file extensions

[nckstl]

Hello,

I am somewhat new to linux (I'm operating with Mandrake 8.2). I've been working with windows since 3.1 came out and I'm a bit confused on how to get some of the files I have working.

As part of a course I am taking (I'm a Computer Science/Computer Engineering freshman at University of Missouri - Columbia [Mizzou]) I bought a book titled "Maxium Linux Security" ... "A Hackers Guide to Protecting Your Linux Server and Workstation."

Well, the book is well written on linux security, which I can understand to some extent but the tools that came with it on a CD are what's confusing me. They are archived as well as compressed ( .tar.gz ). When I extract them to their own directory there is .c files and .h files in the source directory (src) and then there is the normal README and other html files in the top directory.

What I can't figure out how to do is use these files (not the application itself), I am too used to just finding the .exe and double clicking as in Windows... How can I get this to work? Please help me out, by any means.


--nicholas

nckstl@hotmail.com
AIM sn: MUTigerNJSEEF :confused:

[scanez]

The instructions should be in the README file, hence the name README ;) Usually this involves

./configure
make
make install

perhaps without the ./configure...check the README to be sure.

[ 18 March 2002: Message edited by: scanez ]

[DMR]

What scanez is alluding to is that those files are something you never see in Windows apps: Source Code.
:D

The .c files are the uncompiled C code for the programs; the .h files are header files which contain a list of the functions and structures that are used by the .c files.

In general, .tar.gz (and .tgz) files usually contain uncompiled souce code for an app. .rpm filoes on the other hand, contain the precompiled binaries (programs), which are the equivalent of DOS/Win .exe files.

[SpinyNorman]

Nicholas,

The instructions scanez posted perform the tasks that you were asking about in your email to me (DMR). Do as he suggests and read the README and other files included in your download. The following is an excerpt from the INSTALL file that was included in the download of the Linneighborhood source tarball ("tarball" is the term generally used to refer to any tar archive, be it a straight .tar file, or one subsequently compressed with gzip (.tar.gz, .tgz) or bzip (.tar.bz2). It does a good job of summing up the process you were asking about: The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for various system-dependent variables used during compilation. It uses those values to create a `Makefile' in each directory of the package.
It may also create one or more `.h' files containing system-dependent definitions. Finally, it creates a shell script 'config.status' that you can run in the future to recreate the current configuration, a file `config.cache' that saves the results of its tests to speed up reconfiguring, and a file `config.log' containing compiler output
(useful mainly for debugging `configure').

The file `configure.in' is used to create `configure' by a program called `autoconf'. You only need `configure.in' if you want to change it or regenerate `configure' using a newer version of `autoconf'. The simplest way to compile this package is:
1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code and type `./configure' to configure the package for your system. If you're using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might need to type `sh ./configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying to execute 'configure' itself. Running `configure' takes awhile. While running, it prints some messages telling which features it is checking for.

2. Type `make' to compile the package.

3. Optionally, type `make check' to run any self-tests that come with the package.

4. Type `make install' to install the programs and any data files and documentation.

5. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the source code directory by typing `make clean'. To also remove the
files that `configure' created (so you can compile the package for a different kind of computer), type `make distclean'. There is
also a `make maintainer-clean' target, but that is intended mainly for the package's developers. If you use it, you may have to get all sorts of other programs in order to regenerate files that came with the distribution.

[ 19 March 2002: Message edited by: SpinyNorman ]

[mdwatts]

Have a read of the Compiling Software NHF (http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/compiling/softinstall.html).

[nckstl]

Thank-you everyone for your help, things are comming along quite nicely now. :)

[mdwatts]

Glad we could help.

In a couple of days we expect you to start answering some of the questions here. ok? ;)