haines@haines.att.net writes:

> Thanks for the help. It led to find out about ELPA. While I was at 
> it I also modularized my emacs init file. That all worked out nicely,
> although it seems gnus init file is no longer auto-line wrapping.
>
> But the bottom line is that I used ELPA to install flycheck. It 
> seems to have succeeded at least to the extent it shows up as a minor 
> mode when I display a file. How to use it I have yet to look into
> because it does not produce the dramatic colored highlight of 
> flymake (I see there is an ELPA package to colorize, and I may 
> try that).

Put this in your ".emacs" -
--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(require 'flycheck)
(global-flycheck-mode 1)
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
That will make it work in every buffer with whatever document/text
you’re working with. 
>
> I am worried a bit ELPA's compilation of the package. There was an
> error that it was unable to activate package "f". The required package
> "s-1.7.0" is unavailable. When I look at s.el, I find :
>
>   s-buffer is an installed package.
>   Status: Installed in 
>      `/home/haines/.emacs.d/elpa/s-buffer-20130605.1424/'.
>   Version: 20130605.1424
>   Requires: s-1.6.0, noflet-0.0.3
>   Summary: s operations for buffers
>  
> I see that flycheck is no longer displayed in ELPA's package list. 
> I wonder if this is because it is installed? The error makes me 
> also wonder if the flycheck that I managed to compile and install 
> is fully functional, although off hand it seems to be working.

Look right down at the bottom of the package list and you should
see it like here -
╭────
│ flycheck   20140422.657 unsigned   On-the-fly syntax checking (Flymake done right)
╰────
If you're unsure about it try doing *C-s flycheck* in the package
list, then it will search for it, and find all instances of
'flycheck', and if you keep pressing *C-s* it will work through all
it finds until you find the one that you are looking for. Sounds
long-winded but it works.

Sharon.
-- 
A taste of linux = http://www.sharons.org.uk
my git repo = https://bitbucket.org/boudiccas/dots
TGmeds = http://www.tgmeds.org.uk
Debian testing, Fluxbox 1.3.5, emacs 24.4.50.16