./configure questions ..
 

( newb here )
when installing a prog. and I hop onto the terminal , get to the directory that the prog is in and type ( in root ) " ./configure " , is this what installs the program ?

or does it just unpack the files into places it thinks it needs to go and i'm missing another step . ..


Any help would be thanx .


( using mandrake 9.1 and trying to install the libpcap files )

..
:scratch:

try reading through the installing guide at the top of the "Linux - General" forum, lots of good stuff there

There are three steps though some programs skip some steps. Always read the instructions for the program before beginning.

1) ./configure (gets the program ready for your system)
2) make (compiles the program using what configure founded)
3) make install (copies compiled program to the final directory)