Yes, a .tar.gz file is the source code to the program. To install a program
that comes in that form, first you must untar it, using the command "tar -xvzf
the_file_name.tar.gz". once untared, go to the new directory it created, "cd
the_new_directory".
Once there, read the "README" and/or "INSTALL" file. It'll contain further
instructions on how to install the program. But for a vast majority of the
programs, the sequence will start with "./configure". If you get an error after
running that, then search for whatever program it's missing on this site:
http://rpmfind.net/linux/RPM/ , install the missing program, and try
./configure again. Once done with configuring, and get no errors, type "make".
This will compile the program. Once that is done, "su" to root, and then type
"make install". This will copy the binary that "make" created into a location
in your path. Then to run that program, just type the program's name.
So for the quick and dirty:
tar -xvzf the_filename.tar.gz
cd the_new_directory
./configure
make
su
make install
> i have got a simple question which however could take a little long to
> answer.this general question is :'how do i install a program or application
> whatsoever in linux?'i have noticed that when i download a program or
> application for linux,it comes in the .tar.gz format,is that the source code
> of the program?and then how do i install the program which this file
> contains?usually i am told to untar ,but how do i do that and then how will
> the installation proceed,and after the installation how do i run the
> program?i would really appreciate it if anyone of you could answer in detail
> these questions.thank you in advance.
> ______________________________________________________
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--
Anthony Huereca
http://m3000.1wh.com
Computers are not intelligent. They only think they are.
