FreeBSD 5.4

I need to install a specific application that I can only get as a tar right now (I think). I am somewhat embarrased to say, I've never installed from a tar. As a noob, from what I have read, the safest thing in terms of administration, is to use pkg_add. Assuming that I log into my system with a user account (not root) and download the tar;

1. where do I save the tar, ~/home/user, ~/home/user/tmp, /tmp, or does it really matter?

2. Where do I untar it to, or does it really matter?

3. Now that it is untar'd into some folder location, The next step would be to install the software. For most mainstream software, is it correct to assume that typically the script to install the software put the pieces in the correct folder locations?

4. the software I am speaking of is ZendOptimizer. Freebsd.org shows it in the ports tree, but everytime I try to install(work or home) via pkg_add -r zendoptimizer, it fails. I can ftp into ftp.freebsd.org, no problem, but sure enough under /ports/devel/ there is no ZendOptimizer, although the web ports search page shows ZendOptimizer-2.6.0

http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/ports.cgi...izer&stype=all

Thanks for any help.

Don

download anywhere (users home is a good place to start)
check if the tarball will create another sub directory
tar -tzf <filename>
if you see a generic direcotory in the beginning of each line then you are fine
else create a subdirectory, go into that dir and then add a ../ to the standard untar command infront of the filename:
tar -xzf <filename>
or
tar -xzf ../<filename>

then you read any README files and any INSTALL files
that will keep you busy for some time :-)

Try to install it via port (ZendOptimizer is in the port tree). That is (as root)
# cd /usr/src
# cvsup ports-supfile
# cd /usr/ports/devel/ZendOptimizer
# make install

And do not forget to read chapter 4 in Handbook before .

Good luck.

Dusan

Thanks for the feedback. In addition to updating the ports collection, I had to manually download the ZendOptimizer file. Something about lisencing. Installation was a bear until I came across this tutorial, which work perfectly(with respect to Zend)

http://www.webhostgear.com/184.html

Thanks

Don