5 - Installation instructions and notes for the Midnight Commander
6 - Where to get more information on the Midnight Commander
8 - Information on porting the program
9 - Obtaining the missing pieces of the Midnight Commander
12 Installation instructions for the Midnight Commander
13 ----------------------------------------------------
15 The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for
16 various system-dependent variables used during compilation, and creates
17 the Makefile. It also creates a file `config.status' that you can run
18 in the future to recreate the current configuration.
20 (Nextstep users, make sure you read the "Compiling under Nextstep"
23 To compile this package:
25 1. Configure the package for your system.
27 Normally, you just `cd' to the directory containing the package's
28 source code and type `./configure'. If you're using `csh' on an old
29 version of System V, you might need to type `sh configure' instead to
30 prevent `csh' from trying to execute `configure' itself (under AIX,
31 you may need to use ksh instead of sh).
33 Running `configure' takes a while. While it is running, it
34 prints some messages that tell what it is doing. If you don't want to
35 see any messages, run `configure' with its standard output redirected
36 to `/dev/null'; for example, `./configure >/dev/null'.
38 To compile the package in a different directory from the one
39 containing the source code, you must use a version of `make' that
40 supports the `VPATH' variable, such as GNU `make'. `cd' to the
41 directory where you want the object files and executables to go and run
42 the `configure' script. `configure' automatically checks for the
43 source code in the directory that `configure' is in and in `..'. If
44 for some reason `configure' is not in the source code directory that
45 you are configuring, then it will report that it can't find the source
46 code. In that case, run `configure' with the option `--srcdir=DIR',
47 where DIR is the directory that contains the source code.
49 By default, `make install' will install the package's files in
50 `/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/man', etc. You can specify an
51 installation prefix other than `/usr/local' by giving `configure' the
52 option `--prefix=PATH'. Alternately, you can do so by consistently
53 giving a value for the `prefix' variable when you run `make', e.g.,
55 make prefix=/usr/gnu install
57 You can specify separate installation prefixes for
58 architecture-specific files and architecture-independent files. If
59 you give `configure' the option `--exec-prefix=PATH' or set the `make'
60 variable `exec_prefix' to PATH, the package will use PATH as the
61 prefix for installing programs and libraries. Data files and
62 documentation will still use the regular prefix. Normally, all files
63 are installed using the same prefix.
65 The program detects if you have the gpm library installed. If you
66 installed the gpm mouse library in a non-standard place, you will need
67 to use the --with-gpm-mouse flag with the directory base where you
68 installed the gpm package.
70 `configure' also recognizes the following options:
73 Print a summary of the options to `configure', and exit.
77 Do not print messages saying which checks are being made.
80 Print the results of the checks.
83 Print the version of Autoconf used to generate the `configure'
87 Enables the built-in memory allocation debugger and forces
88 compilation with -Wall. This is an option intended to be used by
89 the program developers.
92 Configures the program to be compiled without the built-in file
93 editor. The built-in editor is compiled in by default.
95 `--with-ext2undel[=PATH]'
96 On systems that use the Extended 2 file system and have the
97 libext2fs.a library available, this compiles into the Midnight
98 Commander the support code for recovering deleted files (the
99 undel virtual file system).
100 Use =PATH if libext2fs.a is installed in a non-standard place.
101 The configure will append `lib' and `include' to find the ext2fs
102 libraries and include files respectively.
104 `--with-gpm-mouse[=PATH]'
105 Use this flag if your GPM mouse package cannot be detected by the
106 configure. Use =PATH if it is installed in a non-standard place.
107 The configure will append `lib' and `include' to find the libgpm.a
108 and gpm.h files respectively.
110 `--without-gpm-mouse'
111 Use this flag to disable GPM mouse support (e.g. if you want to
112 use mouse only on X terminals).
