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-   -   how do you install tar.gz or tar packages (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/how-do-you-install-tar-gz-or-tar-packages-595070/)

okos 10-28-2007 11:37 PM

I have not heard of a Kwort (Slackware) distro.
However if it is slackware you might be able to easily install pre-made packages for slackware.
http://www.linuxpackages.net/

type
su
<password>
installpkg <package name.tgz>
you then have it installed. Easy as that no compiling.

Secondly
when you untar tar -zxvf <file.tar.gz>
cd to the new file
ls look for a file "README" or "INSTALL" or something like that.
type
less README or
less INSTALL
You will have compiling instructions.
Some programs compile a little differently.

icedlightblue 11-03-2007 02:22 PM

ok guys,here's an update.

I did what you said,./configure,right.

but instead of typing cd /usr/local/src/dvgrab-3.0./configure

I did this: cd /usr/local/src/dvgrab-3.0 ./configure
with a space between where the file name is and ./configure,but nothing is happening right now,the terminal skiped a line and that's it.

Is something supposed to happen right now?

please help.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} 11-03-2007 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icedlightblue (Post 2947081)
ok guys,here's an update.

I did what you said,./configure,right.

but instead of typing cd /usr/local/src/dvgrab-3.0./configure

I did this: cd /usr/local/src/dvgrab-3.0 ./configure
with a space between where the file name is and ./configure,but nothing is happening right now,the terminal skiped a line and that's it.

Is something supposed to happen right now?

please help.

cd into the folder, then do ls -ls. If you see a configure file do: ./configure if that process completes with no errors do: make if that process is successfull switch to root then do: make install.

icedlightblue 11-03-2007 06:40 PM

oh my gosh,I finally figured out what am doing wrong(lol)

I did what you said but Instead of entering cd /usr/local/src/dvgrab-3.0 I did this:cd /usr/local/src/dvgrab-3.0/dvgrab-3.0

then I pressed enter,found the configure file(i did not find it when i entered it once)and typed in ./configure and it worked.

oskar 11-04-2007 01:37 AM

You can always check with "pwd" (print working directory) where you currently are.
I usually use the TAB key to make sure I typed it correctly. I either use it to complete a long directory name, or instead of typing / I will press TAB to make sure I got it right.

oskar 11-04-2007 01:41 AM

--- Have you looked at the Documentation?
It looks like Kwort has its own package manager - look here for reference:
http://kwort.org/?page=SectionViewer...&ID=22#install

icedlightblue 11-04-2007 11:44 AM

hey,could you help again?

how about installing tar.bz2?

oskar 11-04-2007 02:29 PM

tar -jxvf [filename]

You don't 'install' a tar.bz2, that's merely a zip file.

It wouldn't hurt to use google every once in a while...

JBull 11-04-2007 03:02 PM

Maybe I can help explain some of this. When you download these packages they are "archives" that are usually bundled together using a utility called "tar". These packages will end with the extension ".tar". In addition to bundling the package together they archive is usually compressed to save disk space and download bandwidth. Compressed archives usually end in ".gz" or ".bz2".

With a ".gz" archive you should first move it to a suitable place to install it. The locataion you want is "/usr/local/" so type this:

$mv pacakagename.gz /usr/local

Then change directories to that location:

$cd /usr/local

Use this command to list the contents of the directory:

$ls

You should see your file. Uncompress the compressed archive:

$gunzip pacakagename.gz

This will uncompress the archive. Usually this results in a file called packagename.tar, which you can find again by listing the directory. Once you have found the file type this:

$tar -zxvf packagename.tar

This will unzip the archive and create a new directory with all the files. Now you need to change directories to the new one.

$cd (name of new directory)
$ls

When you type ls you should see a lot of interesting things. Usually there is a file called configure, which is what you're looking for. But first you should also look for README and/or INSTALL files which are just text files with good information about the package, requirements, and install instructions. Usually the INSTALL file says to ./configure then make and finally make install. Follow the instructions in the README or INSTALL file. I'll assume it is a normal set of instructions so do this:

$./configure

Look for any error messages before continuing. If there was an error then you can't continue until you remedy the problem, such as installing a required software package (called a prerequisite). If there was no error, then type (as user root or superuser):

$make

This is usually the hardest step and takes a few minutes. You'll se a bunch of text scrolling across the console too fast to read. This is instructions and standard ouput of the compiler. the only thing you should concern yourself with here is that it does not stop on error. If it finishes OK then you are homoe free! Type this to finish:

$make install

Then type whatever command launches the application. Thats pretty much it. You should always make life easy on yourself and check to see if there is already a package pre-configured for your linux version. Most linux distros have "pakage manager" software that will install software for you and greatly reduce the manual work and frustration that sometimes results. Most people only install software by this manual complilation when the software package does not exist in a pre-compiled state, which is fairly uncommon for popular software. I recommend a more popular linux distro because you are more likely to find software package pre-compiled and easily installable.

Good luck and post back if you have more trouble.

JB


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