RPM(8) RPM(8)
NAME
rpm - RPM Package Manager
SYNOPSIS
QUERYING AND VERIFYING PACKAGES:
rpm {-q|--query} [select-options] [query-options]
rpm --querytags
rpm {-V|--verify} [select-options] [verify-options]
INSTALLING, UPGRADING, AND REMOVING PACKAGES:
rpm {-i|--install} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-U|--upgrade} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-F|--freshen} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {--reinstall} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-e|--erase} [--allmatches] [--justdb] [--nodb] [--nodeps] [--no-
scripts] [--notriggers] [--test] PACKAGE_NAME ...
MISCELLANEOUS:
rpm --showrc
rpm --restore [select-options]
select-options
[PACKAGE_NAME] [-a,--all [SELECTOR]] [-f,--file FILE] [--path PATH]
[-g,--group GROUP] [-p,--package PACKAGE_FILE] [--hdrid SHA1] [--pkgid
MD5] [--tid TID] [--querybynumber HDRNUM] [--triggeredby PACKAGE_NAME]
[--whatprovides CAPABILITY] [--whatrequires CAPABILITY] [--whatrecom-
mends CAPABILITY] [--whatsuggests CAPABILITY] [--whatsupplements CAPA-
BILITY] [--whatenhances CAPABILITY] [--whatobsoletes CAPABILITY]
[--whatconflicts CAPABILITY]
query-options
General: [--changelog] [--changes] [--dupes] [-i,--info] [--last]
[--qf,--queryformat QUERYFMT] [--xml]
Dependencies: [--conflicts] [--enhances] [--obsoletes] [--provides]
[--recommends] [-R,--requires] [--suggests] [--supplements]
Files: [-c,--configfiles] [-d,--docfiles] [--dump] [--fileclass]
[--filecolor] [--fileprovide][--filerequire] [--filecaps] [--filesbyp-
kg] [-l,--list] [-s,--state] [--noartifact] [--noghost] [--noconfig]
Scripts and triggers: [--filetriggers] [--scripts] [--triggers,--trig-
gerscripts]
verify-options
[--nodeps] [--nofiles] [--noscripts] [--nodigest] [--nosignature]
[--nolinkto] [--nofiledigest] [--nosize] [--nouser] [--nogroup] [--nom-
time] [--nomode] [--nordev] [--nocaps]
install-options
[--allfiles] [--badreloc] [--excludepath OLDPATH] [--excludedocs]
[--force] [-h,--hash] [--ignoresize] [--ignorearch] [--ignoreos] [--in-
cludedocs] [--justdb] [–nodb] [--nodeps] [--nodigest] [--noplugins]
[--nocaps] [--noorder] [--noverify] [--nosignature] [--noscripts]
[--notriggers] [--oldpackage] [--percent] [--prefix NEWPATH] [--relo-
cate OLDPATH=NEWPATH] [--replacefiles] [--replacepkgs] [--test]
DESCRIPTION
rpm is a powerful Package Manager, which can be used to build, install,
query, verify, update, and erase individual software packages. A pack-
age consists of an archive of files and meta-data used to install and
erase the archive files. The meta-data includes helper scripts, file
attributes, and descriptive information about the package. Packages
come in two varieties: binary packages, used to encapsulate software to
be installed, and source packages, containing the source code and
recipe necessary to produce binary packages.
One of the following basic modes must be selected: Query, Verify, In-
stall/Upgrade/Freshen/Reinstall, Uninstall, Set Owners/Groups, Show
Querytags, and Show Configuration.
GENERAL OPTIONS
These options can be used in all the different modes.
-?, --help
Print a longer usage message than normal.
--version
Print a single line containing the version number of rpm being
used.
--quiet
Print as little as possible - normally only error messages will
be displayed.
-v, --verbose
Print verbose information - normally routine progress messages
will be displayed.
-vv Print lots of ugly debugging information.
--rcfile FILELIST
Replace the list of configuration files to be read. Each of the
files in the colon separated FILELIST is read sequentially by
rpm for configuration information. Only the first file in the
list must exist, and tildes will be expanded to the value of
$HOME. The default FILELIST is /usr/lib/rpm/rpm-
rc:/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/rpmrc:/etc/rpmrc:~/.rpmrc.
