Need help installing applications that are not in gslapt

[brjoon1021]

I checked the package manager to see which multimedia goodies are already installed by default. I was glad to see win32 codecs and libdvdcss. However, there are no Flash-plugin, Java, Realplayer, or VLC packages available. I think Flash is installed though   I have the hardest time installing those in Linux unless there are packages in synaptic or that kind of thing.

I do not see a how-to or a tips post detailing the installation of these. Can someone make one? If more people using Linux and especially Vector Linux is a goal of this distribution or even on the radar, then a "newbie start here" on the forum would be SUCH a good a idea. Many Linuxes are about as user friendly as a rattlesnake.... sorry to vent, but I am a little frustrated right now. I have been using many Linuxes for a few months to learn the ropes. I have found that the most basic thing, the "newbie start here" thread NEVER exists. One just has to post over and over again with the same old problems and possible get back a nice "RTFM" or "STFW" or "search the forums, that has been asked before..." reply. Vector is a very nice and friendly forum so don't think that I am including you folks in that comment. But, my response to comments like those is: there would not be any repetitious posts if the answers were spelled out to begin with...

I did find a post about what to do after you downloaded a .tgz, but it basically goes into a rabbit trail about a right-click menu that does not exist.

Anyway, Realplayer is not a .tgz it is a .bin, Flash and Java also come as a different type of package. The instructions at those sites for the installation are cryptic at best.
*** Here are the instructions form the RealPlayer site about how to install Realplayer:
      "Installation Instructions:

- Ensure that the .bin file you downloaded is executable. You can make the .bin file executable by running the "chmod a+x RealPlayer10GOLD.bin" command from a terminal window.

- Run the .bin file by typing "./RealPlayer10GOLD.bin". Follow the prompts provided to finish installing the player.

- When you launch the player for the first time, a set-up assistant will take you through configuring your player.

- Enjoy your RealPlayer10 for Linux!"

****   Here is my attempt at it:
"user:$ su
Password:
You are working as root
Frequently used programs:
Configuration  : vasm
Package manager: slapt-get, pkg
Network tools  : ifconfig, host, ping, nmap, iptables
File manager   : mc (press F2 for useful menu)
Editor         : mcedit, vi
Multimedia     : alsamixer, play
vector://home/user
root:# cd desktop
bash: cd: desktop: No such file or directory
vector://home/user
root:# chmod a+x RealPlayer10GOLD.bin
chmod: cannot access `RealPlayer10GOLD.bin': No such file or directory"

It should not have to be this hard to install software. These are necessary applications and plugins for surfing. Do you have a repository that I don't know about where all of the contraband is kept?

[newt]

Not sure which release you're using, but flash and java should come already installed on VL 5.8 STD/SOHO and VLC is in the 'extra' repository (you'll need to add this as a repository source).  Here's the source for that:

Code:

http://vectorlinux.cs.utah.edu/veclinux-5.8/extra/

You may want to add the testing repo as well:

Code:

http://vectorlinux.cs.utah.edu/veclinux-5.8/testing/

To check that you have java installed you could issue the command "java -version" in a terminal to determine which version is installed.

Realplayer... Looks like you attempted to install it but the package could not be found.  Please make sure you have it downloaded and you know where it is.  Then, in terminal, navigate to that directory.  Then list the contents of the directory to ensure that you can actually see it.  Then issue the commands you had previously tried.

Hope this helps!

[The Headacher]

if you downloaded the file to your users desktop directory, make sure you cd to that one (note that the Desktop directory is with a capital D

Code:

cd /home/user/Desktop

Then try again.

It should not have to be this hard to install software. These are necessary applications and plugins for surfing. Do you have a repository that I don't know about where all of the contraband is kept?

Flash plugin is included, as is JAVA. VLC is in the extra repository, but I don't see how that is necessary for browsing. As for realplayer, I stay far away from that, and my websperience is fine.

[GrannyGeek]

As for realplayer, I stay far away from that, and my websperience is fine.

Your websperience is fine only because you don't want something that is available only for RealPlayer. Yes, there are such things.
--GrannyGeek

[gwt]

As for realplayer, I stay far away from that, and my websperience is fine.

Your websperience is fine only because you don't want something that is available only for RealPlayer. Yes, there are such things.
--GrannyGeek

Right on, Granny!     

