While most Linux distributions come with a vast array of programs right out of the box, sometimes there is a program that you wish to add.. With distributions like say, Mint Cinnamon, this is easily corrected by just going to the Synaptic Package Manager, selecting what you want, and installing it. No problem, right?
In Slackware it is a wee bit more involved
. First off, the program you want may not be packaged correctly for Slackware (i.e. with the .tgz extension). If it is, there is no problem. But you could look for it on the Slackware builders page, slackbuilds.org. They have many pre-built packages, divided into categories such as system, libraries, audio, multimedia, etc.
If you find the package that you want listed there, click on it to open it's information page. Among other things you will find a line which states: this program requires .... These requirements are its Dependencies. If they are not already installed on your computer, installation of your desired program will fail. The Synaptic Package Manager would automatically check for dependencies, and take care of it for you, but Slackware expects you to administer your system personally.
For example, let's say that you want to run the program FLDIGI. It is not in the base installation for Slackware, but if you check slackbuilds.org, you will find version 4.1.20 listed in the HAM section. Clicking on it, shows the information page. This shows that it has 2 dependencies, portaudio, found in the Development section, and fltk, found in the Libraries section. Now you have the information required to complete the installation of fldigi.
This is done using the sbopkg command in a terminal. The only problem is that sbopkg is not a command that the bash shell recognizes, so what to do?
First, download sbopkg from https://www.sbopkg.org/downloads.php
The package is named: sbopkg-0.38.2-noarch-1_wsr.tgz
Next, open a terminal window, as root, and install it by typing:
installpkg sbopkg-version-noarch-1_wsr.tgz
In this case replace version with 0.38.2 because that is the latest version.
When it completes type:
sbopkg
It will give the feedback:
The following directories do not exist /tmp/SBo (C) reate or (A) bort.
If you Type c it will create the needed directory. You can change the defaults for sbopkg in /etc/sbopkg/sbopkg.conf, but I use the default parameters.
Now you will see a directory with a blue background. First run sync. Then Browse the listings. This will change to a menu of the main categories. Go to the Development category, and scroll down to highlight portaudio. Select que, to add it to the que. Then go to the Libraries category, scroll down to highlight fltk, and add it to the que. This takes care of the dependencies, now for fldigi. Return to the category listing, and select Ham. Scroll down to highlight fldigi, and add it to the que. Then go to the main menu, and select process que, then install programs.
Then you can sit back and watch the scrolling on your screen as your shiny new program, and its dependencies are installed. See, it wasn't all that hard, was it? Never mind how long it took me the first time!!
Happy Trails,
Paul
P.S. I updated this 2/19/18 to reflect the newer version of FLDIGI, and found that the link for sbopkg did not work as I had entered it. Sorry if anyone had problems. I have corrected it, and checked to make certain that it works.
Happy Trails,
Paul
In Slackware it is a wee bit more involved
. First off, the program you want may not be packaged correctly for Slackware (i.e. with the .tgz extension). If it is, there is no problem. But you could look for it on the Slackware builders page, slackbuilds.org. They have many pre-built packages, divided into categories such as system, libraries, audio, multimedia, etc.If you find the package that you want listed there, click on it to open it's information page. Among other things you will find a line which states: this program requires .... These requirements are its Dependencies. If they are not already installed on your computer, installation of your desired program will fail. The Synaptic Package Manager would automatically check for dependencies, and take care of it for you, but Slackware expects you to administer your system personally.
For example, let's say that you want to run the program FLDIGI. It is not in the base installation for Slackware, but if you check slackbuilds.org, you will find version 4.1.20 listed in the HAM section. Clicking on it, shows the information page. This shows that it has 2 dependencies, portaudio, found in the Development section, and fltk, found in the Libraries section. Now you have the information required to complete the installation of fldigi.
This is done using the sbopkg command in a terminal. The only problem is that sbopkg is not a command that the bash shell recognizes, so what to do?
First, download sbopkg from https://www.sbopkg.org/downloads.php
The package is named: sbopkg-0.38.2-noarch-1_wsr.tgz
Next, open a terminal window, as root, and install it by typing:
installpkg sbopkg-version-noarch-1_wsr.tgz
In this case replace version with 0.38.2 because that is the latest version.
When it completes type:
sbopkg
It will give the feedback:
The following directories do not exist /tmp/SBo (C) reate or (A) bort.
If you Type c it will create the needed directory. You can change the defaults for sbopkg in /etc/sbopkg/sbopkg.conf, but I use the default parameters.
Now you will see a directory with a blue background. First run sync. Then Browse the listings. This will change to a menu of the main categories. Go to the Development category, and scroll down to highlight portaudio. Select que, to add it to the que. Then go to the Libraries category, scroll down to highlight fltk, and add it to the que. This takes care of the dependencies, now for fldigi. Return to the category listing, and select Ham. Scroll down to highlight fldigi, and add it to the que. Then go to the main menu, and select process que, then install programs.
Then you can sit back and watch the scrolling on your screen as your shiny new program, and its dependencies are installed. See, it wasn't all that hard, was it?
Never mind how long it took me the first time!!Happy Trails,
Paul
P.S. I updated this 2/19/18 to reflect the newer version of FLDIGI, and found that the link for sbopkg did not work as I had entered it. Sorry if anyone had problems
. I have corrected it, and checked to make certain that it works.Happy Trails,
Paul
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