing the commands “python2.4
tinyerp-server.py” with “./tinyerp-server.py” below). python2.5 was
incompatible with 4.0 version of tinyerp.

Note: There’s no need of creating a database outside of the
tinyerp-client! Check Postgresql setup page in this wiki. Download the
tiny*.tar.gz files (not the tiny-packages), extract them, position in
the tiny*/bin directory and start tiny*.

There might be some problems with older versions of tinyERP. Search for
the tinyERP-config files “.terp_serverrc” and “.terprc” and change (or
simply remove) them before starting a new version. This search can be
done with these commands in a terminal:

$ sudo find / -name “.terprc” -print
$ sudo find / -name “.terp_serverrc” -print

Older versions of Ubuntu (Breezy)

1.Modify the /etc/apt/source.lists (using a text editor like gedit, kate or nano (in this example gedit is used – if you don`t have it – just replace gedit with the name of your programm of choice))

$ sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
# (then you`ll be asked to enter the root password)

- Uncomment these two lines or add it if it does not exist:

deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe multiverse
deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe multiverse

- Save the file and launch the apt command

2.Update the repository by typing

$ sudo apt-get update

in command lines or GUI (ubuntu 5.10)

System>administration>synaptic package manager

(if you`re using kubutu or other ubuntu-based distributions you may have
another package manager (like adept for kubuntu)

3.Install the required packages and postgresql database by typing (in command line)

$ sudo apt-get install python2.4-xml python2.4-libxml2 python2.4-libxslt1 python2.4-psycopg
python2.4-imaging python2.4-pyparsing python2.4-reportlab graphviz postgresql-7.4

or with a GUI /package manager (Synaptic/Adept) (ubuntu 5.10)

# select the following packages from the list and choose install

• python2.4-xml
• python2.4-libxml2
• python2.4-libxslt1
• python2.4-psycopg
• python2.4-imaging
• python2.4-pyparsing
• python2.4-reportlab
• graphviz
• postgresql-7.4

then commit the changes

Normally at this step the required packages are installed and the
postgresql server is launched. For TinyERP-server above v4.0.0 you don’t
have to set up postgresql as described in STEP 4.1, just go to STEP 5 on
this page. You will now go to the STEP 4.1 (You are now in 2.1.9.4 to
configure your Postgresql database.)

5.Download the Tinyerp Server Package.

6.Decompress it (* means: enter the full path here of your download);