default

The default way to install a GNOME tarball requires 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»
Since a few month we meet packages offering the new autogen.sh skript which normally shall support the developers. But often you (as your own administrator) have to call this script too before you can use the real default steps. So, if you have any problems and if you see a script autogen.sh, call it before starting the default steps again (and hope that the world will become good).

Sometimes all this doesn't run. Then you can do this:

  1. call «aclocal -I $INSTPATH/share/aclocl -I $THE_LOCAL_MACRODIR_OF_THE_PACKAGE»
  2. call «autoconf»
  3. call «automake -a»

Some applications are still not able to respect newer aspects of the gnome-include-filesystemhierarchy. Therefore you should generally expand the environment variable CFLAGS by the command
«export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I/$INSTPREF/include/gnome-1.0/ -I/$INSTPREF/include/libglade-1.0 -I/$INSTPREF/include "»
and the environment variable CXXFLAGS by the command
«export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I/$INSTPREF/include/gnome-1.0/ -I/$INSTPREF/include/libglade-1.0 -I/$INSTPREF/include "»
(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.

only a hint
Because of hardware and/or software requirements this application couldn't be installed. Therefore we offer only an hint.
gtkmm
Requires sigc++. Has an own homepage. «mm» indicates that this is the c++-version, which is historically evoked: In the past «gtk--» should indicate that the library was the «c++» wrapper for «gtk+». For making the filename more general the «--» has been replaced by «mm» as abbreviation an of «minus minus». Nice story, isn't it?
imlib
This library is sometimes also used outside of GNOME.
At least the application gtex-letter can't run with release 1.9.11: it demands python with a function XParseColor and that seems to be an undefined symbol in the new imlib.
libxml
Some GNOME applications (like gnome-core or control-center) still require the version 1.8.x although there exists already a better recommended version 2.x.x. At least since version 2.3.7 you can handle both versions in the same environment because both libraries have now different filenames and because libxml2 now offers xml2-config while libxml still offers xml-config as reference scripts.
libPropList
This library is no more mentioned in the Release-14 directory of GNOME. Normally this is a library for the Windowmaker and is often already installed under /usr/X11R6/. This is valid for my system. Therefore I can't test wether this library really is no more demanded.
esound
It's not a good idea not to install these libraries even if your sound system doesn't work (like on my laptops). If you dont need it, install it and stop the soundsystem by using the GNOME setting tools
gdk-pixbuf
Nescessary although still declared as unstable!
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!
e2fsprogs
Required by the gnome-utils (i.e. «gfloppy»). But you can also install thze corresponding packages of your distribution if they contain the entities for developing sources
gnome-utils
Formerly there existed a little tricky problem: The configure-script demanded an e2fsprog-package and an e2fsprog-development package. These packages are REDHAT specific. If you use a SuSE-Distribution as I, the configure-script therefore didn't run even if you had installed a package with the corresponding content. For solving that problem you had to change the script «configure» by deleting the corresponding command «exit (1)». But now this problem seems to be generally solved.
gnome-audio
This packages is offered with another implementation procedure: after extracting the tarball you have to go into the subdirectory «sound» where you can type «make» and «make» install (as root). Your «--prefix» will automatically be determined by the «Makefile», which calls the script «gnome-config».
The path «$INTALLATIONPOINT / bin» - normally determined by the option «--prefix» must be part of $PATH of that user who calls «make install»! Otherwise the «Makefile» of the directory «sound» can't find the script «gnome-config» and can't therefore determine the $INTALLATIONPOINT. And in this case you will get very astonishing messages.
gnome-chess
The renaissance has happened: gnome-chess is developed again.
gnome-print
(a) Type «export CFLAGS=-I$INSTPATH/include» before evkoing the default installation method
(b) Has replaced «g-print» which therefore still need not to be installed although it is mentioned in the stable branch.
gnorpm
There still seems to be a (distribution specific) fault: although «/var/lib/rpm/nameindex.rpm» made by the suse tool yast (?) exists and although xrpm works correctly, gnorpm starts and stops with the message «cannot open file /var/lib/rpm/nameindex.rpm: invalid argument».
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
mc
Replaces(!) the normal midnight-commander often be installed by your distribution, even if you want to use it inside of a shell: it's a double-version. Therefore you must delete the normal Midnight-Commander before installing this tarball.
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»
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.
bug-buddy
Requires locally installed Sendmail. Those who use their own smtp-server instead of Sendmail are not able to participate in the GNOME bug-report-system.
librep
It is still not mentioned as nescessary part of Sawfish although it is demanded by sawfish.
sawfish
Sawfish (or rep-gtk) requires libgmp, version 3 and can't be started with lower versions!
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:

