default

The default way to install a GNOME tarball needs the following 8 steps:

  1. After having moved the GNOME tarball $GTB into a special directory extract it using the command «tar -xzvf $GTB»
  2. change into the made $GTB-directory
  3. defaultly type «export CFLAGS=-I$INSTPATH/include». (That's for making the old include-directory known to more modernly styled tarballs.)
  4. call «./configure prefix= $INSTPATH»
  5. call «make»
  6. call «su»
  7. call «make install»
  8. call «ldconfig»
  9. call «exit»

If some applications are still not able to respect newer aspects of the gnome-include-filesystemhierarchy then you can expand the environment variable CFLAGS by the command
«export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I/$INSTPREF/include/$MISSEDDIR "»
and the environment variable CXXFLAGS by the command
«export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I/$INSTPREF/include/$MISSEDDIR "»
(replace $INSTPREF by your installationpath). If you get any fault-messages concerning missing header-files try to locate the missed files and expand the corresponding CFLAGS-Variable by the path to that file.

Note, calling «make install» normally includes the integration of debug info into the binaries. These infos naturally enlarge them. For erasing these infos and therefore for bulding applications and libraries being as small as possible you can (sometimes) call «make install-strip» instead of «make install».

If that possibility is not offered you may type «strip $INSTPATH/bin/$MADEBINS» and «strip -g $INSTPATH/bin/$MADELIBS » where $MADEBINS and MADELIBS denote those binaries and libraries just being made by you. BUT BE CARFULLY: don't forget «strip -g» while acting onto libraries. Otherwise they won't run any longer. [ Thanks to Volodymyr Babin who gave that hint]. One should know it and use it. I've just won more than 200 MB for my little old laptop.

If the compilation ends with «undefined reference to 'bind_textdomain_codeset'» then type «export LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/gnu/lib -lintl"» before calling «./configure ... » (Replace «/usr/local/gnu/lib» by the path to the place where you find «libintl» in your system)

only a hint
Because of hardware and/or software requirements this application couldn't be installed. Therefore we offer only an hint.
don't use it
This application can't be compiled or crashes and therefore can't be used (for the moment)
db3
Note: evolution 0.12 requires Berkeley db3 version 3.1.17. The configure-script will fail even if you have installed any newer version. Therefore you must install this db version beside your already installed version /release of Berkeley db. Attention: It's not a good idea to replace an already installed Berkeley DB Library Version. The better way is to install the Berkeley db3 version 3.1.17 library under /usr/local/db3 without making its existence known to the system (= don't expand your /etc/ld.so.conf-file). Therefore do this:
scrollkeeper
intl/Makefile contains a fault: replace the string «all-yes: libintl.$la intlh.inst» by «all-yes: libintl.la »
popt
Normally you will take that of your dist. It's not easy to find the tarball. If you have a better link, mail me.
mozilla

The installation procedure offers «configure» and «make» but doesn't understand «make install» or «--prefix=...»: After having typed «make» inside of the source-directory you will find there a directory «dist» containing a set of links pointing to the built libraries and applications. The next problem is, that the compiled tarball needs more than 450 mb although really you don't need more than 140 mb of libraries and applications. Execute the following commands as root for solving these problems:

Eric has recommended to add --enable-optimize=-O3 (flames > /dev/null) --disable-tests (!) --disable-logging --enable-strip-libs --enable-elf-dynstr-gc (not really neccesary) --enable-crypto (handy) --enable-cpp-exceptions (gcc can handle this) --disable-ldap (unless needed).

Important for GNOME2 installer: mozilla still requires glib-/gtk-config-files and libraries of GNOME 1.4 although mozilla itself is required by nautilus. Therefore you should now install the first basic libraries of GNOME 1.4 in that manner which has been described in the section How Can I Use The Well Known GNOME-1.x Applications In The GNOME-2 Desktop System?

gtkperl
After extracting the tarball type «perl Makefile.PL», «make» and «make install» .
gnome-python

If you install this library under GNOME it won't be found by the python-interpreter. Therefore the exception underlines the rule: This tarball must be installed wherever your python has been installed!

