library/ package association
 

How to find a required library on the internet when it is part of a package and thus not directly accessible by name.
I use slackware. The problem usually arises when trying to install a package not part of the slackware distribution. Sometimes there is a hint in the name of the missing library but at others you have only libxxxx.so. Is there a database or a program which would be of help? I would appreciate hearing how others handle the problem. Thanks in advance.

I use google

The most easy to use is often Google .. libxxxx.so rpm
.. and then look at the http://rpm.pbone.net/ hits.
You can also enter libxxxx.so in the 'Advanced Search' in rpm.pbone.net.

And this one : The Debian online file search :
http://packages.debian.org/search?su...words=libxt.so
> > Search → 'package contents' : libxxx.so
..

I agree with the above - when trying to identify an unknown library dependency, Google is the first place I look. Usually within the first few results there will be some good indications of what package it belongs to. And the RPM databases mentioned by knudfl are a great place to get a link to the homepage or sourcecode location for the package containing the library.

Good luck!

Sasha

I have tried google as suggested with occasional success. The key problem is to find which package contains the required library. Thanks for the suggestions.

OK, give us say three examples, and I will reply with my results,
and tell how it was done.
..

Sorry, I can't provide examples. My question was of a general nature since this has proved troublesome over the past few years. While trying to find a examples I quickly checked out libraries which eluded me in the past -- viola! -- they turned up at the top the google search list, where previously I had spent weeks trying to find them. Still, I would be pleased to see your general method. Thanks for your attention.

My general method is primarily : Google .. libxxx.so rpm ..

... And then look for hits from "rpm.pbone".

( As mentioned in post # 3 ).

...

Thanks. I should have read your earlier reply more carefully. I am a slackware user so I tend to skip over rpm stuff. Regards