5.1. The Red Hat Package Manager The Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) is a freely available packaging system for software distribution and installation. In addition to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora Core distributions, both SUSE and Mandrake are among the Linux distributions that use RPM. Using RPM is straightforward. A single command, rpm, has options to perform all package-management functions except building packages.[*] For example, to find out if the Emacs editor is installed on your system, you could enter: [*] In older versions of RPM, the build options were part of the rpm command.
$ rpm -q emacs emacs-21.3-17
This command prints the full package name, confirming its presence. The rpmbuild command is used to build both binary and source packages. 5.1.1. RPM Package Concepts This section provides an overview of some of the parts of an RPM package. Much of the information is of primary use to developers, but because some of the terms are referenced in the RPM command descriptions, they are explained briefly here. An RPM package has three primary components. The header contains all the information about the package, such as its name and version, a description, a list of included files, the copyright terms, and where the source file can be found. The signature contains information used to verify the integrity and authenticity of the package. The archive contains the actual files that make up the package. When a package is being built, one of the requirements for its developers is to create a spec file. If you download the source rpm for a package, you can look at the spec file; it has a filename of package.spec (e.g., yum.spec for the yum spec file). The spec file contains all the information required to build a package, including a description of the software, instructions telling the rpmbuild command how to build the package, and a list of the files included and where they get installed. Some other features of spec files include the following:
Macros Macros are sequences of commands stored together and executed by invoking the macro name. The RPM build process provides two standard macros: %setup to unpack the original sources and %patch to apply patches. Other macros appear later in this chapter in the command descriptions and are described there.
Scripts Scripts are used to control the build process. Some of the scripts RPM uses include %prep to begin the build process, %build primarily to run make and perhaps do some configuration, %install to do a make install and %clean to clean up afterward. Four additional scripts may be created to run when a package is actually installed on a system. These scripts are %pre for scripts run before package installation, %post for scripts run after package installation, %preun for scripts run before a package is uninstalled, and %postun for scripts run after a package is uninstalled.
Trigger scriptlets Trigger scriptlets are extensions of the normal install and uninstall scripts. They provide for interaction between packages. A trigger scriptlet provided with one package will be triggered to run by the installation or removal of some other package. For example, a newly installed RPM package may cause an existing application to run or restart once installation is complete. In many cases, a newly installed package requires services to be restarted.
5.1.2. The rpm Command RPM packages are built, installed, and queried with the rpm command. RPM package filenames usually end with a .rpm extension. rpm has a set of modes, each with its own options. The format of the rpm command is: rpm [options] [packages]
With a few exceptions, as noted in the lists of options that follow, the first option specifies the rpm mode (install, query, update, etc.), and any remaining options affect that mode. Options that refer to packages are sometimes specified as package-name and sometimes as package-file. The package name is the name of the program or application, such as xpdf. The package file is the name of the RPM file, such as xpdf-3.00-10.1.i386.rpm. RPM provides a configuration file for specifying frequently used options. The default global configuration file is usually /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc, the local system configuration file is /etc/rpmrc, and users can set up their own $HOME/.rpmrc files. You can use the --showrc option to show the values RPM will use by default for all the options that may be set in an rpmrc file: rpm --showrc
The rpm command includes FTP and HTTP clients, so you can specify an ftp:// or http:// URL to install or query a package across the Internet. You can use an FTP or HTTP URL wherever package-file is specified in the commands presented here. Be careful, however, when downloading packages from the Internet. Always verify package contents by checking MD5 hashes and signatures. Whenever possible, install from trusted media. Any user can query the RPM database. Most of the other functions, such as installing and removing packages, require superuser privileges. 5.1.2.1 General options The following options can be used with all modes:
--dbpath path Use path as the path to the RPM database instead of the default /var/lib/rpm.
-?, --help Print a long usage message (running rpm with no options gives a shorter usage message).
--quiet Display only error messages.
