Installing software

[Guest billforce]

I recently downloaded a small program on disquette. After unzipping the file I get several subs including install instructions ie: make clean; make; and make install???? I have never loaded a program in MDK that was NOT an automatic install such as StarOffice so I have NO idea how to load this small program.

I am requesting a step by step to load this small program (VCool) that has to be run in root.

 

billforce

[MottS]

Usually the non-rpm progz are in .tar.gz format. So the first thing is to copy that somewhere like /home/whatever_user/programs/ and unzip it (tar xvfz program_name.tar.gz).

 

Then, cd to the new directory (cd program_name) and take a look inthere (ls -l). Usually there is a README file and a INSTALL file. Read those carefully because they give you hints about how to install the prog and how to configure it.

 

Usually the install procedure is the same --> you have to run a script that checks if you have all the required software to compile the program. This is done by typing './configure'. If you get no errors by running './configure' then you can compile it by typing 'make'. Depending on the size of the program this can take a second to an hour (compile the Mandrake Linux kernel takes about 1:30 on my machine .. lol). Now, if you got no error then you can install the program by typing 'make install' (you have to be root to install the program because it's going to copy binaries and other stuff somewhere else than your $HOME directory).

 

You sometimes have to make a shortcut to the binaries in your /usr/bin directory so that you can run it from the command line. You can also call the binary from its location like /usr/local/program/binary. If you have no clue where the program has been install then look for it with 'locate program_name'.

 

Hope this help a bit

 

MOttS

[Guest billforce]

Motts,

 

I truly appreciate your help but I mean BASIC. You assume that I know which program or screen I must use to change directories etc. I mean step by step BASIC, LOL. I have so far been able to unzip the program from the disquette to a tmp file but that is all? You must realize that this is a new install for the very first time, don´t know squat about Linux systems.

 

billforce

[MottS]

Oh .. ok I see. Well, you have to do all what I explained above in a console. There is a well explained HOWTO here:

 

http://www.mandrakeuser.org/docs/basics/bs....html#Unpacking

 

If you have questions while compiling your program then come back here. The best way to learn is by tryal and error...

 

MOttS

[liquidzoo]

billforce

 

copy the file from the floppy to somewhere on your /home drive. You can do this in any graphical desktop just like in windows. Open up a terminal window as your user and cd to where you copied the file to. ie cd /where/you/put/the/file once you get there, type in ls and hit enter. If the file appears in the window, you're good. next, type tar -xzvf program_name.tar.gz After that is finished, cd to the program_name folder. Once inside, type ./configure, this is just as MottS said, it will check to see if you have all the necessary items for the install. We'll assume you do and go on

 

next type in make

 

This will build the program, it may take some time. Once that is done, type in su (enter) and enter your root password at the prompt. Once you are there, type make install to switch back to your normal user. from there, you can type in the program name from a terminal window to start the program.

 

Hope this clears up some confusion you have. Post back if you have any more questions.

[Cannonfodder]

You are better off spending some time focusing on learning the console. It's not hard and learn a few things is worth it. There are tutorials all over. If you have ever seen DOS, the console is like that but extremely sophisticated in comparision.

 

So open a console,

 

cd ~/whereveryouputthefile

less README

 

Less will let you read the file and scroll up and down. Hit letter Q to quit less.

 

./configure

make

make install

 

In the last step, you may need to be root to make it work. If so..

 

type su

and then your root password.

 

Try make install again.

 

Pay attention to error messages.

 

When done, you can type exit to leave su and then exit again to close the console. Or just close the window.

 

Just so you know, Mandrake Linux does have installers. The method you are using deals with taking the raw source code and building the executable. Learn about rpm files to deal with installers.

[theYinYeti]

I posted that on old club-nihil board:

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From old MUO/mub:

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Where would a Linux pro install his programs? (equiv to 'c:Program Files' in Win)

 

I put my sources in /usr/local/src/, compile em, install em, which means that the executables are also in /usr/local/src/. It works fine, but is this the way to go?

 

Is there something like the Win-Registry in linux? (Hopefully not). Basically i'd like to know where the system is being altered during an installation process. Can i deinstall a program by just deleting its homedirectory? (For RPMs I use the Software Manager, of course.)

 

How can i do a multi-user installation? Can all installed programs be executed by all users (not the root ones, of course)? I installed open office in my home dir as this was the default path and i've read that problems may occur giving it another path. Should I've installed in /usr/local/ if i want ooffice to be available for all users on the machine?

That's a lot of interesting questions :-)

 

1- Every Unix administrators have their way of managing applications. But there are basic rules: Normally, "standard" application (read: RPM in the case of Mandrake Linux) go in /...).

 

Vendor (proprietary) applications should go in /opt...).

 

Applications compiled and installed by the administrator himself (root) should go in /usr/local is a good idea, though I personally do it differently.

 

2- You say that you compile and install, and that your executables are still in /usr/local/src? Strange... Most programs out there can be compiled in 2 or 3 steps:

step 1: ./configure (with options sometimes)

step 2: make

step 3: make install (optional, always as root)

If the program you compile requires that you do this 3rd step, then most probably the executable will end in /usr/local/bin.

 

3- NOOO!!! <.°-) No registry.

There are usually two situations:

A) If you did not use the "make install" step, then all your files are still in the directory where you built the program. If you remove the directory, then all's gone. For those programs, I suggest you place a little script in /usr/local/bin#!/bin/sh

cd /usr/local/src/your_prog/src

./myProg[/code]

(adapt to the name of your directory and the name of your executable). Of course, if you delete the your_prog directory, you'll have to also delete the myProg.sh script by hand.

B) I you *did* use the "make install" step, then most probably your files are scattered accross /usr/local. That should not be any problem, because most of those programs come with a "make uninstall" command. For this reason, never delete the sources directory (unless you archived it first, eg. with tar and gzip).

Unfortunately, some programs supply a "make install" command, but do not supply the "make uninstall" command. That's very dirty. If you want to avoid those programs, then check the Makefile file for the presence of a uninstall: rule before any "make install". If you still want to install those dirty programs, you've got two choice: keep note of what's installed and where, or create the uninstall: rule in the Makefile file yourself. Not easy.

 

4- By default, any application you install for Unix (and therefore Linux) is multi-user, if it simply is accessible (and executable) by the users you want to be able to use the application.

Open/Star-Office are bad examples of how an application should behave on Unix. Bad bad.

Of course, for administrative reasons, and if you can do that, it's best to install applications under the root login, in a shared place, such as /usr/local. Because if you install in your home directory, you'll have to ensure that all users who should have access to the application can access it but not to your whole home directory.

So back to Open/Star-Office: install it with the "/net" parameter, as root. Then each user will run the setup so that personal preferences are stored in their home directory.

 

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UPDATE: if you install a program you compiled yourself, and this program provides a "make install" command, but not a "make uninstall" command, you should use the checkinstall package, which will transform a "make install"-type of install into a RPM, so the program will be as easy to uninstall as any RPM package. Actually, you can use "checkinstall" instead of "make install" for every program you compile from source. I do so.

 

I hope this helps

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Yves.

[Guest billforce]

Thanks guys!

 

You have to realize that when I said ¨HELLO¨, I told you all I know! LOL

 

billforce