115 Compiles support into the ftp virtual file system to support the
119 Needed when compiling under AIX if you want the fast viewer.
121 `--with-subshell[=optional]', `--without-subshell'
122 The subshell support is by default turned on, you can disable
123 this by using the --without-subshell option. If you pass the
124 =optional parameter, then the subshell support is turned off by
125 default, to turn it on, you have to specify the `-U' flag when
129 Enables the network support with the Term package.
131 `--with-tm-x-support'
132 This option enables minimal X Window support in the text edition. It
133 enables MC to query the status of the modifiers CONTROL and SHIFT
134 when invoked in a terminal emulation under X11. That's necessary
135 to recognice key combinations like C-HOME or S-Cursor key.
138 This option disables the Virtual File System switch code in the
139 Midnight Commander and uses the standard file system calls for
140 file access. If you specify this option you will not get the
141 transparent tar File system manipulation as well nor the
142 networked Midnight Commander file system.
144 You may also tell configure which display manager you want to use with
145 the Midnight Commander. The configure script will use SLang as default,
146 but you can override this by using any of the following flags (please
147 note that slang is included as part of the distribution),
149 `--with-slang' (default)
150 This is used to configure the program to use the SLang screen
151 manager. This is included as part of the Midnight Commander,
152 you don't need it installed on your system. If SLang is installed
153 on your system it will be used if possible. You can force usage of
154 the included SLang with the `--with-included-slang' option.
155 Slang is the only library that will let you resize the Midnight
156 Commander window on an xterm.
158 This option will usually try to use the terminfo database if it
159 is available, otherwise it will use the termcap database. At
160 compile time, you may force the use the terminal database with
161 the `--with-termcap' and `--with-terminfo' options (both options
162 automaticly turn `--with-included-slang' on).
164 `--with-ncurses[=directory]'
165 Use this flag (either with or without the =directory part), if
166 you want to compile with ncurses instead of the default SLang.
168 Use the =directory part if your ncurses is not installed in any of the
169 places configure will check (/usr/include, /usr/include/ncurses,
170 /usr/local/include and /usr/local/include/ncurses).
171 The argument to this flag is the base directory where the ncurses
172 files are located. The configure will append lib and include to
173 find the libncurses.a and ncurses.h file respectively. For
174 example, if you have installed ncurses under /gnu/lib and
175 /gnu/include, you specify: --with-ncurses=/gnu
177 You will need the ncurses package only if your system does not
178 provide a compatible curses. If after compiling, the program
179 says that it can't resolve the has_colors function, then you need
180 the ncurses package or you may always go back to the included SLang
183 `--with-vcurses[=directory]'
184 Use this flag to force the Midnight Commander to use a SystemV
185 type ncurses, the optional directory specifies where should
186 the C compiler find the include files.
188 `--with-sunos-curses'
189 You use this flag on SunOS machines if you want to use SunOS 4.x
190 curses instead of ncurses. You don't need this flag if you don't
191 have ncurses installed: it's only needed to force the usage of
192 SunOS curses over ncurses.
194 `configure' also accepts and ignores some other options.
196 On systems that require unusual options for compilation or linking
197 that the package's `configure' script does not know about, you can give
198 `configure' initial values for variables by setting them in the
199 environment. In Bourne-compatible shells, you can do that on the
200 command line like this:
202 CC='gcc -traditional' LIBS=-lposix ./configure
204 On systems that have the `env' program, you can do it like this:
206 env CC='gcc -traditional' LIBS=-lposix ./configure
208 Here are the `make' variables that you might want to override with
209 environment variables when running `configure'.
211 For these variables, any value given in the environment overrides the
212 value that `configure' would choose:
215 C compiler program. The default is `cc'.
218 The default flags used to build the program.
221 Program to use to install files. The default is `install' if you
222 have it, `cp' otherwise.
224 For these variables, any value given in the environment is added to
225 the value that `configure' chooses:
228 Libraries to link with, in the form `-lfoo -lbar...'.
230 If you need to do unusual things to compile the package, we encourage
231 you to figure out how `configure' could check whether to do them, and
232 mail diffs or instructions to the address given in the README so we
233 can include them in the next release.
235 2. Type `make' to compile the package.
237 3. If the package comes with self-tests and you want to run them,
238 type `make check'. If you're not sure whether there are any, try it;
239 if `make' responds with something like
240 make: *** No way to make target `check'. Stop.
