Installing .tar.gz and other packages questions

abuglinux · #1 16th March 2007, 12:17 AM

Please bear with me because i know this is a very stupid question and I am a little embarrassed to even ask it but i need help with installing packaged files after I have downloaded them. Say for example I download kaffine 0.8.tar.bz2 and have it sitting on my desktop. How the hell do I install it? Is there some sort of installer program that automates the install or whats the deal. Like I said I know this is newbie stuff but I am having a tough time getting the hang of it.

#2 16th March 2007, 12:22 AM

Why don't you install it from the repositories with yum in a Terminal (Konsole)

su -
give root password
yum install packagename

or open the Add/Remove Software application in the Gnome (or KDE) menu and install from there. You'll probably never need to compile and app from a tarball.

Wayne

AlexThomson_NZ · #3 16th March 2007, 12:52 AM

If you really want to install from a .tar.bz2 file, extract it with:

tar -xvf kaffine 0.8.tar.bz2

This will extact it to a directory, inside that there should be an install script of binary file to run which would install it, or maybe (if you're unlucky) I bunch of source files you have to compile first.

Would definitely recommend using the repositories though if available.

c_07 · #4 16th March 2007, 01:08 AM

After you extract it, if you need to compile it, you usually run:

Code:

su -
Password:
#cd /home/JohnDoe/the_new_package_you_extracted
#make all
#make install

Before you do this you may want to check if there is a configuration script (type ls); if so run it FIRST to make sure your system meets the package requirements:

Code:

# ./configure

Then build it as described.

P.S. For "tar.gz" files, run "tar -zxf package_name.tar.gz" instead.

thelevellers · #5 25th March 2007, 12:54 AM

Help! I don't seem to be able to make files?!

I try the make command, or make all, and just get error file not found or no file specified or no make file found etc... there are files entitled 'makefile' in the folders (i did check) but they have extensions on, that ok? I'm afraid this is all completely new to me, I've never successfully 'made' a file yet...

Thanks for any help

rohan

Seve · #6 25th March 2007, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thelevellers

Help! I don't seem to be able to make files?!

I try the make command, or make all, and just get error file not found or no file specified or no make file found etc... there are files entitled 'makefile' in the folders (i did check) but they have extensions on, that ok? I'm afraid this is all completely new to me, I've never successfully 'made' a file yet...

Thanks for any help

rohan

Hello:
Would you be able to provide a link to a specific package that you are trying to install.
That way folks can have a look at what the requirements are and therefore be able to assist you much better.

Seve

#7 25th March 2007, 12:59 AM

What are you trying to install and why are you trying to compile something that may be available in one of the repositories. There's a reason why Redhat/Fedora uses RPM/yum and that is to make it easy for users to install stuff and have a common database of installed apps to make updating easy too. If you're going to mess around compiling stuff you may as well use Gentoo

Wayne

#8 25th March 2007, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seve

Hello:
Would you be able to provide a link to a specific package that you are trying to install.
That way folks can have a look at what the requirements are and therefore be able to assist you much better.

Seve

I don't get it Seve, I haven't been using Linux that long, since Mandrake 10.x, I believe, but I've never had to compile anything in that time. There have been enough RPMs in the official repos and available from third-party sources to choose from

Hell, I don't and won't even install the tools to do it

Wayne

Seve · #9 25th March 2007, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rondonjin

I don't get it Seve, I haven't been using Linux that long, since Mandrake 10.x, I believe, but I've never had to compile anything in that time. There have been enough RPMs in the official repos and available from third-party sources to choose from

Hell, I don't and won't even install the tools to do it

Wayne

Hello Wayne:
I totally agree with you.
Considering there are thousands and thousands of packages already compiled and in rpm format easily available.
And as you very well know from all the questions that are posted here regarding compilation, it's most often already available from yum ??

Seve

#10 25th March 2007, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seve

Hello Wayne:
I totally agree with you.
Considering there are thousands and thousands of packages already compiled and in rpm format easily available.
And as you very well know from all the questions that are posted here regarding compilation, it's most often already available from yum ??
Seve

Well, I guess some people want the latest and greatest, but I cheat in that regard. I wanted the latest f-spot and gthumb and was easily able to yum them from development on my FC6 system

Edit: Yet another new kernel. Maybe I should reboot to check it over....

Wayne

c_07 · #11 25th March 2007, 01:32 PM

thelevellers,
Did you try running ./configure in the directory that the "pre" makefiles are in (the ones with the extensions; i.e., Makefile.am, Makefile.in, etc.). That script should create the final Makefile that you need. Then try to build.

thelevellers · #12 25th March 2007, 02:57 PM

I did the ./configure then make, but nothing... I did infatc bring this up before, but thought it was the d/ls i had then, but I got this of a LinuxFormat CD (I was bored in WH smith and the geekery of actually buying a Linux based magazine was too much... lol) so I can be certain its summat me or my computer is doign wrong!

The important things i want compiling are these to get my Canon multi function printer/scanner working:
Gutenprint
And this SANE backend that reckons to make the scanner function

Thanks for helping guys

Rohan

#13 25th March 2007, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thelevellers

The important things i want compiling are these to get my Canon multi function printer/scanner working:
Gutenprint
And this SANE backend that reckons to make the scanner function

Thanks for helping guys

Rohan

Canon have drivers for many of their models on their Japanese homepage. I haven't got the link handy but I've seen it around here a few times.

Wayne

Seve · #14 26th March 2007, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thelevellers

I did the ./configure then make, but nothing... I did infatc bring this up before, but thought it was the d/ls i had then, but I got this of a LinuxFormat CD (I was bored in WH smith and the geekery of actually buying a Linux based magazine was too much... lol) so I can be certain its summat me or my computer is doign wrong!

The important things i want compiling are these to get my Canon multi function printer/scanner working:
Gutenprint
And this SANE backend that reckons to make the scanner function

Thanks for helping guys

Rohan

Hello:
Actually that gutenprint package is already avialable from fedora-extras

PHP Code:


			
yum list | grep gutenprint

gutenprint.i386                          5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-cups.i386                     5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-devel.i386                    5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-extras.i386                   5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-foomatic.i386                 5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-cs.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-da.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-de.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-el.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-en_GB.i386               5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-es.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-fr.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-hu.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-ja.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-nb.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-nl.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-pl.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-pt.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-sk.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-sv.i386                  5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras          

gutenprint-ppds-zh_TW.i386               5.0.0-0.16.fc6         extras

Also I believe the sane package is also available as well.

PHP Code:


			
yum list | grep -F sane

libsane-hpaio.i386                       1.6.12-1.fc6           installed       

sane-backends.i386                       1.0.18-5.fc6           installed       

sane-backends-libs.i386                  1.0.18-5.fc6           installed       

sane-frontends.i386                      1.0.14-1.2.2           installed       

xsane.i386                               0.991-4.fc6            installed       

xsane-gimp.i386                          0.991-4.fc6            installed       

sane-backends-devel.i386                 1.0.18-5.fc6           core

Seve

thelevellers · #15 26th March 2007, 08:28 PM

Cool, I had assumed that as I was directed to the websites they werent available through yum... Having said which - I got the SANE backend through Yum, but I couldnt get it to find Gutenprint..? Any help?! I appear to be updated, and checked that I was using the 'extras' repo (as thats what seve's readout seemsto say it was from).

Cheers for the help

Rohan