How to install Fortran compiler (gcc42-fortran)

Question

I'm trying to install R and came across this error during installation: http://projects.uabgrid.uab.edu/r-group/wiki/install-R, which is why i need to install the fortran compiler. Every .rpm i have downloaded of the gcc42.fortran has given me this error:

libgfortran2 >= 4.2.1_20070724-50.18 is needed by package gcc42-fortran-4.2.1_20070724-50.18.i586 (/gcc42-fortran-4.2.1_20070724-50.18.i586) gcc42 = 4.2.1_20070724-50.18 is needed by package gcc42-fortran-4.2.1_20070724-50.18.i586 (/gcc42-fortran-4.2.1_20070724-50.18.i586)

Is there an easier way of installing it? Like via yum?

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EDIT

I got gcc installed, but im rather confused in the link provided as how to apply the patch at step 8.

Answer 1

Have you tried the package manager? For example, Ubuntu's Synaptic Package Manager has a package called gfortran. The package manager should take care of dependencies.

Answer 2

Editing or patching the configure script is not a good idea. The file to edit would be configure.ac. But for just using a different compiler there's no need to change anything. You can run:

FC=gfortran-4.2 F77=gfortran-4.2 ./configure 

For more details see ./configure --help.

The easier way to install would indeed be yum install R.