./configure doesn't do anything useful
 

Sorry for such a newbie question, but I can't get a package to compile at all. I opened a terminal on the directory (Using Kubuntu) where I have software I want to install. From everything I've read online, I'm doing this right. I type ./configure, and I get this response:
user@itubuntu:~/Desktop/gd-rppng-0.9$ ./configure
bash: ./configure: No such file or directory


Can anybody point me in the right direction?

Thanks
\smittles

I should mention I'm trying to install pre-requisits for Big Sister, which include SpeedyCGI, URI, SNMP_Session, libnet, rrdtool, libwww-perl, and gd-rppng.

As far as I know, they should be simple enough to install. There were no special instructions that came with them. I don't know about installing .pm files(or what Makefile.PL is), or if this stuff requires special attention or instruction.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Oh, and I'm attempting to do all this through the Kubuntu GUI, with the terminal window.

Thanks.

Kubuntu doesn't have any compilers, etc, installed by default. You can get them using this command in the terminal:

You should install stuff through your package manager as much as possible

Thanks, but these are already set to their most recent versions... I tried to install them, and I get this:

autoconf is already the newest version.
autoconf set to manually installed.
automake is already the newest version.
build-essential is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

I would if I could, but I can't find definitive answers for these packages :(

All of the instructions I see for package manager require a repository to be set up. I can't do that to my desktop, can I?

The repositories are already setup on the web. There should be a file somewhere that tells you which ones you are setup for.

Go to Applications > Add/Remove Programs, that is the package manager, or at least one of the interfaces for it.

Yes, I've done that, but I can't point to the folders on my desktop, and I wouldn't know which files to point to, either.

Makefile.PL is a little perl program which generates a Makefile to build a perl module. The .pm extension stats for perl module. Generale installation instructions in this case are:
Anyway, as suggested, you can try to install binary packages. On the Big Sister site, debian packages and RPMs are available.

Ah! I didn't see your second post, mentioning it was perl stuff you were trying to install.

No, you use it to install stuff from the internet. In Linux you usually use the package manager to download and install stuff for you

Hey There,

A lot of GNU and FSF software source use the standard configure script, but it's not a good idea to assume that it exists. If the source code you're downloading is decently maintained, it should contain a README file, INSTALL file and/or both. Basically, if there's not documentation available online for the build, you'll need to investigate the directory you unpack you source code into. If there's no script or file named configure in there, it's impossible to run.

Just best practice always read the README :)

, Mike

Thanks all, for the helpful comments. I will have to investigate this more fully. I was hoping to also find somebody who has used Big Sister before... anybody... anybody?

Anyway, I'm out for the day, but I'll bump this thread tomorrow if I run into troubles.

Thanks again.

-Smittles

Hey There,

I've installed it and used it. Maybe I can help you out if you have issues.

Best wishes and keep on chuggin' - what seems alien to you now will be old hat sooner than later :)

, Mike