I can't finish VLC installation
 

Hello everybody! I just want to say I started trying to learn Slackware about 3 weeks ago after spending 6 years with Ubuntu. This is quite a challenge for me so I will appreciate any help I receive. Right now I triple boot: Ubuntu 12.04-x86_64, Windows 7 Professional x64, and now Slackware 13.37-x86_64. After doing a dvd install (everything) I performed all slackpkg updates, install new, etc. Installed Flash, video and audio working fine except my usb headset drivers keep reverting back to default after accessing any 'K' music app.
Last night I tried to install VLC from AlienBob but after build when I get to 'installpkg' nothing happens. I've spent quite a bit of time looking through various blogs without any luck. If anybody would like to walk me through the process I will be grateful. Thank you.
Errors:bash-4.2$ mv libdvdcss-1.(*hit tab for autocomplete*) libdvdcss*
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('
bash-4.2$
I did this:bash-4.2$ mkdir -p ~/slackbuilds/vlc
Then this:lftp -c "open http://www.slackware.com/~alien/slackbuilds/vlc/ ; mirror build"
After this process I wasn't able to proceed to 'installpkg'

The question would be why you compile yourself, when AlienBob provides pre-compiled packages.

Most of alien Bob's software should be installed with PkgTool. At least that is what I do with my systems (the most recent version is 12.2). I have bad experiences with 'slackpkg'.

Just send Eric a mail. He's a nice guy.

I would fetch the software differently:

ncftp
open www.slackware.com/~alien

and see what happens:

See how much more information you get, doing things the manual way? Just use your browser to go to Bob's site and download by Shift LeftClicking

slackpkg is a tool to install/deinstall/upgrade/whatever software that it is in the official Slackware repositories. For packages that are not in those repositories, like AlienBob's packages you have to use pkgtool or installpkg.

Thank you to all who responded. I see now what I did wrong. I should never have attempted this while sleepy! I followed this:http://wiki.videolan.org/Slackware, not realizing I was building from source. I will now try to install this: file:///home/dangmc/Downloads/vlc-2.0.1-x86_64-1alien.txz. Is there a sticky or tutorial on how to do this for beginners? I'm pretty familiar with bash for 'buntu, but I haven't done much package building except ./configure>make>make install.

As root use installpkg to install vlc-2.0.1-x86_64-1alien.txz.

You should have a look at the Slackbook (in your case chapter 17), it is the number one source for Slackware knowledge: http://www.slackbook.org/beta/

AFter you download it.

installpkg /path/to/vlc-2.0.1-x86_64-1alien.txz

If you're compiling direct source packages you may have problems at times due to poor coding on part of the developers, poor compling documentation, or just something may need an obscure patch to work right.

SlackBuilds.org has numerous build scripts for hundreds of software programs and packages that have what are termed as "stable" releases listed. Some are not well-maintained at times, but others are often updated on a regular basis. They have a build script for VLC and a source package last listed as working/stable.

These scripts will autocompile and create a .t?z (.txz or .tgz) package you can install with PKGTool. I recommend these more so than the AlienBob or RWorkman packages because, which though AlienBob and RWorkman's packages are sound and often treated as unofficial, often you may find compiling your own packages will end up working better as they are more tailored to your system.

got it done-listening to Clint Black! Thanks to all of you.

If you really believe that, you should be using Gentoo. Generally speaking, you might have a point, but Robby's and my own packages are feature-rich and come with all the dependencies they need.

For instance, there is a vlc.SlackBuild on http://slackbuilds.org/ but you still need to have many dependencies compiled beforehand if you want to have a useful vlc at all. My own vlc package on the other hand, is built from 49 separate source tarballs, all united in a single installable package. Using that package instead of building from source saves you a hell of a lot of compilation time. You will also get a VLC player which does not break the moment you upgrade your system ffmpeg package.

Eric

Bob-I'm a believer! Thank you for your help. Your package (vlc) installed and so far works flawlessly. all extra codecs seem to be in place.

I've used Eric and Robby's packages for years; their packages have never failed me. I trust their packages.

Gentoo's philosophy is one to always take heed to, and mind with care even on Slackware.

Interestingly enough there is an installation guide for the development version of vlc for Ubuntu, the guide being based very heavily on alienBOB's script:

Howto: Build the development version of vlc under Ubuntu
http://www.andrews-corner.org/vlc.html

You might be tempted to try this on your Ubuntu partition?