Request for help running a UNIX program with DSL

Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Request for help running a UNIX program with DSL
started by: john2005

Posted by john2005 on June 16 2005,16:49

Please note: Somehow I posted this question twice by mistake, right in a row. I did not mean to do this, and I apologize. John

Hi Everyone,

I am a complete newbie with Linux and DSL. However, I just got DSL up and running from CD, with the help of the good people on this forum.

I have been wanting to try a UNIX program shown at this link < http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/~rmsl/Angeles_html/research/USyCaMs.html >

This is a free 481 KB file from McGill University. Can anyone tell me if it is possible to run this program with DSL ?

One thing I don't understand is that the site says the file is a UNIX executable, but when I download it, the file has a .txt extension. Do I need to change the extension to .exe or something else after downloading ?

If the file does work, I am guessing I Will have to burn it on the DSL CD, perhaps in a special directory, and then try to open the program with DSL.

The site says you can contact them for more information and even other platforms, but I could not determine exactly who to contact, or by what email address.

I would appreciate any help or feedback on running this program with DSL.

Thanks for your help.
John

Posted by john2005 on June 17 2005,02:43

Hello,

The following link should take you to the downlaod area for the actual source file for the program UsyCams.

< http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/ftp/rmsl/usycams/ >

I hope this might help.

Thanks
John

Posted by RoGuE_StreaK on June 17 2005,03:40

I'm by no means an expert at compiling (read "kinda read about it, never really done it..."), but I think maybe, judging from the usycams_tar_list, the file should be a tar with the listed components in it - try renaming from .txt to .tar?
Looks like it should have a make file etc., in there, have a search through the forum on how to "make".

Judging from the pics and the fact that they use Silicon Graphics machines, I'd say at the very least you should have the full XFree86 display package installed, with 3d acceleration. But I think it all might be asking a bit too much of DSL (might be doable, but you'd probably have to extend DSL so much that you'd be better of trying a full Linux system anyway?)