Best way to download and build a package dependency?

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Lets say I want my new project to depend on 'freenect'. What would the best way to download and install that package be? Is there an automated tool that works?

I tried this:

$ rosdep install freenect

Warning: could not identify ['freenect'] as a package

rosdep: error: No Valid Packages listed

And this:

$ rosmake freenect --rosdep-install

[ rosmake ] WARNING: The following args could not be parsed as stacks or packages: ['freenect']

And lastly this:

/src/robos/ros-workspace$ rosinstall . https://github.com/ros-pkg-git/kinect...

ERROR: No 'ros' stack detected. The 'ros' stack is required in all rosinstall directories. Please add a definition of the 'ros' stack either manually in .rosinstall and then call 'rosinstall .' in the directory. Or add one on the command line 'rosinstall . http://www.ros.org/rosinstalls/boxtur... . Or reference an existing install like in /opt/ros/boxturtle with 'rosinstall . /opt/ros/boxturtle'. Note: the above suggestions assume you are using boxturtle, if you are using latest or another distro please change the urls.