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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    The KDE Installation Experience
From:       Talin <Talin () ACM ! org>
Date:       2000-04-30 1:53:15
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Because I hadn't updated my KDE sources in a while, I decided to start
over from scratch and re-install everything. I wiped out all my sources
and installation directory, and erased everything in my home directory
that begins with ".kde*". I then used CVSup to get a complete fresh set
of sources and rebuilt everything.

Needless to say, I ran into a few minor problems. However, the build is
on the whole working quite well, most modules configure and build
without a problem.

Anyway, I thought that I would give a detailed description of the issues
that I encountered while doing this.

Part I: Build problems.

1. kdesdk configures OK, but fails to build:

    make[3]: Entering directory `/opt/src/kde/kdesdk/kexample'
    make[3]: *** No rule to make target `all'. 
Stop.                                                  

(Note that this is nothing new, I've never been able to get kdesdk to
build properly.)

2. kdoc seems to be missing a "Makefile.am". Is this correct? Otherwise
it builds OK.

3. klyx gets a compile error:

    FindReplaceDialog.C:66: no matching function for call to
`KIconLoader::loadIcon (const char[9])'
    FindReplaceDialog.C:73: no matching function for call to
`KIconLoader::loadIcon (const char[10])'

4. ksite seems to be missing a Makefile.cvs. Running one of the
Makefile.cvs from the other modules seems to work OK, however when I run
configure it reports: "checking for kde headers installed... configure:
error: your system is not able to compile a small KDE application!"
despite the fact that I have the paths set up correctly.

5. kmusic has no top-level make files of any kind, and no instructions.

6. kfte compilation exits with an error:

    In file included from g_kde.cpp:43:
    g_kde.h:16: ktopwidget.h: No such file or directory

7. There are a _lot_ of source files that are being built redundantly on
a second "make". For example, if you go into kdelibs and type "make" and
then when that's done type "make" again, a lot of files get recompiled.
However, for some reason "make -n" doesn't show any files getting built.
I even noticed some files getting build a second time during the "make
install".

Part II: Setup problems.

1. When the "Welcome to KDE" dialog appears, I see the mini-icon for the
"background" panel applet (two small computers) appear in the middle of
the screen.

2. In the configuration wizard, the first screen caption says "elcome to
KDE" ('W' is missing).

BTW, that wizard guy is kind of scary.

3. In the configuration wizard, none of the buttons appear to have any
obvious feedback - selecting "default KDE theme" button has no immediate
effect. Similarly, the buttons which create the icons also are
confusing, because if you're not looking for it you may miss the fact
that the icons get created.

I think it would be better if these buttons were checkboxes, and the
actual creation was done at the time the "next" button is pressed, or
better yet, when the "Finish" button is pressed. That is, after all, how
"wizard" UIs traditionally operate. 

4. I accidentally hit both floppy buttons, even though 1) I already had
a floppy icon [how could that be since I wiped everything?], and 2) I
don't have two floppies. The effect that seemed to occur was one of the
floppy icons turned into a CD-ROM icon. I'm not sure about this, it
happened pretty fast and I'm not sure of the exact sequence of clicks.

Part III: Kicker issues:

1. My "Find files" icon was missing. I tried to create a new one, using
"add application", and that worked, except the icon it uses is a gear
icon, and it won't let me change it. (I.e. the icon in the properties
dialog is read-only for some reason.)

2. Attempt to add an icon on the kicker panel for
/usr/bin/netscape-communicator. OK, that works but I want to change the
icon - when I click on "properties", it comes up with a dialog asking me
for optional command-line arguments. The same is true if I drag the
netscape icon from /usr/bin to the panel

3. When I "move" an icon on the panel, the raised box surrounding the
icon stays highlighted after I release the mouse. I can get all of the
highlights going at once this way.

4. I click on the icon of the cardboard box with the gear next to it and
select "User Preferences", and an error message comes up saying that
"file:/Control/User.desktop" does not exist. Selecting the box icon
again shows an empty menu. Note that invoking preferences from the K
menu works properly.

Part IV: Logout problems

1. For some reason, when I "logout" from KDE, my X-windows doesn't
actually quit, I just get a blank gray screen. I suspect this is because
I have my .Xclients file setup wrong. The only thing I have in it is an
"xrdb" command, a bunch of "xhost" commands, and "startkde" as the very
last line.

Talin (Talin@ACM.org)       "I am life's flame. Respect my name.
www.sylvantech.com/~talin    My fire is red, my heart is gold.
www.hackertourist.com/talin  Thy dreams can be...believe in me,
                             If you will let my wings unfold..."
                               -- Heather Alexander

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