Running basic executables?

Hi,
Today I got a RPi and wanted to try and run an gameboy emulator http://www.gcat.org.uk/emul/
After using the make command in the terminal, a wild excecutable appeared. Double clicking on it doesn't seem to work, when I go to properties, the "make file executable" checkmark is checked. Simple google searches didnt really help...
I also compiled a simple C++ app using geany, that executable also didn't start.
I'm running the Debian linux, on a 2GB sd card.
What am I missing?

Thanks,
DuckerDuck

Why did you try doubleclicking on it?

The web page you linked to states quite clearly how to run it.

Code: Select all

Put the game ROM file that you want to play in the same directory (e.g. tetris.gb)
Run the emulator (./gameboy tetris.gb). They won't work under X Windows yet


So you run it from a terminal. It also says it doesn't work under X Windows - which is the GUI.

A lot of people can't imagine any other way to "run" something other than "double clicking" on it.

Myself, I can't imagine any other way to "run" something other than running it from the command line.

Two kinds of people in the world...

[jamesh]

I must be both kinds then.....

sorry about that, obviously missed that one.

I must be both kinds then.....

I'm sure we can make an exception for you JamesH

sorry about that, obviously missed that one.

Generally it depends on where the output is going.

If your program uses stdout (and stderr) - for example the Hello World example - you can't just start them using the GUI - what is stdout in a GUI? You have to run a terminal then run the program from the prompt.

I would have thought that the emulator would be using some kind of graphics - so maybe it is writing directly to the framebuffer.

Even for GUI programs, it's much easier (in the early stages of development) to just read a bunch of arguments from the command line, than it is to build a fully-fledged "options/settings" UI