Well, Since my last post things are looking up. Knoppix helped me find the correct settings for my Speedway card (Which I will post once I work out exactly which tweak fixed the problem), I can see my windows partitions and play MP3's too! (Thanks to everyone)

I've bought a book too but it's really simple stuff, things i've already managed to work out for myself. I'm looking for a better one.

My new quest is to find linux programs to replace the ones I use on windows... I've downloaded a few bits all in RPM format which install easily. The first big proper program I would like to install is GDAM which I think is an MP3 mixer (DJ style). So I've downloaded a zipped file, unpacked it and started reading the instructions which have completely baffled me. I don't know where to start....They read.....

" II. Compiling and building gdam.

We use GNU autoconf for building our programs. This means
that once you have the tarball, the following standard
procedure should apply:

% ./configure
% make
% make install "

The download unpacked loads of files and I've no idea what to do with them.

Could anyone shed any light on what I should do or where I can go to learn what the above means? I know I'm probably out of newbie depth here but any (simple) help would be appreciated.

Go into the directory that was created when you unpacked the tar.gz file. Then type:
./configure
make
make install
You'll have to wait a bit for each stage

Please forgive my stupidity, but... When you say "go into", what do you mean? Like a graphical display of the directory or some sort of command line interface?

Well, you can open your file browser in KDE or Gnome and manually pull unpack the files. Then go into your terminal and "cd" to the directory that you unpacked those files to. Then do the commands above.

Just keep in mind that you'll need to do a "su" after make and before make install.

When someone says "go into" they mean that you change into that directory in a command line.

That's why in the readme file you see the instruction say

"We use GNU autoconf for building our programs. This means
that once you have the tarball, the following standard
procedure should apply:

% ./configure
% make
% make install "

The % tells you that you are in a shell (command line) and that your user is standard user. It usually changes to a # when you are root.

Basically what's after the % is what you type in that directory. What ./configure is going to do is check that you have all the dependencies that you need to be able to compile the application. That was tech speak for "It looks for all the programs and files that your application needs so that you can create it and run it."

If it's missing any, you won't be able to create the application until you download and install or compile the parts that are missing.

I hope that helps.

-P

Indeed it does. I tried that but got an error about a path, I did a bit of searching and I think I need to install a compiler, so I'm downloading gcc now.

If i'm barking up the wrong tree, let me know!

: )

HELP!

I downloaded "gcc-gnat-3.2-7.i386.rpm" which I understand to be a compiler. But when I try to run it, I get the usual install progress bar then when the blue bar gets to about 75%, the install window flashes "reading individual package headers" then disapears and nothing happens...? I'm logged in as root.

Does anyone have any idea why this happens? Perhaps i'm doing something wrong?

Thanks

First, get a package without gnat, called gcc-x.x.x.rpm or something. Then go into a command prompt and use:
rpm -i packagename.rpm
Then if anything goes wrong, it will tell you why. Post any error messages

For tar.gz files u can use
$tar xvzf tarfile.tar.gz -C /dectination/directory
replace xvzf with xvjf if the files is in tar.bz2 format

go into the directory of uncompressed file, type :
./configure
make
as root
make install

U can also edit the MakeFile with text editor such vi, make a copy first !!

Guy,

Got hold of "gcc-3.2.2-5.i386.rpm". Same problem though. Was this the fight file do you think?

Perhaps there is an alternative to gcc? Any names or URL's appreciated.

If you have redhat you have a compiler on your disk. Goto add remove programs(in the gui). I think they are called your developmental packages. I would add them all, that way you should have everything you will need. it will prompt you to insert one of your three disks.

Yep, tried that. It asks for disk 1, fine, ok, then disk 2 and even though disk two is inserted (and I can browse the contents) it says it's not inserted!

I think, being new to Linux, and with all the messing around I've done over the last few weeks, I might re-install the OS, with my extra knowledge. I seem to be getting lots of odd problems, probably caused by my messing about.

Every time I try to install something, I find I need something else and when I get it It doesn't work.... Yeah, I think I'll re-install...

(Re-install - That'll be the Microsoft in me!)

See you all on the flip side.

Not a bad idea. I reinstalled RedHat about 4 times in as many days because it seemed the easiest way of fixing things. Once you get used to it all, and you have a good setup, you shouldn't need to do it again.
Good luck