[Xastir] Install

[Rick Green]

On Tue, 17 Oct 2006, Robbie, wa9inf wrote:

> I'm trying to do a complete install of Xastir and having difficulties with 
> the "language" and terms of it all, however, I am trying.. I've tried to get 
> a handle on Linux a few times but would give up, :-(
>
> Is there a text file, documentation, like a step by step file out there any 
> where for dummies like me?
>
> As always, to me, its very difficult to come into the middle of something, 
> then have to spend so much time understanding Linux, I give up on Xastir 
> since I keep getting errors on the files I download to install. Like 
> dependencies on Perl for GPS, and the ax25libs not found. Curt mentioned the 
> problems with some binary files compiled with things I may not need or want 
> and not there, :-)
>
> I am up and running with Fedora Core 5, and several "Windows" like 
> applications, but all that isn't what I was after really, more for ham radio 
> applications and reliability of Linux and Xastir..
>
   I haven't used fedora in quite a while, but I can relate to the 
dependency-hell problem.
   My suggestion:  Switch to a Debian derivative.  Apt-get rocks! Many have 
touted Mepis as being ham-friendly, but my personal favorite lately is 
(X|K)Ubuntu.  It's pretty painless, and the user community is especially 
friendly to newbies.
   Quick howto:
   Obtain the Live/Install disk image via FTP or Bittorrent.
   Burn to media.
   Boot from that media.  It'll take a while, as it does hardware detection 
and brings up a full graphical system, running from the CD.
   Install to your HDD.  This is where my memory fails me.  Was there an 
icon on the desktop?  Or a prominent menu item on the application menu? 
Either way, it was easy to find, I just haven't done it for six months 
now...
   Bring up the package manager(in the 'system' group on the menu, it's 
'adept' on Kubuntu, 'Synaptic' on Ubuntu.)  Go to the 'settings' menu, 
select 'manage repositories', and enable the 'restricted-', 'universe', 
and 'multiverse' repositories.
   Once the repositories have been enabled, click on the 'fetch updates' 
button to download the available package list from all the new 
repositories you've enabled.
   Now, use the search function to find 'xastir', and select it for 
installation.
   If you're real eager, click on 'apply changes' and watch it do all the 
real work.  It'll pull in all the dependencies for you.
   Once its done, close the package manager, hit alt-F2 to bring up a 'run' 
dialog, type in xastir, and click on 'Run'.  Or type 'xastir' in a user 
shell.  That'll show you any error messages, but will tie up the shell, 
also.
   In a moment, you'll see a window open up that will be all grey with some 
menus at the top.  Go to 'file/configure/station' first, then 
'maps/chooser', and finally 'interfaces', and you'll start seeing data 
appearing on pretty maps.  (Yes, each of these dialog boxes will have lots 
of questions, each deserving its own howto!  If you get stuck, google, 
read, and ask again!)

(Here's a wishlist item for the developers:  In the 'first-time use' code, 
when you discover no ~.xastir directory exists, detour thru a startup 
dialog that will prompt the user for station info(call, Lat/long), and 
based on that, automatically enable tigermap.geo and a read-only internet 
interface filtered for that location and a 100km radius. Then set the 
display for zoom level 500 with the station at the center. That would 
eliminate the appearance of that ugly blank grey screen, and the 
consequent 'how do I get this thing to actually DO something?' quandary.)

When you've got more time, go back to the package manager, select 'Fetch 
changes', then 'full upgrade' then 'apply changes', and you'll pick up the 
latest and greatest version of all packages you already have installed.

This method gets you up and running with an older, known stable 
version(1.7.1) of xastir.  Later, when you're feeling daring and have some 
Linux development knowledge gained, you can compile your own from one of 
the development tarballs, or even directly from CVS, but leave that for 
when you want to interface the latest weather station or whatever.


-- 
Rick Green

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
                                   -Benjamin Franklin