using alien

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 09:37 PM

im currently trying to use Alien to install gimp. in root i do 'alien gimp-2.2.9.tar.gz' and it says no file exists.

Hitboxx · 02-17-2007, 09:51 PM

AFAIK Alien can only convert .rpm to .deb. Eg., #alien xyz.rpm will create xyz.deb to install into debian based systems.

More info : #man alien

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 09:59 PM

i know. its not finding the file though. i want it .deb

sumguy231 · 02-17-2007, 10:03 PM

From their website:

Quote:

Alien is a program that converts between the rpm, dpkg, stampede slp, and slackware tgz file formats.

You can't just take a source tarball and change it into a .deb with alien, that's not how it works. Use your distribution's package manager to install the GIMP instead.

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 10:09 PM

but i need the file to be .deb to install it.

sumguy231 · 02-17-2007, 10:32 PM

Quote:

but i need the file to be .deb to install it.

You can't make that tarball into a deb, but you can find a .deb to install with your distribution's package manager. Go to a terminal and type either:

Code:

su
apt-get install gimp

or

Code:

sudo apt-get install gimp

What distribution are you using?

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 10:35 PM

im using MEPIS. this is my first time ever running linux on my home computer. i just switched from windows. but i have been somewhat taking a linux class learning redhat. but the person teaching it doesnt know anything about linux, so i dont learn anything.

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 10:38 PM

this is what i get when i run that command.

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package gimp is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package gimp has no installation candidate

sumguy231 · 02-17-2007, 10:51 PM

I don't know much about Mepis, but try doing a 'sudo apt-get update' before trying to install it again. If that doesn't work, type 'cat /etc/apt/sources.list' in the terminal and paste the output here. In your linuxquestions.org profile, there's a field for the distribution you're using. If you put your distribution in that field, it will be easier to get help.

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 11:05 PM

ok thank you. i think Mepis is based off Debian or Ubuntu, so wouldnt it be simular to that?

Krimp · 02-17-2007, 11:13 PM

OMG LINUX ROCKS. i figured it out, it was so simple i didnt really think about it. i just opened synaptic and updated synaptic and then it showed everything i could download. just searched gimp and it was right there.

sumguy231 · 02-17-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

ok thank you. i think Mepis is based off Debian or Ubuntu, so wouldnt it be simular to that?

It's Ubuntu based, but I don't know what software it comes with by default.

Quote:

i just opened synaptic and updated synaptic and then it showed everything i could download. just searched gimp and it was right there.

Right, but did it install ok?

Krimp · 02-18-2007, 12:18 AM

ya, im using it right now.

muddywaters · 02-18-2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumguy231

It's Ubuntu based, but I don't know what software it comes with by default.

6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of the other. Mepis now uses the ubuntu pools for many packages but is really it's own entity.

the developers take;
http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS7900729752.html