Installation...
 

I've used a few different versions of linux, and I've been installing my first few programs onto Mandrake 10.1. RPM's are pretty easy to use, and I've installed Python 2.4 using (./configure, make, make install). But what about the source files for programs that don't include a configure file or make file??

How can I install those??

Right after reading this, I looked up at the tutorials section just for fun and found this.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ticle&artid=15

Should help you I think. Its about compiling applications from source.

I read the article and it only covers what I already know.:( With the source I downloaded there is no configure or make file....How can I compile and install a program who's source doesn't include those??

What is it exactly that you download? What kind of file is it in? You may need to use gcc to compile it if it is a C or C++ file. Other than that I can't help you right now, for I am also a relative newbie to all this ;)

Also, is there a Readme file that may tell you how to compile? Or from the website you got it from? You might also try googling something like "How to install (insert app name here)"

Hmmm, well I have written C/C++ stuff using gcc before, so that won't be a problem if I have to use that...but they aren't .c or .cpp files

I was trying to install bittorrent. I downloaded the source for it and extracted it. And there was no directions on how to compile or install from the source. And like I said there were no configure or make files like what were included with the python source...

So I'm lost:(

Slightly off topic, but I know python2.4 has "IDLE" for windows, does it have that for linux?

There's a file under my /usr/local/bin/ that's called IDLE, so I guess it does...I know very little about python:rolleyes:

Well, I found this website with a google search.

http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/se...&system=&arch=

It has the rpm download of Bittorrent for Mandrake at the bottom of the list. Don't know which one you should use, but the RPM should install it for you so you dont have to.

Also, here is a tutorial for installing Bittorrent in linux.

http://btfaq.com/serve/cache/12.html

Thank you sooo much, the rpm worked perfectly:D

However, my question about general program installation is still up for answering if anyone has any ideas:confused:

EDIT: I also can't find the executable to run bittorrent after it installed...

You don't run it as though it were a program. The way it works it that you following a link on a webpage and it will end it a .torrent extension instead of .html or whatever. Then what happens is that Linux should open up the .torrent file with Bittorrent, with no interaction from you.

its asking me which program to open the .torrent files with even though it recognizes it as a bittorrent file...

hello

i don't know what kind of source you download, but if there's no make file or some sort of script to compile it, there should be some readme file included with what u downloaded. either that or you'll find some word about it on location where you r downloading from.
otherwise use compiler for language in which the file was written, but question is do you really want to install something like that :)

i'm a newbie, and this is only me thinking aloud :)...

BitTorrent is a very well known, reputable program and I got the source for it straight off their site. No, they didn't have a readme included with the source, and I have searched their site many times for instructions pretaining to their source. I couldn't find anything...

That came from the second link I posted above about how to install. That may solve your problem. If not, I can't realy help you any further. Sorry.

Nice try, however it didn't fix it:(

what was the file that you downloaded named? I am thinking it may have been a source package made for slackware. They seem odd when they open. slackware's package manager handles them well though.

I went here ...
And downloaded this one ...

check out the INSTALL.unix.txt file.