Topic: Help with RPMs

[Aaron]

I have a novice RPM question for the forum.

I had downloaded and installed (so I thought) the 4.0 update (e-smith-base-4.0.12-28.noarch.rpm) and then last nite downloaded and tried to install the e-mail alias add-on (e-smith-fullname-alias-0.3-3.src.rpm).

The update RPM seemed to take and if I try running it again I get a msg "already installed". Now the alias RPM doesnt seem to have installed as there is no evidence of any additional functionality (according to other past posts on the forum I must either create a new user or go into an existing user and click the modify to force the creation of the lastnamefirstname alias in the /var/qmail/alias directory (right?)) so I'm thinking this is not properly installed.

So my first question is what is the correct syntax to install these RPMS. I used the following for the two RPMS:
    rpm -Uhv e-smith-base-4.0.12-28.noarch.rpm
    rpm -Uhv e-smith-fullname-alias-0.3-3.src.rpm
I'm thinking the alias RPM's .src in the name may require me to use a diff RPM command line argument???

My second question comes from the RPM HOWTO page where it lists the "rpm -qpi xyz.rpm" as a command to check the status of an RPM.

When I do this on the update RPM the "Installed Date" field claims it isnt installed (yet if I try to install it again it says it is already installed). The installed date doesnt exist for the alias add-on either.

Sample:
[root@e-smith files]# rpm -qpi  e-smith-base-4.0.12-28.noarch.rpm
Name        : e-smith-base                 Relocations: (not relocateable)
Version     : 4.0.12                            Vendor: (none)
Release     : 28                            Build Date: Wed 26 Jul 2000 03:21:36
Install date: (not installed)               Build Host: Vegemite.e-smith.e-smith.net
Group       : Networking/Daemons     Source RPM: e-smith-base-4.0.12-28.src.rpm
Size        : 1192438                          License: Freely distributable
Packager    : Charlie Brady < charlieb@e-smith.net >
Summary     : e-smith server and gateway - base module
Description :
e-smith server and gateway software - base module.

[root@e-smith files]# rpm -qpi  e-smith-fullname-alias-0.3-3.src.rpm
Name        : e-smith-fullname-alias       Relocations: (not relocateable)
Version     : 0.3                               Vendor: (none)
Release     : 3                             Build Date: Fri 18 Aug 2000 12:38:29
Install date: (not installed)         Build Host: Vegemite.e-smith.e-smith.net
Group       : Networking/Daemons            Source RPM: (none)
Size        : 4543                             License: Freely distributable
Packager    : Charlie Brady < charlieb@e-smith.net >
Summary     : e-smith module to create firstname.lastname email aliases
Description :
e-smith server enhancement to create fullname email aliases when
accounts are created

Thanks in advance to anyone who can unlighten me, Aaron!

[Charlie Brady]

Aaron wrote:

> last nite downloaded and tried to install the e-mail alias
>  add-on (e-smith-fullname-alias-0.3-3.src.rpm).

That is the source code RPM for the alias add-on. You want ...noarch.rpm.

> When I do this on the update RPM the "Installed Date" field claims it
> isnt installed

[snip]

>  Sample:
>  [root@e-smith files]# rpm -qpi  e-smith-base-4.0.12-28.noarch.rpm

The 'p' refers to the package file, which you have named in full. By definition it is not installed if it is a package file. Try:

rpm -qi e-smith-base

Have a look at http://www.rpm.org/ for more (but sadly, incomplete) information about RPM.

Regards

Charlie

[Aaron]

Thanks for the direction...and speedy reply!