Linux Help

[#1]

I am trying to install a program via the terminal in Linux mint 18.

sudo apt-get install -y (program) does install it but

sudo (program) --config gets me a error message that something is missing in the instruction ?

Any ideas please

[#2]

Does the program 'manual' give any clues to any additional parameters for '--config' ?

In the terminal, try typing -

        man (program)

[#3]

Thanks.

I am copying and pasting from the vendors website, which simply says copy and paste the following instructions into the terminal, the final instruction is to drag and drop a downloaded file directly into the terminal. However I cannot get past this second instruction which gives the error message that some parameter is missing.

I know about the man pages but cannot work out exactly what is missing.

This is a program from a trusted website, I have used the 'chat' facility on my android tablet to talk with them but it's clear to me there knowledge of Linux is the same or even less than mine and they are only reading instructions from a screen.

As this program can also run on Windows, Android, Mac & Linux one could hardly expect them to have detailed knowledge about Linux.

[#4]

If, as you say, it runs on Windows... why not just download it for Windows, and run it in WINE  ? 

[#5]

What happens if you just run the program WITHOUT the trailing "--config" ?,

i.e.

sudo (program)

[#6]

Many Linux programs will give a bit of very basic help if you run them with a --help parameter.

BTW what is the package that you are installing?

[#7]

It would be much easier if you told us what the program is, and WHY it needs to be run as an admin. Not a good idea normally.

[#8]

I'm guessing it's supposed to be:

sudo program --config "name of configuration file"

Dragging and dropping the downloaded configuration file into the terminal is presumably supposed to be easier than typing in the file name.

So, you type in sudo program --config, with a space after --config, then drag and drop the file, then press return to execute the command.

[#9]

Because the program can potentially be configured with a choice of config files, I suspect that you will need to do this everytime you run the program.

[#10]

If the program is installed then

sudo program --config

should show you the location of the program and the program commands that are available.

If it doesn't then 

sudo apt-get install

hasn't worked.

[#11]

OOps !!!

part deux !

did you make it executable after the install ?

[#12]

The sudo apt-get install would correctly set the authorisations of all files installed.

[#13]

If only we knew the reason for the " copy and paste " ?

If it properly installed then

./program

should run it..

[#14]

Please PM the OP.

[#15 · Accepted solution]

As mentioned in my op I contacted the company concerned but got nowhere with the person I spoke to, however on doing further research on the internet I came across an alternative set of instructions for running the program in Linux Mint along with a youtube video, these instructions were put on the net recently and differ from what was originally shown and they work !

These new instructions are

1. download the file.

2. cd ~/Downloads/

3. sudo dpkg -i (file name) amd64.deb

4. (file name) activate

5. paste activation code

That's it. it works!

Thank to all for the responses and suggestions.