what is this file for anyways?

captgoodnight · 08-17-2002, 10:32 PM

Okay, I know this is a stupid question, but it is on my list of things to understand. So, here it is. When I download updates for Mandrake, I download common rpms, and src.rpms, or something like that. What is the purpose of installing these src.rpms? What do they update? Are they for kernel recompiling? I understand rpms but not src.rpms. Silly I'm sure, but this idea of srcs I'm sure goes a far distance. Thank you -cg

ksandre · 08-17-2002, 10:37 PM

I use Slackware, so use only *.tgz and *.tar.gz format (though sometimes convert *.rpm files with "rpm2tgz." :)

Anyway, my understanding is that srcrpms are exactly that - source code to compile then install as rpm. (Our *.tar.gz" cousin.)

neo77777 · 08-17-2002, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ksandre
I use Slackware, so use only *.tgz and *.tar.gz format (though sometimes convert *.rpm files with "rpm2tgz."

Anyway, my understanding is that srcrpms are exactly that - source code to compile then install as rpm. (Our *.tar.gz" cousin.)

It doesn't answer the addressed question, does it?
rpm - is precompiled binaries gathered in one file
src.rpm - source files wrapped around rpm format
installing rpm is straight forward
rpm -ihv package.rpm
installing src.rpm requires two steps (at least for me)
rpm --rebuild package.src.rpm
rpm -ihv /where/the/rpms/were/created/package.rpm
I think one-step compilation of src.rpm's is the use of --recompile flag, I've never used it though, so I might be wrong.
Let's see what others suggest, maybe I learn something new from them.