Day 7 Installing Software RPM tar, mtools make, ssh

Mtools In Unix accessing floppy drives can be tricky. –Floppy disks can be used as Unix devices. –When the disk is inserted, you would mount it into the file system. Typically done under /dev/floppy –Before removing the disk you would need to unmount it. This disk would only be readable in another Unix system. To use a disk is Dos format, you can use the Linux mtools.

The Tools mdir a: –This will list of files on the DOS formatted floppy. mcopy a: –This will copy a file from your UNIX directory to the floppy mcopy a:/. –This would copy a file from the floppy to the current directory mmove –Move/Rename a file mdel –Delete a file.

Software Packages Redhat package manager (rpm) –From the command line: rpm –q –a –Will show you all currently installed packages gnorpm –Graphical version, which is a little nicer and allows you to not have to remember the 1000 parameters you can pass to rpm

Installing New Software Most software companies distribute their software in both source code and binary formats. –If you get a source code version, you will have to compile it yourself. This is a lot of trouble, avoid it if possible. –If you get a binary version, for linux it will be distributed as either a.bin (which is should be executable if you set permissions for it) or a.rpm (which means you can install it directly with the rpm command. Some distribute software with tar.

What is tar? TAR was originally created as a standard format to write information to a Tape device in Unix. –Tape Archive. Today its used frequently as a way to distribute multiple files together. –Files which are tar files typically end with.tar. –Its often the case that a tar file is then gziped to shrink its size. Hence the ending:.tar.gz *OR*.tgz

Creating a new Tar file tar cvf filename.tar * –This would (C)reate a file, using (V)erbose output, putting input into a (F)ile. –The file name will be filename.tar. –Into it we will put all files in the current directory. Create a tar archive of your home directory. –Call it backup.tar

Verifying a tar file To see what’s in a tar file: tar tf filename.tar –This will give you a (T)able from a (F)ile called filename.tar

Opening a tar file tar xvf filename.tar –Will e(X)tract, in a (V)erbose manner, from the (F)ile filename.tar Be sure you put the files where you want them. The directory structure is also stored in the tar file.

Compiling Code If software is distributed as source code, they are giving you the C or C++ code which a programmer wrote. –You will need to compile it. –In Unix there are a few variants of compiler gcc –GNU C and C++ compiler make –General utility which is used to specify which files to compile and in what order.

Installing SSH Download ssh from the front class web page on Kahuna. Install it using: –This comes as source code. –First gunzip the file, then extract the tar archive. –Then we will have to compile it../configure make make install

Using SSH Test it out, by trying to connect to kahuna. –ssh -l enda kahuna.clayton.edu You will be prompted about a security warning, and to save the key. –Accept any changes it asks for. You may now delete the build directory

Install Star Office Star Office is the equivalent of MS-Office. –It was created by Sun. –Freely available.