how to launch downloaded files?

how to launch downloaded files?

[R. Bal]

Hi All,

I'm a day old Linux user, and am loving the system performance. 
Everthing is great, except that I can't seem to get the files I download 
off the net to "execute".  I know where the files are being saved.  How 
do I "run" them?  I have a Netscape installer, but can't seem to get it 
working.

Any suggestions?  I'm running Red Hat 8.0.

RB.

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs

Re: how to launch downloaded files?

[Ray Olszewski]

At 09:36 PM 12/14/02 -0500, R. Bal wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>I'm a day old Linux user, and am loving the system performance. Everthing 
>is great, except that I can't seem to get the files I download off the net 
>to "execute".  I know where the files are being saved.  How do I "run" 
>them?  I have a Netscape installer, but can't seem to get it working.
>
>Any suggestions?  I'm running Red Hat 8.0.

Since you put "execute" and "run" in quotes, I wonder if you are referring 
to something other than running an downloaded application that was compiled 
for Linux. If you are, please explain further what you mean.

If not ... if that is what you mean ... you either run it from a 
command-line prompt (in X, open an xterm or eterm and run it from there), 
or you add it to your X window-manager's popup menu (comes up with the 
right mouse button, normally), or you do something specific to the desktop 
environment (e.g., Gnome or KDE) that you are running. There are also 
specialized "launcher" applications that emulate some of the click-to-run 
style of the Windows GUI.


--
-------------------------------------------"Never tell me the odds!"--------
Ray Olszewski					-- Han Solo
Palo Alto, California, USA			  ray@comarre.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs

Re: how to launch downloaded files?

[dashielljt]

You can't get anything you download to launch under linux without some
processing first.  This isn't windows and those who put Linux together
care lots more about your security than the people out of redmond
washington ever did.  If you downloaded files with an extension of .exe,
you'd have to move them over into the windows partition to execute them
unless you haven't got a windows partition.  Not having a windows
partition is a great way to run a linux system too.  If those files have
extensions like .tar.gz those linux can extract and probably build for
you.  Before I go into any of that procedure though most of the time you
should not run as root and when you do run as root never do so while
connected to the outside world.  That's a great way to have your linux
system knocked over by a hacker.  Let's say you have /home/joe on the
system and you're using that account to access the internet and that's
where what you downloaded is now.  you would do the command cp
filename.ext /tmp <cr> first.  Then the command cd /tmp <cr>.  then the
command tar zxvf filename.ext <cr>.  Now here's a trick.  try typing only
the first few letters of the filename.ext and then hit tab and look at the
name the machine offers.  If it's correct just hit enter and you'll do the
operation on that file.  That's tab completion for you.  Once the tar is
done, from the /tmp directory type cd <partial file name> then tab and if
the directory the file created under /tmp is correct hit return.  After
that ls -d <cr> and see what's in the directory.  readme files are a good
place to start if present and they usually are, so if there type less
readme or less README <cr> and read.  You'll probably be shown commands to
run to build your application on your system which if run as shown should
get you a working application.  Seriously though, you really want to
register and sign up with freshmeat.net and subscribe yourself to their
newsletters.  The reason is, the freshmeat.net newsletters come to your
email address and are better than windows update for linux because they're
not constantly nagging you to install stuff.  Linux takes the approach
that you're not 5 years old and can think for yourself.  Welcome aboard!

Jude <dashielljt(at)gmpexpress-dot-net>

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs

Re: how to launch downloaded files?

[Arno Seitzinger]

R. Bal wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> I'm a day old Linux user, and am loving the system performance.
> Everthing is great, except that I can't seem to get the files I download
> off the net to "execute".  I know where the files are being saved.  How
> do I "run" them?  I have a Netscape installer, but can't seem to get it
> working.
> 
> Any suggestions?  I'm running Red Hat 8.0.
> 
> RB.


One thing you should keep in mind is that you may have to change the file 
attribute to executeable _if_ you downloaded an executeable file.

Have a look at 'man chmod'
You can use it like 'chmod u+x yourfile' which will change permission to 
executeable for the owner of the file.

HTH

Arno


-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs



-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs

Re: how to launch downloaded files?

[Arno Seitzinger]

Arno Seitzinger wrote:

[stuff about chmod] 

> Have a look at 'man chmod'
> You can use it like 'chmod o+x yourfile' which will change permission to
> executeable for the owner of the file.

For the owner, it has to be u+x, of course...

Arno


-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-newbie" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.linux-learn.org/faqs