On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 22:48:57 +1200
Volker Kuhlmann wrote:

> > imogen ~ # emerge devilspie --pretend
> 
> Which resolves the *package* dependencies of an already *existing*
> package of which you know the name? That's trivial in SuSE too:
> yast -i <packagename>
> you'll be prompted to insert media.
> 
> The problem at hand here is that in order to compile
> <piece-of-software>, a bunch of programs are needed - which packages
> provide these programs? Please don't tell me that given an arbitrary tar
> file of <piece-of-software>, your god^H^H^Hemerge will sort this out for
> you.
> 
> Compare apples with apples Chris ;)

There are two "dependency" issues here:

1. getting the appropriate toolchain needed to compile the (or any
normally packaged c or c++) program (gcc, make, binutils etc etc); and

2. the dependencies required by the particular package you want to
compile.

I guess suse doesn't even have an easy method of getting (1) or Volker
would have told us in reply to my question about it earlier in
the thread. So Roger needs help with that. I don't specifically know
what is needed, as the tools are naturally present in gentoo, which is
my favoured choice. As I have said the tools are easily available in
ubuntu through apt-get install build-essential. 

As far as (2) goes, it is incumbent on the installer to to find the
dependencies by READING the INSTALL or README files that are generally
included in the tarball. If this doesn't tell you the dependencies then
running ./configure should tell you what is needed - and generally ONLY
an error that actually stops ./configure will matter. Earlier messages
about not finding stuff usually is not fatal.

There is a final point. This tarball (devilspie) has a .spec file for
building rpm's. I thoroughly recommend that you use rpm's build features
instead of the ./configure/make/make install. It will make removing,
upgrading and generally managing your package much much much easier.

The instructions are in the Maximum RPM online book which is just a
google away. Seriously, this is by far the best method of getting a
package like this into an rpm system. From previous threads it appears
Volker has experience of building rpms for Suse, perhaps he might like
to comment further.

> 
> 
> >>See, the joy of compiling just a single piece of software...
> 
> ... as opposed to the whole lot of KDE. Plenty to be learned in a single
> piece already. No FUD in there, Steve ;)
> 
> Volker
> 
> -- 
> Volker Kuhlmann                       is possibly list0570 with the domain in 
> header
> http://volker.dnsalias.net/           Please do not CC list postings to me.

-- 
Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

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