'make install': please help!

grautu · 10-18-2005, 06:24 PM

Hello!
I've chosen to install "nano", as my first attempt to install a Slackware package which is not part of the CD distribution. I've proceeded as follows.
1) Download <nano-1.2.5-i486-1kan.tgz>, from a mirror of <http://www.linuxpackages.net/> to my ~Desktop directory.
2) $ cd ~Desktop
3) $ tar zxvf nano-1.2.5-i486-1kan.tgz
4) Consequently I've got several files and directories in ~Desktop but no config file anywhere. The expected subdirectory nano-1.2.5 was created at ~Desktop/usr/doc/nano-1.2.5 but I definitely failed to apply the './config' step as the README file told me (machine's message "no 'config' file" etc).
Could you please help me?
Thanks!

freakyg · 10-18-2005, 06:32 PM

you don't un-tar it..........use installpkg
why nano, isn't vi a good enough editor??

egag · 10-18-2005, 06:33 PM

you should use the Slackware pkgtools to handle Slackware packages.
type " pkgtool " in a console ( as root ) to get going.
alternatively you can use " installpkg < package.tgz> " .

egag

grautu · 10-18-2005, 07:59 PM

Grateful thanks freakyg and egag!
Indeed it was 1/2 second a job, but how can I detect which *.tgz file is a Slackware package and which doesn't obey Slack?

sweetnsourbkr · 10-18-2005, 09:17 PM

I thought all *.tgz files were Slack packages?

Netizen · 10-18-2005, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by freakyg
why nano, isn't vi a good enough editor??

Not everyone likes vi.

Quote:

Originally posted by grautu
Indeed it was 1/2 second a job, but how can I detect which *.tgz file is a Slackware package and which doesn't obey Slack?

Well, you can run installpkg and it will tell you if its not a slackware build. You can also just get slackware packages from trusted sites.

gbonvehi · 10-18-2005, 11:48 PM

Slackware packages include a directory called install/ in the package with a file called slack-desc and sometimes another one called doinst.sh.
Usually you'll also know it's a package because where you get it from they state it is. Sometimes people distribute tar.gz files with a .tgz extention due to some old behaviours in browsers and filesystems, shouldn't be a problem these days.

grautu · 10-19-2005, 06:16 AM

Hello and thanks to all!
Honestly (and everybody may laugh about me) I'm such a newbie than needing an editor with all of its keyboard shortcuts permanently available on the screen. So I'm patiently waiting for a VI and an EMACS which I can afford in this respect.
Thanks to all for help!

gbonvehi · 10-19-2005, 06:33 AM

You may want to try vim (vi improved), first I recommend is to copy a default config file with: cp /usr/share/vim/vim63/vimrc_example.vim ~/.vimrc
Then run the program: vimtutor
That will teach you most stuff you want to know right now.
Meanwhile, you can use mcedit (part of mc included with Slackware) or download nano which is a enchanced clone of pico (another easy to use editor).

I don't think somebody will laugh at you, at first it's very difficult to get on with vi if you haven't read about it previosly.

grautu · 10-19-2005, 06:52 AM

Thanks gbonvehi!
I have never known of the ideas you speak about; I do intend to learn and see that tutorial. As for nano, it is so simple than nobody may fail in "minimal editing" with it; it will not die as long as newbie will still exist.