Hey.
Im still very new in OpenSuse.
I want to install this program: http://skylendar.kde.org/frame.html
I tried to download and unpack, but that dosnt seem to get me anywhere.
Until now i have only tried installing through YaST.
I dont understand the manual on the website.
Can anybody help me?
Kind Regards.
Rune
Have you tried?
You will need as well as the listed programs packages installed (see end of instructions), the gcc complier.
The instructions are written odd but seem to be reasonable. You type what is between << and >>
This program looks a little old and it is not certain it will run with the newer QT libraries
Thanks for the reply.
Yes, i have tried.
This is the answer i i get:
linux-1cen:~ # /usr/local/src.
-bash: /usr/local/src.: No such file or directory
linux-1cen:~ # tar xjf skylendar-1.7.1.tar.bz2
tar: skylendar-1.7.1.tar.bz2: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
tar: Child returned status 2
tar: Exiting with failure status due to previous errors
Should i download the file to a specific location?
What is gcc, and how do i get it? or know if i have it?
The same question with the rest of the stuff it needs? How do i know i have that? Or install it?
Kind Regards.
Rune
gcc is the standard Linux C compiler available as part of the development packages. Open YaST and search for gcc.
I am afraid that the description on the web site is not very usefull for someone who never studied using the command line and thus knows next to nothing about directories, pathes, working directory, etc.
E.g. when it says:
Go to your favorite src directory, e.g. /usr/local/src.
It first and for all means that the . (dot) at the end is part of the sentence and not of the file name!
Secondly it means that /usr/local/src is only a placeholder for what you use as the direcory where you normaly put source files of products.
Thirly is supposes that, as this is a directory you use normaly, it exists and that when this is the first time you want to use it, you create it.
As fourth it supposes that when saying “Go to”, you understand that you use the cd command for that like:
cd /usr/local/src
When this is all black magic to you there is a problem. BTW many other installation documents do expect less knowledge, but a basic knowledge on command line, the shell, and the environment you work in (directory structure, absolute and relative pathhes in file names) would be very helpfull understanding any of them.
Is there any Opensuse for dummies manual somewhere on the net?
So… now i came this far:
linux-1cen:~ # cd /home/rune
linux-1cen:/home/rune # tar xjf skylendar-1.7.1.tar.bz2
linux-1cen:/home/rune # cd skylendar-1.7.1
linux-1cen:/home/rune/skylendar-1.7.1 # /configure --prefix=/usr
The last command didnt seem to work? Im really trying my best to make sense of the instruction…?
#
4 Execute « ./configure --prefix=<kpath> » .
where <kpath> is your kde stuff path (typically /usr or /opt/kde)
#
5 Check if your postgreSQL server is running
#
6 Then execute: « make », « make install » and « installskydb ». If something missing, installskydb will inform you. The results of the installation process can be found in the file /var/log/installskydb.log.
#
7 Install the font named skylendar.pfb, found in the directory src/, with for example, the command : « kcmshell kcmfontinst »
What does it mean to execute?
And what does 5 mean?
Thanks for helping me so far! Im learning…
You are going in the correct path to enlightment. But the last is
./configure
not
/configure
Mind the . (dot). In this case it belongs to the statement. It is a relative path and it means: this directory.
And / alone is an absolute path and it means: the root directory.
Thanks Master!
This problem occurs:
linux-1cen:/home/rune/skylendar-1.7.1 # ./configure
checking build system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking host system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking target system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking for -p flag to install... yes
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for gawk... gawk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... no
checking for kde-config... not found
configure: error: The important program kde-config was not found!
Please check whether you installed KDE correctly
Seems like i need to install kde-config (which makes no sense to me?) I tried to search in yast, with no results.
I am afraid that, after mastering the “standard things”, you now run into a real problem. I also do not have (and can not find) any kde-config. It could be that that is a KDE 3 tool (they say: “Please check whether you installed KDE correctly”, which KDE?).
Attention: I found /opt/kde3/bin/kde-config on my openSUSE 10.3/KDE 3 partition. That means this is definitely KDE 3 oriented software!
(I still have that 10.3 partition as a fall-back, seems to be a good idea).
When finding these tarballs, you never know how much effort was placed in making them independant of the environment they have to be generated and run in. Often people think they have made something wonderfull if it works in the system they have at that moment in time. But much more is needed to have something that runs on RedHat, Ubuntu, openSUSE, etc, their different levels and their different Desktops.
That is exactly why we tel people first to find a YaST installable package from a YaST reposotory. When that fails to try to find an RPM (if possible one where the maker declares it fit for openSUSE). And only a tarball (or worse) as last resort.
