How do programs install?
 

When I install a program on linux, how/where does it install?

Should I be installing in specific directory?
Does it know where it should install?
Is everything installed in it's own directory?

I tried to install a program and when I went to run the installed "./install.sh" it said it could not find specific folders.

Do I need to move the files to a specific area or do I need to change the install.sh file so the relative locations of the directories it's trying to find are available?

Is stuff like this distro specific or do all of them work basically the same way?

Your question is sort of like asking "How high is up?". It depends on the software, and how you're trying to install it.

As a rule, most install's need to run as root, since otherwise, you don't have permissions to make directories, or copy files into existing system directories. If you're installing from a package (.deb, .rpm, etc.), the package installer takes care of all that for you, and puts things where they're supposed to go.

Installing from source? Then the configure/install/make program is written to put things where the author thinks they should go, but SOMETIMES you can overwrite it. Really, it depends on the package.

If you're running Slackware64 (as it says in your profile), and if it's a Slackware package, you install it as root by running in the terminal:

It is helpful, in cases like this, if you post the name of the program your trying to install, as well as the exact install command you tried and its exact error response. Otherwise, our responses are just guesses based on general principles.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

Your not going to install to 'linux' as that is the kernel.
Most applications do have a 'install.sh', 'uninstall.sh' and hopefully a big 'README' to read. The handling of the install is via the shell script; 'install.sh'.

First, you will be installing to a directory not a folder. This is not M$. You need to get used to operation(s) on directories, permissions and hopefully the semantics along with the syntax of your GNU/Linux distribution. Which looks like your using Slackware??

Now, if indeed your using Slackware then I would suggest that you look at using 'SlackBuilds' to get the means to install applications on that New Slackware install. You have 'Getting to know Slackware packaging tools (pkgtool, installpkg, removepkg, upgradepkg, explodepkg, makepkg)'. Then you have src2pkg and SBo to name a few other tools.

:hattip:

The above links are from the 'Slackware Builds, Packages & Scripts' section of 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

Just a few more links to aid you;

Slackware® Essentials
Slackware® Basics
Linux Documentation Project
Rute Tutorial & Exposition
Linux Command Guide
Utimate Linux Newbie Guide
LinuxSelfHelp
Getting Started with Linux
Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide
Virtualiation- Top 10

These links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

Where they do install is up to your distribution/you/the author of the program, as already mentioned. Where they should be installed is explained in the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy (FHS for short).

Most likely, the executable should end in /usr/bin.

Also, its generally a good idea to use the built-in pkg mgr and not try to manually install from the cmd line if you can help it. Nearly everything you'll need should be available from your distro's SW repositories.
One major advantage is it'll automatically take care of dependencies.

I was under the impression that linux, in general, installed programs all in one folder. Files weren't scattered in various locations like Windows.

That's cool. I guess when a person first sets up a linux system they must spend a lot of time in root installing packages/software, setting up the system, etc. etc.

I downloaded a few things, like Opera, Flash, Filezilla...Opera installed ok once I got the correct version with everything bundled together. Flash was much easier to install and get working. Filezilla I haven't done yet, I tried to install it under my user name instead of root.

I'm using Slackware 13.0, 64 bit version. It's not as cut and dry as using the 32 bit version. The 32 bit version I tried was much easier to find packages and proper installations...but I wanted to stick with the 64 bit version. This led me to my questions about installing software.

I haven't had much luck with packages. Some of the stuff that came with Slackware in KDE doesn't work.

I have been able to update the packages that are already installed via slackpkg, very easy.

I was just trying to get a general idea, not ask for solutions.

I downloaded Filezilla from it's own website, extracted it and when I tried to install it said it couldn't find specific directories to install it. As described above, it was mentioned that I have to logged in as root to install any software...sounds like I'll be spending alot of time as root.

Thanks :)


Looking in KDE with Dolphin, the little icons certainly look like folders, not directories. :)

Directories/Folders, Permissions...I know those fairly well. What directories contain what and where things go, I do not.

I am using Slackware 13, 64 bit edition.

I haven't had too much luck there. 1 out of 3 actually worked. The 1 application that did install required modications to the script to get it to install properly. Some applications aren't even available as 64 bit installs either, such as WINE, but that's not a very good example as it's not very well developed yet. Applications like XNView aren't even in there.


As I need more info and want to do more specific things, I'll definitely use those links. I like to learn as I go.

Looks like I could spend enough time reading and Slackware 16 will be out before I'm ready to jump in and do something! :)

I appreciate the references, they will come in handy!

I've actually had better luck installing from command lines than packages so far. Either they are incomplete, the wrong one, or there isn't one.

Install from the command-line using the package manager--eg yum, apt-get, pacman...

If you want to skip the package manager, install in /usr/local/bin. FHS

It's not that I want to, it that's I've had to so far.