Installing from src and apt

Altoid · 2024-02-10 14:45:58

Hello:

I recently compiled and then installed an application from source.
A milestone for me. 8^)

If interested in the whats and hows, see here.

I decided to install it ie: not from the Devuan/Debian repository without any worries because a) it is practically universal b) does not have strange dependencies or ties to anything Poetteringesque and c) it is a new version with a significant improvement.

Now, the tricky part here is that apt, aptitude and synaptic have no knowledge of this installation of mine.
Obviously because they had no part in it.
ie: no *.deb package involved.

Does not seem to be an issue as the application works exactly as expected but leaving apt, aptitude and synaptic out of the loop would seem to be contrary to proper practise.

I don't expect this new version of the application to be backported to my Devuan Beowulf (5.10.127-2~bpo10+1)* so I am at a loss as to what to do.

Ideas and suggestions welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Best,

A.

* I refuse to deal with the useless bloat that is Network-Manager, so I will stick with Devuan Beowulf and WiCD.

Last edited by Altoid (2024-02-10 14:46:36)

boughtonp · 2024-02-10 17:21:12

So create a deb package containing the files resulting from compilation, which you install with dpkg --install dummy-package.deb so dpkg knows what files your package owns. (If there are dependencies to resolve, apt install dummy-package.deb would be the appropriate command, but Apt doesn't do actual installation, not do the other frontends, dpkg does.)

There's official tools for creating deb packages that involve hundreds of MB of dependencies, but you basically only need ar (binutils), tar, and a few lines of script to create a deb file.

Last edited by boughtonp (2024-02-10 17:22:33)

steve_v · 2024-02-10 17:22:44

Suggestion 1: Build a proper Debian package, based on the version available in the repos. If it's just a version bump (i.e. no new dependencies), the 'uupdate' utility from devscripts makes this very easy.
Quick version (details in relevant manuals or here):
Get the source tree for the existing package with your choice of apt-src, apt-get source, dget, or manual download and unpack, and the new upstream tarball.
Run 'uupdate' from the source tree top level (i.e. beside "debian"), giving it the new upstream archive.
Fix any patches, where applicable.
Update the changelog with 'dch'.
Build the new (unsigned) package with 'dpkg-buildpackage -b -us -uc'.

Suggestion 2: If all you want is a .deb and you don't care how nice it is (or intend to redistribute it), just use checkinstall. Does much as boughtonp described above, but with more magic and less manually finding all the files 'make install' drops.

Last edited by steve_v (2024-02-10 18:00:22)

aluma · 2024-02-10 18:56:56

@Altoid

so I will stick with Devuan Beowulf and WiCD.

Okay, it's your choice and non-negotiable.
But Beowulf support will end in 3 months and then what?
Just information, the ark archiver in TDE and KDE5 supports a password when archived “out of the box”

Regards.

Altoid · 2024-02-10 19:42:20

Hello:

boughtonp wrote:

... create a deb package ...
... tools for creating deb packages that involve hundreds of MB of dependencies ...

Seems all rather complex for my pay grade.
Still getting over having installed it. 8^°

steve_v wrote:

If all you want is a .deb ...
... don't care how nice it is ...

That's about it.

I only want a certain level of system compliance (to call it something) and have apt, aptitude and synaptic properly know about it.

steve_v wrote:

... just use checkinstall.

Thanks for the heads up.
I'll look into it.

Unless I am mistaken, xarchiver is added to the Devuan repositories without intervention as it is not dependent on or require the presence of systemd in the system. That being so, I may only have to wait a bit till this last version makes it into Debian (stable or testing) just and install it.

Note: It has already made it to Debian trixie and as a result, to Devuan ceres.

That would replace the one I installed and solve (?) the issue as long as the dependencies remain the same.

Would there be a problem with that?

----
Edit:
Yes.
gdebi says there is a dependency problem - version of libc6 needs to be higher than the one installed.
ie: higher than libc6 2.28-10+deb10u2
----

Thanks to both for your input.

Best,

A.

Last edited by Altoid (2024-02-10 20:40:50)

Altoid · 2024-02-10 19:58:16

Hello:

aluma wrote:

... Beowulf support will end in 3 months and then what?

Good question.

I first came across Network-Manager long ago, when I moved around looking for a distribution that I felt comfortable with.
From what I have read on the forum lately, it seems it has only gotten worse.

Unfortunately, WiCD has been in abandoned state for the last 12 years or so.
There have been timid attempts to do something but without any result, like if it was a curse.

