Overview
Due to the multiarch transition, a package, ia32-libs, is no longer included
with Debian-Jessie. Google-Earth depends on this package. This post will show
you how to remove the dependency and produce your own deb file without it.
Interestingly, Google-Earth appears to be built in 64-bit mode, so ia32-libs
shouldn't be needed.
Patching
- Pull down the latest direct from Google.
- Extract it with "ar vx google-earth-stable_current_amd64.deb". This should produce the following files:
- debian-binary
- control.tar.gz
- data.tar.lzma
- extract control.tar.gz with: "tar xvf control.tar.gz". This should unpack the following:
- prerm
- postinst
- postrm
- control
- Open control in an editor and remove ", ia32-libs" from the Depends:" list
- Repack control.tar.gz with: "tar cvf control.tar prerm postinst postrm control && gzip control.tar"
- Repack the deb file with "ar cr ge-noia32.deb debian-binary control.tar.gz data.tar.lzma"
- Install the deb file with dpkg: "dpkg --install ge-noia32.deb"
- Run google-earth from a command-line to make sure you aren't missing any dependencies. If launching reports an error about finding a library, you'll need to install the corresponding debian version
Updating
Until google updates their package or someone adds an ia32-libs to Debian Jessie,
you'll have to uninstall google earth, then pull down the latest, then patch it
for each revision.