I have a program that from what I can find on the internet only comes in the format of {filename}.src.rpm...in the past, and with alittle bit of luck I usually use rpm -i {filename} or use the RPM Manager that came along with my distro (this case SuSE10 and YAST) and 90% of the time the program installs just fine.

This time however when I type ">rpm -iv {filename}" I get this in return ">{filename}.tar.gz"...so now do I use the tar program? And if so, where did {filename.tar.gz) get saved to...its not in the same directory as the .src.rpm file.....please advise, and thanks

When you say you get filename.tar.gz, do you mean you saw it in the running narrative of the rpm command? How do you know it exists if it is not in the directory you are viewing?
the rpm command simply installs files from a package. What and where depends on what that package is. (.src suggests source code)

What IS the thing you are trying to install? does it have instructions?
Tey searching your system for filename--without any of the extensions.

That's a source rpm. It's simply an rpm package of the source code so that you can compile it yourself. On my box, rpm -i filename.src.rpm usually dumps the tar.gz in /usr/src/RPMS/. This may vary on your box, but check there first

If all else fails,
When you find it, you can use 'tar -xzvf filename.tar.gz' to extract it. Then, you'll have to compile it. That's normally as simple as:

./configure
make
su -c 'make install'

Good luck
-- Shade

it was in /usr/src/packages/SOURCES...thanks for input Shade and pixellany....