Best Way to Install .TGZ files?
 

I'm coming from RH/Knoppix background where I've used apt-get for like the past 2 yrs to get my packages.

I know how to install .tgz files, no problem.

I've also installed
Swaret to keep my files up to date under Slackware.

BUT, I've d/l some tgz stuff, like xmms skins and Xawtv and I seem to remember that there are other ways to install.

Like installpkg command.

Can someone give me more background on this command, I've read the man pages, but I need more info.

I've tried to use it, but I've noticed that xmms skin has .gz after .tgz. Do I have to use gunzip before using installpkg?

thanks

try info installpkg or you can use pkgtool

Check the content of the archived file. If it's made out of folders (/usr, /opt etc.) then it's precompiled, and you can use pkgtool.
But if it's *.tar.bz2, *.tar.gz, (and/or made out of makefiles and libfiles) then you have to compile it first OR it just needs to be extracted if it's just an archived skin or something similar.

Just extract it with tar (-xzvf,-xvvf), and if it needs to be compiled follow the instructions in the readme files (usually ./configure,make, make install.), and instead of make install you can allways use checkinstall, witch creates a *.tgz package that you can install using pkgtool, so you can uninstall it later with pkgtool or removepkg.

Thanks XStorm for throwing in the CheckInstall nugget, I should be doing that

Thank you for the help, I am greatful.

thanks!