Maybe I don't understand how rpm works, but here goes.

I am trying to install some sources from the RH9 SRPMS disk #1 (not the install, disk, but the SRPMS disks)

So I type and see:
rpm -ivh /mnt/cdrom/SRPMS/flex-2.5.4a-29.src.rpm
1:flex ###################### [100%]

Sure enough I see stuff like:
/usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/flex-2.5.4a.tar.gz
in the /usr/src/redhat directory.

However, all rpm -q's say this package is still not installed.

What am I doing wrong? Should not this package be in the rpm database?

P.S. when I double-click on the SRPMS rpm file from Nautilus, I get the root password certification prompt, but then the Install Packages agent does not seem to run.

Phil

rpm -ivh <package> installs packages ... so if u have a 'source' package ... it installs sources (not binaries)

to compile to binaries and install it ... u have to do something like :-

rpmbuild --rebuild <source package>

Right, I do expect to sources, not binaries. I understand that.

It is just that rpm does not seem to store the source package in its database. i.e. after I install them I cannot erase them or whatever, as the package is not in the rpm database. Also I would expect that the tar.gz files would be untar'ed.

Since I am new (to linux, I am an old HP-UX hack), the behavior seems different with "source" packages. I am asking as to whether this behavior is as expected or a problem with my rpm or linux installation.

tar.gz would be untar'ed only when you do

rpmbuild -ba /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/flex.spec

and this will leave untar'ed sources in /usr/src/redhat/BUILD directory.

A newbie butts in with an inane question: wouldn't tar.gz file be unzipped and untarred with "tar" (i.e. tar -z.....)?