package management and source
 

It would be handy if there were some way for me to compile and install software from source, and somehow have the program/files show up using pkgtool so I can easily remove everything if I want to. Anyone know how I can do that? Or some other way I can keep track of all the files 'make install' puts on my system so I can get rid of them if I want to?

Thanks!

no not really, but theres a workaround. What you can do is make the source and then make a slackware .tgz package out of it and install it with installpkg. Search google for "making slackware packages" for a detailed guide. Basically, in short, what you need to do is ./configure using --PREFIX=/tmp (or any temporary folder) then make, and make install, this will install the package in /tmp. Then cd to /tmp and inspect if everything looks good, it should. Then while in /tmp issue makepkg as root and your package will be magically created, now just install it with installpkg, and you can also copt the .tgz so if you ever reinstall on the same machine you can just use installpkg to install it again.
Hope that helps
-NSKL

Sure there is! Check out this thread, it explains the options you have.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=25753

To sumarize, basically, you have three options:
1. Keep track of everything yourself
2. Using the source, build slackware packages, then install them with pkgtool
3. (This is my preferred method) Use a really bad-ass program called CheckInstall that will **CREATE** slackware packages FOR you from source, and then install them. Best part is you can then use pkgtool to remove them later if need be. This is really a very, very good program you should check out. Here's the link:

http://checkinstall.izto.org/

Let me know if you have questions, I am happy to help.

Cheers,
Marshall

Marshall: that program sounds very good, i'm downloading it now, thanks for the link!
-NSKL

Hmm, i tried checkinstall and it segfaults for some reason, and then after reading all it's documentation i have to say i'm not really happy not knowing what exactly is going on, if i wanted something like that i would run SuSE or RH. Im not saying checkinstall is bad, its just my personal preference to do everything "manually". In other words i'll stay with my traditional way of making slackware packages with makepkg, it's a bit longer then using checkinstall but at least i know whats hapening.

-NSKL

True, it does take some direct control out of it. However, for some uses (i.e. someone new to slackware, or for packages that I have difficulty making my own slackware packages with, etc.), this is a really great tool.

For me, it works. I like that I can still do the "configure" and "make" parts myself. Then everything is prepped, and I just run checkinstall and it is done. Afterwards, I usually look at the contents of the package by examining the file it places in /var/log/packages to make sure all went well.

Just another tool, that is all. But lately since I am getting much more proficient with Slack, I have been building my own packages as you described.

But nonetheless, I think it is a good tool for beginners.

Take care,
Marshall

True, i totally agree, as i mentioned before, it's just my personal preference to do everything by hand "The slack way!" :D
Thanks again for pointing this tool out, it might come in useful in certain situations, like presenting Slack to a newbie.
-NSKL