[PlanetCCRMA] 32 & 64 bit FC

[Fernando Lopez-Lezcano]

On Mon, 2007-10-29 at 17:00 +0000, joey.a wrote:
> > On Sun, 2007-10-28 at 11:09 +0000, joey.a wrote:
> > > Consequently, since I can't even open most of the programs, it would be
> > > helpful if you could indicate precisely which ones should open in a 64
> bit
> > > environment (under what conditions), and which ones shouldn't, so that I
> can
> > > work out what (if anything) I am doing wrong.
> >
> > The ones that got installed should work. Anything that does not work
> > (AFAIK) is not available at all for the 64 bit versions of FC.
> 
> Makes sense SuperCollider is not displayed. Neither is  the Scheme version
> of Snd (AFAICT)

The Planet CCRMA build of Snd includes scheme. If you can start snd then
it has scheme (and is based in scheme). 

> > Most of the useful programs need Jack to be up and running before they
> > are able to start. Some are polite and tell you something is missing
> > (like Rosegarden), some will silently fail to start. In those cases you
> > can open a terminal ("Applications" -> "System Tools" -> "Terminal")
> 
> Yes, that is one of the few things I managed to write down in my accelerated
> Linux crash course. (Aarghhh)
> 
> >  and type the command that starts the program.
> 
> errrmmm..... how? What command? (Run don't work)

The command is usually the name of the program. So, for snd typing "snd"
in a terminal will start snd. Or for rosegarden typing "rosegarden"
should do it. 

If that does not work it may be that the command that starts the program
is slightly different. You could either find the README for it and it
will usually tell what the command name is, or you could use rpm itself
to try to find it:

  rpm -q -l package_name | grep usr/bin

will list stuff in /usr/bin, usually just one line and that should be
the program you start for that particular package. 

For example:
----
rpm -q -l rosegarden4|grep usr/bin
/usr/bin/rosegarden
/usr/bin/rosegarden-audiofile-importer
/usr/bin/rosegarden-lilypondview
/usr/bin/rosegarden-project-package
/usr/bin/rosegardensequencer
----

the shorter one in this particular case is the one you want to type in
the command line. 

"/usr/bin/" is the place where pretty much all user accessible programs
store their binaries or startup scripts. 

> [MUNCH]
> > > I don't think I am completely useless when it comes to computers and
> music.
> > > I did, after all, manage to design, build, program, & debug, a pyramid
> > > computer music system based on refinements of a digitally controlled
> analog
> > > flight simulation computer, with one of the first 16 bit
> microprocesssors at
> > > the (lower end) man-macine interface, over a quarter of a century ago.
> >
> > Wow...
> >
> > > However, my initial attempt to interface with Planet CCRMA have left me
> > > feeling a bit like Homer Simpson, when he can't fin d the ANY key.
> >
> > You will need a bit of patience I'm afraid. You are tackling a new
> > operating system, new applications, etc, etc. It can drive you into
> > overload very easily :-) It does that to me from time to time.
> >
> > Usually the home web pages for most Linux applications have links to
> > documentation on how to use the program. Some are good, some are bad and
> > on somes you have to learn by doing. When there's documentation
> > available in the original software package I install it. The location is
> > not necessarily the same for everything. Sometimes it is available from
> > the menus of the app itself, sometimes you have to do a little digging
> > to find it. For example, most packages come with a README file that
> > tells you what they do, and it is usually installed in the doc
> > directory, which is here:
> >
> >   /usr/share/doc/
> >
> > You will see docs for most of the installed programs there.
> >
> > You can also see what files the program has installed and see if there's
> > anything documentation related. In a terminal type:
> >
> >   rpm -q -l package_name | more
> >
> > That will list all files in a given package. Pretty long and useless
> > list sometimes. But:
> >
> >   rpm -q -l package_name | grep README
> >
> > will list anything that has README in its name (a better clue). Or
> >
> >   rpm -q -l package_name | grep doc
> >
> > will list anything that has doc in its name.
> >
> >   rpm -q -i package_name
> >
> > will also list more details for the package, including the URL of the
> > home page of the software, which may have docs available. Most packages
> > are listed in the Planet CCRMA home page with links to the home site as
> > well.
> >
> > Hope this helps a little bit...
> > Perhaps others can chime in with good online resources...
>
> Thanks. Your response has been most encouraging. I was almost at the point
> of completely giving up!

Yeah, getting started is not easy if this is your first contact with
Linux. Remember you just landed in a new planet and you don't know
anything about local customs, etc, etc. It takes a while learn your way
around...

-- Fernando