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How do I install rpms with openSUSE 10?

When i double click them after download, i am offered to install them with YaST or use them as source with YaST. If I click \"install\", YaST opens, but doesn't offer me the package. If I chose \"source\", nothing happens either.

Hmmm ... Linux ...

You do have rpm installed right? Easiest way is to do it from a shell: rpm -i package.rpm

If that gives you an error about finding `rpm`, then you know that you don't have it installed.

I didn't even know there was an rpm program. I thought .rpm triggered some installation routine built into Linux, and as double clicking the RPM launched a program asking whether I wanted to YaST to install the package, there must obviously be some app that can deal with rpms.

http://susefaq.sourceforge.net/howto/rpm.html

rpm, tho its part of the LSD, is easily the least capable of the package systems availible.

The Linux kernel knows jack about filenames and/or extensions.

Actually I think your comment highlights the exact problem with *nix: nothing is coherent, and while Windows and MacOS are content to present things as such, *nuxen are adamant about maintaining any distinctions on the programming side right up through to the user interface, in the name of \"factual accuracy\".

DCrazy wrote:The Linux kernel knows jack about filenames and/or extensions.

thats true of all operating systems, I think he refereing to what desktop shell he's using.

Install with YaST works great for me... (openSUSE 10.0), it just installs it and then updates and poof done.

If that isn't working, lemme ask this, are you using KDE or Gnome?

KDE has Kpackage built in that works really well for installing rpms

I am using Gnome, and I think I know jack about Linux.

I tried to install SDL_mixer using the rpm too, and there never appeared a libSDL_mixer.a in /usr/lib.

Something doesn't seem to work here.

Installing something on Linux is such a PITA. I just wanted to get a GUI debugger frontend (DDD), and it says \"oh you need this package, and to run it, you need that package, which will in turn require the other package\".

If at all, I had to install one additional software to make something run on MS Windows, and usually everything comes packed together. Unless it is some Linux software someone has ported to Windows, that is. Heh.

Not that I would want to rant about Linux (again), but I still have neither a working KDevelop nor a GUI debugger frontend, after trying to get this to install for hours. On Windows, the time such a thing would take would have to be measured in minutes, leaving me enough time for the real thing: Getting into the software.

I just don't get why you are having so much trouble, cause I don't

Unfortunately I am just not *nix savvy enough to help...

I have gotten a lot of help from linuxforums.org in the past, have you tried there? You get the occasional eye rolling from 'em if you ask something (they consider) stupid, but they will usually at least tell you what's what.

My guess is either the RPM is corrupt or the RPM manager is not installed. You can check in the add/remove programs for the manager. You can also run a check sum on the RPM itself to check for file integrity.
You would install it as a source if the extension format was \"name.src.rpm\" if the name format is \"name.rpm\" then it is not a source install.

If I try to launch 'rpm' from a terminal window, a program responds, throwing up two screens worth of options.

I think Linux hates me. This is about to be getting mutual.

Yeah, and I'm pretty sure piping it through less doesn't work without redirected stderr to stdout (`rpm 2>&1 |less` in bash). Best off doing a `man rpm` anyway, the help screen just lists off options without much other information.