Package installation 9.1
 

I feel like all the online help stuff has left me SOL so I'm appealing to the "real" users of SuSe Linux.

I recently installed 9.1 personal edition. After hours of config with the GUI I downloaded a few files. Although all three were tarballs only one would dearchive...Firefox. It executed after the installation but I have not been able to find it since.

I am obviously doing something wrong. Or I'm doing it in the wrong sequence. I would greatly appreciate any assistance anyone my be able to offer concerning dearchiving, installation of apps, and adding the same to the KDE desktop.

Thanks in advance,
Stupid with Linux

The best way to install things in SuSE is to use Yast2. In fact, Firefox has a package provided by SuSE at ftp.suse.com.

For more information on how to install with yast and where to find more rpm packages for suse. Read the sticky thread in this forum about Yast Installation Source(SuSE)

okay, i have a similar problem. new to linux and can't install new software with yast2.

how exactly do i go about installing tarballs? once i see what the contents of these tarballs are, what do i do to install them?

So what is your problem with Yast?

Read the included README and/or INSTALL file for this information.

In Yast2, there is an icon : Add and Remove Software. Simply click on that one and search for the package you want. You can also choose it by categories. (change the drop down menu on the top left).

Those extra packages are usually come with your CD/DVD. If you want even more packages, go to the sticky thread of this forum: Yast Update Source and you would find more places and how to configure them.

I also use 9.1, which I downloaded. I've found using apt-get for suse is the best way to install stuff. You simply type (as root)
apt-get install <whatever>
and whatever program you downloaded is installed and ready to go, just like that.
If you go to this site
http://linux01.gwdg.de/apt4rpm/home.html
and scroll down the page, it'll teach you about apt. You'll have to download two or more packages; which you can find here:
http://ftp.uni-erlangen.de/pub/Linux...ages/SuSE-9.1/
Once you download and install those rpm's, it's a good idea to edit the file /etc/apt/sources.list. You should read about what to edit in that file when you get time. Hope this helps.

As far as I know you cannot install software in a tarball format with YaST. The only way I know how to do it is from a terminal. If that is incorrect, someone please tell me.

As abisko00 said above, instructions are usually in the readme file.

Re: Package installation 9.1
 

You need to find the firefox-installer directory that was created when you installed firefox. Inside that directory is an icon you can click on to start it. I always put mine in /home, but if you can't find yours, use the find command.

To install a program through YaST you eather need an Distro independent RPM or one made for SuSE, or the progam need to be on the SuSE disks. for ones on the disk do like kt_leohart says and run Install Remove programs in YaST. For RPMs, download them to your computer then use the Konqueror File browser to find the RPM file and click on it it will open up a description screen that will have a button up top to Install, click on it and YaST will start up and install the program (note: you will need to give it your root password before YaST will start).

For tar balls you will first have to install "make," and most likely "gcc" since these don't come with the personal version of SuSE. when they are installed you will need to install the tar ball through the command line. Here is a quick run down of how thats done:

1. open a terminal "alt + F2" then type "xterm" hit enter (this is a KDE quick key)

2. change directories to the one where the tar file is saved. (cd /home/userfolder/)

3. unpack the tar ball for files ending in .gz "tar xzvf FILE NAME" for thes ending in .bz2 "tar xjvf FILENAME"

4. CD to the new directorycreated by the unpacking usually named the same as the tar file without the .tar.gz part.

5. install the program.

a. if the folder has a file called configure
1. type ./configure
2. type make
3. type make install

b. for a folder containing install.sh
1. type sh ./install.sh

I'm rather lazy when it comes to unpacking tarballs, et al; that's why I downloaded http://ftp.uni-erlangen.de/pub/Linux...nc6-2.i586.rpm
and http://ftp.uni-erlangen.de/pub/Linux...nc6-2.i586.rpm
From there I was able to install firefox, mozilla, mozplugger, and many others. You only type:
apt-get install whatever
and it's in the menu.