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-   -   how do I install the make command (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/how-do-i-install-the-make-command-240252/)

mcmorj 10-08-2004 10:59 AM

how do I install the make command
 
Hi there All you Linux people,

I have tried to get a wireless PCMCIA card running on my laptop. It works with XP fine but I have tried to get it working with suse 9.0 (free download) and have come across several problems, which I have been trying to work through.

I have checked that the PCMCIA card I have is on the HCL [tick!]
I have checked that Linux sees the card [tick!]
I have tried to configure the seen card [cross]

So I trawled about and came across the wireless tools download from

absolute value systems inc

I have downloaded this and unzipped it (eventually but I won't bore you with that nightmare :eek: )

I tried to do as the instructions stated along the lines of :

3) To configure the linux-wlan-ng package, run 'make config'. The
following set of questions will be asked. The default answer is in
braces (e.g. []). Just press <Enter> to select the default answer:

but I kept getting 'make command not found type errors'.

A little more trawling about and I notice that I need to have this 'make' installed (?) before I can 'install' the wireless support package.

So I then located what seems to be the 'make' installation package, I have downloaded that and unzipped it.

I have tried the 'install' command to install make but it just keeps coming back with missing operand type errors, I have tried various combinations but getting nowhere fast. I have tagged onto a thread that someone else raised about this but with no recent reply I have started one of my own.

Am I going about this in a long winded way?!

I can connect the PC in question to the internet via a normal 10/100 connection that I know works if I need to do anything whilst connected.

Please if you have any advice then be patient with me - and keep it simple as I have little grasp of even the basics (looks like to me!)

:cry:

Many thanks
Joe

detpenguin 10-08-2004 12:17 PM

what type of file did you download? rpm, tar.gz?
they install differently.
anyways...you can get the "make" command at:

http://www.rpmseek.com
download it to your /home directory, then open a terminal such as xterm or konsole, and type:

su
your password
rpm -i <packagename>.rpm

and it will install nicely for you.

you also might wanna check out:

http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/index.html.gz

it's an excellent online book...

bulliver 10-08-2004 12:47 PM

Just some more info for you. If you don't have make installed (I think the actual package is "automake") then you probably don't have the rest of your toolchain installed either. Your toolchain are all the tools/apps/utilities you need to build software from source code.

These packages are usually labeled as "developer" packages, so a lot of people don't install them thinking "I'm not a developer, so I don't need them." If you still have the install cds I suggest you install these developer packages, as you most likely don't have a compiler installed either. If you need to track down these packages independently you may be in for a long haul here.

Having said that, let's try to eliminate the most obvious problem: you are running these commands as root right?

We are definitely going to need to know the name and type of this "make" that you downloaded before we can help further. I am a bit concerned about you saying that you "unzipped" it. What was the file extension of this package? If it was a tar.gz package then you are in a spot of trouble because this typically means you have the source code...and as you have discovered you cannot install anything from source just yet. It's a chicken and egg problem. You will need to install binary (ie: RPM) versions of these toolchain programs before you can build anything from source.

jdmml 10-08-2004 10:19 PM

try running ./configure before running make.... the configure program then creates a make file. Then run make install and you should be done...

mcmorj 10-11-2004 05:15 AM

Hey People,

Many thanks for the suggestions so far!

Yes I have logged as SU - so I am administrator.

./ - this is a great thing to know, it is the first time I have seen this - does it mean 'this file is an executable?'.

I ran the ./rpm -i and as you all suspected, it now says to me I have no suitable C compiler in my $PATH.

The Suse I used was a dowloaded one 9.0 from their website, it seems they have left many useful things out.

The trouble I had with the zipped files was over getting at them (it was downloaded via windows). However after trying various things I discovered in KDE it shows a windows file system anyway- then it was just a case of drag and drop!

The files I have downloaded are

make-3.80.tar.tar

linux-wlan-ng-0.2.0.tar.gz

I think what I need to do is (a lot more reading!) connect via the 10/100 cable and install all the developer tools I can, then have another go? Does Yast do this?

My aim was to get a system that was fine to use connected on wireless. I have a suitable card (PCMCIA Belkin D7010) which is in the HCL of the package I located. It is a shame Suse 9.0 can see the wireless card, know what it is, but fail to install or configure it....