Note: Although the python-gtk- and gnome-python-bindings for GNOME-2 already exist they should not be installed (for the moment):

Hence: if you want to use apps like gtex-letter or gramps, use the old bindings.

Gtk-Launch
After having typed make the binary and a corresponding menu-entry must be installed manually
ethereal
Requires some other packages not really belonging to the GNOME project. Don't forget to load down the ethereal.png for being able to create manually the GNOME menu entry.
fwbuilder
The installation of the header-files of the library is defect. Therefore you must manually create $INSTPATH/include/fwbuilder and copy all *.h and scr/fwbuilder/*.hh of the tarball to that created directory.
gnb
Only type make for generating the gnome network buddy! And and copy gnome-nb manually into «$INSTPATH/bin». No automatically generated menu entry.
gtkdial
The application now offers the normal «configure, make make install» procedure, the windows are now manually resizable and the installation offers an automatically generated menu entry. [ Many thanks to the author for reading and respecting the GIG-comments ;-) ] But there's still one little problem: the automatically generated menu entry doesn't respect the --prefix-option. You have to replace the menu entry path «/usr/bin/gtkdial» by «gtkdial» manually.
gwcc
The automatically generated menu entry doesn't respect the --prefix-option. Move the content of /usr/share/gnome to $INSTPATH/share/gnome
abiword
For the moment the abiword-tarball offered by GNOME can't be compiled without other packages and is to old. For solving this problem you can use the Abiword-Homepage or sourceforge. Here you get a tarball containing all demanded libraries too. Goto the abi-directory and call autogen.sh before using the default-installation-method. Note: abiword can't be compiled with automake 1.5. Use automake 1.6 or automake 1.4
gtex-letter
It's written in python: therefore become root and type «./install»; But before you should edit the install-file and replace all strings «/opt/gnome» «by $GNOME1_INSTPATH». Be careful: the directories «bin/» and «doc/» mentioned in these paths must be closed by a slash!
lahelper
You must edit the configure-script and replace the string «/usr/include/zvt» by «$GNOME1_INSTPATH/include/gnome-1.0/zvt» Then type «export CFLAGS=-I/$GNOME1_INSTPATH/include/gdk-pixbuf-1.0» before starting the compilation
The autimaticall generated menu-entry and the pictures won't correctly be installed: they will be set into /usr/share/gnome instead of your $INSTPATH Note: The lahelper executable accepts as single argument the filename of the XML file that contains the menu definitions. You should copy the default template src/lahelper.lah to $GNOME1_INSTPATH/share/ for having a reachable example.
dia
You should call «configure --help» for scanning your possibilities: I've used the following command: «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --enable-gnome --disable-xim --with-pythonp» A converter from dia-UML to c++ called «dia2code» is also being developed.
Note: my 0.88.1-version has crashed and disturbed files so often that i have downgraded back to version 0.86.
gpc
Requires a running postgres database management system and a corresponding database. You have to name the location of that environment using the configure-option «--with-postgres». I've used this commandline: «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --with-postgres=/usr/lib/pgsql/»
kludge3d
type: «export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$INSTPATH/include" » before typing «configure...» (without automatically generated menu entry)
ocadis
You need «autoconf» & «automake» for being able to call «autogen.sh» which itself creates the known configure installation environment. No manually generated menu entry.
manyapad
Editor without «configure» and «make install». Normally you only have to type «make». But there has been a changement inside of «gtk-config» and «gnome-config»: none of them return also «$INSTPATH/include» as reaction of the parameter «--cflags». Therefore the Makefile of manyapad misses a header file. To solve that problem you must expand the value of the variable CC by the string -I$INSTPATH/include (where you have to read $INSTPATH as your installation path).
GtkScintilla
Required by PyGtkScintilla & Moleskine. Don't use «configure». Only type «make» and «make install». Prefixpath will automatically be got by evaluating «gtk-config» But before you must append the string «-I$INSTPATH» to that line of the makefile which determines the specific CFLAGS variable.
