How to remove manually installed libraries?

Question

I've installed some libraries (libsfml) manually with cmake. But now I need an older version. So I installed it, but it seems that when I compile a program for sfml it is using the newest version.

What can I do to completely remove the newest library and use the old version?

• I tried to make uninstall but there is no uninstall option in the Makefile.
• I tried the checkinstall command to create the package unsusccessfully:

Copying files to the temporary directory...OK

Stripping ELF binaries and libraries...OK

Compressing man pages...OK

Building file list...OK

Building Debian package... FAILED!

*** Failed to build the package

The log files shows:

dpkg-deb: error: parsing file '/var/tmp/tmp.JtOp7x1Mrp/package/DEBIAN/control' near line 7 package 'sfml': error in Version string 'build-1': version number does not start with digit /var/tmp/tmp.JtOp7x1Mrp/dpkgbuild.log (END)

I've seen there is an install_manifest.txt with all the paths affected:

/usr/local/./include/SFML/System/Err.hpp
/usr/local/./include/SFML/System/Thread.inl
/usr/local/./include/SFML/System/Clock.hpp
/usr/local/./include/SFML/System/Utf.inl
/usr/local/./include/SFML/System/Time.hpp
/usr/local/./include/SFML/System/Lock.hpp
...

Is it ok if I manually remove all those entries and then reinstall the version I want?

Solution

If you installed the latest library by compiling manually:

Go to the build directory and run:

sudo make uninstall

If that does not work, run:

sudo checkinstall

Then a debian package will be generated. Open it (from Software Center) and press Remove.

If you installed the latest library though APT/Software Center:

Run this to remove it:

sudo apt-get remove libsfml

Comments

[javier_domenech]

Please, check my updates

[Naveen]

Sorry I have no further knowledge. You should put this question in StackOverFlow, or offer a bounty.

[javier_domenech]

ok thank you, +1 for the options you gave me, good to know despite it didn't work in my case.