But I also agree with the Headacher, RealPlayer is crap.  Even the Windows version.  I too only use it because that's the only video option available for some websites.

Brjoon, did you check "about:plugins" in your address bar to see if it was already installed in your browser?  Mine already came with it installed when I upgraded to Firefox 2.0.0.2

[InTheWoods]

I just tried the bin file with the same results
No such file or directory

Try downloading the Red Hat package from here
http://www.real.com/linux/

Then covert it in a terminal
cd to proper directory and run
rpm2tgz RealPlayer10GOLD.rpm
This is not fool proof but it did generate a tgz package for me.

Then follow directions for a source code install here
http://www.vectorlinux.com/forum2/index.php?topic=539.0
Pay attention to the comments about not doing everything as root.
I would test it but I detest it for all of the problems it caused me in Windows.

As an aside MPlayer is supposed to be able to run RealPlayer files. I just tried that and it does not. However we have a 1.0pre7 version installed on vec5.8 and I see a 1.0RC1 version available in GSLAPT.

Perhaps this would solve your problems.

OOPS
I hope I got this edit in before you read this post!
 After you convert the Redhat package to a .tgz unpack it by running
tar zxvf RealPlayer10GOLD.tgz
This will create a new directory called /usr. navigate through the new directory to /usr/local/RealPlayer/ and click on "realplay".
the RealPlayer installer will start. HOWEVER.

This is not a package made for Vector it is a converted package. As such I don't believe it will install properly.
Probably the simplest thing to do is go to the newly created /usr/local directory and copy the RealPlayer directory into the system /usr/local directory and run the installer from there. I think that is what a properly created package would do. But lets wait for some one a little more knowledgeable to comment on that first.

[newt]

Contrary to InTheWoods and brjoon's attempts, the bin installation began successfully for me.  Changed permissions of the bin to be executable and executed the bin.  The bin extracted successfully and prompted me for the location to install RealPlayer - this is where I canceled the installation .  Just wanted to see if it would work and it will - I just don't want to clutter my sys with RP

[GrannyGeek]

I have installed RealPlayer many times from the bin file available from real.com. I think brjoon is doing something wrong.

First of all, you should download the bin file, not the RedHat package. As the bin file is downloading, click on Installation Instructions on the first Real.com page (it's right under the button for Free Download). If you have popups blocked, it might not appear. I'm not sure about that. But if you don't see the Installation Instructions window, unblock popups for that site.

Once Installation Instructions appear, just do what it says. You have to switch to the directory where RealPlayer10GOLD.bin  was downloaded to. Open a terminal in that directory. Become root by doing su and giving your root password. Make sure you're still in the same directory by doing
pwd
at the command prompt. That will list your present working directory. Do a
ls Real*
command to make sure RealPlayer10GOLD.bin is there.

Then follow the directions in the Installation Instructions screen. As root, run
chmod a+x RealPlayer10GOLD.bin
at the command line in the terminal window. This makes RealPlayer10GOLD.bin an executable file. The rest of the instructions won't work if the file is not executable.

Next, still as root, type
./RealPlayer10GOLD.bin
at the terminal prompt. You MUST type ./ before the name of the file because Linux won't run a program that's in the same directory as you're working in unless you first type ./ . This is for security reasons.

Now the RealPlayer file will ask you where to install RealPlayer. You must have write permission in any directory where you want to install it. As root, you can put it anywhere you want. If you ran the same file as user, it would install in your home directory. If it doesn't give you a default, you could select /usr/local as the location. I'm sorry I don't remember what choices you get or I'd be more precise. I always type
ldconfig
as root when I've installed something, just in case new libraries need to become known to the system. It can't do any harm.

Once the installation is complete, type
exit
at the terminal prompt so you become user again. Then type
realplay
to see if the setup for RealPlayer comes up. If it doesn't, switch to the directory where RealPlayer was installed and find the
realplay
file. At a terminal prompt in that directory, type
./realplay
to start the setup. If you can't start RealPlayer except in the directory with realplay, you need to make a symlink from the realplay executable to a directory in your path, such as /usr/bin.

If I didn't forget something, these instructions should work. I've done them dozens of times, probably.

Let us know if anything is unclear.
--GrannyGeek

[aymanabo]

i did install it

but it was so hard

i'm newwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww