Non-root installation

Asked by Christoph Ortner

The nice simple Ubuntu installation requires root access. Is there a possibility to offer a similarly simple installation, but to a user-owned directory, so that root access is not required?
   Many thanks,
      Christoph

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Anders Logg (logg) said :
#1

On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 09:58:36AM -0000, Christoph Ortner wrote:
> New question #101132 on FEniCS Project:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/fenics/+question/101132
>
> The nice simple Ubuntu installation requires root access. Is there a possibility to offer a similarly simple installation, but to a user-owned directory, so that root access is not required?
> Many thanks,
> Christoph

I don't know if it's possible to install Debian/Ubuntu packages
locally, but I suggest you try Dorsal:

  http://www.fenics.org/wiki/Dorsal

Dorsal builds all FEniCS packages and dependencies and installs
anywhere you like.

--
Anders

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Garth Wells (garth-wells) said :
#2

I know of two simple options which should work.

1. Install the Ubuntu packages with the 'dpkg' option

   --instdir=dir

It sets the root directory for the install, so you could try setting to a directory to which you have permission, e.g.

   dpkg -i --instdir=/home/foo/local

I haven't tried this, so no guarantees that it will work.

2. Use Dorsal (http://www.fenics.org/wiki/Dorsal). It doesn't use the Debian/Ubuntu packages, rather it automatically downloads and installs the various components. It does assume that various packages which are part of an operating system can be installed globally.

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Christoph Ortner (ortner) said :
#3

It actually seems that (at least on the system in my office) every possiblity I tried (including the ones above) needs root access at some point during the installation. Not a real problem I think, just more work for IT support. Many thanks for the suggestions.
  Christoph