Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

chronozphere · 2011-10-05 09:28:11

Hey Arch-users,

I'm still new to arch and so far I really like the OS!

I would like to learn a bit of C (I do have a lot of experience with other languages!) and I would like to try to modify existing libraries. This means I would have to download them and compile them from source and start making changes to them. However, I don't want them to interfere with the rest of my system. But I dont really know how to set this up in arch (or inside any other linux distro for that matter).

For example: I just tried to install muPDF (not via ABS, just make install) and I got permission errors. It occured to me that running it as root is not a solution and because the files will be placed in /usr/local it would likely interfere with the system.

So my questions are:

What is common-practice in Linux development when you want to have one "live" and one "development" version of the same package? Where to put them, how to install them?

And "should" I use ABS? In that case I would need a PKGBUILD file, which isn't available for every library.

Thanks!

Mr.Elendig · 2011-10-05 11:28:59

Either install to $HOME or start using makepkg. Else you will just be in a world of pain.
(or use a chroot/vm)

karol · 2011-10-05 12:46:58

chronozphere wrote:

I would need a PKGBUILD file, which isn't available for every library.

Not sure what you mean here. Every package from the official repo is build from an available PKGBUILD and there's also AUR.

Post the errors you run into.

brebs · 2011-10-05 13:43:39

chronozphere wrote:

one "live" and one "development" version

For libs, you can use LD_PRELOAD.

I'd run a separate Linux installation using e.g. virtualbox, so as not to run the risk of messing up the live system.

chronozphere · 2011-10-06 12:37:58

Either install to $HOME or start using makepkg. Else you will just be in a world of pain.
(or use a chroot/vm)

I'm allready in a VM so I can mess things up. But I rather dont do that. I just need some advice on how to do things properly

For libs, you can use LD_PRELOAD.

That's quite interesting. I could probably put my software in a separate dir and temporarily add it to LD_PRELOAD. When done, just clear LD_PRELOAD and the system remains untouched.

Not sure what you mean here. Every package from the official repo is build from an available PKGBUILD and there's also AUR.

Well, I meant that there is not a PKGBUILD for every linux package. But the one I want to play with, muPDF, has it so I could use ABS. However, what should I do when there is no PKGBUILD? Just install using ./configure, make, make install?

I noticed that the makefile places the muPDF files inside /usr/local which is still empty on my system. Is it safe to install it there?
My PATH is:

/opt/maven/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/opt/maven/bin:/usr/bin/core_perl

/usr/local/bin preceeds /usr/bin so if I decide to install more development versions of libraries there, I could potentially break things because AFAIK the PATH will be traversed in order when searching for a program or SO.

tavianator · 2011-10-06 17:13:39

chronozphere wrote:

Well, I meant that there is not a PKGBUILD for every linux package. But the one I want to play with, muPDF, has it so I could use ABS. However, what should I do when there is no PKGBUILD? Just install using ./configure, make, make install?

Make a PKGBUILD.

fsckd · 2011-10-06 17:40:31

tavianator wrote:

chronozphere wrote:
Well, I meant that there is not a PKGBUILD for every linux package. But the one I want to play with, muPDF, has it so I could use ABS. However, what should I do when there is no PKGBUILD? Just install using ./configure, make, make install?
Make a PKGBUILD.

And if it a package not in the repos or AUR, you can add it to the AUR, chronozphere!

chronozphere · 2011-10-06 21:24:28

Ok ok.. so no ./configure, make, make install on archlinux I suppose

I'll have a look at PKGBUILD then.

karol · 2011-10-06 21:31:39

chronozphere wrote:

Ok ok.. so no ./configure, make, make install on archlinux I suppose
I'll have a look at PKGBUILD then.

I suppose './configure && make' is fine, 'make install' is not ;P

Arch Linux

#1 2011-10-05 09:28:11

Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#2 2011-10-05 11:28:59

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#3 2011-10-05 12:46:58

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#4 2011-10-05 13:43:39

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#5 2011-10-06 12:37:58

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#6 2011-10-06 17:13:39

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#7 2011-10-06 17:40:31

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#8 2011-10-06 21:24:28

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

#9 2011-10-06 21:31:39

Re: Compiling "development" packages without touching the originals

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