khelpcenter problem

[Tom M]

When I try to get help in KDE, I get this error message:


KDEInit could not launch 'khelpcenter':

Could not find 'main' in '/sw/lib/kde3/khelpcenter.la'.

dlcompat: unable to find symbol "__main" in "/sw/lib/kde3/libkhelpcenter.so"


I've verified that khelpcenter.la and libkhelpcenter.so (and many other files) exist in /sw/lib/kde3, so it isn't that simple. I'm a real X11 newbie, so that's as far as I've been able to get so far.

In addition to getting KDE help to work, I look forward to finding out what caused the problem. I may be a newbie, but I'd like to become an expert eventually.

[sao]

Tom M,

Need some information:

fink -V

Which version of kde you have installed?

Did you built kde against Apple's X11 or XDarwin?

[Tom M]

I am honored to receive a reply from the master himself.

fink -V:

Package manager version: 0.11.1
Distribution version: 0.5.0a

KDE:

Release 3.0.7 (KDE 3.1 beta 1)

Built against Apple's X11 0.2.1 (I don't have XDarwin).

p.s.: Your website, Sao's Place, is excellent. Thank you soooo much for setting it up for all us newbies. I wish I'd known of it two weeks ago when I started working with X11; it would have saved me a great deal of time.

[sao]

Tom M,

I just learned that 'khelpcenter' in KDE 3.0.7 it's broken.

It runs fine in KDE 3.1 final (in unstable). To update KDE, you will have to configure Fink to use "unstable".



PS: I'm glad you find the web site useful...!

[Tom M]

Sao,

Thanks again.

How do I configure Fink to use "unstable"? Better yet, where do I look to find this out?

What is unstable? Sounds nasty. I have noted the presence of the directory /sw/fink/10.2/unstable on my system. It contains the directories crypto and main. If you have a few moments to spare, can you tell me what these are?

Thanks from a humble student.

[sao]

Tom M wrote:
How do I configure Fink to use "unstable"?
To configure Fink to use unstable, edit the file "/sw/etc/fink.conf" and add the following two "unstable" entries to the beginning of the "Trees:" line :

'unstable/main unstable/crypto'

and then run the command 'fink index'

Tom M wrote:
What is unstable? Sounds nasty.
unstable means that packages in there, usually have not been tested at all, many have problems or just won't compile. That is the reason why Fink doesn't search the unstable tree 'by default'. The advantages are that you get to test the latest packages, and you can then provide feedback to the package maintainer.

Tom M wrote:
It contains the directories crypto and main. If you have a few moments to spare, can you tell me what these are?
The following will clarify a bit, what goes where:
List of Fink trees:

local/main - any local packages you want to install
local/bootstrap - packages used in the installation of fink
stable/crypto - stable cryptographic packages
stable/main - other stable packages
unstable/crypto - unstable cryptographic packages
unstable/main - other unstable packages

[kominsky]

I have had precisely the same issue, running KDE 3.0.7-4 under xDarwin. Since I am running off of a 26kps modem, I really don't want to have to install an entire new KDE distribution. Is there any way to install only a functional version of khelpcenter. BTW. I *can* run help center if I just pull up a console and type khelpcenter. That has confused the heck out of me. Any thoughts?

[sao]

kominsky wrote:
I *can* run help center if I just pull up a console and type khelpcenter.
Yes, you can start 'khelpcenter' from the command line, using just

% khelpcenter

will bring it up with the welcome page.

Also, you can call it using an URL to display a file, or calling 'info' and 'man' pages.

% khelpcenter file: /usr/bla/bla

% khelpcenter help: /konsole

% khelpcenter man: /kterm

% khelpcenter info: /Emacs