INSTALLING nwload ================= nwload is a python program which displays a graph of current network activity. To run it, you must have Python installed. It usually comes with your distribution and most probably is installed already. You need at least version 2.2. A required part of Python is Tkinter, a graphic toolkit. It may be packaged separately. QUICK START =========== unpack nwload-x.xx.tar.gz, cd to the newly created nwload-x.xx directory, and type "make install" as root. Start nwload (as user) and click with your left mouse button on its window. If anything fails, read on. In any case, don't forget to have a look at the man page. DETAILS ======= The included Makefile uses a startup script which checks for Python's version and availability as well as for Tkinter availability. It comments on its findings as it proceeds, so all you have to do (usually as root) is: make install If it complains about not finding Python, Tkinter, or complains about the version found being not the required one, please install the required package(s) first using your distribution's standard tools. Debian users type "apt-get install python2.2-tk" to install both parts (Python and Tkinter). RedHat users make sure the following packages are installed: python, tcl, tk, tkinter. Use 'rpm -qi' to see which packages are already installed on your system (e.g.: rpm -qi tkinter). Use rpm -ihv to install those that are missing. You'll find the RPM packages on your CDs, or you might choose to dowload then from the Red Hat Network (http://rhn.redhat.com) or from any other good RPM archive. If all went as it should, start nwload now by typing its name on the command line. By default, it monitors eth0. Click with the left mouse button on nwload's window to have a look at and to change its settings. Use the "Select device" submenu (or the -d command line option) to select any other device which is currently available on your system. Most often you also will want to set "Y full scale" and "Y grid spacing" when starting for the first time. Do it, then click on "Save settings" and you're done. You now might want to have a look at the man page to read about more details if you think that what you've seen could meet your requirements. UNINSTALLING ============ If you decide that nwload is not what you'd expected, type (as root) make uninstall to get rid of nwload. This removes what has been installed outside nwload's distribution directory. The directory itself can be removed at any time. It may be cleaned up from intermediate files by typing: make clean MISCELLANEOUS ============= Note that the settings affecting window appearance, monitored device, and eventually window position are saved when settings are saved. This could seem somewhat confusing when the window comes up next time (see the man page for details on these settings), but is always consistent with what the window looked like when you did the save. If your nwload window is placed near the right corner of the screen and you have problems regarding submenus, have a look into the man page (section "CAVEATS"). By default, nwload installs into /usr/local/ (the program into /usr/local/bin/nwload and the man page into /usr/local/man/man1/nwload.1). You can change this by adding "PREFIX=/where/you/want/it" when entering any of the make command lines. Of course, replace the "/where/you/want/it" above by the desired prefix. The latest version of nwload is available at these locations: http://freshmeat.net/projects/nwload http://www.hczim.de/software/ Feel free to contact me at hcz@hczim.de if you encounter problems. Do not forget to include the output of "nwload --version" and to describe the steps to be taken to reproduce the problem. Check the man page before reporting errors to see if the problem is covered there. This software is provided in the hope that you will find it useful. It is distributed as is and without any warranty under the terms of the GPL (GNU Public License), version 2. See the enclosed file LICENSE for details.