Hi, people. I hope someone is willing help me, on that one. :-) I tried yesterday to learn how to make RPM packages. Since I do most of my routine work without being `root' (by choice), I would also like to avoid being `root' for preparing RPM packages. But I do not find how. The documentation provided in `/usr/doc/packages/rpm' is not that helpful, as `rpm' does not even accept the given examples without complaining. RPM says it is version 3.0.3, the printed documentation I have is about version 2. It seems that a lot happened in between: macros have been added, the format of configuration files changed. In particular, the `Topdir:' clause is not available anymore in `~/.rpmrc', and I do not find how to tell RPM that I would like to use something `~/.rpm/' instead of `/usr/src/packages/' for the overall repository. How should I instruct it to do so, nowadays? To give context, here are two reasons why I want to learn how to use RPM. First, I grew my own grown installer in Python for packages I import from elsewhere on my machine. My goal is being able to quickly repeat all steps of the installation, even the Web fetch, whenever I feel like doing such things. It interfaces with `stow', which is a GNU tool that helps keeping all installed files in one hierarchy per package, with symbolic links managed in the proper run locations. It is relatively easy for me to pack and upload a member of the `stow' hierarchy to another machine where I'm a user, and use `stow' to establish the installed links after the transit. But some of my friends do not use that setup, and it will be easier for them if I was transmitting RPM archives instead. And looking at it, it seems it would not be that painful to replace my installer by RPM all over. Second, I maintain a few packages which I distribute as sources. I guess some of my users or pretesters, at least those using Linux, would like if I was packaging my pretests so they are quicker for them to install. -- François Pinard http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/