launching apps after you install them a nightmare

nicc9 · #1 14th October 2006, 01:15 PM

hi, all.

I recently installed Fedora 5.

I'm new to Linux, even though I had tried switching over before.

one thing I really don't like is how Linux (well, at least Fedora) handles installing applications.

I mean, what happens *after* you install one. that is, absolutely nothing.

even though on Win they exaggerate, and fill up your desktop and taskbar with useless icons, if you install a program you'll find a link to the executable in the menu afterwards.

with linux nothing happens, most of the times. somehow you have to know the command to launch the application.

sometimes I'll install something and I won't even be able to start it to check it out, or I'll spend half a hour trying to find the executable.

is there a way to tell fedora to create a launcher everytime I install something?

how do you guys do?

I've been wasting a lot of time looking for the execs myself and creating launchers manually.

is this how it's supposed to be done?

thanks!

NICC9

***bob*** · #2 14th October 2006, 03:05 PM

We use yum to install our programs from the repositories. That way, things are neat and the launchers will show up in the proper spots in the menu. Here's some information on yum: http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/yum/en/ I'd set it up as described here: http://www.fedorafaq.org/#installsoftware

Now, for the ones you've already installed - try locating them by typing 'locate programname' which should show you where it was installed - possibly /usr/bin or /usr/share . You can then 'cd' (change directory) to that location and launch it with the ./programname (period slash and the name of the program). You can also create a link to it in the desktop if you prefer or modify your menu to include it (right-click on applications and 'edit menus').

Detonate · #3 14th October 2006, 06:57 PM

Number 5000 for Bob.

ilja · #4 14th October 2006, 06:59 PM

take a beer, it has to be celebrated!

***bob*** · #5 14th October 2006, 07:41 PM

Yeah! Thanks for the excuse! It's pouring rain and my beloved spouse wanted me to take a load of trash to the dump but she'll understand if I have to celebrate instead .... won't she???

Omega Blue · #6 17th October 2006, 06:13 AM

Hi nicc9,

Welcome! Here's a good website to get you started: rute's guide

GNU/Linux's way is different from Windows so it takes some time to get adjusted.

rappermas · #7 18th October 2006, 06:42 AM

Go Bob!

Just type the name of the program at the command line to start it if you can't find it in the menus.

nicc9 · #8 18th October 2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega Blue

Hi nicc9,

Welcome! Here's a good website to get you started: rute's guide

GNU/Linux's way is different from Windows so it takes some time to get adjusted.

bookmarked.

thanks!

nicc9 · #9 18th October 2006, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rappermas

Go Bob!

Just type the name of the program at the command line to start it if you can't find it in the menus.

I know, but sometimes it's not the same as the name of the program.

generally (from what I've seen) it's the name of the program lowercase, if it's 2 words than it's firstword-secondword.

however I've found some apps that have the initials as the command to launch them. others you need to type something that has nothing to do with the name.

I've been installing with yumex, and generally they do add a launcher to the menu.

bryancole · #10 18th October 2006, 01:47 PM

This is a problem with older applications which have not yet adopted the Freedesktop standard (one of which is installation .desktop files from which menu items/launchers are created).

For these older apps, I often find myself openning a terminal window and running:

rpm -ql <package> | grep bin

(replace <package> with the name of the package you've just installed)
This command lists the contents of the package file-by-file and passes them to 'grep' which filters the list picking out entries with 'bin' in their path. Packages invariably place the executable files in one of the bin (binary) folders: /bin /usr/bin /usr/local/bin etc.

This isn't perfect, but it usually suffices

nicc9 · #11 18th October 2006, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryancole

This is a problem with older applications which have not yet adopted the Freedesktop standard (one of which is installation .desktop files from which menu items/launchers are created).

For these older apps, I often find myself openning a terminal window and running:

rpm -ql <package> | grep bin

(replace <package> with the name of the package you've just installed)
This command lists the contents of the package file-by-file and passes them to 'grep' which filters the list picking out entries with 'bin' in their path. Packages invariably place the executable files in one of the bin (binary) folders: /bin /usr/bin /usr/local/bin etc.

This isn't perfect, but it usually suffices

awesome, I'll try that too. thanks!

in

neilloffhagen · #12 18th October 2006, 03:00 PM

If you try the "locate programname" mentioned above and it comes back with nothing it may be the locate database needs updating first. I think it is automatically updated through a cron job, but if you're not running your system 24 hours you might miss the time of the job. So try "updatedb" in a terminal as root and then try the locate again. Alternatively you could try "which programname" as in [loffhnm1@pc-mon18101 ~]$ which ooffice
/usr/bin/ooffice
[loffhnm1@pc-mon18101 ~]$ which realplay
/usr/bin/realplay
[loffhnm1@pc-mon18101 ~]$ which firefox
/usr/bin/firefox
[loffhnm1@pc-mon18101 ~]$

and it displays where the program is located. Of course the problem exists in that you need to know the name of the app first. Whereas with locate you can just put in part of the name, but will get loads of info back.

Neil.