PyGtkScintilla
Moleskine
Don't use configure/make. Only type make install. Prefixpath will automatically be got by the gtk-config script.
gvd
Note: this is possibly a piece of unfree software: you have to install the ada compiler, which isn't free for all purposes. Therefore you may ask, wether the compiled application itself can be free. For details see http://www.gnat.com/. For compiling and installing the GNOME Visual Debugger you have to do this: Note: the configure-call for gvd-1.2.0 can't correctly be executed. (Unfree software should run without any help of the free community.)
hypersrc
Set the value of the variable «INSTALL_DIR» of the Makefile onto your $INSTPATH, become root and call «make» and «make install». (no autimatically generated menu entry). At least since version 5.2.5 the procedure has been changed but can't be used any more.
g-wrap
If some guile modules won't be found you must manually set a link using the command «ln -s /usr/lib/scheme/slib /usr/share/guile/slib»
gnucash
Requires schemes, g-wrap and guile often at least partially offered by your distribution. Sometimes it doesn't want to run. Then there is missed a link from scheme library to guile library (or vice versa ?). In these cases open a shell and call «gnucash» manually. You will get a clear explanation what you have to do (set the link and call a scheme prepare script).
For being able to compile the release 1.6.5 you have to type export «CFLAGS=-I/opt/gnome/include/libguppi» in that shell where you will call «configure», «make» and «make install»
gramps
This packages requires some other python modules, which more or less directly concern GNOME:
molasses
Uses a fix installpoint which might not be the intended: Manually replace the line «INSTP =/usr/local/bin» of the Makefile by the wished traget $INSTPATH. Then type simply make and make install (as root). No automatically generated menu entry.
toutdoux
gcompressor
type: «chmod 755 gcompressor-1.0-5.aXa && ./gcompressor-1.0-5.aXa» Don't use release 1.1-5: produces/uses a corrupted configure-script
gnochive
The automatically generated menu entry doesn't respect the «--prefix» option. You should correct the menu entry.
GProFTPD
Very special: must be installed under /usr/local.
nt
pyfind
Only type «make install» as root.
althea
version 0.5.3, 0.5.5, 0.5.7 have no configure-script and don't compile. So use still version 0.4.3, if nescessary
balsa
Per Aspera Ad Balsa, even if using the latest version: if you don't find the announced version, try this location. But there are some problems which must be solved before you will be able to successfully install balsa: Although balsa requires the pspell library, its configure-script can't handle the latest versions of pspell but the source code itself can (using the workaround offered by pspell itself). For solving the mentioned problems do this: Note: the esmtp-homepage warns that balsa uses a deprecated function call. esmtp warns that «Balsa requires a deprecated API call in libESMTP». Therefore it's perhaps better to say «--without-esmtp»
evolution
Evolution 0.12 requires Berkeley db version 3.1.17. If you have installed any other db version you must install this db version too. And you have to make your installation path known to Evolution using a special configure option: «./configure --prefix=$INSTPATH -with-db3=/usr/local/db3 --enable-pilot-conduits=yes --enable-pilotlinktest»
gpa
Normally you should also use gnugp. Note, if the links to the download section are still corrupt, you can use a normal ftp-client (like gftp) for the server ftp.gnome.org, user anonymous (password anonymous) and the path pub/gcrypt ...
pygmy
No automatically generated menu entry. Uses a special installation procedure: At first you have to edit the content of the prefix variable of the Makefile and then you must (after having become root) directly type «make install»
tradeclient
No «configure», «make» and «make install»: only type «make» and copy the binary manually into your $INSTPATH/bin
xchat
GNOME indicates 1.4.2 as latest stable version, but really it's already higher.
If you are using an elder perl version you should probably expand the configure-call by the option «--disable-perl»
bluefish
Probably there has been a changement inside of «gtk-config» and «gnome-config»: none of them return also «$INSTPATH/include» as reaction of the parameter «--cflags». Therefore the Makefile of bluefish misses a header file. For solving that problem do this (after having extracted the tarball): Edit src/Makefile and expand the value of the variable cflags by the string «-I$INSTPATH/include»
galeon

