how to run alien

[eekie]

I want to install a rpm-file in kubuntu, so I installed alien to do so.
I cannot find alien in the program menu. My question is how can I run alien?

[machoo02]

Re: how to run alien

Hi,

You need to run alien through the command line, like this:

sudo alien name_of_rpm_file.rpm

You then need to install the converted package using dpkg.  Hope this helps!

[eekie]

Re: how to run alien

The conversion is ok.
I have now a directory with subdirectories of the w32codec-all that is the rpm I try to install).
The directory:
/home/johan/Desktop/w32codec-all-20060611/debian/w32codec-all/usr/lib/codecs
contains the binary codecs
Shouldn't I just copy these binaries to the default codecs directory?

[machoo02]

Re: how to run alien

Not sure, but there should be w32codecs package in the repositories, and I know that one is installed through Automatix. Why did you need to use an .rpm?

[eekie]

Re: how to run alien

Well I am brandnew to kubuntu, just experienced with suse.
I could not find the codecs using Synaptic with all the sources up. Automatix I could not find either

[machoo02]

Re: how to run alien

There are a number of scripts/programs that will install a large suite of popular software, plugins, and multimedia codecs that are not included in a default install of *buntu. The major ones are:

Automatix - www.getautomatix.com
EasyUbuntu - easyubuntu.freecontrib.org
BUMPS - http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=181248

If you just want to install the w32codecs or other restricted formats by hand, there are good instructions at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

Cheers!

[eekie]

Re: how to run alien

I have added the Autmatix sources. Still the win32codecs was not included.
The url you added gives more information. It says the win32codecs doesn not fit into the amd64 platform. I should install the i386 platform as well to get it running