How to Install and Configure a Perforce Helix Core Server on Ubuntu 24.04

Step 1: Add the Perforce Repository

1. Download the Perforce GPG Key:
   
   wget -qO /usr/share/keyrings/perforce-archive-keyring.gpg https://package.perforce.com/perforce.pubkey

   1	wget -qO /usr/share/keyrings/perforce-archive-keyring.gpg https://package.perforce.com/perforce.pubkey

2. Add the Repository:
   
   echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/perforce-archive-keyring.gpg] http://package.perforce.com/apt/ubuntu jammy release" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/perforce.list

   1	echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/perforce-archive-keyring.gpg] http://package.perforce.com/apt/ubuntu jammy release" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/perforce.list

3. Update Package Lists:
   
   sudo apt update

   1	sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Helix Core (p4d)

Install the Perforce Helix Core server using:

Step 3: Configure the Server

1. Create a Directory for the Server:
   sudo mkdir -p /opt/perforce/servers/master sudo chown perforce:perforce /opt/perforce/servers/master

   1 2	sudo mkdir -p /opt/perforce/servers/master sudo chown perforce:perforce /opt/perforce/servers/master

2. Set Up the p4dctl Service:
   sudo nano /etc/perforce/p4dctl.conf.d/master.conf

   1	sudo nano /etc/perforce/p4dctl.conf.d/master.conf

   Add the following content:

   master { Description = "Helix Core Server Master Instance" Executable = /usr/sbin/p4d Root = /opt/perforce/servers/master User = perforce Group = perforce Environment { P4PORT = 1666 P4ROOT = /opt/perforce/servers/master P4LOG = /opt/perforce/servers/master/logs/log P4JOURNAL = /opt/perforce/servers/master/checkpoints/journal } }

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

   master {     Description = "Helix Core Server Master Instance"     Executable = /usr/sbin/p4d     Root = /opt/perforce/servers/master     User = perforce     Group = perforce     Environment {         P4PORT = 1666         P4ROOT = /opt/perforce/servers/master         P4LOG = /opt/perforce/servers/master/logs/log         P4JOURNAL = /opt/perforce/servers/master/checkpoints/journal     } }

3. Verify the Configuration:
   sudo -u perforce p4dctl list

   1	sudo -u perforce p4dctl list

4. Start the Server:
   sudo -u perforce p4dctl start master

   1	sudo -u perforce p4dctl start master

   Or start all configured services:

   sudo -u perforce p4dctl start -a

   1	sudo -u perforce p4dctl start -a

Step 4: Test the Server

1. Check Server Status:
   sudo -u perforce p4dctl status

   1	sudo -u perforce p4dctl status

2. Connect to the Server: Use the p4 CLI tool or a graphical client like P4V to connect to the server on port 1666.

Step 5: Optional – Install the Helix Visual Client (P4V)

For a graphical interface, install the Helix Visual Client:

Launch it by typing:

Common Troubleshooting

• Error: “NO_PUBKEY” Ensure the key is correctly downloaded and saved:
  wget -qO - https://package.perforce.com/perforce.pubkey | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/perforce-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null

  1	wget -qO - https://package.perforce.com/perforce.pubkey | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/perforce-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null

• Error: “No services configured” with p4dctl Ensure the file /etc/perforce/p4dctl.conf.d/master.conf is correctly formatted and points to the appropriate directories.