--rcfile filelist Get configuration from the files in the colon-separated filelist. If --rcfile is specified, there must be at least one file in the list and the file must exist. filelist defaults to /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc:/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/rpmrc:/etc/rpmrc:~/.rpmrc. Use with --showrc to see what options will be used if alternate configuration files are specified.
--root dir Perform all operations within the directory tree rooted at dir.
-v Verbose. Print progress messages.
--version Print the version number of rpm.
-vv Print debugging information.
5.1.2.2 Install, upgrade, and freshen options Use the install command to install or upgrade an RPM package. Upgrading with install leaves any existing versions on the system. The install syntax is: rpm -i [install-options] package_file ... rpm --install [install-options] package_file ...
To install a new version of a package and remove an existing version at the same time, use the upgrade command instead: rpm -U [install-options] package_file ... rpm --upgrade [install-options] package_file ...
If the package doesn't already exist on the system, -U acts like -i and installs it. To prevent that behavior, you can freshen a package instead; in that case, rpm upgrades the package only if an earlier version is already installed. The freshen syntax is: rpm -F [install-options] package_file ... rpm --freshen [install-options] package_file ...
For all forms, package-file can be specified as an FTP or HTTP URL to download the file before installing it. See FTP/HTTP options.," later in this chapter. The installation and upgrade options are:
--aid If rpm suggests additional packages, add them to the list of package files.
--allfiles Install or upgrade all files.
--badreloc Used with --relocate to force relocation even if the package is not relocatable.
--excludedocs Don't install any documentation files.
--excludepath path Don't install any file whose filename begins with path.
--force Force the installation. Equivalent to --replacepkgs --replacefiles --oldpackage.
-h, --hash Print 50 hash marks as the package archive is unpacked. Use this option with -v or --verbose for a nicer display.
--ignorearch Install even if the binary package is intended for a different architecture.
--ignoreos Install binary package even if the operating systems don't match.
--ignoresize Don't check disk space availability before installing.
--includedocs Install documentation files. This is needed only if excludedocs: 1 is specified in an rpmrc file.
--justdb Update the database only; don't change any files.
--nodeps Don't check whether this package depends on the presence of other packages.
--nodigest Don't verify package or header digests.
--noorder Don't reorder packages to satisfy dependencies before installing.
--nopost Don't execute any post-install script.
--nopostun Don't execute any post-uninstall script.
--nopre Don't execute any pre-install script.
--nopreun Don't execute any pre-uninstall script.
--noscripts Don't execute any pre-install or post-install scripts. Equivalent to specifying --nopre --nopost --nopreun --nopostun.
--nosignature Don't verify package or header signatures.
--nosuggest Don't suggest packages that provide a missing dependency.
--notriggerin Don't execute any install trigger scriptlet.
--notriggerun Don't execute any uninstall trigger scriptlet.
--notriggerpostun Don't execute any post-uninstall trigger scriptlet.
--notriggers Don't execute any scripts triggered by package installation. Equivalent to specifying --notriggerin --notriggerun --notriggerpostun.
--oldpackage Allow an upgrade to replace a newer package with an older one.
--percent Print percent-completion messages as files are unpacked. Useful for running rpm from other tools.
--prefix path Set the installation prefix to path for relocatable binary packages.
--relocate oldpath=newpath For relocatable binary files, change all file paths from oldpath to newpath. Can be specified more than once to relocate multiple paths.
--repackage Repackage the package files before erasing an older version, to save the package in case a transaction rollback is necessary. Rename the package as specified by the macro %_repackage_name_fmt, and save it in the directory specified by the macro %_repackage_dir (by default /var/spool/repackage). The repackaged file is not identical to the original package.
--replacefiles Install the packages even if they replace files from other installed packages.
--replacepkgs Install the packages even if some of them are already installed.
--test Go through the installation to see what it would do, but don't actually install the package. This option lets you test for problems before doing the installation.
