LinuxQuestions.org - Installation of programs

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Installation of programs

I am thinking I need to buy a "linux for idiots" book because I am having an issue insalling almost everything... I just don't know how to do it if its not in a .deb. What do I do with tar files after I unpack them? That is my real question.
wine is not the only one, I can't insall anytihing that is tar because i just dont know what to do with the files after I unpack them.... like moblock (peerguardian clone)... unpack the files, then what? please help me out, I am using simplyMepis.

After you unpack, the contents should have README and/or INSTALL files which describe how you exactly continue from there on. There might be an installer script, like install.sh (or .run or whatever), which you could use like

Code:

chmod +x install.sh

(the above makes it executable, no need to do that more than once)

./install.sh

or if the package has source code inside, like many do, then you really want to read the INSTALL etc. files, since every build procedure can differ from all the others. A common way is to

Code:

./configure && make && make install

which configures the sources, compiles them and installs (needs to be run as root, the last step, but if you do it in one line like the above, you'll have to be root when doing it; the && marks make it work only if it succeeds). If configure fails, you may need to install some other software that is needed, before you can continue; if/when it fails, it should drop you a line or two and tell what went wrong. Once it goes well, make should compile it; only after it succeeds should install run, copying the compiled files to your system.

Read the documentation that comes along. And the websites if any.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunar_rhythm

First, stick with the package manager (Synaptic) until you have your feet wet with the overall Linux environment.

There are 4 basic ways of installing SW, in order of increasing complexity:

Package manager with repository. All the dependencies are handled automatically. (Note that WINE will be in the Mepis (Ubuntu) repository)
package manager without repository. If you simply download a file in --eg--.deb format, then you have to do the leg work to make sure all the right libraries are in place.
Install from a script. Some apps are supplied with all the binaries and libraries + a script which simply puts everything in the right place and maybe runs a setup routine. Also may need to do something about dependencies.
Compile. Here you are supplied with source code and you have to compile the SW locally. In addition to dependencies, you also have to be sure that your kernel source code is setup correctly.

tar, tar.gz., tar.bz and such are simply file compression and archiving formats. Once unpacked, you can find files that are applicable to 2, 3, or 4 above.

Sooooo, tell us what kinds of files you are looking at (and what the README file says) and we can give more specific help. (But search your repository first to make sure Mepis/Ubuntu has not already done all the work for you.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0uncer

if/when it fails, it should drop you a line or two and tell what went wrong. Once it goes well, make should compile it; only after it succeeds should install run, copying the compiled files to your system.

To add my two cents...if/when it fails and you come back to LQ.org for help, don't just post something like this because it doesn't tell someone WHAT when wrong.

Code:

collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

make[2]: *** [make] Error 1

make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/base/make-3.81'

make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/base/make-3.81'

make: *** [all-recursive-am] Error 2

All too often that's all that gets posted. A good rule of thumb is to provide the last 20-30 lines of output. Something like this tells us where the problem is and increases the chances of help.

Code:

gcc -DALIASPATH=\"/usr/share/locale:.\"

-DLOCALEDIR=\"/usr/share/locale\"

-DLIBDIR=\"/usr/lib\"

-DINCLUDEDIR=\"/usr/include\" -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I.

-g -O2 -c getopt1.c 

gcc -g -O2 -static -o make ar.o arscan.o commands.o dir.o

expand.o file.o function.o getopt.o implicit.o job.o main.o

misc.o read.o remake.o rule.o signame.o variable.o vpath.o

default.o remote-stub.o version.o opt1.o

-lutil job.o: In function `load_too_high':

/usr/src/base/make-3.81/job.c:1565: undefined reference

to `getloadavg'

collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

make[2]: *** [make] Error 1

make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/base/make-3.81'

make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/base/make-3.81'

make: *** [all-recursive-am] Error 2

First READ APT HOWTO

Then:
How To Compile Linux Software With Debian Linux

If you do not have Synaptic installed already , install it as root by doing apt-get install synaptic. then you can open it and browse for programs.

Always check synaptic first or you can use APT to search for packages by doing apt-cache search packagename or for more detailed info apt-cache show packagename.

Compiling from source, especially in a Debian/Ubuntu based distro should almost be done as a last resort. With over 20k packages available via Synaptic chances are very good that you will find the app you are looking for.

If you download a .deb package the easiest way to install it is to open it with kpackage then just click install.

If you are new to Linux the best thing to do is to READ the documentation that is available for the distro you are using. Once you get the hang of it installing packages is very easy.