A clear instruction for “INSTALL”

[GrimPixel]

After the cd command,

$ ./configure
bash: ./configure: No such file or directory
$ make
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found.  Stop.

[MacSlow]

Since cairo-clock is still using autotools, it is not uncommon to expect people to know/recognize the contained ./autogen.sh script. That needs to be executed first, to build certain temporary files (like the configure script), which can then be used to kick off the remaining build-steps.

[GrimPixel]

Now it is

$ ./autogen.sh
autoreconf: export WARNINGS=
autoreconf: Entering directory '.'
autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Gettext
autoreconf: running: aclocal 
Can't exec "aclocal": No such file or directory at /usr/share/autoconf/Autom4te/FileUtils.pm line 274.
autoreconf: error: aclocal failed with exit status: 2

[MacSlow]

You do not seem to have 'aclocal' installed on your system.

[GrimPixel]

It is called “automake”. After installing it,

config.status: error: po/Makefile.in.in was not created by intltoolize.

[MacSlow]

Sure, that's the package aclocal is part of.

[MacSlow]

config.status: error: po/Makefile.in.in was not created by intltoolize.

Despite this error message, it compiles and installs cleanly for me. Does this error cause compilation and installation to fail for you?

[GrimPixel]

There is no hint on how to start the program. I saw “cairo_clock” in /src and tried to run it. Nothing happened.

Nothing happened.

I build here under Debian and in /src a ./cairo_clock command results in that message here

(cairo_clock:1388): libglade-WARNING **: 08:49:28.865: could not find glade file '/usr/local/share/cairo-clock/glade/cairo-clock.glade'
Could not load "/usr/local/share/cairo-clock/glade/cairo-clock.glade"!

but no clock on the desktop.

But a ./cairo_clock --help command gives here

Usage:
cairo_clock [OPTION…] - analog clock drawn with vector-graphics

Help Options:
-?, --help Show help options

Application Options:
-x, --xposition=X x-position of the top-left window-corner
-y, --yposition=Y y-position of the top-left window-corner
.
.
.

So the make process is OK here.

What is missing at that near final stage is a simple sudo make install

But I agree, what is needed here is a 'clear instruction' how to proceed BEFORE you can do make and make install

Took me several approaches to get that clock on the desktop.

br KH

[MacSlow]

Nothing happened.

I build here under Debian and in /src a ./cairo_clock command results in that message here

(cairo_clock:1388): libglade-WARNING **: 08:49:28.865: could not find glade file '/usr/local/share/cairo-clock/glade/cairo-clock.glade'
Could not load "/usr/local/share/cairo-clock/glade/cairo-clock.glade"!

but no clock on the desktop.

But a ./cairo_clock --help command gives here

Usage:
cairo_clock [OPTION…] - analog clock drawn with vector-graphics
Help Options:
-?, --help Show help options
Application Options:
-x, --xposition=X x-position of the top-left window-corner
-y, --yposition=Y y-position of the top-left window-corner
.
.
...

So the make process is OK here.

What is missing at that near final stage is a simple sudo make install

But I agree, what is needed here is a 'clear instruction' how to proceed BEFORE you can do make and make install

Took me several approaches to get that clock on the desktop.

The file 'INSTALL' included with cairo-clock is a generic one, which applies to nearly all autotools-based programs. Specific library-dependencies are mentioned in 'README'. Getting those onto a system, if not installed already, is a required step that's more or less involved depending on the Linux-distribution used and the experience of the user.

What you did all by yourself is usually meant to be done only by experienced distro-developers... or very advanced users. This is also the assumption by a typical developer, writing a piece of software and its typical install instructions.

The 'clear instruction' is - sadly still today - a problem under Linux (or BSD) because of the huge amount of distributions available. It would be a massive effort to cover all distros (and keep that up-to-date) with all the package-versions of required libraries in a step-by-step installation instruction.

Considering most of the programs, tools and gimmicks, like cairo-clock, are pure just-for-fun spare-time projects by people writing them as a hobby... the part of writing the installation-instructions is the least fun to do. Especially considering the usual assumption that experienced distro-developers, will do the packaging work should a tool gain any popularity and be intended for inclusion in distro-repositories.

I should really write a 'next-gen' variant of cairo-clock, which would probably end up being 3D-based and use OpenGL or better yet Vulkan under the hood ;)

Best regards...

MacSlow

I should really write a 'next-gen' variant of cairo-clock, which would probably end up being 3D-based and use OpenGL or better yet Vulkan under the hood ;)

That really would be great! All I found as replacement for your cairo-clock like https://packages.debian.org/search?searchon=names&exact=1&suite=all&section=all&keywords=buici-clock or https://sourceforge.net/projects/kgclock/ are definitely NO alternative.

Regards KH

PS. .... and with the oncoming next Debian release 'testing' 'Trixie', the 'cairo-clock_0.3.4-2+b2_amd64.deb' is not installable, as 'libglade2-0_2.6.4-2.4_amd64.deb' is removed from this release level. OK, there are work arounds.

[GrimPixel]

Talking about the alernative, https://theknight.co.uk/

Talking about the alernative, https://theknight.co.uk/

root@debian:/home/user# ls
Desktop    Downloads  Pictures	Templates		 Videos
Documents  Music      Public	tzclock_4.6-1_amd64.deb
root@debian:/home/user# dpkg -i tzclock_4.6-1_amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package tzclock.
(Reading database ... 180832 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack tzclock_4.6-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking tzclock (4.6-1) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of tzclock:
 tzclock depends on libdial; however:
  Package libdial is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package tzclock (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.26-1) ...
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.11.2-2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 tzclock
root@debian:/home/user# exit
logout

A Debian package search did not produce any candidate for 'libdial'.
But thank you anyway ...

[GrimPixel]

libdial is there: https://github.com/cddknight/dialsys
It needs to be done as it's unavailable in Debian's repository.