241 then the package does not come with self-tests.
243 4. Type `make install' to install programs, data files, and
245 If your system is Linux, then install installs the Linux console screen
248 5. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the
249 source directory by typing `make clean'. To also remove the
250 Makefile(s), the header file containing system-dependent definitions
251 (if the package uses one), and `config.status' (all the files that
252 `configure' created), type `make realclean'. If you want to clean the source
253 tree completely, so that it contains only those files that should be
254 packaged in the archive, issue `make distclean'. If you've run configure in
255 a different directory than the source tree, distclean won't remove your *.o
256 and linked programs in that directory.
258 6. The Midnight Commander allows you to be kept on the directory you
259 were when you quit the program, this is done with a shell function,
260 the man page has more information about this. If you want to let the
261 install program make the change to your /etc/profile or your
262 ~/.profile or ~/.bashrc, then type: `make mcfninstall'.
264 The file `configure.in' is used to create `configure' by a program
265 called `autoconf'. You only need it if you want to regenerate
266 `configure' using a newer version of `autoconf'.
268 Compiling under NeXTStep
269 ------------------------
271 These instructions were provided by Gregor Hoffleit
272 <flight@mathi.uni-heidelberg.DE>, he recommends configuring the
276 export CC="cc -posix"
277 configure --without-subshell --with-termcap
278 Edie config.h and make sure you have #undef HAVE_GETWD
283 - Where to get more information on the Midnight Commander
284 ---------------------------------------------------------
286 Janne Kukonlehto set up a WWW page, here is the URL:
287 http://mc.blackdown.org/mc/
289 We also a set of mailing lists for the program:
291 mc: Discussion on the Midnight Commander file manager.
292 mc-devel: For discussion between the developers of the program.
294 to subscribe to the mailing lists, visit their respective pages:
296 http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/mc/
297 http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/mc-devel/
300 Notes about the Midnight Commander installation
301 ------------------------------------------------
303 The Midnight Commander has been run in the following configurations:
309 mips-dec-{open,net}bsd1.0
319 mc88110-aviion-dgux5.4
320 i386-*-{bsdi2,freebsd}
322 Since the Midnight Commander is configured via the GNU autoconf
323 program, it's not difficult to run it in other operating systems.
325 If you're using AIX, with the cc6000 compiler, you have to specify the
326 `--with-mmap' command line option.
328 You will need GNU C (or an ANSI C Compiler) and optionally a color
329 curses library (ncurses is a good choice). The Midnight Commander now
330 comes with the Slang screen manager, a fast screen manager, so ncurses
331 is not required anymore unless you want to use it.
333 Many Linux systems ship with ncurses version 1.9.9e, however, we recommend
334 ncurses 4.1 or above, since the former version does not support resizing
337 Since version 0.9 the Midnight Commander comes with mouse support on
338 xterms and in the Linux console. In order to take advantage of the
339 mouse support on the Linux console you will need the gpm mouse server
340 (see the section "Obtaining the Missing Pieces" in this file).
342 Once you get the Mouse Server, compile it and install it, then you
343 will have to specify the `--with-gpm-mouse' flag to the configure
344 program if you installed it in a non-standard directory. If you
345 installed the gpm package under /usr or /usr/local, you don't need to
346 specify this flag; configure will find gpm for you. The support for
347 mice on xterms is always compiled in.
349 We are working on further enhancements to the program, but we're not
350 sure which ones must go first. If you would like to point us in the
351 Right Direction we will be glad to hear from you (you could check the
352 file TODO included with this distribution for the current projects).
354 If you happen to find an undocumented feature that doesn't do what you
355 expected, please drop us a note telling us as much as you can about
356 the problem you're experiencing (to miguel@roxanne.nuclecu.unam.mx).
