aes@linux:~> tar xvzf convertall-0.3.0.tar.gz
tar: convertall-0.3.0.tar.gz: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
tar: Child returned status 2
tar: Error exit delayed from previous errors
aes@linux:~>

I'm really lost as to what to do. I can install RPM's no problem. I just dont understand installing from source. I need a step by step to go through .
I have tried some step by step lessons but I always get "no such file or directory" or "command not found" I'm really frustrated!
I've put my downloaded files in /home/aes/downloads if that helps.
i'll bet it's something simple.
thanks,
alex

cd to that directory and untar there. The way you describe it, I assume you're issuing the filename, but are not in the directory where the file is located.

You downloaded the file into /home/aes/downloads
You are in directory ~ which is probably the same as /home/aes

Obviously the file convertall-0.3.0.tar.gz is missing in /home/aes

Try this:
tar xvzf downloads/convertall-0.3.0.tar.gz
or
cd downloads
tar xvzf convertall-0.3.0.tar.gz

Good luck

well,thank you.
at last something is starting to gel a little bit.
however,I'm stuck again.and pouring over the books.
aes@linux:~/downloads> tar xvzf convertall-0.3.0.tar.gz
ConvertAll/
ConvertAll/doc/
ConvertAll/doc/LICENSE
ConvertAll/doc/README.html
ConvertAll/doc/INSTALL
ConvertAll/data/
ConvertAll/data/units.dat
ConvertAll/uninstall.py
ConvertAll/icons/
ConvertAll/icons/convertall_lg.png
ConvertAll/icons/convertall_sm.png
ConvertAll/install.py
ConvertAll/source/
ConvertAll/source/unitgroup.py
ConvertAll/source/unitlistview.py
ConvertAll/source/unitdata.py
ConvertAll/source/tmpcontrol.py
ConvertAll/source/finddlg.py
ConvertAll/source/unitedit.py
ConvertAll/source/convertall.py
ConvertAll/source/convertdlg.py
ConvertAll/source/unit.py
ConvertAll/source/option.py
ConvertAll/source/helpview.py
ConvertAll/source/numedit.py
ConvertAll/source/optiondlg.py
ConvertAll/source/numeval1.py
ConvertAll/source/numeval2.py
aes@linux:~/downloads> cd ConvertAll
aes@linux:~/downloads/ConvertAll> ./configure
bash: ./configure: No such file or directory
aes@linux:~/downloads/ConvertAll> -alex

There is no configure listed in this package. Read the
INSTALL
and
README.html
files

They will probably tell you to run the install.py script as ./install.py