Re: jdk-common_1.0.2-7.deb
Dennis,
First, when you have this many (likely unrelated) questions, it is
probably best to make separate posts so they can be handled one at a
time by those who might be able to help. You risk your X questions
going unanswered since the subject only mentions jdk. :)
Here's my attempt tho...
Dennis Dixon wrote:
> I ran the command 'dpkg -i jdk-common_1.0.2-7.deb' to install the Java
> libraries on my computer. The program succesfully installed I believe. When
> I typed 'java' on the command line I got the message 'bash> java: command
> not found'.
>
> Why doesn't this work?
The message 'bash> java: command not found' is bash telling you it
cannot find an executable file named "java" anywhere in its PATH
environment variable. You need to find the executable file "java" and
add the directory it is in to bash's PATH.
> However, shouldn't there be 'java.class' and 'javac.class' files
> somewhere that are runnable?
Nope. Though there should be "java" and "javac" files somewhere that
are. "java" is, AFAIK, a native executable which runs the Java VM
that then interprets the byte codes in a .class file. Similarly
"javac" is also native executable which compiles Java code (in a .java
file) into Java byte code, producing one or more .class files.
> Possibly the jdk needs to be added to the CLASSPATH for Bash to find the
> file and this wasn't done automatically by dpkg. What file would this be in
> Linux? Possibly 'etc/profile'?
You are correct except bash uses PATH for finding executables not
CLASSPATH. CLASSPATH is used by the VM (java) and the Java compiler
(javac) for finding .class (or .zip, etc) files in order to do their
running or compiling properly.
It is probably best to make these modifications in your own ~/.profile
file rather than the system wide /etc/profile file. Unless you want
all users to automatically have those modifications.
> Continuing on with the neverending array of questions, I just installed XF86
> on my machine. It now starts when I type 'startx', but beyond that I have
> no idea what it's supposed to do. For instance I can't even change the font
> size on the command prompt it displays. (Presently much too small to be
> useable) Is there a config file I'm supposed to change to fix this?
Yes there are several, I use ~/.xsession and ~/.Xdefaults.
> Thinking what I need is a windows manager I installed 'afterstep_1.0-1.deb'.
> When I type 'afterstep' on the command line I get 'afterstep: can't open
> display'. If I type it on the command line inside XF86 I get 'WM already
> running'.
Well, my guess is that you do not have a ~/.xsession file so X will
start up with a default (ugly) environment including twm as the window
manager. You need to quit twm and start your window manager of
choice, or better yet write a ~/.xsession which starts the WM you want
in the first place.
> Is afterstep supposed to replace XF86 or work in conjunction with
> it? I actually have no idea what these programs are supposed to do. There
> must be more than this though.
afterstep (or any window manager) works in conjunction with X. WMs
are "special" X apps which manage the layout (look and feel) of your
GUI. Among many other things, WMs allow you to move your windows.
> On the advice of previous e-mails on this mailing list I would like to try
> out the windows manager 'icewm', 'gnome', and 'gmc' (Which is actually
> Midnight Cowboy?). However, I can't find .deb files for these programs.
> Which leads us back to the previous question as to how to install software
> that's not packaged as .deb files.
Well, most programmers (though not all) write pretty clear instructions
in a file name something similar to "README" or "INSTALL". There is
no standard for this, that's one of the reasons for .deb files in the
first place!
Luck,
Keith
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