I know this is a very new guy to linux type question, but I just don’t know.
I sort of understand how to compile and install programs through the terminal. ./configure. . …/make. . . ./make install.
But I don’t know where should I uncompress them and put them when doing this, what folder. Since I don’t really see a Program Files Folder. Do I do this in any folder, or use a specific folder?
Thanks.
P.S. Been really enjoying OpenSuse, tried a few others, Mandriva, Ubuntu, and Suse is my favourite. (AMAZING text rendering.
Install the repositories with yast - software repositories
make sure that you add the packman repository and then added your software using yast and software management.
Here is some more information that was posted by a Global Moderator called Oldcpu for all new users of openSUSe
I hope this helps
If you have sound working, but can not play many audio/video formats, it is possible these are proprietary formats that are not supported “after a fresh install” by openSUSE. More information on the openSUSE approach for packaged audio/video support can be found here:
Restricted Formats - openSUSE
OpenSUSE users can have 1st rate multimedia with the appropriate 3rd party applications and codecs installed. Information on installing 3rd party applications/codecs can be found here:
Multimedia - openSUSE-Community
More information for installing 3rd party “restricted formats” on different openSUSE versions can be found here:
Restricted Formats - openSUSE-Community
Note it often makes the above significantly easier if you have setup your repositories per this wiki here:
Repositories - openSUSE-Community
If you have a problem getting your sound card to work, please go here:
SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE
If that that does not help you get your basic sound working, please post in this “multimedia” sub-forum, providing in your post the following information:
provide the URLs (of a summary webpage) that are created by running the two diagnostic scripts noted here:
SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE
in a terminal, or xterm, or konsole, type: uname -a #and post output here
in a terminal, or xterm, or konsole, type: rpm -qa | grep alsa #and post output here
in a terminal, or xterm, or konsole, type: cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound #and post output here
Most of the time, although I really haven’t done much compiling, I just open up the file and compile it in a folder in my "/home: partition, this way I can refer back to the folder of the compiled program easily. I have only done this a few times, but it hasn’t seem to cause any problems so far. I’m not sure if this is a proper way to compile, so I think advice from a person with more experience in compiling would be a good idea.
Similar to Unseen-Ghost’s note, on my PC’s I always create a directory /home/oldcpu/tars and I put my tarballs in there. If I create a custom rpm, then I will typically keep it in /home/oldcpu/rpms. As long as you keep your tarballs in an area where your regular user account has read/write/execute permissions, then I do not think it a big issue. It is useful to have some sort of logic/consistency.
Speaking of rpms, if you are familiar with ./configure. . … make. . . . make install, you may wish to check out “checkinstall”. It can be used in place of “make install” (or if that doesn’t work, after “make install”). What it does is create a very cheap and dirty (but functional) custom rpm that you can use on your pc, of the application you just compiled. The advantage of this is when you install that rpm, the application you just built from your tarball is tracked by your rpm database, which can be VERY useful when it comes to sorting dependencies with other rpm applications.
Note the rpm created by “checkinstall” is a very “poor mans” rpm, and can not compete with an rpm properly created by the build service, or created by someone from a spec file who knows what they are doing.
to add to what the others said: With the Suse Build Service you often don’t have to compile things. If you are looking for software, first stop is http://packages.opensuse-community.org/
