rpm install, I've read all the threads!!

I spent the entire evening last night going thru all the old threads regarding tar installs and rpm installs, on this forum and on mandrakeuser.org forum. I even printed out a bunch of them and spent my lunch hour today reading thru them again. Ok, so I learned alot. However, now to the question: I went to the website rufus.w3.org and then downloaded an xanim rpg file for mandrake called xanim-28010-14mdk.src.rpm. Ok, easy so far. the downloaded file was in a subdir of my home. I clicked on it, as per the instructions in various threads by JeroenMentens and you other guys (and girls). ok, so rpminst fired up and asked me for root passwork and after that it went thru the install.

ok, so after the rpm install here's what I have: no way to run xanim, where is it, how do I use it??
So then I did Find File on xanim* and got 4 results, here's what I have: The rpm file I downloaded, of course. Also there is a file called xanim-28010-14mdk.src.rpm.desktop in my kde/share/apps/RecentDownloads directory. There is also 3 files in /. One is called xanim.spec. another is xanim2801-ver.patch.bz2, and one called xanim2801.tar.bz2.
Ok, now, I have read all about tar files and these threads, but I thought rpm installs avoided this. So what do I do now. Thanks.

Originally posted by pekuekfir ...downloaded an xanim rpg file for mandrake called xanim-28010-14mdk.src.rpm

Yes, rpms make things alot easier, but there are rpms that contain the source and rpms that contain a binary that is what you were looking for. The file you downloaded as quoted is a source rpm. .src.rpm
So this is why it extracted a bunch of source instead of installing the binary program. You want one that isn't src if you don't want all the headache.

I think I remember there being 2 mandrake rpms. I chose the src one, I'm gonna head back to rufus.w3 right now and try the other. Thanks again. I'm slowing learning. Hope to be an ex-noob soon.

No problem, glad to help! Sounds like you are doing plenty of research before you do something which is cool. I know I have little patience for reading manuals and destructions. That's why i've reinstalled four different distributions over 25 times a piece in the last 2 years...I'm a learn it the hard way kinda guy. Break it and then see what I need to do... LOL

I wanted to delete the 5 files mentioned above before I re-downloaded the non-src rpm file. I right-clicked on a couple of them and chose Delete... Well, i got a konq window saying Delete progress... 0% and my hard drive light came on steady forever! I mean, 10 minutes later, hd light still on and I can't do ANYTHING in kde. This may be bad, but I pushed restart on my box and rebooted into Windows, which is where I am now. Hope linux boots up next time...?! Why didn't the deletes work? You right-click on a file in windows and its gone in 2secs. Did I do a bad thing?

went into konsole, did su and then rm'd those files. Still would like to know why kde got all locked up when attempted to delete by right-clicking. Would have been nicer to get a prompt for root password or something, not just lighting up my hd light permanently and tying up kde.

I re-downloaded the non-source rpm as per taz's recommendation. So now I have the rpm file in a directory of my home. when I click on it to install, it says package already installed cannot proceed. I know I previously installed the other "src" rpm, but I deleted those files and want to install this non-source rpm. Taz or anyone still here?

When you want to remove an rpm, you don't delete its files. You can run the rpm command in a terminal window and it will remove it for you. Ex: rpm -e <program_name> The <program_name> is not the name of the rpm that you downloaded. You can find out what the name is by running the command rpm -qa | less and then scrolling through the list. In your case, it's probably called xanim. So, rpm -e xanim might uninstall it.

This is because the rpm management program keeps a database of all installed packages, much like windows with it's ad/remove program, only this is better.

The source rpm file contain source as said earlier. From this source you can make a regular package with the rpm --build or rpm --rebuild, can't remember which is which.

OK, I understand all that. In fact last night I actually read the man rpm and saw that I should do the rpm -e thing. I tried that but didn't do anything or got an error or something. cant remember. I'm at work now, cant do anything till I get home. I deleted all files from the first rpm install (the src rpm files). So now how do I get linux to blow off that first install so I can install the 2nd rpm download? I think what I did last night was rpm -e thewholefilename (not just rpm -e xanim). I'll try again tonight.

When you get home and to the new package, if you still get the package already installed errors, and rpm -e oldpackagefil.src.rpm doesn't work, you can see if you can trick it and instead of the normal rpm -ivh (i think), use the rpm -U option in place of i to upgrade the package. It's something to try...

went to command line and did rpm -i --replacepkgs on the 2nd rpm download and it worked!! Boy, this is the first downloaded thing I got installed & working. This stuff is pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
10 years of pointing & clicking in Windoze has turned my brain to mush. Feels good to have to think again...
Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Congrats...Glad to hear you got it taken care of without too much more headache! Yeah, it does get easier it seems, and I think you're right and that the ease of Windows (sorta =) ) has diced our brains to where we don't have to think about what we are doing on a deeper level.