Explaine about compiling software from source code

blackRonin · 06-04-2014, 01:24 PM

Hello.

I need more info about compiling software from source code.
1) Where goes installed software after compiling ?
I read somewhere that compiled software goes to /usr/local
But I can't find it there.
I tried locate name but gives me a lot of confusing results.

2) Can i delete software unpacked directory (eg from home dir) after compiling ?

I'm using Centos (based on RHEL)

potato_farmer · 06-04-2014, 01:33 PM

See this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Compile-a-Program-in-Linux

blackRonin · 06-04-2014, 02:02 PM

I know how to compile.
My questions are releated after compiling.

brianL · 06-04-2014, 02:23 PM

In stage 4 of the article potato farmer linked to:
4

Quote:

Run the command "./configure" to configure the source code automatically. Arguments such as " --prefix=" can be used to control the install location. This checks that you have the right libraries and versions.

/usr/local is the default if you don't specify anything else.
Yes, after compiling and installing, you can delete the source directory if you want.

blackRonin · 06-05-2014, 06:23 AM

The questions is, where it goes when prefix is not specified ?

pan64 · 06-05-2014, 06:41 AM

actually it depends on the defaults of the given software. So there is no general answer.

brianL · 06-05-2014, 06:51 AM

There are usually README and INSTALL text files included in source directories, they might tell you where it goes if you don't specify any prefix.

ndc85430 · 06-05-2014, 06:55 AM

Running ./configure --help might also tell you what the default prefix is. Also, in some cases, after running configure, it'll tell you where the software will be installed.

blackRonin · 06-05-2014, 12:25 PM

./configure --help gave me output:

Code:

nstallation directories:
  --prefix=PREFIX         install architecture-independent files in PREFIX
                          [/]
  --exec-prefix=EPREFIX   install architecture-dependent files in EPREFIX
                          [PREFIX]

By default, `make install' will install all the files in
`//bin', `//lib' etc.  You can specify
an installation prefix other than `/' using `--prefix',
for instance `--prefix=$HOME'.

But i think it's default info about software path.
I also checked README and INSTALL for path, but without any info about install path.
// Btw. What is --exec-prefix for ?

Let me explaine more what I want to achiev.
I want to learn and practise compiling sotwares (i knew it), locating installed program, managing it, removing.

For this, i pick up cups 1.7.2.
I'm running CentoS with cups 1.4.2, which i removed ( yum remove cups)
I installed cups 1.7.2 (./configure, make, make install)
And know i trying to locate it.

Code:

[root@centOS cups-1.7.2]# which cups
/usr/bin/which: no cups in (/usr/lib64/qt-3.3/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/root/bin)

locate cups
http://pastebin.com/iJ9Hn5QZ

Is there any other way to locate path to installed programs ?
And to them executable files.

Next thing will be , how to remove that program.

brianL · 06-05-2014, 01:14 PM

Try whereis cups:

Code:

bash-4.2$ which cups
which: no cups in (/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/cuda-5.5/bin:/usr/lib64/kde4/libexec:/usr/lib64/java/bin:/usr/lib64/java/jre/bin:/usr/lib64/qt/bin:/home/brian/bin)
bash-4.2$ whereis cups
cups: /etc/cups /usr/lib64/cups /usr/include/cups /usr/share/cups

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackRonin

Next thing will be , how to remove that program.

This works sometimes:

Code:

make uninstall

While in the source directory.

ndc85430 · 06-05-2014, 02:22 PM

In the case of CUPS, there's no executable "cups". You're looking for "cupsd", where the 'd' stands for daemon.

blackRonin · 06-07-2014, 01:58 PM

thank you @brianL, "whereis" it's what i kept in mind.

Btw. what's your's (best) "policy" compiling software from source ?
I mean, where to kept them, install (using prefix or not)

What are you doing ?.

I'm so get used to windows (install from binaries, known path, registery entry etc)

pan64 · 06-08-2014, 04:55 AM

you need to compile it inside a user's home dir, in a subdir (would be named like software-version). You need to compile as a normal user and install it as root. There is no general suggestion on prefix, it depends on your environment, your distro and also on the software itself. If you are unsure you can safely use the defaults (in general)

blackRonin · 06-08-2014, 08:09 AM

I'm talking about policy base on centOS.

I heard that some poeoples unpacking software to /opt and compile from there.

What's your opinion on that ?

pan64 · 06-09-2014, 10:23 AM

no, that is not a good idea. The sources should be put outside of the living system (that means do not use /opt /var /etc or similar), but into a temporary working directory - you can use either /tmp or something inside a home of a user (this is the preferred solution). You will configure, build, test and finally install the software from this location.