I'll have to see about something else.
But not Network-Manager.

aluma wrote:

... ark archiver in TDE and KDE5 ...

So does xarchiver, it was a question of being able to 'Compress ...' from the PCManFM drop down menu and add a password just like you could do it when opening the application directly.

All it took was a suggestion to the maintainer who very rapidly acted on what he (also) thought was a good idea* and that was it.
* instead of replying something to the effect of why don't you do it yourself.

Thanks for your input.

Best,

A.

golinux · 2024-02-10 20:41:16

@Altoid . . . many years ago even I built a package using HowTo Build a Package from Source the Smart Way from the Debian forums. It is a classic and the last post was 2022 so I'm hopeful it might still work. Seems it has been adapted for python3 which is encouraging . . .

steve_v · 2024-02-11 01:28:22

Altoid wrote:

It has already made it to Debian trixie and as a result, to Devuan ceres.

If it's already in unstable, 99% of the work is done and the best option is probably a simple backport.

Altoid wrote:

gdebi says there is a dependency problem - version of libc6 needs to be higher than the one installed.

That's only because the binary was built against that version, a problem which will go away by itself if you recompile it as above.

pcalvert · 2024-02-11 16:11:20

Altoid wrote:

I refuse to deal with the useless bloat that is Network-Manager, so I will stick with Devuan Beowulf and WiCD.

There is a better solution:

# apt install connman-gtk connman-ui

And, optionally, connman-vpn.

Then, for better Devuan compatibility, make this configuration change:
https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=48040#p48040

Now remove all wicd-related packages.

This may be enough:

# apt remove wicd-gtk

Reboot.

Optional:

Before doing all of the above, run this command:

# aptitude -d install wicd-gtk

That will ensure that wicd-gtk and its dependencies are present in the package cache. In the unlikely event that something goes wrong and you lose internet connectivity, this will allow you to easily reinstall wicd-gtk.

aluma · 2024-02-11 18:35:49

@pcalvert
You finally found the reason for the denial of access to the repositories, respect!

As for Wi-Fi, if we are talking about connecting only to a home router, then you can use wpa_supplicant, available in any distribution.
If necessary, there is a GUI for it.
Set it up once and forget it.

Last edited by aluma (2024-02-11 18:48:11)

Altoid · 2024-02-12 13:57:27

Hello:

golinux wrote:

... many years ago even I built a package

Hmm ...
Don't sell your self short ... 8^P

Thanks for the heads up.
I'll have a look at it.

Best,

A.

Altoid · 2024-02-12 13:59:59

Hello:

steve_v wrote:

If it's already in unstable, 99% of the work is done ...

Right ...

Another possible solution.
I'll have a look at that one too.

Thanks a lot for your input.

Best,

A.

Altoid · 2024-02-12 14:14:30

Hello:

pcalvert wrote:

There is a better solution ...

Indeed ...
Could be.

I have not used WiFi in my box for the longest while now, only with my Asus 1000HE when there is some issue with my telco's ADSL and I get to borrow my next door neighbour's WiFi to check something.

Like many here, I have used WiCD for quite a few years now, quickly became second nature to do so.
Its main feature being that it is light, fast and, in all hese years, it always worked properly and never caused me the sort of grief I read about with other connection managers.

Not using WiFi in my box, maybe I should resort to something even simpler, such as a CLI start/stop connection
I recall a couple of frequent posters (not seen for a while now) speaking wonders of that approach.

I'll have to think about it.

Thanks for your input.

Best regards,

A.

aluma · 2024-02-13 13:38:21

I have used WiCD for quite a few years now, quickly became second nature to do so.

Since the guy didn’t deign to answer the question “What to do in 3 months?”...

Wicd taken from here
https://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/w/wicd/
works on Daedalus out of the box. Look at package dependencies, any python...
Here is a screenshot of the terminal and the Wi-Fi network scanned.
image hosting

Last edited by aluma (2024-02-13 13:39:46)

Altoid · 2024-02-13 16:32:17

Hello:

aluma wrote:

Since the guy didn’t deign to answer the question ...

Let me see ....
Yes, although it was not pertinent to the original subject matter, I did answer the question.

the guy wrote:

I'll have to see about something else.
But not Network-Manager.

See?
Now, just to settle the confusion and nothing more:

aluma wrote:

Wicd taken from here
https://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/w/wicd/

Have a look here.