5.1.2.3 Query options The syntax for the query command is: rpm -q [package-options] [information-options] rpm --query [package-options] [information-options]
There are two subsets of query options. Package-selection options determine which packages to query, and information-selection options determine which information to provide. 5.1.2.4 Package-selection options
package_name Query the installed package package_name.
-a, --all Query all installed packages.
-f file, --file file Find out which package owns file.
--fileid md5 Query package with the specified MD5 digest.
-g group, --group group Find out which packages have group group.
--hdrid sha1 Query package with the specified SHA1 digest in the package header.
-p package_file, --package package_file Query the uninstalled package package_file, which can be a URL. If package_file is not a binary package, it is treated as a text file containing a package manifest, with each line of the manifest containing a path or one or more whitespace-separated glob expressions to be expanded to paths. These paths are then used instead of package_file as the query arguments. The manifest can contain comments that begin with a hash mark (#).
--pkgid md5 Query the package with a package identifier that is the given MD5 digest of the combined header and contents.
--querybynumber num Query the numth database entry. Useful for debugging.
-qf, --queryformat string Specify the format for displaying the query output, using tags to represent different types of data (e.g., NAME, FILENAME, DISTRIBUTION). The format specification is a variation of the standard printf formatting, with the type specifier omitted and replaced by the name of the header tag inclosed in brackets ({ }). For example: %{NAME}
The tag names are case-insensitive. Use --querytags (see Miscellaneous options.," later in this section) to view a list of available tags. The tag can be followed by :type to get a different output format type. The possible types are:
:armor Wrap a public key in ASCII armor.
:base64 Encode binary data as base64.
:date Use %c format as in strftime(3)to display the preferred date and time format for this locale.
:day Use %a %b %d %Y format as in the function strftime(3). This format displays the day, the month, the month as a decimal number, and the four-digit year.
:depflags Format dependency flags.
:fflags Format file flags.
:hex Use hexadecimal format.
:octal Use octal format.
:perms Format file permissions.
:shescape Escape single quotes for use in a script.
:triggertype Display trigger suffix (i.e., in, un, or postun, indicating whether it's an install, uninstall, or post-uninstall trigger).
--specfile specfile Query specfile as if it were a package. Useful for extracting information from a spec file.
--tid tid List packages with the specified transaction identifier (tid). The tid is a Unix timestamp. All packages installed or erased in a single transaction have the same tid.
--triggeredby pkg List packages containing triggers that are run when the installation status of package pkg changes. For example: $ rpm -q --triggeredby glibc redhat-lsb-1.3-4
In this example, the package redhat-lsb-1.3.4 contains a triggerpostun scriptlet that runs after glibc is uninstalled.
--whatrequires capability List packages that require the given capability to function. For example: $ rpm -q --whatrequires popt rpm-4.3.2-21 gstreamer-0.8.7-3 librsvg2-2.8.1-1 planner-0.12.1-1
--whatprovides capability List packages that provide the given capability. For example: $ rpm -q --whatprovides popt popt-1.9.1-21
5.1.2.5 Information-selection options
-c, --configfiles List configuration files in the package. Implies -l.
--changelog Display the log of change information for the package.
-d, --docfiles List documentation files in the package. Implies -l.
--dump Dump information for each file in the package. This option must be used with at least one of -l, -c, or -d. The output includes the following information in this order: path size mtime md5sum mode owner group isconfig isdoc rdev symlink
--filesbypkg List all files in each package.
-i, --info Display package information, including the name, version, and description. Formats the results according to --queryformat if specified.
-l, --list List all files in the package.
--last List packages by install time, with the latest packages listed first.
--provides List the capabilities this package provides.
-R, --requires List any packages this package depends on.
-s, --state List each file in the package and its state. The possible states are normal, not installed, or replaced. Implies -l.
--scripts List any package-specific shell scripts used during installation and uninstallation of the package.
--triggers, --triggerscript Display any trigger scripts in the package.
5.1.2.6 Uninstall options The syntax for erase, the uninstall command, is: rpm -e [uninstall-options ]package_name ... rpm --erase [uninstall-options ]package_name ...
