Installing .tar.gz files.
 

Ok, I've always had trouble installing these sort of files, and I've never actually successfully installed one. Here's the thing... I wanted an alarm clock, so I downloaded one. The file downloaded to my desktop and I moved it into another directory. My user account is terminal, so I moved it here: /home/terminal and I typed this: tar zxvf vigmeup-1.0.1.tar.gz and it did it's thing. After that I went into the newly created directory(vigmeup-1.0.1) and typed make, and it gave me this error: make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.
I have no idea how to install this stupid file...

after you change into the created directory make sure you run ./configure (this will create your make file) only than can you do make than as root do make install. (this is standard for most tarballs I've came across)

Probably there is a INSTALL or README file. You should first read them before asking questions here. But usually the way to build software from source is

configure
make
make install

I'm not a complete moron, I read the INSTALL and the README files... both of which provide no help for installation. Furthermore, the ./configure command gave me this error: checking for Qt... configure: error: Qt-1.4 (headers and libraries) not found. Please check your installation!
I ran a search in my package installer and found 3 matches for Qt, but when I tried installing them it gave me this: Installation failed, some files are missing. You may want to update your sources databse.
Where can I fix this error?

you need to install the qt-devel rpm. whenever you get an error saying that something like that is not found that should be the first thing to look for. the devel packages contain the headers and information to actually *compile* software using those programs / libraries. these extra files are not normally included in the original pacakge, e.g. qt3-version.rpm as they are not needed IF you only use rpms on your system.

I ran a search for Packages to install, and I found this one: libqt3-devel-3.0.5-7mdk
When I try to install it though, it asks for my cd's, so I put them in, and it comes up with the same error: Installation failed, some files are missing. You may want to update your sources database.

Did you burn your own cds? Did you checksum the downloaded iso files first?
Did you close the cd drive first before clicking ok that you'd put the cd in?

You have unzipped the .tar.gz right?

You have unzipped the .tar.gz right?
Yes, I burned my own cds. The iso files downloaded fine, I installed properly from them and all. And what do you think I am? Of course I closed the cd tray before I clicked ok.

I got the qt-devel package to install, but it still give me the same error: checking for Qt... configure: error: Qt-1.4 (headers and libraries) not found. Please check your installation!

It looka like it is looking for an older qt than you've got installed. I don't know if they are backward compatible or not. You might consider looking into getting the version it's looking for, or an RPM of this program.

Cool

I've done searches everywhere and I can't find Qt-1.4
It just seems that there is no version 1.4
Can anyone help?

check fr2.rpmfind.net that's the best mandrake rpm site as it's french

A search at fr2.rpmfind.net resulted in finding that qt-1.41-1 was the lowest numerical version of qt they found. I'm trying it, but I don't know if it will work or not.

No, it didn't work...

Qt 1.4 is ancient. It sounds like this program you're trying to install is abandoned, and has been for a long time.

You may be able to find packages for it, but software that isn't maintained tends to rot and fade away over time unless there is a significant amount of software using those old libs. Try getting in touch with the maintainer and asking him to port it to Qt 3 (which is what you have installed).