Can anyone tell me how on earth I go about installing an application on RedHat Linux. I am lterally 2 hours old in Linux time and can't work out how this works. One of my man questions is how/where do I find a command prompt or is there is a GUI interface to help like in Windows ????
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Installation of Packages
- Thread starter BiggerD
- Start date
sleipnir214
Programmer
Unlike Win32, a GUI is optional in Linux. This is because the actual OS and network stack are separate from the GUI.
To start a GUI, issue the command startx. This will start the Xwindow system with whatever default window manager was installed with the system.
However, I have found nothing in Linux that cannot be configured via the command prompt. Nearly all applications on Linux use text files on the file system (usually stored in /etc and its subdirectories) for configuration.
The standard package manager that RedHad uses is rpm (for RedHat Package Manager). If your application has been distributed in a file with a ".rpm" extension, you can use the command-line tool rpm to install it. Issuing man rpm at the command prompt will give you an information page that will tell you all about rpm's command-line options, but here are the basics:
rpm -i <package filename> installs an rpm-distributed application. I recommend rpm -iv as it installs the package with rpm in verbose mode, which gives you more error messages.
rpm -U <package filename> will update an already-installed rpm-distributed application. If the application has never been installed before, "-i" and "-U" function identically.
rpm -e <package name> will erase (uninstall) an already-installed application
rpm -q <package name> will tell you whether a particular package is installed, and if so, what version. Issuing rpm -qa will give you a list of all packages.
Beyond that, it's difficult to advise you -- your application may or may not be an rpm. If it is not, there are other steps to perform, based on the exact nature of the application's distribution method.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
To start a GUI, issue the command startx. This will start the Xwindow system with whatever default window manager was installed with the system.
However, I have found nothing in Linux that cannot be configured via the command prompt. Nearly all applications on Linux use text files on the file system (usually stored in /etc and its subdirectories) for configuration.
The standard package manager that RedHad uses is rpm (for RedHat Package Manager). If your application has been distributed in a file with a ".rpm" extension, you can use the command-line tool rpm to install it. Issuing man rpm at the command prompt will give you an information page that will tell you all about rpm's command-line options, but here are the basics:
rpm -i <package filename> installs an rpm-distributed application. I recommend rpm -iv as it installs the package with rpm in verbose mode, which gives you more error messages.
rpm -U <package filename> will update an already-installed rpm-distributed application. If the application has never been installed before, "-i" and "-U" function identically.
rpm -e <package name> will erase (uninstall) an already-installed application
rpm -q <package name> will tell you whether a particular package is installed, and if so, what version. Issuing rpm -qa will give you a list of all packages.
Beyond that, it's difficult to advise you -- your application may or may not be an rpm. If it is not, there are other steps to perform, based on the exact nature of the application's distribution method.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
- Thread starter
- #3
Many thanks for responding but my major proem is where do I find the command prompt? The MySQL app is in am rpm format and what you have said is broadly what I have read, if you could tell me how/whereto find the command prompt I might be able to fathom out the rest.
Once again Many thanks,
Daren
Once again Many thanks,
Daren
sleipnir214
Programmer
I'm confused.
Are you currently running a GUI? If so, then you should look for an xterm in your menu system.
If you're not currently running a GUI, then what you're staring at is the command prompt.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
Are you currently running a GUI? If so, then you should look for an xterm in your menu system.
If you're not currently running a GUI, then what you're staring at is the command prompt.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
- Thread starter
- #5
sleipnir214
Programmer
RedHat is a distribution of Linux. A Linux distribution generally contains an operating system and applications to run on that operating system.
Linux is an operating system, which may or may not be installed with a GUI.
The GUI most commonly used on Linux is Xwindow.
Xwindow can use many different window manager systems, two popular ones being Gnome and KDE.
If you have a GUI menu system, look around in the menus for something called "Xterm" or "term" or "terminal".
With so many possible ways it could have been installed, it's very difficult to advise you.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
Linux is an operating system, which may or may not be installed with a GUI.
The GUI most commonly used on Linux is Xwindow.
Xwindow can use many different window manager systems, two popular ones being Gnome and KDE.
If you have a GUI menu system, look around in the menus for something called "Xterm" or "term" or "terminal".
With so many possible ways it could have been installed, it's very difficult to advise you.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
When you boot your machine what do you see after the POST?
Which one of me are you talking to?
My very own LUG!
Which one of me are you talking to?
My very own LUG!
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