When possible go back to the web-site where you found this and contact the people there. At least you can show them that you did correct until this point 
.
I noted this right below all the features:
Skylendar needs the following packages:
KDE 3.x
QT 3.x
PostgreSQL 8.x client and server, the plpgsql language plug-in, and probably the QT-PostgreSQL driver
perl-XML-DOM for the skif utility.
For the compilation and installation processes, the KDE, QT and PostgreSQL development packages must also be installed.
The swiss ephemeris library requires compacted ephemeris files. The skylendar archive already provides a set of those ones for the contemporaneous epoch, but additional files ( .se1 files), can be found at: se1 files
Looks like the author is using older software.
Take Care,
Ian
Is there any change for me, to make install it anyway?
I don’t think so…
As stated here, skylendar is quite an old application and a lot has changed since KDE3 / Qt3. KDE4 has been pretty much a rewrite from scratch, plus SuSEs KDE3 used to be extra-incompatible with packages not specifically build for SuSE.
Building packages needs some experience in package management and dependencies, too. For example, I would never install a package as described here (via ‘make install’) as it will possibly mess up a system, since applications installed this way are not even recognized by the package manager.
There are only two ways imho:
And as gropiuskalle explains, the use of such products is tricky. Even if it installs and functions today, it can be broken on your next openSUSE (or whatever) level. These products look nice at first sight (just what I need!). But often the resources, needed to support a product and adapt it to a changing world for more several years after it is finished, are underestimated.
It is the same as for non opensource products. One always has to estimate if the manufacturer of the product is able to support it for the lifetime of the product you need.
5 Check if your postgreSQL server is running
means to look for an active process. You can see them in the System Monitor program (start from the apps menu, System/Monitor/System Monitor) or in Yast (if you have the root password) under System/System Services (run level) where you can also control when an application runs.
“To execute” means to run the program (or script). This is done from a command line prompt in a terminal window by entering the name of the program and hitting ENTER. Depending on the current working directory, the location of the file, the path environment, (and possibly the possibly the phase of the moon 
you may need to enter the full path, a relative path [such as ./program], or an explicit choice of “shell” program to execute the file such as sh ./program after the prompt which looks like user@host:~> in openSuse where user is the name of the logged in user, host is the name of the machine.
I’m replying with answers to what were once my own questions.
I feel grateful for all the answers
I tried contacting the creator, but the email seems to be too old as well.
Maybe ill find another astrology program for linux… hope so…
Anyway, ill be back with loads of questions soon
Sometimes you have the luck to finf a ral gem of a program in the area you are interrsted in. Sometimes you have just bad luck.
You are welcome to come with questions. In the meantime try a Google search with something like: “Linux shell script tutorial”. There are good introductions to Linux in general, the dirctory structure and simple scripting on the net. Also some searching on these forums might help.
Hi
Give me a few days and will see how it goes building an rpm in one of
my test KDE4 virtual machines, then if it’s ok I will build on the
openSUSE Build Service. I’m in the process of upgrading some of my
machines here to SLED11-SP1 so am busy backing up and moving data
around 
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (x86_64) Kernel 2.6.27.45-0.1-default
up 2 days 19:18, 3 users, load average: 0.10, 0.27, 0.42
GPU GeForce 8600 GTS Silent - CUDA Driver Version: 195.36.15
Generous offer indeed!
Originally Posted by malcolmlewis View Post
Hi
Give me a few days and will see how it goes building an rpm in one of
my test KDE4 virtual machines, then if it’s ok I will build on the
openSUSE Build Service. I’m in the process of upgrading some of my
machines here to SLED11-SP1 so am busy backing up and moving data
around
I’m honored!
I must admit that i still dont understand so much of the technical terms. But ill try to find some manuals and study 
Looking forward to hear from you!
Hi
Just an update, I have it building ok now (using gcc4.1 rather than 4.3
which is the default). I pops out lots of warnings, but does build and
install. The issue at the moment is with the postgres install script
which is not openSUSE friendly so would need to write a new one (not a
biggy).
So I get the login screen, at this point it crashes with the following
error;
QSqlRecord::position: unable to find field CountryIdx
QSqlQuery::value: not positioned on a valid record
QSqlRecord::position: unable to find field TZFile
QSqlQuery::value: not positioned on a valid record
KCrash: Application 'skylendar' crashing...
Could not find 'drkonqi' executable.
KCrash cannot reach kdeinit, launching directly.
I’m not db admin… but I’m guessing the db structure between versions
is different?
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (x86_64) Kernel 2.6.32.12-0.7-default
up 16:29, 3 users, load average: 1.83, 1.03, 0.68
GPU GeForce 8600 GTS Silent - CUDA Driver Version: 195.36.15