prefix argument to ./configure
 

Hi everyone, hope you can help. Im unsure when to use the --prefix=/usr argument when running ./configure before make. I have used it in the past on the advice of the ./configure program itself but wasnt sure why i had to or if i will always be told when i need to. I am using Mandrake 10.

Many Thanks

Simon Walker

./configure --prefix=/wherever

You can do it with any source compile and *have* to do it with none (AFAIK) - it just defines where stuff goes. The default is supposed to be /usr/local but sometimes isn't, so I usually set it jst to make sure. You can also get more precise with options detailed in './configure --help'. You can do anything you want but as a general rule, you're probably not going to want to put add-ons in /usr.

well, the dot (.) means the currnet directory, so if you put a ./ means usually your are going to issue a command in the current directory that you are in. (forexample) ./install.sh or cat ./notes and so forth, also, there are script files that you run usually when you do a ./configure, and ofcourse that script file is usually the "configure" file.

When do you have to use that command?

Well, check your Readme when you want to install a program, it usually gives you instructions on how to install it, and often comes with a configure file.