path: root/README

In this file:

* About kdelibs
* Licensing
* Common Mistakes
* Upgrading
* Compile Problems
* More Info


About kdelibs
-------------
This is version 3.5.13 of the Trinity Desktop Environment [TDE] libraries.

This package includes libraries that are central to the development and 
execution of a KDE program, as well as internationalization files for these 
libraries, misc HTML documentation, theme modules, and regression tests. 
Here is an alphabetical list:

* arts
    ARTS (analog realtime synthesizer) is a environment of small modules
    that one can plug together to process multimedia data. This directory
    contains KDE wrapper and KDE user interface elements for ARTS.

* dcop
    The desktop communication program allows even shell scripts to
    communicate with KDE applications. It's also the base for KParts.

* interfaces
    kparts interface for text editors, mediaplayer and scripting.

* kab
    OBSOLETE, see kabc: Used to be the address book library, but now only
    used to convert kab-Addressbooks into kabc format.

* kabc
    The address book library.

* kate
    KPart for 'kate', the KDE advanced text editor.

* kcert
    Personal certification manager.

* kconf_update
    Auto-Updater for config files.

* kdecore
    This is the core collection of KDE stuff. Non GUI classes reside here.

* kded
    The KDE daemon checks for newly installed software, update files
    or hostname changes and takes according actions.

* kdefx
    Library with pixmap effects.

* kdeprint
    The very versatile printing subsystem of KDE.

* kdesu
    Library for password entering and handling

* kdeui
    The main collection of misc. user interface classes (widgets).
    KSpell and related classes are a frontend to ispell for use within a
    GUI app.

* kdewidgets
    For developers: KDE's custom widgets for Qt Designer.

* kdoctools
    Contains mostly stuff convert XML docbook files via XSLT into
    human readable stuff.

* khtml
    The next generation HTML rendering widget designed for Konqueror.  This
    supports HTML 4, CSS, and a variety of other web related standards.

* kimgio
    An all purpose extension to the qimgio class that supports various
    image formats.

* kinit
    Process launcher, used for fast KDE startup

* kio
    Classes that fetch and decode URLs are contained here. This library also
    contains "ksycoca", the system configure cache containing services,
    applications, servicetypes and mimetypes.

* kioslave
    I/O subprocesses to handle files, ftp, http, gzip and bzip2 streams.

* kjs
    Implementation of ECMAScript (aka JavaScript).

* kparts
    KDE component model.

* kstyles
    The theme engine lies within. It handles nearly anything relating to
    customizing the appearance of widgets.

* kwallet
    Client and backend to store values in encrypted files.

* libkmid
    MIDI file handling and midi mapper (manages output of midi files to
    various devices).

* libkscreensaver
    Library for making KDE screensavers.

* libltdl
    System independed dlopen() handler.

* licenses
    Contains texts of all used licenses.

* mimetypes
    Database of mime types.

* pics
    Database of icons.


Licensing
---------
The libraries themselves have been covered (since Saturday, June 21st, 1997)
by the GNU Library General Public License (LGPL). Any other programs (such
as the examples) are covered by the GNU General Public License (GPL). All
the gory details for the LGPL reside in COPYING.LIB, and for the GPL reside
in COPYING.

Various parts are also covered under a BSD style license, detailed in
COPYING.BSD. Currently, code covered under such license is copyrighted by
Theo de Raadt.

When in doubt, check the individual file, they should all have license
headings and other identifying marks.


Common Mistakes
---------------
If configure claims Qt cannot be found, look at http://www.trolltech.com
to get a copy of Qt, version 3.3.0 or newer. If you have peeked there
already, grab the SVN module qt-copy from anonsvn.kde.org, or a snapshot
thereof.  Alternatively the svn module qt-copy from svn.kde.org can also be
used.


Debugging
---------
You can use --enable-debug with the configure script, if you want to have
debug code in your KDE libs. If you have the space and can stand code that's
somewhat slower, this is worth it. The extra information really
helps debugging and thus bugfixing.

On the other hand, --disable-debug removes all debug messages, leading
to a faster and cleaner desktop.

See also the file DEBUG.


Upgrading
---------
If you have an kdebase older than 3.0 installed, just copy all your .k*rc
files from $HOME to $HOME/.kde/share/config. In the other case, default
values are used for most apps.


Compile Problems
----------------
Often, KDE compile failures are not KDE's faults but the one of the
compiler or the distribution used. For that reason, please have a look at
http://developer.kde.org/build/compilationfaq.html for known issues in certain OS
environments before reporting bugs or going mad :). 

gcc 3.0/3.0.1 is not yet able to compile all of KDE without errors, mostly 
due to bugs in this version of the compiler. Some older version of gcc 2.96
also have problems compiling KDE due to compiler bugs. Even though 
compilation may not report errors with these compiler, the usage of these
compilers may cause crashes when using the resulting executables.

If you are running a FreeBSD system, you will need to make sure that LIBS
is set to "-Wl,-export-dynamic". The easiest way to do this is to prefix
configure with it, i.e.: LIBS="-Wl,-export-dynamic" ./configure. Thanks to
Will Andrews <will@FreeBSD.org> and Arun Sharma <adsharma@sharmas.dhs.org>
for identifying what needed to be done, and how to do it, and such.

If you get odd error such as:

as: Error: /var/tmp/ccK1Cfxa.s, line 2827: Truncating token:
__t4pair2Zt18__rb_tree_iterator3Zt4pair2ZCt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_trai
ts1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0Zt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_traits1
ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0ZRt4pair2ZCt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_
traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0Zt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_tra
its1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0ZPt4pair2ZCt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_c
har_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0Zt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char
_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0ZbRCt18__rb_tree_iterator3Zt4pair2ZCt
12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0Zt12b
asic_string3ZcZt18string_char_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0ZRt4pair
2ZCt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0Z
t12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b0i0ZPt4
pair2ZCt12basic_string3ZcZt18string_char_traits1ZcZt24__default_alloc_template2b
0i0Zt12basic_string3ZcZt18strin!
g_char_traits1ZcZt24__default_al

and you're using egcs, try re-compiling all your C++ libs with -fsquangle,
and then recompiling whatever you were working on with -fsquangle. It
should help, and more information about this is available on the egcs FAQ
available at http://egcs.cygnus.com


How to report
-------------
Reporting bugs is an art. Why?  Because bug reports can help and hinder.

They hinder if the developers are just buried in an avalanche of bug reports.
They spend hours figuring out which bug reports are valid and which aren't,
which bug reports are due to bugs or due to installation problems.

They can be of tremendous help to notify developers on problems in areas that
they normally don't have access (e.g. KDE on AIX) to.

So, here are some tips on bug reporting:

* make sure your bug is due to KDE ... and not due to a packaging problem of
  your Linux distributor. For example, most "I can not install the XYZ.rpm"
  problem are due to packaging issues. Refer with such questions to your
  Linux Distributor and his appropriate mailing list or bug reporting tool.

* The chance is high that your bug has already been dealt with ... so look
  if there is a newer version of kdelibs available. Reporting bugs for
  older, deprecated versions usually don't get that much attention :-)

* Also the chance is high that another one experienced your problem. The
  bug report wizard at http://bugs.kde.org will help you to find out if your
  problem has already been reported.

* The best bug report for a project based on voluntary work is of course one
  that comes with a patch that solves the problem. :-)


More info
---------
http://www.kde.org is a good starting point for info on KDE. If you are a
developer, you may also point your browser to http://developer.kde.org.
There is a plethora of mailing lists available, you can gain an overview
quickly by looking at http://lists.kde.org.