[SOLVED] proper way to compile and install a package from source?

cdek · 04-30-2017, 04:37 AM

This is another newbie question ...

The program I want to install is PEBL.

It is not available on Slackbuilds but all the dependencies are.

After installing the dependencies it compiles without problems. (extra instructions from the developer here).

The only remaining step now is the "make install", which will copy some folders to /usr/local/bin and /usr/local/share.

I would like to know how I can create a slackware package first and then install that package instead.

Didier Spaier · 04-30-2017, 04:50 AM

http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sla...ding_a_package

PS The link in your post is:
http://http//pebl.sourceforge.net
It should be
http://pebl.sourceforge.net

allend · 04-30-2017, 05:00 AM

You may not need to build a package at all. Have you tried running the program from the build directory?
If a program is for personal use, then there may be no need to do a system wide 'make install'.

cdek · 04-30-2017, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sla...ding_a_package

PS The link in your post is:
http://http//pebl.sourceforge.net
It should be
http://pebl.sourceforge.net

When I try:

Code:

$ make install DESTDIR=/tmp/build

it doesn't seem to install in /tmp/build but instead tries to copy the files to /usr/local/bin and /usr/local/share.

Code:

rm -Rf /usr/local/bin/pebl2
rm -Rf /usr/local/share/pebl2
install -d /usr/local/bin/
cp bin/pebl2 /usr/local/bin/pebl2
cp: cannot create regular file '/usr/local/bin/pebl2': Permission denied
Makefile:405: recipe for target 'install' failed
make: *** [install] Error 1

coralfang · 04-30-2017, 07:11 AM

Have you tried:

Code:

$ make DESTDIR=/tmp/build install

Sometimes you might need to rearrange those variables.

See here:
https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/h...e/DESTDIR.html

knudfl · 04-30-2017, 07:24 AM

Re #5.

/tmp/ is not to be recommended for any user activity.
Using /tmp/ for any creativity will change the permissions.
You can do one thing in /tmp/ : Delete files.

Recommended for compiling etc. is /home/[user-name]/tmp/

-

Didier Spaier · 04-30-2017, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdek

When I try:

Code:

$ make install DESTDIR=/tmp/build

it doesn't seem to install in /tmp/build but instead tries to copy the files to /usr/local/bin and /usr/local/share.

Code:

rm -Rf /usr/local/bin/pebl2
rm -Rf /usr/local/share/pebl2
install -d /usr/local/bin/
cp bin/pebl2 /usr/local/bin/pebl2
cp: cannot create regular file '/usr/local/bin/pebl2': Permission denied
Makefile:405: recipe for target 'install' failed

PS
make: *** [install] Error 1

This is because the PREFIX is hard coded in the Makefile (see line #30), and the source tarball does not include a configure script. Best would be to make a SlackBuild to cope with this situation, but a quick and dirty way could be:

Create a temporary directory as regular user
Code:
```
mkdir -p ~/tmp/build
```

Edit the Makefile, replacing (don't forget the trailing /)
Code:
```
PREFIX = /usr/local/
```
with:
Code:
```
PREFIX = ~/tmp/build/usr/
```
As regular user, run "make" then "make install"
Follow the instructions of the tutorial I linked to beginning with "strip -s" but replacing
Code:
```
/tmp/build
```
with
Code:
```
~/tmp/build
```

Caveat: I didn't try so this could fail. But, you get the idea.

PS In this line:

Code:

/sbin/makepkg -l y -c n ../app-version-arch-tag.tgz

you will have to replace "app" by PEBL or pebl, "version" by the version number (2.0.4?) and "arch" by the output of "uname -m".
For "tag", "1" or "1cdek" "1_cdek" could be a good choice: this field is usually a build number for genuine Slackware package, but adding something that says it's not a genuine Slackware package and who built it can be handy. The templates @ http://slackbuilds.org insert an underscore between the build number and the real tag, but that's your choice.
In any case do not insert an additional hyphen anywhere but maybe inside "app" as that could confuse the Slackware package management tools.

Write the full path: /sbin/makepkg, as /sbin is not included in regular users' PATH by default.

Also, I don't see any man page so you don't need to gzip them.

hitest · 04-30-2017, 10:24 AM

Another possibility is to use gnashley's src2pkg utility to create a Slackware package that you can easily install and remove on your system.

http://distro.ibiblio.org/amigolinux/download/src2pkg/

orbea · 04-30-2017, 10:53 AM

I think the proper way is to make a SlackBuild and build it as you would any package from SBo. To understand them spend some time reading the slackbuild templates and the included comments, if you have any specific questions I'm sure someone could help.

https://slackbuilds.org/templates/

cdek · 04-30-2017, 01:53 PM

Didier, thank you so much for the detailed instructions.

I was able to install the package the way you explained it (and I learned a few things on the way).

I'll study the Slackbuild scripts to see if I can learn how to turn this into a proper install script.

Didier Spaier · 04-30-2017, 02:49 PM

I am glad you succeeded. It's a pleasure answering questions asked the smart way, as yours.

GazL · 05-04-2017, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knudfl

Using /tmp/ for any creativity will change the permissions.

How so? I don't disagree that /tmp tends to get misused and there are better alternatives to use, but I've never seen "permissions" cited as an issue.

volkerdi · 05-04-2017, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GazL

How so? I don't disagree that /tmp tends to get misused and there are better alternatives to use, but I've never seen "permissions" cited as an issue.

It is true that if (as root) you untar something in /tmp that has (for example) 755 permissions on '.', that you'll end up setting the perms on /tmp to 755 and will break non-privileged use of /tmp. I've had to put in workarounds for that with recent Mozilla things.

I wouldn't necessarily discourage the use of /tmp though, as long as you're aware of the possible pitfalls.

GazL · 05-04-2017, 06:51 PM

Yes, good point Pat. Not working in a sub-directory would never even occur to me, so I took knudfl's comment as referring to working at any level under /tmp rather than specifically to using /tmp's root level directory, but perhaps that was a misinterpretation on my part.

TracyTiger · 05-04-2017, 07:13 PM

Quote:

It is true that if (as root) you untar something in /tmp that has ...

Extracting a tar archive as root puts the tar archive in control.

I'm not against this as I do this all of the time. But the person running tar needs to be aware of the dangers.

My long-time general practice for using tar has been to ...

Extract in a new directory one level deeper than needed
Before extracting run tar first with tvf options to inspect the paths
Create a new archive using relative paths not absolute when possible

This new thing called Linux may have more sophisticated options to run tar safely. I developed my tar habits with scars received while using UNIX.

Then again I never type the command "su". I always type "/bin/su".

Just a paranoid old guy.