Compiling Inkscape: Update
July 2nd, 2008 by heathenxSome time ago I blogged about compiling Inkscape on Windows. Guess what? I couldn’t do it. :( I tried over and over again on several occasions and I just couldn’t get it to compile. I gave up on it and just resorted to the compiled version that was already compiled for us and ready to download.
I was still interesting in the black art of compiling Inkscape though. This time I turned to my trusty Ubuntu Hardy desktop at home. I got all of the dependencies installed (I think…can never be too sure) and away I went. Unfortunately it errored out during the make command. I tried only a couple of times after that and still nothing. I failed again.
This morning when I got into work I felt that itch to try and compile Inkscape again. Until I can compile it successfully it’s going to keep bothering me. So I VNC’ed into my Ubuntu Hardy file server (it’s just light duty server…nothing I couldn’t fix if I broke it) and installed all of the dependencies. I pretty much followed the Inkscape/Ubuntu Hardy compiling instructions from the Inkscape wiki ,only changing a few things. This time I was successful. Hooray! 
The only problem that I had was that I could not build a deb package with checkinstall command. I did a standard make install instead and sent it to a different directory so that I could use both the stable build and the SVN build (19107).
My only question is if it’s possible to copy or transfer my the install (compiled package) to another Ubuntu Hardy PC…like to my home desktop. Had I been able to make the deb package then this would have been awesome but I wasn’t able to. I would love to give this to other Ubuntu Hardy users who are interested in taking a look at the new features. Unfortunately, I’m a packaging noob.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
While I’m definitely no packaging guru, I have made several packages for Task which is a command line todo list application that I use all the time. The first time out I used Checkinstall, but this is not really the right way. Now I do them in a more “proper” way. But mind you this is a little package that compiles in about 30 seconds.
I posted about it here: http://blog.rfquerin.org/2008/06/17/building-debian-packages-for-task/
The article that I followed to build a proper debian package is here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=51003
It’s not rocket science, but the first time after about 20 minutes I had a proper deb package. I’ve used the method 2 or 3 times since and the article is relatively concise and understandable, even to a blockhead like me.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Well, does it matter that the package is already installed? I have a build directory called “inkscape” in my home directory and then I installed it to an “opt” directory in my home directory. Do I need to roll something up into a tarball first?
I feel like I’m sitting on a continent’s worth of crude oil and I don’t know how to get it to the people. I’m cold and I’m scared.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
No it doesn’t matter if the package is already installed. The process that I follow really involves working with the original source package. Then you prepare it in a certain way in a separate folder and do the compile as part of the process. It generates a deb file. It doesn’t install anything. For instance I’ve packaged up this 2 or 3 versions of this Task program with a sub directory containing the source code etc. for each one. Nothing gets overwritten. It’s not like Checkinstall where it installs the program and generates a deb file as a side-effect. With this method, there is no install to your system. You’re strictly generating a deb file. (which you could then install on your system when you’re all done).
As far as being cold and scared, you really should be nicer to your wife. Or your secretary.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:46 am
I still do not understand. I get that you are making a deb from a source package but what I don’t get is where my source package for Inkscape is located. I checkout the entire trunk via SVN. When I do this I get a “scr” directory among many other directories. Is this “src” directory the one that I need to roll up into a tarball or something?
If I could just muster a half-ass way of making a deb to get my feet wet then I would be satisfied.
I tried compiling from scratch on my Ubuntu home box last night. I checked out the latest version at the time (19116) and version 19107 (the version that worked on my Ubuntu box at work) and I could get either version to work. Let me clarify…both versions compiled without errors but when starting up Inkscape I got a warning dialog and the program shuts down after clicking the ok button. At least it compiles. Not sure why it wasn’t working for me a week or two ago.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:07 am
I just checked what I do for the Task project. In this case, I download a tar.gz file (task-1.3.1.tar.gz). When extracted, this creates a folder called task-1.3.1 which contains the INSTALL, AUTHORS, INSTALL and other files along with a “src” folder which contains the source.
So looking at Inkscape’s svn trunk, I would roll that directories contents (along with the subdirectories src, share, po, etc.. ) into one big tar.gz file called say inkscape-x.xx.tar.gz and then follow the ubuntuforums posting that I pointed to.
Not 100% sure it will all work properly, but that seems to be the way that article works with it. Maybe Inkscape provides a nightly tar file already?
In any case, the fact that you can’t get a clean compile on your machine is likely the sticking point here anyway.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:08 am
Sorry, that last sentence should read “clean, working compile”. I think getting it to build and work properly should happen before you even attempt building the deb.
You go girl!
October 24th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
You had trouble compiling on windows?
Shouldnt be so. If ya ever want to try again stop by the jabber room and we’ll try sort it for you.