Posts Tagged ‘convert’
Convert Linux deb and rpm packages into the respectively other format with alien
Sometimes you are forced to compile packages from source because they are not present in your current distribution’s package format, which can be really annoying. While this is the safer option, there is also a quicker alternative, which is converting existing packages into the one you need with alien.
sudo apt-get install alien
Before you use it, make sure to have read the alien man page!
man alien
If you’re on Ubuntu for example and need a package that is only available in the rpm format, power your terminal and convert the package (the following is available as deb, it’s just an example):
sudo alien clementine-1.0.1-1.fc16.x86_64.rpm
The package will then be converted. There are a few points that you should be aware of though:
- Dependencies of converted packages will not be resolved. If you install it anyway, your update manager may notice the missing dependencies and install them however.
- It is not recommended to use alien for critical packages. The man page gives further info on that.
Wrap VBScripts into .exe Format
To convert your VBScript to an .exe file, or rather make them look like one, there is a native Windows tool called IExpress which you can access through your menu’s searchbar.
Select Create new Self Extraction Directive file and choose Extract files and run an installation command afterwards. Enter a package title and decide whether you want the user to be prompted or not and if you want a licence to be shown. Now browse the executables you want to wrap and select the files for installation in the next window. If they are not displayed in the dropdown menu then type their name in again manually.
If you want multiple scripts to be installed, enter cmd /c script1.vbs && script2.vbs for example. After some more configuration the executable will be placed in the directory you specified in one of the last steps.