Xarchiver - extracting

Discussion in 'Linux' started by bang, Nov 11, 2008.

  1. bang

    bang

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
    Messages:
    29
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Arbroath, Scotland
    From day 1 I can't extract anything! Always get an error and when I look in the code it seems to be something to do with a writing issue. Am I missing something???? I've reinstalled it and tried and still no success! I can't see much on how to work whit program anywhere. And once I do successfully extract something to a temp directory or something what do I do next??

    THIS IS DRIVING ME :x !
     
    bang, Nov 11, 2008
    #1
  2. bang

    daldred

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2008
    Messages:
    887
    Likes Received:
    0
    You last asked for help in this thread: http://www.aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6410, and haven't yet replied to the questions I've asked there. Instead of being driven :x and asking the same thing in several different places, why not help us help you?

    The extraction is probably failing because you are not root and don't have the authority as 'user' to write to the root filesystem. If you are trying to extract an archive as part of an installation of a software package (an rpm file), you are doing the wrong thing; and it's just as well that the extraction won't work since it would spray files all over your root filesystem without a proper setup process.

    This is not Windows. Things don't work in the same way - software installation is in fact usually much easier in Linux if you don't try to think of it as Windows.

    If you genuinely need to perform an extraction into the filesystem, do it as root - use sudo. If you don't know where/how to use sudo, I think it's unlikely you need to do an extraction as root: I can't see anyone providing an archive which went into root areas for the sort of operation a user unfamiliar with the console would want to do. That's not intended to be patronising, it's just that operations involving extractions across the filesystem rather than in user space carry risks and implications that relatively in experienced users shouldn't be taking - if the provider of an archive really wants you to do this s/he needs to provide a lot of explanation as to why.
     
    daldred, Nov 11, 2008
    #2
  3. bang

    bang

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
    Messages:
    29
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Arbroath, Scotland
    Sorry Dave, I've been spending so much time on it doing various things from various sites I forgot I replied to someones thread! Appreciate your reply and advice now let me have a looksy at what you asked! :oops:
     
    bang, Nov 11, 2008
    #3
  4. bang

    bang

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
    Messages:
    29
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Arbroath, Scotland
    Cheers again Dave, read through everything and don't want to be messing about in root so won't bother if can't install another way.

    I can't mind off the top of my head what any of the programs were!
     
    bang, Nov 11, 2008
    #4
  5. bang

    daldred

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2008
    Messages:
    887
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'd say try the 'standard' way first; if there's something you want to install and the standard way doesn't work, then come back for more advice. If you want to keep using Linux longer term, and have any interest in finding out how to use it better, at some stage it's going to be worth doing something a bit more complicated!

    Root access and even compiling from source isn't actually that complex or scary, but it helps if someone talks you through it the first time; and there are good reasons why Linux doesn't let you do some stuff without you deciding that you'll do it as root.

    Apart from anything else, needing root access means you have to think 'this needs root so could be dangerous' before you do it - and that makes you ask 'why is someone telling me to do this'. It's one of the things which keeps most Linux systems more secure.
     
    daldred, Nov 11, 2008
    #5
  6. bang

    bang

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
    Messages:
    29
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Arbroath, Scotland
    True Dave, sounds good to me! Now you can't help me with my firefox/divx query can u!? : )
     
    bang, Nov 11, 2008
    #6
  7. bang

    daldred

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2008
    Messages:
    887
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hmm. See you over there......
     
    daldred, Nov 11, 2008
    #7
Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments (here). After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.