source: kde/core/pre-install-config.xml@ 1986ade

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<sect1 id="kde-pre-install-config">
<sect1info>
<othername>$LastChangedBy$</othername>
<date>$Date$</date>
</sect1info>
<?dbhtml filename="pre-install-config.html"?>
<title>Pre-installation configuration</title>

<para>Based on your preference, set <envar>KDE_PREFIX</envar>.</para>

<para>If <application><acronym>KDE</acronym></application> is your
desktop of choice:</para>

<screen><userinput><command>export KDE_PREFIX=/usr</command></userinput></screen>

<para>If you want to try-out
<application><acronym>KDE</acronym></application>:</para>

<screen><userinput><command>export KDE_PREFIX=/opt/kde-&kde-version;</command></userinput></screen>

<para>Remember to execute <command>ldconfig</command> after installation
of libraries to update the library cache.</para>

<para>If you are not installing <acronym>KDE</acronym> in
<filename class="directory">/usr</filename>, you will need to make some
configuration changes:</para>

<para>You should consider installing the <xref linkend="desktop-file-utils"/> 
package. Though not required, this package will allow you to easily use 
existing <filename>.desktop</filename> files in 
<filename class='directory'>/usr/share/applications</filename> (and any other 
locations identified by <envar>XDG_DATA_DIRS</envar>), and automatically add 
these applications to the <acronym>KDE</acronym> menu system.</para>

<para>Add to your system or personal profile:</para>

<screen><userinput><command>export PATH=$PATH:/opt/kde-&kde-version;/bin
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$PKG_CONFIG_PATH:/opt/kde-&kde-version;/lib/pkgconfig</command></userinput></screen>

<para>Add to your <filename>/etc/ld.so.conf</filename>:</para>

<screen><userinput><command>cat &gt;&gt; /etc/ld.so.conf &lt;&lt; "EOF"</command>
# Begin kde addition to /etc/ld.so.conf

/opt/kde-&kde-version;/lib

# End kde addition
<command>EOF</command></userinput></screen>

<para>Add to your <filename>/etc/man.conf</filename>:</para>

<screen><userinput><command>cat &gt;&gt; /etc/man.conf &lt;&lt; "EOF"</command>
# Begin kde addition to man.conf

MANPATH /opt/kde-&kde-version;/man

# End kde addition to man.conf
<command>EOF</command></userinput></screen>

<tip>
<para>If you prefer installing <acronym>KDE</acronym> in
<filename class="directory">/opt</filename>, one trick to avoid the
above configuration changes every time you
install a new version is to replace
<filename class="directory">/opt/kde-&kde-version;</filename>
with <filename class="directory">/opt/kde</filename> and to create a symlink from
<filename class="directory">/opt/kde-&kde-version;</filename>
to <filename class="directory">/opt/kde</filename>.</para>

<screen><userinput><command>ln -sf kde-&kde-version; /opt/kde</command></userinput></screen>
</tip>

</sect1>