Scripted Compilation on Linux Debian/Ubuntu
Description
The following script takes care of downloading and compiling Flightgear from the cvs repositories with just one command execution for both 32 and 64 Debian based systems (Debian, Ubuntu). Pre-existing installed version (If any) of Flightgear are not touched at all since the script builds and installs everything under the directory within it is launched.
Necessary packages are installed via the apt-get system while libraries not included in the repositories are downloaded and compiled on the fly (I.e. Plib, Simgear and OSG).
List of compiled programs
The script is able to download and compile:
- Flightgear (And all the data necessaries to use it)
- Fgrun
- Fgcom
- Atlas
Download
You can download the script here: [download_and_compile.sh]
Instructions
to run it, just save it in a directory called for example: ~/fg_tools then execute it (No need to be execute it as root). here is for example a sequence of commands to get the script and launch it in a new folder.
mkdir ~/fgfs cd ~/fgfs wget http://brisa.homelinux.net/fgfs/download_and_compile.sh chmod 755 download_and_compile.sh sh download_and_compile.sh
once all will be finished, you will sucessfully get all the programs installed in the ~/fgfs directory.
Launching Flightgear
to run your new cvs installation of Flightgear you have to launch the run_fgfs.sh command under the same folder, for example:
cd ~/fgfs sh run_fgfs.sh
Launching Fgrun
For many users it is more comfortable having Flighgear launched by the graphical utiliy fgrun wich is installed as well in the same folder. You have to launch the run_fgrun.sh command, for example:
cd ~/fgfs sh run_fgrun.sh
Launching Fgcom
Fgcom is the system used by flightgear to simulate radio comunications between users. Launch it using the run_fgcom.sh command:
cd ~/fgfs sh run_fgcom.sh -cs
Launching Atlas
Atlas provides a map for flightgear, use it launching: run_atlas.sh
cd ~/fgfs sh run_fgatlas.sh
Launching Terrasync
Flightgear compilations cames with the terrasync program too, so if you want to use it:
cd ~/fgfs sh run_terrasync.sh
Troubleshottings
Obtaining the script
The script is hosted by my home server, if electricity goes down or internet connection failes, you will be not able to download it directly.
Solution: Ask on the irc channel for the download_and_compile.sh script, the community will provide it for you.
Compilation errors
Here we are, no fear, if you wish to use programs from the cvs/svn repositories, you will face anytime compilation errors that will prevent you to have a working copy of one or more of the programs provided by this script. What can be the causes that prevent us from a successful compiling ? as fas as I know this:
- Software developers introduce a new functionality with a new piece of code that prevents the compilation under your architecture, this can happen working with cvs/svn sources.
- The program refuses to compile because of a divergence in the libraries it depends. For example can happen the Flightgear does not compile because osg has been modified, while osg itself compiles fine, fg wont.
- One or more repositories are down and you can't get the library you need. (Both from cvs/svn or apt-get)
There is a simple solution to the above errors: wait and relaunch the script after some time (Hours or days), if (End generally happens) software developers repair or synchronize their code with the newly updated libraries, your flightgear will compile fine as the previous error never took place.
Sometimes happens that the script fails to compile only fgrun,fgcom or atlas, if you then see the run_fgfs.sh file it means that flighgear installation was successful, and you can safely run it.
Options
The script by default (Without any option) will only compile Flightgear and Fgrun. to make it compile all you need to launch the script with the ALL parameter. i.e.:
sh download_and_compile.sh ALL
Compiling only one program
If you wish to recompile only one of the program you can launch the script with the parameter:
- PLIB (To compile and install only plib)
- OSG (To compile and install only OpenSceneGraph)
- SIMGEAR (To compile and install only Simgear)
- FGFS (To compile and install only FlightGear)
- DATA (To download / update only data files for FlightGear)
- FGRUN (To compile and install only Fgrun)
- FGCOM (To compile and install only Fgcom)
- ATLAS (To compile and install only Atlas)
Fast updating
There is a second parameter UPDATE that allows you just update your installation. i.e.: This will only update FGFS
sh download_and_compile.sh FGFS UPDATE
Disk usage
Having both compiled program, source codes and data from cvs requires some Hard disk space: It will take you something like 3GB of space. If you don't have a fast machine, it will require you also some hour of compilation time.