I will post my progress for your interest and the help of other!

Joe

mjjzf 10-11-2004 05:57 AM

The thing about the ./command is - if you type ./cmnd, the system runs the file cmnd in your present directory. If you simply type cmnd, the system will look for the file in the folders specified in the PATH file.
That is why, when you want to install/compile, you enter
Code:

./configure
- it is in the current directory and install-specific; you leave out the ./ when you enter
Code:

make
- because that is a separate command, placed in /usr/bin/, if i recall correctly (am on the XP box); that is the folder where most system command programs are kept and, consequently, one of the most important entries in the PATH. Make then looks at the makefile in the directory.

scuzzman 10-11-2004 06:17 AM

You have SuSE Personal - it doesn't come with devel packlages by default as you've probably noticed. Unfortunately, a Linux system is crippled without a working C/C++ compiler. You'll need to download make, gcc, g++ for your distro. You cannot get them off your install CD's, you'll need to download them from rpmfind or etc. BTW: you need the *.rpm files, not the *.tar.gz / *.tgz / *.src.rpm. The reason being, these are source code. They need to be compiled (./configure && make && make install) before they can be used. You don't have a compiler. See the crippled aspect of a Linux system without a working C/C++ compiler? :)

mcmorj 10-12-2004 08:33 AM

Hey Guys,

Thanks so much for all your help and advice so far - !

I am further on now, I have installed the make command from the RPM file obtained from rpmseek.com as described previously.

when I run the command (as in the wlan install readme) make config

It starts up, asks a few questions about what elements of the support to install (PCMCIA/USB/PCI/etc) but then comes up with:

linux source directory [usr/src/linux]:

I press enter and it returns:-

linux source tree /usr/src/linux is incomplete or missing!

configuration failed

make: *** [config] Error 1

Heaven help us.... it must be something silly. Is it where I have the package located? Do I need more stuff to get my *crippled* linux to move?!

appreciate your patience!

scuzzman 10-12-2004 08:59 AM

You need to install the proper kernel source hearders for your kernel version.
BTW: You're learning the hard way you need development packages. After you finish with this project, you should have no problem compiling any more software.

mjjzf 10-13-2004 02:03 AM

Exactly - SuSE 9.1 Personal was intended to be easy, straight-on, ready for use. And it is, except - if you need other than the supplied programs. I was pretty :confused: as to why they would leave out the most basic toolkit. The 9.1 Pro is a very solid piece of work, looks good, plays well. Strange...
But it is also true: Once you have these basics installed, most of the problems you have run into will be a thing of the past.
One small recommendation, though... keep those files, burn them to a CD, stick'em on a Flash pen, whatever. If you need to format and install later, while these may not be up-to-date versions, they will usually work, and you won't need to chase them down again.
With the more important, not-likely-to-be-changed-greatly-anytime-soon files, I always burn them to a multi-session installer CD. Examples would be Java Runtime Environment, certain codecs, stuff like that.

mcmorj 10-14-2004 05:20 AM

Hey All,

Thanks for the comments. Maybe I should spend some cash and get 9.1 Pro?! It seems like a cop out though, I should be able to work through this for my learning....

Anyway, with all the good comments I have decided on another approach.

As I am able to install RPM files using Yast, I went and had a look for a rpm version of the wlan install I was after for wireless connectivity. This I was able to find and it did install.

However, still all is the same and I cannot get the wireless PCMCIA card to be configured.

I think maybe also just getting the rpm and installing is not enough anyway. Reading the readme (yes I was that desperate) it suggests all manner of other settings and things. I think also as mentioned before, my kernal is not configured properly - although if the card is seen then PCMCIA services is at least there....

Just one other thing, XP has many problems but it is able to cope very well with wireless connections. As my home network is wireless, without wireless connect to the linux machine, it means trailing wires across the living room from the router and an angry wife! I hope the linux wireless support is made easier for newcomers like myself. I will suggest this to suse (when I order my Pro version :D )

scuzzman 10-14-2004 07:34 AM

Simple fact of the matter is: Wireless networking is very new and the manufacturers don't write linux drivers. Nor do they release enough specs on the hardware for some FOSS developer to write them. There is a forum here specifically for wireless networking, might be worth a look.


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