LinuxQuestions.org - Applying patches to programs

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Applying patches to programs

Okay, I'm done reading documentation so I know how to compile a program (Window Maker) from sources (yes, I'm n00b but thought learning something else than apt-get, yum or netpkg might come handy). Source package had folder with several patches, one which I want to apply (single_click.diff which enables using dock with single clicks). After brief googling on how to apply that patch I found out about patch command and read the man pages of it, but I just don't get it!

Code:

SYNOPSIS

      patch [options] [originalfile [patchfile]]



      but usually just



      patch -pnum <patchfile

I'm such a n00b, that I don't know which file I'm supposed to patch, am I supposed to patch it before or after compilation and that whole -pnum (-p0, -p1) thing was plain gibberish*. Couldn't really comprehend it. Man page didn't really have any step-by-step examples.. Could someone help me out with this one?

Thanks!

*

Code:

 If the header is that of a context diff, patch takes the old and new

          file names in the header.  A name is ignored if  it  does  not  have

          enough slashes to satisfy the -pnum or --strip=num option.  The name

          /dev/null is also ignored.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

The patchfile knows which file to patch. Go to the source folder (WindowMaker-0.92.0 probably) and take a look at the patch file (less contrib/single_click.diff). At the top you see which file will get patched (maybe there are more if you scroll down, didn't look that far myself).
You will notice for example the line starting "+++ WPrefs.app/Expert.c". If you look in the source folder you will find a directory called "WPrefs.app" so that the path is correct if you are in the "root" of the source folder -- -p0 is right here.
If the line mentioned started for example "+++ WindowMaker-0.92.0/WPrefs.app/Expert.c" from that point you needed to strip the first part to apply the patch right (so that the relative path from where you are points to the right file, Expert.c in this case), so -p1 would be the right option.

EDIT: Fixed some maybe unclear explanation.

So I should move single_click.diff to directory WindowMaker-0.92.0, and from there run command

Code:

patch -p0 <single_click.diff

Right? Then it checks that absolute path from there to WPrefs.app/Expert.c matches? And as it should match then, it will patch rest of the patchable files as well? Ok, I think I understood. Back to runlevel 3 and try it then. :) Thanks!

Leave the patch where it is and do

Code:

patch -p0 < contrib/single_click.diff

from within the Windows Maker source folder. Then patch looks if it finds the file ./WPrefs.app/Expert.c (relative path) and will apply the patch file.

Possibly that would have worked too, but I managed to patch it that way too (at least it told it's success). However, wmaker doesn't start. It tells "wmaker fatal error: could not open display "" ". Tried as root as well. Then wmaker --help, then checked manpage and tried to specify to use wmaker -display 0:0 (and 0:1, 0:2) but same thing. Uhh... How could I get more info than just that error or do you have any idea why it's doing that?

About the patch: The way you did it was totally ok, I just wanted to tell you that you can spare one step (copying the patch file).

I'm not sure on which system you want to start it. If you are doing this in Zenwalk it should be similar to the way it works in Slackware: Create a /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.wmaker file like this:

Code:

#!/bin/sh

# $XConsortium: xinitrc.cpp,v 1.4 91/08/22 11:41:34 rws Exp $



userresources=$HOME/.Xresources

usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap

sysresources=/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/.Xresources

sysmodmap=/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap



# merge in defaults and keymaps



if [ -f $sysresources ]; then

    xrdb -merge $sysresources

fi



if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then

    xmodmap $sysmodmap

fi



if [ -f $userresources ]; then

    xrdb -merge $userresources

fi



if [ -f $usermodmap ]; then

    xmodmap $usermodmap

fi



# If the user lacks $HOME/GNUstep, install it:

if [ ! -f $HOME/GNUstep/Defaults/WindowMaker ]; then

    wmaker.inst

fi



# Test for cpp, which wmaker uses to process config files:

if [ ! -x /usr/bin/cpp ]; then

  NOCPP="--no-cpp"

fi



# Start the window manager:

exec /usr/bin/wmaker $NOCPP

Does Zenwalk have "xwmconfig" to choose the window manager? Else copy the file to your user's home directory as ".xinitrc". This way "startx" should fire up Window Maker as your gui IMHO

Hey it worked! After some head scratching I just changed path in your file to /usr/bin/local/wmaker

But this install of window maker is by far glitchiest I've ever seen! :D Window Maker preferences doesn't have pictures and text is missing from minimized apps. :D I'll check those xinitrc's again for some fails and such.