The uninstall options are:
--allmatches Remove all versions of the package. Only one package should be specified; otherwise, an error results.
--nodeps Don't check dependencies before uninstalling the package.
--nopostun Don't run any post-uninstall scripts.
--nopreun Don't run any pre-uninstall scripts.
--noscripts Don't execute any pre-uninstall or post-uninstall scripts. This option is equivalent to --nopreun --nopostun.
--notriggerpostun Don't execute any post-uninstall scripts triggered by the removal of this package.
--notriggers Don't execute any scripts triggered by the removal of this package. Equivalent to --notriggerun --notriggerpostun.
--notriggerun Don't execute any uninstall scripts triggered by the removal of this package.
--repackage Repackage the files before uninstalling them, to save the package in case a transaction rollback is necessary. Rename the package as specified by the macro %_repackage_name_fmt and save it in the directory specified by the macro %_repackage_dir (by default, /var/spool/repackage). The repackaged file is not identical to the original package file.
--test Don't really uninstall anything; just go through the motions. Use with -vv for debugging.
5.1.2.7 Verify options The syntax for the verify command is: rpm -V|--verify [package-selection-options] [verify-options]
Verify mode compares information about the installed files in a package with information about the files that came in the original package and displays any discrepancies. The information compared includes the size, MD5 sum, permissions, type, owner, and group of each file. Uninstalled files are ignored. The package selection options include those available for query mode. In addition, the following verify options are available:
--nodeps Ignore package dependencies.
--nodigest Ignore package or header digests.
--nofiles Ignore attributes of package files.
--nogroup Ignore group ownership errors.
--nolinkto Ignore symbolic-link errors.
--nomd5 Ignore MD5 checksum errors.
--nomode Ignore file mode (permissions) errors.
--nordev Ignore major and minor device number errors.
--nomtime Ignore modification time errors.
--noscripts Ignore any verify script.
--nosignature Ignore package or header signatures.
--nosize Ignore file size errors.
--nouser Ignore user ownership errors.
The output is formatted as an eight-character string, possibly followed by an attribute marker, and then the filename. Each of the eight characters in the string represents the result of comparing one file attribute to the value of that attribute from the RPM database. A period (.) indicates that the file passed that test. The following characters indicate failure of the corresponding test:
5 MD5 sum
D Device
G Group
L Symlink
M Mode (includes permissions and file type)
S File size
T Mtime
U User The possible attribute markers are:
c Configuration file
d Documentation file
g Ghost file (contents not included in package)
l License file
r Readme file
5.1.2.8 Database rebuild options The syntax of the command to rebuild the RPM database is: rpm --rebuilddb [options]
You also can build a new database: rpm --initdb [options]
The options available with the database rebuild mode are the --dbpath, --root, and -v options described earlier under General options.." 5.1.2.9 Signature-check options RPM packages may have a GPG signature built into them. There are three types of digital signature options: you can check signatures, add signatures to packages, and import signatures. The syntax of the signature check mode is: rpm --checksig [options] package_file... rpm -K [options] package_file...
The signature-checking options -K and --checksig check the digests and signatures contained in the specified packages to insure the integrity and origin of the packages. Note that RPM now automatically checks the signature of any package when it is read; these options are still useful, however, for checking all headers and signatures associated with a package. The --nosignature and --nodigest options described earlier under Verify options. are available for use with signature check mode. The syntax for adding signatures to binary packages is: rpm --addsign binary-pkgfile ... rpm --resign binary-pkgfile ...
Both --addsign and --resign generate and insert new signatures, replacing any that already exist in the specified binary packages.[*] [*] In older versions of RPM, --addsign was used to add new signatures without replacing existing ones, but currently both options work the same way and replace any existing signatures.
