Auto Package Install Won't Start

[0x00FE]

Hi guys.

Because some of Ubuntu's packages are old & not up to date, sometimes you feel like manually updating some softwares.

I've got aMSN as my default MSN IM client, the version used in Ubuntu's repository up to now is 0.97 while 0.9.2 is released.

Anyways, on my desktop I've downloaded "aMSN Installer for Tcl/Tk 8.5"

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/a...85.x86.package

You must edit it's properties to make it executable & it's perfect.

Am using my laptop now to do the same, but it doesn't work.

On the desktop where it works, the file appears as executable package icon "Box with a circle around it", while on the laptop where it doesn't work, it appears as a text file.

I've tried to install it via terminal

bash amsn-0.97.2-1.tcl85.x86.package

but it says:
FAIL:Install the package with the command 'package install' instead.

I wanted to make sure I've got tcl * tk packages so I enter the code:

sudo apt-get install tcl tk tcl-dev tk-dev

And everything is installed.

I check the versions installed & I find tcl/tk 8.3, 8.4 & 8.5 installed.

On the desktop where it works, if I enter the command

echo "puts [set ::tcl_patchLevel]; exit" | wish

It returns "8.5"
On the laptop it returns "8.4.16"

I think here is the problem, but how can I switch it to 8.5 "Note that it is installed, but the system is still using the old one"

And it's worth mentioning that I've downloaded the "8.4" version of the autopackage but it didn't work.

Thanks in advanced.

[claydoh]

Re: Auto Package Install Won't Start

have you tried installing it the way the error message describes?
[quote]FAIL:Install the package with the command 'package install' instead

so:

package install foo.package

This will probably give a better message as to what went wrong or what may be missing

I haven't used autopackage in a while, mainly for this reason. It still seems rather unreliable to me.

[0x00FE]

Re: Auto Package Install Won't Start

Well, at the beginning I was so happy cause I've just entered:

package install amsn-0.97.2-1.tcl85.x86.package

And the installation started by asking me for the root password via gui.

I'm still a beginner in using the terminal, but doesn't stop me from learning, I wanted to avoid manual installation to avoid problems that might appear if I do so. Such as the up coming.

After installation finished, I tried to run aMSN, but a message appears

"Loading TkCximage failed. This module is needed to run aMSN. Please compile aMSN first, instructions on hot to compile are located in the file INSTALL."

I've noticed that when you compile the source code by yourself, you do not get the benefits of automatic installation (such as icons & menu listing) along with convenience that's achieved with automatic installation.

Thanks for the advice "claydoh", I've actually learned something new to be honest.

Any other solution to the problem, perhaps to solve the 1st issue of auto package 1st.
And then tell me how to compile aMSN after it's already being installed!

[claydoh]

Re: Auto Package Install Won't Start

one alternative is to try out getdeb:
http://www.getdeb.net/search.php?keywords=amsn
their packages are built using ubuntu libraries
I think the autopackage one is built using different tcl/tk libraries than what you have on your system.

So uninstall what you already have installed and try out the deb package from getdeb.
I have no experience using their packages, but have heard nothing bad about their work. Plus you will be able to remove anything installed via adept/synaptic/apt, and anything you may be missing will be automatically installed .

[0x00FE]

Re: Auto Package Install Won't Start

Thanks man.

The *.deb file has worked & aMSN is installed.


But still, as for my problem, I still would like to have a solution for it.
Since Linux is now spreading more than before, specially with "MID" devices "Mobile Internet Devices" & small portable computers. With many Linux distros, Auto Package would really make things easier for people with different distros to install software.

So the future might be for Auto Package for the ease of installation. *.deb files are good for debian based OS but not all for all Linux distros.

Thanks again

[claydoh]

Re: Auto Package Install Won't Start

different distros may use different library versions, or custom-patched versions of the same library (or kernel, or whatever) which imo is what keeps things like autopackage from 'taking off'.

Also imo the apt method, whether by cli, or via gui frontend, is the easiest method of software installation and management out there. Some rpm-based distros even use it for their systems.