Handling all those dependecies
 

At the moment I'm trying to install AimWatch just to fool around a bit...little did I know it would turn into a huge project. I feel like I've been installing the dependencies of other dependency files (the best is when a dependecy has a dependency with 2 depdencies) that I'm going crazy and am starting to lose sight of what I'm actually trying to install lol. After this massive project its probably not even going to work :-/. Is there an easier way to handle dependencies? Thanks in advance, sorry if this sounded rantish :)

:newbie:

yeah, package managers or such things...some distributions use them. like my Arch, it uses pacman (and srcpac these days too) that you can tell to what you want to, and it will check out if it's available in the given servers, download and install - including dependencies. gentoo has it's emerge, then there are things like apt-get etc. etc. etc...

rpms just are problem :) or for me at least...there is a rpm-apt-get-thing, but some have said they don't know if it's reliable or how well it works..also up2date is some kind of thing, but I don't know anything more about it than it's name.

basically, without a package manager it might get difficult these days getting some packages installed...others go fine, but especially when it comes to updating some part of your system, it might get to be easier to either let it undone or get the whole system renewed than searching for dependencies for the rest of your life..unless you have some kind of program to calculate and automatically get the packages for you.

if you mean rpm packages (like those of RedHat's), then I don't really know...I stopped using RH at version 6 for myself...

dependecny hell is worse than the regular one...

SuSE's YAST appears to do a great job. If it works as well with web-install as it does with first installation (and I suppose it does) it's a great sollution

Apt4RPM works fine - at least I've had few problems with it. Get it here.

The synaptic installation manager does a great job. When you pick the application you want out of the list, it figures out the dependencies you'll need and automatically marks those (with your permission, of course) for download at the same time. Sometimes it can be an annoyance that it may pick applications you already have that will conflict with the new installation, but better to know there's gonna be a problem before you get in too deep.

Synaptic can be installed from apt. Apt can be downloaded from http://freshrpms.net/packages/ and clicking the appropriate link for your linux version. On the new page, on the left, click the APT link and download the file that comes up from the little floppy symbol.

After apt is installed, open a terminal and type: apt-get install synaptic


ahhh... that's better...