i installed xirc with no problems but when i type "xirc" at the terminal I get a "command not found" message. I installed AIM the same way and it runs fine if I type AIM at a command line. HOW DO I GET IT TO WORK! It took 2 days to get it to install (had to get lib files, etc, installed first) and now I cant figure out how to run it. HELP!

Welcome to LQ.

The directory you installed it into probably isn't in your path.

To get round it - symlink the executable to a location in your path - eg:
ln -s /usr/local/xirc/bin/xirc /usr/local/bin/

It still says command not found though I did link it. The executable was in a different folder so I didnt know which to run the command on thus I did it on both folders. . heres what I did.

[rexx@localhost rexx]$ su
Password:
[root@localhost rexx]# ln -s /usr/local/bin/xirc /sr/local/bin
ln: creating symbolic link `/sr/local/bin' to `/usr/local/bin/xirc': No such file or directory
[root@localhost rexx]# ln -s /usr/local/lib/xirc /usr/local/bin
[root@localhost rexx]# xirc
bash: xirc: command not found
[root@localhost rexx]# ln -s /usr/local/bin/xirc /usr/local/bin
ln: `/usr/local/bin/xirc': File exists
[root@localhost rexx]# xirc
bash: xirc: command not found
[root@localhost rexx]# cd..
[root@localhost home]# xirc
bash: xirc: command not found

What now? I can uninstall it and try again? or what?

There is no need to uninstall - what does your path look like:
echo $PATH

aim-1.5.286-1.i386.rpm libstdc++-2.96-85.2mlx.i386.rpm
Desktop source-highlight-1.7-1mdk.src.rpm
Documents tmp
gcc-2.95.2-1i.src.rpm.part xIrc-2.3.8-1.i386.rpm
libpng2-1.0.9-1mdk.i586.rpm zircon
libqt2-2.3.1-29mdk.i586.rpm
[root@localhost rexx]# cd..
[root@localhost home]# dir
rexx
[root@localhost home]# cd..
[root@localhost /]# dir
bin dev home lib opt root tmp var
boot etc initrd mnt proc sbin usr
[root@localhost /]# cd /usr
[root@localhost usr]# cd/local
bash: cd/local: No such file or directory
[root@localhost usr]# cd /local
bash: cd: /local: No such file or directory
[root@localhost usr]# dir
bin etc games include lib local sbin share src tmp X11R6
[root@localhost usr]# cd local
[root@localhost local]# cd bin
[root@localhost bin]# dir
xirc xIrc
[root@localhost bin]# cd xirc
bash: cd: xirc: No such file or directory
[root@localhost bin]# xirc
bash: xirc: command not found
[root@localhost bin]# dir
xirc xIrc
[root@localhost bin]# cd xIrc
bash: cd: xIrc: Not a directory
[root@localhost bin]# echo $PATH
/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin
[root@localhost bin]#
[
Here is the path from the directory it is in
Now what? Thx for yer time

boogerman -- sounds like APT-GET would be your best friend.

you can snag that from www.freshrpms.net

gets you out of dependency hell... downloads all the goods for it.. install it, the whole nine yards..

but i have mandrake 9.0 will it work for me

that's one i don't know about... maybe i should learn to read what o/s you are running .. lol

I just noticed that you missed the trailing slash on the ln command.