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
    

glademm
Not really part of GNOME but very helpful. But be careful: compilation requires more then 140 MB
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. but with autmake 1.6
If you wan't to have the spellchecking support, you must download the corresponding dictonaries like «abispell-de-DE.i386.tar.gz», unpack them and move the created dictonaries into the corrsponding directory with the respect to your I$NSTPATH.
gnucash
Requires schemes, g-wrap and guile often at least partially offered by your distribution. Sometimes it doesn't want to run. Then there is missed a link from scheme library to guile library (or vice versa ?). In these cases open a shell and call «gnucash» manually. You will get a clear explanation what you have to do (set the link and call a scheme prepare script).
For being able to compile the release 1.6.5 you have to type export «CFLAGS=-I/opt/gnome/include/libguppi» in that shell where you will call «configure», «make» and «make install»
gtm
Is required by «galeon» if you want to make «galeon» be able to download packages. In these cases you should read the galeon-faq.
ethereal
Requires some other packages not really belonging to the GNOME project. Don't forget to load down the ethereal.png for being able to create manually the GNOME menu entry.
gat
There is any fault while managing gnomesupport.h: this file included by «$INSTP/include/gnome.h» won't be found. Therefore create a soft link from «$INSTP/lib/gnome-libs/include/gnomesupport.h» to «$INSTP/include/gnomesupport.h» Because of the changings of «gnome-config» and «gtk-config» you have to expand the Makefile-variable CFLAGS by tghe string -I$INSTPATH/include. (For another possibility to solve that problem see the workaraund for the default installation.)
gkrellm
Installation without «configure» and therefore without «--prefix». For solving that problem do this:
gtkdiff
Although 1.0.2 is the officially stable version version 1.8.0 seems to be very stable too.
manedit
Offers a special installation procedure without configure. No automatically generated menu entry. The icon «manedit.xpm» can be found under «$INSTP/share/icons» instead inside of «$INSTP/share/pixmaps» After unpacking the tarball do this:
sylpheed
No manually created menu entry. Still no icon. To integrate of gnupg do this
gnomemm
The GNOME server doesn't offer the latest version. Try its sourceforge home or directly the corresponding download section.
toutdoux
gnb
Only type make for generating the gnome network buddy! And and copy gnome-nb manually into «$INSTPATH/bin». No automatically 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.
nt
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»
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 $INSTPATH/share/doc/xhippo» manually too.
gpc
Requires a running postgres database management system and a corresponding database. You have to name the location of that environment using the configure-option «--with-postgres». I've used this commandline: «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --with-postgres=/usr/lib/pgsql/»
gtkgraph
(a) No automatically generated menu entry.
(b) Probably there has been a changement inside of «gtk-config» and «gnome-config»: none of them return also «$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):
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.
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.
pyfind
Only type «make install» as root.
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.)
nautilus
Requires freetype2 (instead of freetype 1). Must be called with link to Mozilla. I used this configure option: «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --with-mozilla-lib-place=/usr/local/mozilla/dist/lib --with-mozilla-include-place=/usr/local/mozilla/dist/include --with-freetype2-prefix=/usr/local/».
xalf
GNOME still offers the unstable xalf version 0.7 although the author has already signed that version as extremely buggy.
merlin-cpufire
Doesn't offer «configure, make ... make install»: Replace the content of the makefile-variable PREFIX by your $INSTPATH
bluefish
Probably there has been a changement inside of «gtk-config» and «gnome-config»: none of them return also «$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»
gob
GNOME itself offers an earlier version.
tradeclient
No «configure», «make» and «make install»: only type «make» and copy the binary manually into your $INSTPATH/bin
pygmy
No automatically generated menu entry. Uses a special installation procedure: At first you have to edit the content of the prefix variable of the Makefile and then you must (after having become root) directly type «make install»
overflow
(1) Probably there has been a changement inside of «gtk-config» and «gnome-config»: none of them return also «$INSTPATH/include» as reaction of the parameter «--cflags». Therefore the Makefile of dataflow/src misses a header file. For solving that problem do this (after having extracted the tarball):
(2) Be very carful: the emulation can freeze your whole x-system.
xemacs
Note: the main xemacs homepage offers the version 21.4 for which you can get a gtk/gnome interface by using the command «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --with-gnome=yes --with-gtk=yes». But there seem to be a fault in the windowhandling. The latest stable version 21.4.1 doesn't offer a gtk/gnome interface. Therefore you should go back to the gtk-xemacs project.
gtkperl
After extracting the tarball type «perl Makefile.PL», «make» and «make install». Note: older versions, offered by gimp itself, can't no more be compiled. .
