Mint 19.3 installing software
 

This may be a very simple question for most of you. It is a major hangup for me.
I would like to install "ldap-addr-book-0.42.tar.gz", but have no clue how to do so.
Can you help, but please keep it simple, because I am absolutely new to this and have only a very little understanding of Linux.https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...s_lq/icon9.gif

Files with names like that are usually source code, so they need to be compiled. There is a package called build-essential which you can install with apt. It will contain all the tools you need for compilation.

Use the command to unpack the source. It should unpack to a folder which you can move into. Look for a file called INSTALL or README and study it carefully. It will contain instructions on the commands you need to use to build and install the package.

I'd ask what it is you're trying to accomplish. Most of the time there's no need to compile things from source, unless it's something fairly esoteric. Where did you get that tar.gz file from? What are you trying to install/do?

If it's just to install an LDAP client, there are pre-built utilities/packages that you can install with a single command.

you can use right-click on it and see what the sub-menus say, do that and let us know

To compile from sources, you will likely need to install the kernel headers. Most distros do not include them by default. They should be in the repos.

Here's a pretty good tutorial how to compile from sources. It's actually a pretty straightforward process. The most complicated part comes if you have to resolve any dependencies.

I think those are in the build-essentials package along with several other basic header sets.

Ok, I did extract it, see below : I cannot copy it, it won't. It is approx. 6.5 MB

Thanks for your interest.

GoldenOldie

We were asking you to copy/tell us what the MENU said, not the entire 6.5 MB of what you extracted.

And I'll again ask: what are you trying to accomplish?? What are you trying to do by installing LDAP? Again, if you just need an LDAP client, you don't have to compile ANYTHING, but can install it with a single command. And why did you install Mint 19.3, when the latest is 21??

I think, as I am very much a beginner, that you should read my question carefully and be more extensive in your replies.
Also be more specific what is "the menu" in Linux ? Tell me what is the single "command" . The reason I installed Mint 19.3 is basically a hardware issue (32 vs 64 bit). But I have the impression that I donot know enough even to understand the responses. Bad Luck !https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...s_lq/icon8.gif

Linux Mint has extensive documentation, it covers also software installation methods. Linux Mint is very newcomer friendly, and so is its documentation. You are not exactly making friends here by asking questions which are considered your essential homework.
What CPU you have and how much RAM? People often believe their PC is 32 bit because it came with a 32 bit OS, while in reality their hardware is 64 bit.

This is a simple question: WHY are you trying to install this LDAP package??? Doesn't require Linux/computer experience...it's a simple question, trying to determine your goals. Because, AGAIN, LDAP client utilities can be installed with a single command in Linux, but AGAIN, this depends on what you need; which you will not answer. Not sure how much more 'extensive' I need to be in my replies to get a reply to a simple question.

The menu in question relates to the simple steps you were given; you were told, specifically, to right-click on the file, and look at what comes up. That's it...post what you see. That's all you were asked. As far as 32 bit goes, you didn't/don't say anything about your hardware, so that's a question to ask.

Assuming I found the software web page.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/ldap-addr-book/

According to the link it is a web application for browsing and searching contact details within an LDAP directory. Supports Microsoft/Samba Active Directory, OpenLDAP and Novell eDirectory.

https://sourceforge.net/p/ldap-addr-...i/master/tree/

According to the code page it mostly uses php with some java script. So there really isn't much installation except for extracting the files and copying them to your web server directory. You do have to install the Apache webserver and php. However, since we have no knowledge of your background asking if you understand the terms Active Directory and LDAP are reasonable. If you don't know or are not using them then this address book software is probably of little use.

Knowing what you are trying to accomplish or end goal might help.

Hi Michaelk,
Thanks for the input. It seems I am too dumb for this forum, by not understanding most of the replies.
I guess, best is to close this thread as it does not help very much.
I will first study Linux better or just get out of it completely.
Many thanks for every bodies time and effort.
Regards, Golden Oldie

The two questions are:
Is the first link I posted correct to where you found the software?
The second is what are you trying to do?

If the answer to the first question is yes and since you do not understand the other stuff then this software is not useful.

If you do not tell us what you are trying to accomplish there is not much we can do to point you in the right direction.

Sorry, but I just don't see why the question of "What are you trying to do, and why are you trying to install LDAP?" is too difficult to answer. Especially since you are obviously trying to install this software for a REASON, which you obviously must already have/know.

AGAIN: LDAP client utilities can be installed with a single, easy-to-type command, and there is no need at all to compile anything from source. But since you won't tell us what it is you're trying to do, we don't know if that's the case or not. For all we know, you may want to configure a mail client to read addresses from an LDAP directory, and there are other ways to do that.

This is not, in any way, a technical question. It's not Linux/computer related at all. What are you trying to do and why??