I just got my FC 2 install working and started to install some RPMs (java, etc.). When I clicked on one to install it, I got a dialog asking what application to use to open it. I used the closest thing I could find, Add/Remove Programs. Unfortuntely, all this application seems to do is install RPMs off of the install CDs. What happened to the GUI interface for rpm that I had in previous versions (RHL 9, FC 1(?))?

"I just got my FC 2 install working and started to install some RPMs (java, etc.). When I clicked on one to install it, I got a dialog asking what application to use to open it. I used the closest thing I could find, Add/Remove Programs. Unfortuntely, all this application seems to do is install RPMs off of the install CDs. What happened to the GUI interface for rpm that I had in previous versions (RHL 9, FC 1(?))?"

I use kpackage as my install program when I click on a rpm file. Unfortunately, Red Hat does not include kpackage on their install CDs. So I created a new kdeadmin rpm package for Fedora Core 1 which includes kpackage as the KDE developers intended. This rpm works on Fedora Core 1 and Red Hat 9. I have recommended it to Fedora Core 2 users but none has ever reported back whether the rpm works on Fedora Core 2.

http://users.rcn.com/srstites/rpm.we...edora.rpm.html

If you try this rpm on Fedora Core 2 please report back whether or not it works on Fedora Core 2.

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

I've been having the exact same problem. I tried downloading it and installing the RPM but I get the error: "error: can't create transaction lock".

EDIT: Oops, silly me, I wasn't logged in under root.

2nd EDIT: Tried installing it but it won't let me install it because a newer version is already installed

"Tried installing it but it won't let me install it because a newer version is already installed"

Thanks, I won't recommend the rpm to anybody unless they are using Fedora Core 1 or Red Hat 9.

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

so how do I install an RPM on FC2?

is there an idiots guide anywhere to installing things on Linux/Fedora Core 2 specifically?

"is there an idiots guide anywhere to installing things on Linux/Fedora Core 2 specifically?"

Here is a rpm HOWTO for Red Hat. Fedora is Red Hat so this HWTO is applicable. Actually, rpm works the same on any rpm based distribution (Fedora, Mandrake, Red Hat, SuSE).

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/RPM-HOWTO/

What is different from one distribution to another is the automated installer provided by the distribution to automate the rpm installation process. The automatic installer on Fedora is called up2date. You can get some information about up2date with:
man up2date

--------------------------
Steve Stites

ok thanks for that but its a bit confusing. If I download an RPM do I use up2date to install it? I was just curious because I have heard that the up2date client is broken.

Thanks again for the response, I am eager to learn.

For installing I find that yum works better than the rest (except apt)

Quick for RPM itself:
You can install an RPM using this command
rpm -Uvh <package>

U updates and installs if there is nothing to update. In the package variable you can put the whole URL to the rpm and rpm will download and install it for you.

rpm won't resolve dependancies for you. yum or apt will.

I suggest adding these entries to /etc/yum.conf:

[freshrpms]
name=Fedora Linux $releasever - $basearch - freshrpms
baseurl=http://ayo.freshrpms.net/fedora/linux/$releasever/$basearch/freshrpms

[newrpms.sunsite.dk]
name=Fedora Core 2 NewRPMS.sunsite.dk
baseurl=http://newrpms.sunsite.dk/apt/redhat/en/i386/fc2

[dag]
name=Dag RPM Repository for Fedora Core 2
baseurl=http://apt.sw.be/fedora/$releasever/en/$basearch/dag

[dries]
name=Extra Fedora rpms dries - $releasever - $basearch
baseurl=http://dries.studentenweb.org/yum/fedora/linux/$releasever/$basearch/dries

Don't need to edit anything just add them. (There are equivlent entries for apt but I use yum exclusively so I only have them on hand)

Once you have your yum.conf editted you can then run:

yum -y check-update

-y tells yum to say yes to all questions.

That will update your headers and allow you to dload the packages from those sites.

yum -y update

That will update your distro and any 3rd party apps installed

yum -y install <package>

That will install any package listed.

To get a list of available packages

yum list > packages.list

That will create a file called packages.list (edittable in any text editor) in your current dir with a list of all installable packages.

yum list install

That will list all packages installed.

I use yum instead of up2date or apt to keep my FC2 updated and to install new packages.
I haven't had any problems using yum at all except to upgrade php and thats because php-mmcache hasn't been packaged as an update yet.

Since I spend more time configuring RH boxes remotely I have created this simple menu script that will run in the bash shell for using yum and some RPM functions.

http://5150wtwm.com/yummenu-1.25.tar.gz

Depending on the function it may be a little buggy. Like installing yum or rpm if you don't have them (I haven't been able to test it yet). It also includes my yum.conf for RH9 anf FC2.

wow thanks alot