362 Random notes on porting to other architectures.
364 The Midnight Commander uses now by default the SLang library for
365 handling the display. You may want to download the latest version of
366 SLang or use a slightly modified SLang version 0.99.38 included with
367 the Midnight Commander. The later is very stable and has been used
368 for years without problems. You shouldn't expect any problems porting
369 SLang to your platform.
371 Another possibility is to download and install ncurses on your OS.
372 The Midnight Commander can use ncurses as well as the display engine.
373 However, you may encounter minor differences, for instance, you will
374 be unable to force the color mode by giving the "-c" switch to the
377 As the last resort, you may try to use the curses library supplied with
378 your OS. Beware that some systems, e.g. SystemV Release 4, include the
379 curses library with bugs critical to the Midnight Commander. You may
380 try to recompile all your source code with the symbol BUGGY_CURSES
383 make clean; make CFLAGS="-g -O -DBUGGY_CURSES"
386 Obtaining the missing pieces of the Midnight Commander
387 ------------------------------------------------------
389 The Midnight Commander will build without requiring you to get any
390 other software packages, however, you may be interested in enhancing
391 the Midnight Commander environment with some of these:
395 There are many incomplete terminal databases out there, however, a
396 complete terminfo is bundled with ncurses. (It is simple to generate
397 the termcap database using the infocmp utility in ncurses).
399 Some terminfo data are included with the mc distribution (lib/*.ti).
400 Particularly linux, xterm and vt100. Use e.g. ''tic linux.ti'' to
403 If you want to run mc on xterm/color_xterm/ansi_xterm (not rxvt), then
404 you might read lib/README.xterm for further information.
408 Midnight Commander requires glib. You can get glib from
410 ftp://ftp.gtk.org/pub/gtk/
412 o In the past the Midnight Commander required the NCurses library to
413 build, now it's optional. You can get Ncurses from
415 ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/ncurses/
416 ftp://dickey.his.com/ncurses/
418 o The GPM Mouse Server is available at:
420 ftp://ftp.systemy.it/pub/develop/
422 o The X Windows System libraries are only used if you are going to
423 build the X11 versions of the program. Please note that this code
424 is not finished, so it's only useful if you want to look at what we
425 are doing or want to help in one of the two X11 versions.
427 To get the mouse support working on the Linux console:
429 If you're using Linux version >= 1.1.34, then you will have to choose yes
430 to selection when you compile your kernel. If your Linux version is
431 older than this one, you may try to apply one of the patches included in
434 And the GNU C Compiler may be obtained from the following sites:
436 ASIA: ftp.cs.titech.ac.jp, utsun.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp:/ftpsync/prep,
437 cair.kaist.ac.kr:/pub/gnu
438 AUSTRALIA: archie.au:/gnu (archie.oz or archie.oz.au for ACSnet)
439 AFRICA: ftp.sun.ac.za:/pub/gnu
440 MIDDLE-EAST: ftp.technion.ac.il:/pub/unsupported/gnu
441 EUROPE: ftp.cvut.cz:/pub/gnu, irisa.irisa.fr:/pub/gnu,
442 ftp.univ-lyon1.fr:pub/gnu, ftp.mcc.ac.uk,
443 unix.hensa.ac.uk:/pub/uunet/systems/gnu,
444 src.doc.ic.ac.uk:/gnu, ftp.win.tue.nl, ugle.unit.no,
445 ftp.denet.dk, ftp.informatik.rwth-aachen.de:/pub/gnu,
446 ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de, ftp.eunet.ch,
447 nic.switch.ch:/mirror/gnu, nic.funet.fi:/pub/gnu, isy.liu.se,
448 ftp.stacken.kth.se, ftp.luth.se:/pub/unix/gnu, archive.eu.net
449 CANADA: ftp.cs.ubc.ca:/mirror2/gnu
450 USA: wuarchive.wustl.edu:/mirrors/gnu, labrea.stanford.edu,
451 ftp.kpc.com:/pub/mirror/gnu, ftp.cs.widener.edu, uxc.cso.uiuc.edu,
452 col.hp.com:/mirrors/gnu, ftp.cs.columbia.edu:/archives/gnu/prep,
453 gatekeeper.dec.com:/pub/GNU, ftp.uu.net:/systems/gnu
456 Unsupported options to configure:
457 ---------------------------------
459 If you don't want to use ncurses and are using an Ultrix box, you
460 can use this switch. Be aware that ncurses is a better option
461 than the curses included in Ultrix.