The syntax for importing signatures is: rpm --import public-key
The --import option is used to import an ASCII public key to the RPM database so that digital signatures for packages using that key can be verified. Imported public keys are carried in headers, and keys are kept in a ring, which can be queried and managed like any package file. 5.1.2.10 Miscellaneous options Several additional rpm options are available:
--querytags Print the tags available for use with the --queryformat option in query mode.
--setperms packages Set file permissions of the specified packages to those in the database.
--setugids packages Set file owner and group of the specified packages to those in the database.
--showrc Show the values rpm will use for all options that can be set in an rpmrc file.
5.1.2.11 FTP/HTTP options The following options are available for use with FTP and HTTP URLs in install, update, and query modes.
--ftpport port Use port for making an FTP connection on the proxy FTP server instead of the default port. Same as specifying the macro %_ftpport.
--ftpproxy host Use host as the proxy server for FTP transfers through a firewall that uses a proxy. Same as specifying the macro %_ftpproxy.
--httpport port Use port for making an HTTP connection on the proxy HTTP server instead of the default port. Same as specifying the macro %_httpport.
--httpproxy host Use host as the proxy server for HTTP transfers. Same as specifying the macro %_httpproxy.
5.1.3. RPM Examples Query the RPM database to find Emacs-related packages: $ rpm -q -a | grep emacs
Query an uninstalled package, printing information about the package and listing the files it contains: $ rpm -qpil ~/downloads/bash2-doc-2.03-8.i386.rpm
Install a package (assumes superuser privileges): $ rpm -i sudo-1.6.7p5-30.1.i386.rpm
Do the same thing, but report on the progress of the installation: $ rpm -ivh sudo-1.6.7p5-30.1.i386.rpm
5.1.4. The rpmbuild Command The rpmbuild command is used to build RPM packages. The syntax for rpmbuild is: rpmbuild -[b|t]stage [build-options] spec-file ...
Specify -b to build a package directly from a spec file, or -t to open a tarred, gzipped file and use its spec file. Both forms take the following single-character stage arguments, which specify the stages, or steps, required to build a package. The stages are listed in the order they would be performed:
p Perform the prep stage, unpacking source files and applying patches.
l Do a list check, expanding macros in the files section of the spec file and verifying that each file exists.
c Perform the prep and build stages; generally equivalent to doing a make.
i Perform the prep, build, and install stages; generally equivalent to doing a make install.
b Perform the prep, build, and install stages, then build a binary package.
s Build a source package.
a Perform the prep, build, and install stages, then build both binary and source packages.
The difference between the build stage, which is one of the early steps, and building a binary package in b or a is the difference between building a working binary for the software and putting all the pieces together into a final rpm package. 5.1.4.1 rpmbuild options The general rpm options described earlier underGeneral options. can be used with rpmbuild. The following additional options can also be used when building an rpm file with rpmbuild:
--buildroot dir Override the BuildRoot tag with dir when building the package.
--clean Clean up (remove) the build files after the package has been made.
--nobuild Go through the motions, but don't execute any build stages. Used for testing spec files.
--rmsource Remove the source files when the build is done. Can be used as a standalone option with rpm to clean up files separately from creating the packages.
--rmspec Remove the spec file when the build is done. Like --rmsource, --rmspec can be used as a standalone option with rpmbuild.
--short-circuit Can be used with -bc and -bi to skip previous stages that already ran successfully. With --short-circuit, -bc starts directly at the build stage and -bi starts with the install stage.
--sign Add a GPG signature to the package for verifying its integrity and origin.
--target platform When building the package, set the macros %_target, %_target_arch, and %_target_os to the value indicated by platform.
Two other options can be used standalone with rpmbuild to recompile or rebuild a package:
--rebuild source-pkgfile... Like --recompile, but also build a new binary package. Remove the build directory, the source files, and the spec file once the build is complete.
--recompile source-pkgfile... Install the named source package, and prep, compile, and install the package.
Finally, the --showrc option is used to show the current rpmbuild configuration: rpmbuild --showrc
This option shows the values that will be used for all options that can be set in an rpmrc file. |
