Building a debian package from source on Fedora

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Hello,

There is some software I need that is not available as a Fedora rpm. I would like to just build it from source but I haven’t done this with a package developed for a different linux.

Is this a reasonable thing to do? I haven’t found that much difference under the hood between different distributions of linux. Most of what seems to be different is where tools and libraries are kept. Many related issues can be fixed with links and such.

I didn’t find much with a search and I suppose that is not such a good sign.

LMHmedchem

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Added debian, packages, rpm

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https://wiki.debian.org/Alien

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My experience with alien created RPMs is that they have issues.
You might get lucky and it works.

You could consider creating an RPM.

Which software did you want to package?

2 Likes
6

I need the following packages,

isolinux

syslinux-efi

grub-pc-bin

grub-efi-amd64-bin

grub-efi-ia32-bin

What would be the difference between building an rpm and downloading the src and building the binary locally? Where would I get the components to build an rpm from?

Alien is an interesting idea. I suppose I could try that and see if it works. One question is always if it will fail nicely, meaning that I would know it failed before I got too far downstream. I have installed alien and I am wondering if it will tell me if it failed to convert a package or if I have to install the new package and see if the software works.

Thanks,

LMHmedchem

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Whats wrong with the fedora provided packages

https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=2485247

https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=2458276

1 Like
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I think you will find these are already packaged for fedora.

$ dnf search syslinux
Last metadata expiration check: 2:10:16 ago on Tue 16 Jul 2024 19:18:17 BST.
============================================ Name Exactly Matched: syslinux ============================================
syslinux.x86_64 : Simple kernel loader which boots from a FAT filesystem
=========================================== Name & Summary Matched: syslinux ===========================================
syslinux-devel.i686 : Headers and libraries for syslinux development.
syslinux-devel.x86_64 : Headers and libraries for syslinux development.
syslinux-efi64.x86_64 : SYSLINUX binaries and modules for 64-bit UEFI systems
syslinux-nonlinux.noarch : SYSLINUX modules which aren't run from linux.
syslinux-perl.x86_64 : Syslinux tools written in perl
syslinux-tftpboot.noarch : SYSLINUX modules in /tftpboot, available for network booting
================================================ Name Matched: syslinux ================================================
syslinux-extlinux.x86_64 : The EXTLINUX bootloader, for booting the local system.
syslinux-extlinux-nonlinux.noarch : The parts of the EXTLINUX bootloader which aren't run from linux.

$ dnf search grub
Last metadata expiration check: 2:11:53 ago on Tue 16 Jul 2024 19:18:17 BST.
============================================= Name & Summary Matched: grub =============================================
grub-customizer.x86_64 : Graphical GRUB2 settings manager
grub2-breeze-theme.x86_64 : Breeze theme for GRUB
grub2-common.noarch : grub2 common layout
grub2-efi-aa64-modules.noarch : Modules used to build custom grub.efi images
grub2-efi-ia32.x86_64 : GRUB for EFI systems.
grub2-efi-ia32-modules.noarch : Modules used to build custom grub.efi images
grub2-efi-x64.x86_64 : GRUB for EFI systems.
grub2-efi-x64-modules.noarch : Modules used to build custom grub.efi images
grub2-emu.x86_64 : GRUB user-space emulation.
grub2-emu-modules.x86_64 : GRUB user-space emulation modules.
grub2-pc-modules.noarch : Modules used to build custom grub images
grub2-ppc64le-modules.noarch : Modules used to build custom grub images
grub2-tools.x86_64 : Support tools for GRUB.
grub2-tools-efi.x86_64 : Support tools for GRUB.
grub2-tools-extra.x86_64 : Support tools for GRUB.
grub2-tools-minimal.x86_64 : Support tools for GRUB.
ignition-ignition-grub.x86_64 : Enablement glue for bootupd's grub2 config
ostree-grub2.x86_64 : GRUB2 integration for OSTree
terminus-fonts-grub2.noarch : Clean fixed width font (grub2 version)
================================================== Name Matched: grub ==================================================
grub2-efi-ia32-cdboot.x86_64 : Files used to boot removeable media with EFI
grub2-efi-x64-cdboot.x86_64 : Files used to boot removeable media with EFI
grub2-pc.x86_64 : Bootloader with support for Linux, Multiboot, and more
grubby.x86_64 : Command line tool for updating bootloader configs
================================================ Summary Matched: grub =================================================
ipxe-bootimgs-aarch64.noarch : ARM Network boot loader images in bootable USB and GRUB formats
ipxe-bootimgs-x86.noarch : X86 Network boot loader images in bootable USB, CD, floppy and GRUB formats
rubygem-rdiscount.x86_64 : Fast Implementation of Gruber's Markdown in C

Not sure where isolinux is packaged, but I am sure it is packaged for Fedora, so that Fedora ISO boot images can be made.

1 Like
9

I’m not sure that isolinux is used these days.

At least on the Fedora install images I do not see it being used.

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$ sudo dnf whatprovides */isolinux.bin
Last metadata expiration check: 0:00:36 ago on Tue 16 Jul 2024 22:31:20 BST.
syslinux-nonlinux-6.04-0.26.fc40.noarch : SYSLINUX modules which aren’t run from linux.
Repo : @System
Matched from:
Filename : /usr/share/syslinux/isolinux.bin

3 Likes
11

I was looking for isolinux at this repo site which I have used before,

https://pkgs.org/download/isolinux

there was nothing listed there for Fedora, CentOS, or RHEL. I didn’t find the other packages either. That is odd because I generally find what I am looking for there.

Searching on the names in the printout above I was able to find some of these. I may install this on a CentOS 7 installation. Would that be an issue for a Fedora 41 package? I generally find that Fedora packages install on Cent.

I also have not been able to find any packaged version of isolinux for Fedora, RHEL, or Cent.

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Why are you still looking for isolinux?, it has the same files listed in the debian package.

$ sudo dnf repoquery -ql syslinux-nonlinux |grep iso
/usr/share/syslinux/isohdpfx.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isohdpfx_c.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isohdpfx_f.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isohdppx.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isohdppx_c.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isohdppx_f.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isolinux-debug.bin
/usr/share/syslinux/isolinux.bin
2 Likes
13

Added syslinux

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Note to self number one, learn to read. Isolinux is still packaged as a separate binary in Debian, but I guess is also included in syslinux. Does anyone have an opinion about installing a Fedora 40 or 41 package on CentOS 7? I think it is likely that it will install but I’m not entirely sure that it will function.

LMHmedchem

1 Like
15

Why would you want to do this?

Centos 7 is out of support.
If you must use a Centos install a supported version.
Then install packages for EPEL.

If you want Fedora packages the why not install Fedora to replace Centos?

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podman or toolbox to the rescue !