Installing new software in SuSE

**frodema** · 01-12-2003

I'a totaly newbie to Linux, and want to install additional software, but have no clue on how to do this. Do I use the Shell-Console?...and what would the commands be to install. I have tried different commands found in the helpfiles, but nothing I do seems to work. Is there a step-by-step guide for a freshman like me any place?

thx in advance
frodema

**Dolda2000** · 01-12-2003

What kind of software is it that you want to install? Don't you have to download it first?

**majorwoo** · 01-12-2003

if you are compiling from source (file name ends in .tar or .tar.gz you need to)

tar xvf filename.tar OR tar xzvf filename.tar.gz
cd foldername
configure
make
make install

if you download an rpm (alot easier to use/upgrade) then
rpm -ivh filename.rpm (assuming its new) or
rpm -Uvh filename.rpm (to upgrade something)

**frodema** · 01-12-2003

thanks majorwoo! I have downloaded ccmsn, and extracted it to the home directory. How do I start the install...throught the shell?

**Dolda2000** · 01-12-2003

Since you say that you extracted it, I assume that it's the source that you have. First you must enter the directory that it extracted to (ie. "cd <dirname>", where <dirname> is the name of the directory). Then, type "./configure", which will configure the program for your system, and hopefully detect if you're missing something that's required to build it. Then, type "make", which will compile the program.
After that you can install the program, but for that you must be root. Run "su", enter your root password, and then run "make install". After that, your program is installed, and if it doesn't require any additional configuring (see the README file) it's ready to be used.

**majorwoo** · 01-12-2003

(remember that "su -" will take you to /root so you will have to cd back to wherever your source was)

**Dolda2000** · 01-12-2003

Exactly, so for these kind of operations it's better to just use "su" instead of "su -". See su(1) for more info.

**majorwoo** · 01-12-2003

correct, my problem with that is then i have to type

/etc/init.d/servicename start

instead of

service servicename start

heh, im lazy

**Dolda2000** · 01-12-2003

Of course, who isn't lazy? =) I'm just saying that one should choose whether to do just "su" or "su -" according to the circumstance (or "su -l" and "su -lc" respectively... don't underestimate their power).

**majorwoo** · 01-12-2003

oh man, i like - lc - i have never noticed it before

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