Install after download of program question. (Solved).

[Wompoo]

I just downloaded "FreeCad" and have it in my downoads folder ok.
What do I do next to get it to operating stage? Do I "install" it? or do I "extract files"?

Sorry about the basic question, I'm new to linux.

[Previous1]

Did you download it as source code or as a .deb package? For the former, you'll have to compile it. For the latter, install it with gdebi (preinstalled with linux mint, so just double click -> install).

[Wompoo]

I downloaded it in this form: "/freecad-0.13.1830.tar.gz".

I cannot find an "install" option. It asks me to "extract" only.

[elverion]

I'm going to assume you downloaded the source, which is not what you want.

Freecad is in the repositories. So, you don't even want to install a .deb. The best (easiest, allows for auto-updates, etc.) way to install most software is going to be using aptitude. Click on the menu button, and go to Software Manager. Enter your password when prompted. In the top-right corner there is a searchbox. Just search for "freecad" and it'll bring up a few results. Ignore anything with -dev or similar suffixes. Just double-click "freecad", and you'll go to a new page. There will be an "Install" button on the right-hand side. Just click that, and you're done. No need to download or configure anything; this tool will take care of it all for you.

[Wompoo]

Excellent! Thank you. I have it installing now.

This operating system is just so.....elegant and efficient.........compared to Windows XP!

edit: It won't download. I get this message in the screen shot below.

[ausminter]

Did you test your internet connection? Your network manager applet is showing that you were not connected when you took that screenshot

Open a terminal and type

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ping google.com

[Wompoo]

I tried a couple of times, before and after viewing websites and sending email messages.

The ping test put Terminal into some sort of positive feedback loop. I was entering in multiple entries, one after the other. It got to 200 or so before I cancelled it. I cut and paste the words out of your post.

Screen shot here:

[ausminter]

That's normal for a ping to do that, it keeps sending pings and updates the response. Another good test is a My Trace Route which includes a ping and lists all the servers your packets take on the way to their destination.

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mtr linuxmint.com

You can do an mtr to any server you you want to monitor the connection to - google, yahoo etc.
The mtr won't continuously scroll off the page like a ping.

I noticed your ping times on that occasion were very slow, are you connecting to the web with a USB dongle adaptor or wifi connection ?
& did you try to install that cad package again ?

Having a ping or mtr running in the background can sometimes help to keep a connection established and let you monitor the connection to ensure you're still connected.

[Wompoo]

I am connected to the net via satellite. It has been slow today, very much so this afternoon.
I have tried a couple of times to download the FreeCad program without success yet. I'll try again first thing in the morning, that's a more reliable time due to less traffic etc.

How do I interpret the "ping test" results?

[kurotsugi]

another solution, extract the file, give it 777 permission then run it via './path/to/binary/executable/binary/file'

[Wompoo]

I had success this morning; it does seem as though the problem was due to an intermittent connection (satellite).
The program downoaded in a few minutes.

Now, just to clean up the files I don't need, to remove them, do I just click delete from the downloads folder? Or dig more deeply?

Thanks to all.

[elverion]

Just delete the files from the Downloads folder. Then, once you're sure you want to remove them, you can go to the Trash (probably on the left-hand side of your file explorer somewhere), and "Empty Trash."

[Wompoo]

Just delete the files from the Downloads folder. Then, once you're sure you want to remove them, you can go to the Trash (probably on the left-hand side of your file explorer somewhere), and "Empty Trash."

My Downloads Folder does not gvie the option to delete files. I only get the "Remove From History" option.