How to install SpectraView II on Linux (Mint 20)

NEC (now Sharp) provides a Linux Version of SpectraView II and a corresponding installation guide. Unfortunately, both are pretty outdated. They reference Ubuntu 14 as the latest version 🙁 . Even worse, the application depends on some Qt4 packages which are no longer available in a current Ubuntu/Mint installation. After digging around the internet I found help in the UbuntuHandbook on how to install the missing Qt4 libraries and I was able to successfully install SpectraView II and calibrate my Monitor NEC MultiSync PA32 with the colorimeter X-Rite i1Display Pro on Linux Mint 20.2

Linux Mint 20 running SpectraView II with a X-Rite i1Display Pro connected via USB

So, here are the compiled instructions (follow at your own risk):

# add repository to get Qt4 libraries
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rock-core/qt4
# install missing dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libqtgui4
# download and extract SpectraView from above link. Then move it to a folder of your choice, e.g. /opt/SpectraView. Make sure the necessary files have execute permissions set.
# follow instructions in the NEC guide depending on your colorimeter, in my case a X-Rite i1 Display Pro (V3):
sudo cp –r "libraries to install/i1d3" /usr/lib
sudo ldconfig /usr/lib/i1d3
# create permanent link to libraries
# add /usr/lib/i1d3
sudo xed /etc/ld.so.conf.d/i1d.conf
sudo cp "55-NEC.rules" "/lib/udev/rules.d"
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
# check that all dependencies are met
cd BUILD_B
ldd SpectraView
ldd cmdlineddclite
ldd i1d3
# configure display communication
sudo modprobe i2c-dev
./cmdlineddclite
# create a link in the start menu to /opt/SpectraView/BUILD_B/SpectraView

I also contacted the sharpnec support about this and got the following answer:

Unfortunately we are not planning any further updates for the Linux OS. There has been almost no interest from customers to continue updating the software in many years.

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