--load FILE
Load an individual macro file.
--macros FILELIST
Replace the list of macro files to be loaded. Each of the files
in the colon separated FILELIST is read sequentially by rpm for
macro definitions. Only the first file in the list must exist,
and tildes will be expanded to the value of $HOME. The default
FILELIST is
/usr/lib/rpm/macros:/usr/lib/rpm/macros.d/macros.*:/usr/lib/rpm/plat-
form/%{_target}/macros:/usr/lib/rpm/fileattrs/*.at-
tr:/usr/lib/rpm/red-
hat/macros:/etc/rpm/macros.*:/etc/rpm/macros:/etc/rpm/%{_tar-
get}/macros:~/.rpmmacros
--pipe CMD
Pipes the output of rpm to the command CMD.
--dbpath DIRECTORY
Use the database in DIRECTORY rather than the default path
/var/lib/rpm
--root DIRECTORY
Use the file system tree rooted at DIRECTORY for all operations.
Note that this means the database within DIRECTORY will be used
for dependency checks and any scriptlet(s) (e.g. %post if in-
stalling, or %prep if building, a package) will be run after a
chroot(2) to DIRECTORY.
Note that rpm assumes the environment inside the root is set up
by the caller, such as any mounts needed for the operation in-
side the root directory.
-D, --define='MACRO EXPR'
Defines MACRO with value EXPR.
--undefine='MACRO'
Undefines MACRO.
-E, --eval='EXPR'
Prints macro expansion of EXPR.
More - less often needed - options can be found on the rpm-misc(8) man
page.
INSTALL AND UPGRADE OPTIONS
In these options, PACKAGE_FILE can be either rpm binary file or ASCII
package manifest (see PACKAGE SELECTION OPTIONS), and may be specified
as an ftp or http URL, in which case the package will be downloaded be-
fore being installed. See FTP/HTTP OPTIONS for information on rpm's
ftp and http client support.
The general form of an rpm install command is
rpm {-i|--install} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This installs a new package.
The general form of an rpm upgrade command is
rpm {-U|--upgrade} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This upgrades or installs the package currently installed to a newer
version. This is the same as install, except all other version(s) of
the package are removed after the new package is installed.
rpm {-F|--freshen} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This will upgrade packages, but only ones for which an earlier version
is installed.
The general form of an rpm reinstall command is
rpm {--reinstall} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This reinstalls a previously installed package.
--allfiles
Installs or upgrades all the missingok files in the package, re-
gardless if they exist.
--badreloc
Used with --relocate, permit relocations on all file paths, not
just those OLDPATH's included in the binary package relocation
hint(s).
--excludepath OLDPATH
Don't install files whose name begins with OLDPATH.
--excludeartifacts
Don't install any files which are marked as artifacts, such as
build-id links.
--excludedocs
Don't install any files which are marked as documentation (which
includes man pages and texinfo documents).
--force
Same as using --replacepkgs, --replacefiles, and --oldpackage.
-h, --hash
Print 50 hash marks as the package archive is unpacked. Use
with -v|--verbose for a nicer display.
--ignoresize
Don't check mount file systems for sufficient disk space before
installing this package.
--ignorearch
Allow installation or upgrading even if the architectures of the
binary package and host don't match.
--ignoreos
Allow installation or upgrading even if the operating systems of
the binary package and host don't match.
--includedocs
Install documentation files. This is the default behavior.
--justdb
Update only the database, not the filesystem.
--nodb Update only the filesystem, not the database.
--nodigest
Don't verify package or header digests when reading.
--nomanifest
Don't process non-package files as manifests.
--nosignature
Don't verify package or header signatures when reading.
--nodeps
Don't do a dependency check before installing or upgrading a
package.
--nocaps
Don't set file capabilities.
--noorder
Don't reorder the packages for an install. The list of packages
would normally be reordered to satisfy dependencies.
--noverify
Don't perform verify package files prior to installation.
--noplugins
Do not load and execute plugins.
