FAQs

How do I compile Searchmonkey in Linux?

If this is your first time, do not panic! Compiling in Linux is pretty simple.
First, download the latest Searchmonkey release into your home folder.
Next, open up a Linux command prompt and type the following:-

tar xzf searchmonkey-0.8.2.tar.gz
cd searchmonkey-0.8.2
./configure

If this is the first time you have tried to compile software, then you will likely be missing some important dependencies. The configure script will tell you which dependencies you are missing. These are normally the following
The compiler binaries (provides tools such as make, gcc and many others)
The intltool application (provides French, English and Russian language support)
GTK2.0 developer library (provides the GTK2+ library)
The gthread library (provides multi-tasking)

Once again, do not panic as these are usually easy to get hold of on your choosen platform.

For example, debian users can simply type:

sudo apt-get install build-essential
sudo apt-get install intltool
sudo apt-get libgtk2.0-dev

If you are running on RedHat, CentOS, or Fedora:

sudo yum install intltool
sudo yum group install "Development Tools"
sudo yum install gtk2-devel

You can often get more help with fixing ./configure issues by reading the INSTALL readme file located within the source code. Once you have found the dependencies, re-run ./configure and check that it completes without any errors.

You are now ready to compile Searchmonkey, so go ahead:-

make
sudo make install

The first line will turn all of that source code into and executable file. The second command will then install this file into your /usr/bin folder.

To run from the command-line type:-

searchmonkey

Why are there 0.8.X and 2.X versions of Searchmonkey?

Searchmonkey is in fact three separate developments:-
1. Searchmonkey 0.8.x is the GTK2+ edition of Searchmonkey - this version is recommended for Gnome users who prefer a light weight app that packs a big punch
2. Searchmonkey 2.x is the KDE edition of Searchmonkey - this version is ideal for KDE based users who like their apps to look nice while still giving the excellent performance. You can find the source code on this site while we look for a new home.
3. Searchmonkey 3.x is the JAVA edition - this is the newest version, but promises to be the most powerful and feature rich. You can check out the progress by visiting Github

Each version has its own strength and we believe that there is still a place for native apps that can provide a useful function.

Going forwards, these projects will be renamed as follows:-
1. gsearchmonkey (or GSM for short) will be the new face of GTK3 Searchmonkey
2. ksearchonkey (or KSM for short) will be the new face of KDE/Qt Searchmonkey
3. jsearchmonkey (or JSM for short) will be the new face of JAVA Searchmonkey

If you are packaging Searchmonkey for your own distro, then please bare this in mind as you may already have adoped version 2.X thinking that it was a successor to 0.8.X - this is not the case, they are just two completely separate applications. Both equally valid on your distro.

Any questions, or suggestions on how to make this transition easier please add a comment to this page.

How do I add a desktop shortcut in Linux?

For Gnome based systems you can normally copy our icon and desktop files (located within the sourcecode) direct to your distro as follows:-

sudo make install-gnome

Once these files is copied, you can normally find that Searchmonkey will either run from a newly created shortcut, or can be found from the built in application search dialog. If all is well, you should find a smiling monkey ready to great you!

If you have an odd-ball system, then I recommend that you check out their FAQ pages.

If we can help in any way, then please get in contact as we really like a challenge!

Is Searchmonkey available in my language?

Searchmonkey currently supports the following languages:-

English
French
Russian

If your language is not currently on this list, then why not consider porting Searchmonkey into your language?

What are the dependencies for Searchmonkey?

The GTK Searchmonkey has the following dependencies:-
1. libgtk2.0 development libraries (this has many depenendencies)
2. gthread development libraries (a key one being gthread)
3. intltool for International language support
4. GNU Compiler Tool Suite

The Qt Searchmonkey and JAVA Searchmonkey apps will be arriving soon.

The ./configure tool will dynamically check your system for these dependencies, but please let ne know if I have omitted any important dependencies from this list.

How do I report a bug?

Hopefully you won't have to, but occasionally we have an unexpected issue.

If you find a problem, please check out the current [bugs] - if this is a new issue, then please report it. If you have extra information that may be of use, please tell us.

If you don't find any bugs - tell us to! We always love to hear about new features that you might want

What will the future hold?

We have not yet developed a crystal ball, but I can tell you about the future of Searchmonkey.

We are actively developing the next generation of GTK/Gnome support. The roadmap is as follows:-
1. Add Open Office and MS Word document support
2. Add PDF document support
3. Migrate to GTK 3 support (currently we use GTK2)
4. Update UI - we are currently experimenting with a whole new look and feel

Plus we hope to release the JAVA edition very soon, along with a much needed update to the KDE/Qt edition.

If anyone wants to get on board with this exciting and dynamic project, drop me an email:-
searchmonkey@embeddediq.com

How do I get in contact?

It depends on how you like to operate.

If you want some help from the communicaty, then pop over to the Searchmonkey official website.

If you are reporting a bug, requesting a feature, then go to the Tickets pages and drop us a line.

If you want to contact me direct, you can email me searchmonkey@embeddediq.com