Note: galeon tests the file «/usr/local/mozilla/dist/lib/defaults/pref/all.js» but even still in mozilla 0.9.4 it is offered under «/usr/local/mozilla/dist/bin/defaults/pref/all.js» For solving that problem do this
1) cd /usr/local/mozilla/dist/lib/
2) ln -s ../bin/defaults defaults.
Then use « ./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --with-mozilla-libs=/usr/local/mozilla/dist/lib --with-mozilla-includes=/usr/local/mozilla/dist/include »

The tarball of galeon 0.12.4 contains a specialization which doesn't respect at least my environment: In the file «src/mozilla/TOCProtocolHandler.cpp» there is included a file «g++-3/string» if the gcc-compiler has version > 2.90 or > 2.95 otherwise the file «string». But my gcc version 2.95.2 stores its cpp headers still under /usr/lib. Therefore at least I have had to replace the strings «g++-3/string» by the string «string».

gnotepad+
The GNOME file server itself announces still the version 1.0.8 as most actual version. But that version still does not contain the html features.
Note: use «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --disable-gtkhtml : version 1.3.3 can't still handle the latest gtkhtml-library
gtm
Is required by «galeon» if you want to make «galeon» be able to download packages. In these cases you should read the galeon-faq.
glunarclock
Configure-script doesn't respect options «--with-gtk-prefix=$INSTPATH» or «--with-gnome-prefix=$INSTPATH»: It expects the scipts «gtk-config» and «gnome-config» under «/usr/bin». For being able to compile it you have to set links from «$INSTPATH/bin/xxx-config» to «/usr/bin/xxx-config»
papaya
Now there's an unsolvable bug in the po-file-generation which doesn't allow to compile the release 0.92
xhippo
No direct download link. Use xhippo presented by freshmeat. No automatically generated menu entry. Copy «xhippo.xpm» to «$INSTPATH/share/pixmaps» and manually and move directory «doc» to $INSTPATH/share/doc/xhippo» manually too.
euler
Edit euler/source/makefile and set INSTALL_DIR = $INSTPATH. Then type «make» and «make install»
gcompris
Type export «CFLAGS=-I/opt/gnome/include/libxml2» before calling «configure ...»
gtkgraph
(a) No automatically generated menu entry.
(b) Probably there has been a changement inside of «gtk-config» and «gnome-config»: none of them return also «$INSTPATH/include» as reaction of the parameter «--cflags». Therefore the Makefile of gtkgraph misses a header file. For solving that problem do this (after having extracted the tarball):
pybliographer
Don't ask me why, but sometimes you must compile this pybliographer release while having started X.
chemtool
Edit «Makefile» and set «PREFIX» manually. Then type «make» and «make install». But installation won't successfully be executed. Therefore it might be better to use an earlier version.
starplot
No automatically generated menu entry and no configure-script: Edit Makefile and replace «/usr/local» by your $INSTPATH
esound
type «export CFLAGS=-I$INSTPATH/include» and «LDFLAGS=-L$INSTPATH/lib» before calling the default installation procedure
libgnomeprint
type «export LDFLAGS=-L$WHEREYOURGETTEXTIS/lib -lgettextlib» before calling the default installation procedure
yelp
Requires that gettext has been installed under «/usr». Can't handle other installation points like for example «/usr/local/gnu»
libgda
type «touch doc/C/html/index.sqml» before typing «make install»

© Karsten Reincke, Osnabrück (Germany) 2000/2001/2002.