How to install .rpm file in Linux

[Shutdown]

I had completed my installation for Linux OS, it has absolutely no problem but when i try to run certain application it asks for .rpm file, i have mandrake linux 10 when i check for the files on the Linux CD if found one or two files but i am facing lots of problem regarding installation softwares in linux especially for .rpm files only, how to install these files please help.

[Vitus]

rpm is a powerful Package Manager for Red Hat, Suse and Fedora Linux. It can be used to build, install, query, verify, update, and remove/erase individual software packages. Type the following on the command line;

man rpm

That should give you a nice little manual page about the rpm command. There are actually lot of commands but it is not necessary to mentioned all over here, you just check as per your requirement and do the needful.

[Lane]

You may also download the RPM viewer for your requirement it will also help you to solve your problem. Trial version for RPM viewer is available on the internet, here i will provide you some information regarding .rpm command which may help you.

rpm -ql foo

To list files in installed package. This command will list all of files in an installed RPM package. It works only when the package is already installed on your Linux system.

rpm -qf {/path/to/file}

Find out what package a file belongs to i.e. find what package owns the file.
rpm -qf /etc/passwd
rpm -qf /bin/bash

To upgrade a RPM package. Using this command, RPM automatically uninstall the old version of the foo package and install the new package.

[Vitus]

You need to Install a package
rpm –ivh packagename
Then upgrade the following package
rpm –Uvh packagename
Then you need to create a tar file
tar –cvf myfiles.tar mydir/

Then this would be the standard install from source
tar –xvzf Apackage.tar.gz
cd Apackage./configure
Once this is done the installation file will be ready and you can make the installation.