Installing Stuff

[Haunter]

Ok, I know this is probably really simple but I am having trouble grasping the concept. An *.rpm is a file that self installs,right. How do I decide where to install it? Or does it decide and if I change that will it cause problems? How do I know where it gets installed to? Basically how do I control and know where stuff is installed. I am the same basic questions for *.taz.gz files as well. I am familiar with Windows because it promts you for this info when you install however Linux does not.

OA=RH 7.2
thanks in advance...

 

[rmadiedo]

All right, the *.rpm files are binaries (much like any install or setup program in windows, but they're not executables like the *.exe) and you can find them in GnoRPM (in Gnome) or Kpackage (in KDE) and they are installed with default options.
If you want some other feature, the best option is the compile (*.tar.gz) wich are source files:
1.- Untar the files
tar -xvfz yourfile.tar.gz
This will make a folder with the name oy four program and you'll need to change to that folder (eg: cd apache-1.0.3)
2.- READ the readme and install files
3.- configure your files acording with the options you need:
./configure --options_you_want
4.- make the files
./make
5.- install your program
./make install
it's very important that you read the install and readme files in order to install with the correct options. When you untar your files, it also make a directory (in much of the programs) of documentation
Hope it help (forgive my english please)

 

[Haunter]

so where ever I untar the files to this is where it is installed? This is how I choose where programs are intalled?

 

[RhythmAce]

no - most tarballs have to be compiled using the steps outlined above. The dir you put the tarball in will be used to create all the subdirs for building the executable. The executable itself gets installed in your dir path, i.e. sbin or /usr/sbin. The dir you you used to build the program can be deleted. If you start gnoRPM, you can query the packages and it will show you where the executable is for each package along with it's dependencies. In both cases, if the program requires other executables or dirs, it will create them. To make changes to where these get placed, you will have to read the docs that came with it and set what switches and options you use at compile time to set where you want these to go. Just moving them to a new dir after the fact can cause problems if something isn't where it is expected to be. Sorry if I added to the confusion.