wine users - Sep 2010 - How to figure out what packages are needed from WineTricks?

I love Winetricks and it helped quite a few times to make some program run well.
But as a matter of fact, the long list on Winetricks don't give me a good
hint on what I would need to install in order to better run some programs - I am
just not very familiar with those Windows stuff.  Sometimes when some programs
have trouble running (or running normally), I was just wondering if I could
install some packages from Winetricks, but have no clue on what.

How can I learn about it in a quick way, or where can I find some descriptions?

On 9/14/10 7:11 PM, cnbiz850 wrote:
> I love Winetricks and it helped quite a few times to make some program run
well.  But as a matter of fact, the long list on Winetricks don't give me a
good hint on what I would need to install in order to better run some programs -
I am just not very familiar with those Windows stuff.  Sometimes when some
programs have trouble running (or running normally), I was just wondering if I
could install some packages from Winetricks, but have no clue on what.
>
> How can I learn about it in a quick way, or where can I find some
descriptions?
>
First, start with the Applications Database.  There are many programs 
listed there.
Second, search through the Wine User List Archives.
Third, run the program, without any additional code/libraries under 
Wine.  The FAQ has all you need to create a separate Wine Prefix and how 
to gather logging files.
Fourth, post a message here, with a link to a location where the public 
can view the logging file (Postbin.com is one such site, there are many 
others).  Someone may go through the log file and find a possible fix to 
what is not working.

Just picking one, two or many library files at random can and usually 
does make things worse.  If you know that the file needs .NET, then you 
are welcome to install it first.  (Reminder, .NET 3.5 or higher will not 
install on Wine, you have to use the latest release of Mono.)

James McKenzie

cnbiz850 wrote:
> How can I learn about it in a quick way, or where can I find some
descriptions?
There is no quick way. You can learn what winetricks does simply by reading the
script, and for packages downloaded from Microsoft, the Microsoft website
usually has a list of files included.

The problem you're facing is why things like Crossover's c4p,
my wisotool, and PlayOnLinux were invented; you tell them what
app you want to install, and they know which winetricks are needed.

But when we write those tools, the way we figure out which tricks are
needed boils down to a) checking the appdb to see what worked for
other people, b) putting on our wizard hats and looking at wine's output --
sometimes wine actually up and says which dll it needs, sometimes the 
messages are more subtle, or c) we just try 'em all at random :-)

I usually run the program in a clean prefix and in the terminal so I
can see the messages. Warnings about missing dlls or  "Could not find
dependent assembly" help a lot at determining what is needed. Also
warnings about class objects or GUIDs that are not registered help.
These I usually google for.

John

Thanks so much everyone for such detailed explanation.