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 ...
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 $INSTPATH/share/gnome
sketch
Call «setup.py configure --prefix=$INSTPATH», «setup.py build» and «setup.py install»
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
gtex-letter
It's written in python: therefore become root and type «./install»; that's all.
oroborus
No configure-procedure. Edit the Makefile and replace the value of the vriable PREFIX by your $INSTPATH. Be careful: At least onetime it has destroyed my panel configuration.
starplot
No automatically generated menu entry and no configure-script: Edit Makefile and replace «/usr/local» by your $INSTPATH
g-wrap
If some guile modules won't be found you must manually set a link using the command «ln -s /usr/lib/scheme/slib /usr/share/guile/slib»
Gtk-Launch
After having typed make the binary and a corresponding menu-entry must be installed manually
gramps
This packages requires some other python modules, which more or less directly concern GNOME:
db3
Note: evolution 0.12 requires Berkeley db3 version 3.1.17. The configure-script will fail even if you have installed any newer version. Therefore you must install this db version beside your already installed version /release of Berkeley db. Attention: It's not a good idea to replace an already installed Berkeley DB Library Version. The better way is to install the Berkeley db3 version 3.1.17 library under /usr/local/db3 without making its existence known to the system (= don't expand your /etc/ld.so.conf-file). Therefore do this:
evolution
Evolution 0.12 requires Berkeley db version 3.1.17. If you have installed any other db version you must install this db version too. And you have to make your installation path known to Evolution using a special configure option: «./configure --prefix=$INSTPATH --with-db3=/usr/local/db3 --enable-pilot-conduits=yes --enable-pilotlinktest»
libglade
There seems to exist a fault of dependencies: Defaultly support of gnomedb is enabled. But gnomedb is not part of gnome-1.4.1 (it is mentioned as part of gnome5toe). Therefore you must use «./configure --prefix=/opt/gnome --disable-gnomedb» for beeing able to compile libglade here.
kludge3d
type: «export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$INSTPATH/include" » before typing «configure...» (without automatically generated menu entry)
euler
Edit euler/source/makefile and set INSTALL_DIR = $INSTPATH. Then type «make» and «make install»
gnome-libs
The gnome-libs require the berkeley db. It's offered in the versions 1.85, 2.77 or 3xx. If your distribution contains version 1.85, you've to expand the configure-call by the option «--enable-prefer-db1» (Many thanks to Toby Oxborrow for hinting to that problem.
windowmaker
Although not really part of GNOME it's eyecandy which works very well in combination with GNOME if you use « configure --prefix=/usr/X11R6 --enable-gnome --disable-kde disable-openlook »
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.
bonobo
Be careful if you are updating bonobo from 1.0.9: The includes will now be stored into $INSTPATH/include/gnome-1.0. For deleting all old and confusing files do this (a) extract the old tarball (version 1.0.9), (b) call your "configure --prefix=...", (c) become root and type make uninstall (d) extract the new tarball and do the normal installation procedure. It's a good idea to type export CFLAGS=-I$INSTPATH/include/gnome-1.0 in each shell which is used for compiling a GNOME tarball.
gcompris
Add «#include » into «src/gcompris/gcompris.h»
lahelper
Type «export CFLAGS=-I/$INSTPATH/gnome-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 can accept a single argument, the filename of the XML file that contains the menu definitions. You should copy the default template src/lahelper.lah to $GNOME1_INSTPATH/share/ for having a reachable example.
GProFTPD
Very special: must be installed under /usr/local.
rico_GTK-Theme-Selector
No configure-script, no automatically generatedmenu entry: read the Readme
glade
Before compiling glade you should type export CFLAGS=-I$INSTPATH/include
pybliographer
Note: If you are using gnu-recode in a release other than 3.5 you must replace the corresponding entries of the configure script by the value 3.6
gsysinfo
Doesn't offer a config-script. Therefore you can't add a required include file using the CFLAGS='...' option. Hence you must edit the Makefile: set the PREFIX-Variable onto your $INSTPATH and append -I/$INSTPATH/include into the line «ccFlags = ${ccFlags_${mode}} -c ${gnomeccFlags}»
fileroller
In the opposite of release 0.5 release 0.6 contains two faults: (1) autoconf/automake can't be reused for rebuilding the config-script. (2) The Makefile created by the already existing configure-script lacks an entry to the gettext-library. Therefore the compilation ends with a failure-message.
For solving the second problem you have to add «-L$PREFIX_TO_YOUR_GETTEXT_LIBRARY/lib -lgettextlib» into that line of «src/Makefile» where the linkflags are set.
gnome-core
Without any changings the compilation ends with the message « gnome-panel-screenshot.c:1021: `LC_ALL' undeclared (first use in this function) ». That's evoked by the command «#include <locale.h>» near by line 57: it's only included if a condition is fullfilled although it's needed in each case. Therefore you must shift the command «#include <locale.h>» out of the condition area.
gtk-splitter
type «export LDFLAGS=-L$INSTPATH/lib» before evoking the default installation triple

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