Compiling programs and KDE

[Rob Rosenthal]

>James Wilkinson wrote:

>> David Cary Hart wrote:
>  
>
>>> > Almost every package is compiled with --prefix=/usr (including KDE) when
>>> > installing to RH or Fedora.
>>    
>>
>> 
>> When the file is installed using RPM.
>> 
>  
>

>Uh, that is not an rpm thing.  Download a gnome rpm from Suse and see
>how they hack together a combo of /opt/gnome and /etc/opt/gnome for
>prefix and sysconfdir paths.


>> 
>> That's arguable.
>> 
>> I'd recommend that if you *aren't* using RPM, put files in /usr/local.
>> Keep one area for RPM to manage, and one area that it won't touch. Then
>> you don't have to worry about yum update pulling in a new package that
>> overwrites a file that you compiled yourself.
>> 
>> James.
>> 
>  
>

>That fits my usual rant about locally compiled programs should be the
>only ones installed in /usr/local no matter what the wonderful folks
>at sunfreeware.com think or what the makers of linux games think
>either /usr/local/games?  I hate that it breaks the whole damn model
>for the filesystem and certain tools based on the whole loki stuff
>don't want it any other way either.
>
>/ = stuff needed to boot.
>
>/usr = userland programs accessible to everyone.
>
>/usr/local = locally compiled stuff.
>
>/opt = optional commercial software.
>
>Just the way it should be.  However, locally compiled programs in
>/usr/local have issues with gconf schemas and such and a lot of care
>has to be taken for gnome programs and various options.  Damn thing
>should read for various standard locations for gconf key info
>including prefix/etc/gconf (homedir)/.gconf and also
>/usr/local/etc/gconf.  In fact I might file a bug on that.

On 2/9/05 at 11:56 am, Rob Rosenthal wrote:

1.	Okay, so I take it if the README or INSTALL file in a tarball does NOT specify a particular --prefix, I need not specify one when compiling UNLESS I want to decide where I want the program to install itself.  Is that right?

2.	Since I compile some programs myself but mostly use yum to install rpms and keep updated, what is the neatest way to keep things organized with a minimum of problems and conflicts?

(Thanks to James and David for responding)

Rob