Using GnoRPM

One of the main features that distinguishes Red Hat Linux 6 from other versions of Linux that incorporate the Linux 2.2 kernel is the inclusion of Red Hat Package Manager (RPM).

Red Hat has developed RPM as a standardized way to distribute, install, and upgrade Linux software, or packages.

GnoRPM is the version of RPM that runs under the Gnome desktop environment. If you plan to install any programs that were not installed with the original CD, or to upgrade any programs, you will be using GnoRPM.

To list available packages:

1.	Select GnoRPM from the System menu on the Gnome main menu.
2.	Select a folder in the left pane. The packages in that folder are listed in the right pane (Figure 3.39).

Querying a package

The way to discover what is in a package is to query the package.

To query a package:

1.	Select a package in the right pane of GnoRPM.
2.	Click the Query button on the GnoRPM toolbar. The Package Info window will open, displaying information about the contents of the package (Figure 3.40).

Verifying a package

You may want to check that the files in a package have not been corrupted and that the package contains all necessary dependencies. To check this, you will need to verify the package.

To verify a package:

• With a package selected in GnoRPM, click the Verify button; or with the Package Info window open, click the Verify button.
  
  The Verify Packages window will scan the package and then open (Figure 3.41). If there are no error messages or warnings in the window, then the package has been verified.
  
  

To install a package from a CD:

1.	Open a Linux telnet window or access the Linux command-line prompt. If you don't have root (or superuser) privileges, su to root by typing su root.
2.	Supply the root password when it is requested.
3.	Place the CD in its drive and mount it by entering mount /dev/cdrom /mnt at the prompt. Figure 3.40. Package Info usually includes a description and other useful information about a package. Figure 3.41. If no error messages or warnings appear in the Verifying Packages dialog box, then the packages have been verified. Figure 3.42. To add a package to the install list, select it and click the Add button. Figure 3.43. Packages that have been added and are ready to install will appear in the install dialog. Figure 3.44. PRMfind allows you to install packages over the Web. Figure 3.45. When you select and available package over the Web, the package information will be displayed.
4.	With GnoRPM open, click the Install button. The Install dialog box will open.
5.	Click the Add button. The Add Packages dialog box will open (Figure 3.42).
6.	Find and select the package you want to install (Figure 3.43).
7.	Click the Add button. The package will be added to the Add Packages dialog box.

To install a package from the Web:

1.	With GnoRPM open, click the Web Find button. The RPMfind dialog box will open with no contents listed (Figure 3.44).
2.	Pass the mouse over the area to the right of the URL label until a button appears.
3.	Click the button. The list of packages available over the Web from Red Hat will appear.
4.	Select a package to obtain information about it (Figure 3.45).
5.	To install the package, click the Install button.