what to do with no configure file or make file?

kahn · 04-29-2006, 07:44 PM

I feel stupid for th is, as I had this problem a few days ago, now I have it again and I cannot for the life of me find out where I found it or how I even did it to begin with.

I have download source files, but there is no make file or configure file in the directory. I found something to I think to use make to create a configure, but I'm not sure.

Does anybody know what I'm talking about or can anybody point me in the right direction?

My other question is, is a configure file the same everytime I run it? or do people have custom configure files?

Im running fc5

Martin

Kethinov · 04-29-2006, 07:46 PM

If you're attempting to compile somethiing from source and there is no configure or makefile provided, the package will usually have some sort of INSTALL text document or a README explaining what steps are necessary to compile and/or install the software.

kahn · 04-29-2006, 07:53 PM

the directions are generic instructions.

Linux~Powered · 04-30-2006, 01:29 AM

Quote:

the directions are generic instructions.

What does that mean? What file is it? What did files say? You need to be more specific.

Kethinov · 04-30-2006, 02:01 AM

Or more importantly, what application are you trying to compile?

auditek747 · 04-30-2006, 04:19 AM

Code:

./autogen.sh

Perhaps?

kahn · 04-30-2006, 11:15 AM

the install instructions say "these are generic install instructions"

it is a theme for kde

ls =

[marlin_build_los-linspireclear-style-1]$ ls
acinclude.m4 configure.in.in Makefile.calls README
aclocal.m4 COPYING Makefile.calls.in stamp-h.in
admin COPYING.LIB Makefile.cvs style
AUTHORS debian Makefile.rules subdirs
autom4te.cache decoration Makefile.rules.in TODO
ChangeLog Doxyfile MakeVars
config.h.in INSTALL MakeVars.in
configure.files Makefile.am NEWS

apparently there is an autoconf
and you give it the configure.in file, but that fails too

[marlin_build_los-linspireclear-style-1]$ autoconf configure.in.in
configure.in.in:3: error: m4_defn: undefined macro: _m4_divert_diversion
aclocal.m4:11040: AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE is expanded from...
configure.in.in:3: the top level
autom4te: /usr/bin/m4 failed with exit status: 1

and for fun, here are the generic install instructions

These are generic installation instructions.

The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for
various system-dependent variables used during compilation. It uses
those values to create a `Makefile' in each directory of the package.
It may also create one or more `.h' files containing system-dependent
definitions. Finally, it creates a shell script `config.status' that
you can run in the future to recreate the current configuration, a file
`config.cache' that saves the results of its tests to speed up
reconfiguring, and a file `config.log' containing compiler output
(useful mainly for debugging `configure').

If you need to do unusual things to compile the package, please try
to figure out how `configure' could check whether to do them, and mail
diffs or instructions to the address given in the `README' so they can
be considered for the next release. If at some point `config.cache'
contains results you don't want to keep, you may remove or edit it.

The file `configure.in' is used to create `configure' by a program
called `autoconf'. You only need `configure.in' if you want to change
it or regenerate `configure' using a newer version of `autoconf'.

The simplest way to compile this package is:

1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code and type
`./configure' to configure the package for your system. If you're
using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might need to type
`sh ./configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying to execute
`configure' itself.

Running `configure' takes a while. While running, it prints some
messages telling which features it is checking for.

2. Type `make' to compile the package.

3. Type `make install' to install the programs and any data files and
"INSTALL" 167L, 6970C 39,3 Top

reddazz · 04-30-2006, 11:40 AM

Its helpful if you could put all the details of your problem in the first post e.g. I am trying to install a package called XYZ but it has no make file. How do I install it.

Anyway the package is the linspire default KDE theme, so you need to do the following

Code:

$ make -f Makefile.cvs
$./configure --prefix=`kde-config --prefix`
$make
#make install

The first step will create the configure file. Note, this procedure is mainly for KDE apps checked out from CVS or Subversion so other apps may need to be installed differently.