As you can see that package is WiCD only by name.

It is just a transitional package that works as a front end to any one of its listed dependencies:
ie: network-manager-gnome | network-manager | connman-gtk | cmst | connman-ui

From the README.Devuan file:

Wicd was removed from Debian Bullseye as it requires python 2.
This transitional package ensures that users upgrading from Devuan Beowulf get an alternative network manager installed. It can safely be removed.

That said, it seems that Debian had a Python 3 version of WiCD in its experimental repository accepted in late 2019.

changelog.Debian wrote:

wicd (1.7.4+tb2+2019.09.18git2e0ba579-1) experimental; urgency=low
Upload to experimental to get a broader testing base of the python3 port and the dhcpcd5 changes.
Not yet fully functional again. # <+
--- snip ---

But it has not had any attention paid to it since then and something tells me that it will remain so.

Thanks for your input.

TG.

Last edited by Altoid (2024-02-13 16:39:10)

aluma · 2024-02-13 17:00:52

@Альтоид
First of all, I apologize if I accidentally scratched you with my joke (there’s an emoticon there), I didn’t mean that at all.

I just downloaded these packages and installed them in my Daedalus.
This procedure is probably easier for me to do because of the full-fledged DE. There is a package manager that opens them by clicking in the file manager window, can simply do a test without installation, open a file for viewing or a window of a dependent package.

In the end, everything was installed, I stopped the network-manager service, started the wicd service and everything worked.
I don’t know if this is necessary. Just showed one of the options.

Regards.

P.S.In addition to the packages in the link, a couple of python packages from the Daedalus repository were required/

Last edited by aluma (2024-02-13 17:08:04)

Altoid · 2024-02-13 18:33:51

Hello:

aluma wrote:

... apologize if I accidentally ...

No apologies needed.
None whatsoever.

aluma wrote:

... scratched you ...

No scratches registered either.
All's well ...

I was just taking the piss. 8^°

But we are far from the original thread subject now.
So just to clarify.

aluma wrote:

... downloaded these packages and installed them in my Daedalus.

One WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2-6+devuan1.1) uses python-wicd and should work if you have python 2.7.16-1 installed.
Another WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2-6+devuan2) is the one that I previously referred to, the transitional package.

With respect to the other WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2+2019.09.18git2e0ba579-1) the changelog.Debian file reads:

changelog.Debian wrote:

[ Axel Beckert ]
--- snip ---
* Replace versioned python build-dependency with an unversioned
build-dependency on python2.
--- snip ---
* Package git snapshot to test the port to Python 3. (Closes: #938823)
--- snip ---
+ Change (build-) dependencies to python3 variants.
+ Switch from python-gobject-2 to python3-gi.
+ Rename python-wicd to python3-wicd.
--- snip ---
* Disable test suite while Python 3 port is still incomplete.
--- snip ---

If it actually runs in Deadalus, it will be as any software running on unstable, prone to have problems.

aluma wrote:

... stopped the network-manager service, started the wicd service ...

The WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2-6+devuan2) actually starts whatever you have decided to install (ie: network-manager-gnome | network-manager, etc.), so stopping it and starting WiCD would start the transitioned package again.

No matter, I still have time to think up something else.

Thanks for your input.

Best,

A.

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#1 2024-02-10 14:45:58

Installing from src and apt

#2 2024-02-10 17:21:12

Re: Installing from src and apt

#3 2024-02-10 17:22:44

Re: Installing from src and apt

#4 2024-02-10 18:56:56

Re: Installing from src and apt

#5 2024-02-10 19:42:20

Re: Installing from src and apt

#6 2024-02-10 19:58:16

Re: Installing from src and apt

#7 2024-02-10 20:41:16

Re: Installing from src and apt

#8 2024-02-11 01:28:22

Re: Installing from src and apt

#9 2024-02-11 16:11:20

Re: Installing from src and apt

#10 2024-02-11 18:35:49

Re: Installing from src and apt

#11 2024-02-12 13:57:27

Re: Installing from src and apt

#12 2024-02-12 13:59:59

Re: Installing from src and apt

#13 2024-02-12 14:14:30

Re: Installing from src and apt

#14 2024-02-13 13:38:21

Re: Installing from src and apt

#15 2024-02-13 16:32:17

Re: Installing from src and apt

#16 2024-02-13 17:00:52

Re: Installing from src and apt

#17 2024-02-13 18:33:51

Re: Installing from src and apt

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