-Original Message-
From: Fred Hamilton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2000 1:56 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [newbie] Installing themes
I am still looking for answers in installing programs. When I install an
RMPS package the application does not appear on my KDE menu. Do I have to
manually install it and if so, how?
---
Normally the answer is yes, you do have to install it manually. But there
are exceptions.
The new GNOME has a feature that can be exploited by the RPM package to
automatically add the appropriate entries in the menu without user
intervention.
Kapp-finder, the applet. Also searches for already installed programs that
it knows about, and adds them to your menu.
Some packages are also KDE aware, and you may find that after re-starting
KDE the entries will appear automatically.
You also might want to enable the Debian and Afterstep menus in KDE Gnome
so that apps which add entries to those menus get automatically
incorporated.
---
How do you add your own?
Two ways... you can create an "Icon" using KDE and then drop it into the
menu.
You can also use the menu editor for either Gnome or KDE to add the
application.
Both the Gnome and KDE docs have instructions on both.
---
Where does the program get installed?
---
That depends upon the program itself, and how it was compiled originally.
Since most programs are dependant upon finding ancillary resources somewhere
else in the tree where they expect them to be, it is never a good idea to
put the programs elsewhere.
---
I saw nothing that led me to believe I could control where it gets
installed.
---
Using RPM no, it takes care of this for you. There ARE switches to override
the defaults, but this is not a good idea.
If you REALLY feel the need to change the install paths, you should use the
SOURCE RPM's and rebuild them. There are switches that enable alternate
paths for Libs, executables, etc. which you can specify during compilation.
The resulting re-compiled package installs into the new structure you
specify.
Also I am still receiving the error "Can only start executables on local
disks." I am confused by this message as well.
---
Sounds like you are trying to install or execute programs on NFS or other
mounted volumes (such as CD-ROM) but the mount point might not have execute
permission on it.
Normally this is a result of setting your security high.
---
When installing an application in TAR or GZ format, what file do I typically
look for to
install it?
---
With a TAR or GZ file, you are pretty much on your own.
TAR and GZ files for the most part ASSUME that you know what you are doing,
with exceptions. Most need re-compilation in order to run.
It's like getting a program like WinZip in source format. Now you have to
figure out what to do with it!
Since Mandrake never "finds out" about these applications you can create
many problems for yourself this way.
As a Newbie, your best bet is to use the RPM's. Worst case get the SOURCE
RPM's
which end in .SRC.RPM and you can tell RPM to "rebuild" or recompile them.
Often the latter cause RPM to create a new executable that depends upon what
you have on your system. If you've ever encountered a program that doesn't
seem to run because of a Library conflict, even though it installed,
rebuilding will often cure the problem.
---
(ie, install.exe or setup.exe in Windows, What's the equivalent
in Linux?)
Setup and install in windows are part of installation PACKAGES.
Though most programs have you execute a SETUP.EXE file, all that file does
is utilize Winblow's (let me say that again for you ANTI-MICROSOFT bashing
naysayers... WINBLOWS, WINBLOWS, WINBLOWS) native package installer.
Likewise Mandrake uses Redhat's excellent package installer called RPM.
Thus, grab the package you want... Learn to love http://rpmfind.net and
install it with
rpm -Uvh packagename.ver.i586.RPM
If you get an error, well you've probably grabbed a package that depends
upon other packages being present, which are not installed on your system.
The GNOME and KDE package Managers (DrakRPM is a variant of Gnome's) will
list the dependancies for you...
That said, there is a MUCH better way to do all of this...
Use GNOMERPM and point it to RPMFIND.NET in the configuration section. (THIS
MIGHT ALREADY BE THE DEFAULT...)
Now pay attention class...
GnomeRPM's WEB find feature MIGHT appear not to work... It DOES, you must be
connected to the internet before you start the program. Hit the WEB FIND
button and --WAIT---
After a while you'll be presented with a list of packages you can download
and install.
But it get's better. If you select a package GNOMERPM will DOWNLOAD all the
dependancies as well. You can have it grab and install everything in one
click.
It will also give you a nice description of what the package does, and other
data...
And lastly, I have several KDE themes I want to in
