how to turn source code into debian compatible driver

[Michael Thayer]

Hello James,

On 23/04/14 17:23, James Robb wrote:
> I have download this file:
> http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-input-synaptics/snapshot/xf86-input-synaptics-1.7.99.1.tar.gz
>
> under the impression it is the packaged code I need to compile the
> latest updates to the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package for ubuntu 14.04.
>
> I have managed to run:
> ./configure
> ./make
> ./make install
>
> all successfully, but with the results from these commands, I don't see
> a compiled driver anywhere that I can inject into my own system.
>
> I have been a software developer for about 7 years now, but mostly in
> web application. I am starting to learn about linux development, but am
> having trouble finding the material I need to package this in a
> meaningful way for me.
>
> Is there something obvious I am missing or some resource I can be
> pointed towards? I really want to be able to wrap my head around this so
> that hopefully one day I can contribute more to the linux codebase.

You might want to look at rebuilding the Ubuntu package using the 
updated source.  There is a bit of a learning curve here, but see for 
starters:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpdatingADeb
https://wiki.debian.org/BuildingAPackage

You might also want to look at Ubuntu's semi-official X.Org update 
repositories, though I suspect that that will be at least a similar 
effort to rebuilding the packages for less educational gain:

https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/x-updates
https://launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ppa/+index?batch=75&memo=75&start=75

Regards,

Michael
-- 
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