--noscripts, --nopre, --nopost, --nopreun, --nopostun, --nopretrans,
--noposttrans
Don't execute the scriptlet of the same name. The --noscripts
option is equivalent to
--nopre --nopost --nopreun --nopostun --nopretrans --noposttrans
and turns off the execution of the corresponding %pre, %post, %preun,
%postun %pretrans, and %posttrans scriptlet(s).
--notriggers, --notriggerin, --notriggerun, --notriggerprein, --notrig-
gerpostun
Don't execute any trigger scriptlet of the named type. The
--notriggers option is equivalent to
--notriggerprein --notriggerin --notriggerun --notriggerpostun
and turns off execution of the corresponding %triggerprein, %triggerin,
%triggerun, and %triggerpostun scriptlet(s).
--oldpackage
Allow an upgrade to replace a newer package with an older one.
--percent
Print percentages as files are unpacked from the package ar-
chive. This is intended to make rpm easy to run from other
tools.
--prefix NEWPATH
For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that
start with the installation prefix in the package relocation
hint(s) to NEWPATH.
--relocate OLDPATH=NEWPATH
For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that
start with OLDPATH in the package relocation hint(s) to NEWPATH.
This option can be used repeatedly if several OLDPATH's in the
package are to be relocated.
--replacefiles
Install the packages even if they replace files from other, al-
ready installed, packages.
--replacepkgs
Install the packages even if some of them are already installed
on this system.
--test Do not install the package, simply check for and report poten-
tial conflicts.
ERASE OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm erase command is
rpm {-e|--erase} [--allmatches] [--justdb] [--nodeps] [--noscripts]
[--notriggers] [--test] PACKAGE_NAME ...
The following options may also be used:
--allmatches
Remove all versions of the package which match PACKAGE_NAME.
Normally an error is issued if PACKAGE_NAME matches multiple
packages.
--justdb
Update only the database, not the filesystem.
--nodeps
Don't check dependencies before uninstalling the packages.
--noscripts, --nopreun, --nopostun
Don't execute the scriptlet of the same name. The --noscripts
option during package erase is equivalent to
--nopreun --nopostun
and turns off the execution of the corresponding %preun, and %postun
scriptlet(s).
--notriggers, --notriggerun, --notriggerpostun
Don't execute any trigger scriptlet of the named type. The
--notriggers option is equivalent to
--notriggerun --notriggerpostun
and turns off execution of the corresponding %triggerun, and %trigger-
postun scriptlet(s).
--test Don't really uninstall anything, just go through the motions.
Useful in conjunction with the -vv option for debugging.
QUERY OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm query command is
rpm {-q|--query} [select-options] [query-options]
You may specify the format that package information should be printed
in. To do this, you use the
--qf|--queryformat QUERYFMT
option, followed by the QUERYFMT format string. Query formats are mod-
ified versions of the standard printf(3) formatting. The format is
made up of static strings (which may include standard C character es-
capes for newlines, tabs, and other special characters (not including
\0)) and printf(3) type formatters. As rpm already knows the type to
print, the type specifier must be omitted however, and replaced by the
name of the header tag to be printed, enclosed by {} characters. Tag
names are case insensitive, and the leading RPMTAG_ portion of the tag
name may be omitted as well.
Alternate output formats may be requested by following the tag with
:typetag. Currently, the following types are supported:
:armor Wrap a public key in ASCII armor.
:arraysize
Display number of elements in array tags.
:base64
Encode binary data using base64.
:date Use strftime(3) "%c" format.
:day Use strftime(3) "%a %b %d %Y" format.
:depflags
Format dependency comparison operator.
:deptype
Format dependency type.
:expand
Perform macro expansion.
:fflags
Format file flags.
:fstate
Format file state.
:fstatus
Format file verify status.
:hex Format in hexadecimal.
:octal Format in octal.
:humaniec
Human readable number (in IEC 80000). The suffix K = 1024, M =
1048576, ...
:humansi
Human readable number (in SI). The suffix K = 1000, M =
1000000, ...
:perms Format file permissions.
:pgpsig
Display signature fingerprint and time.
:shescape
Escape single quotes for use in a script.
:string
Display string format. (default)
:tagname
Display tag name.
:tagnum
Display tag number.
:triggertype
Display trigger suffix.
:vflags
File verification flags.
:xml Wrap data in simple xml markup.
For example, to print only the names of the packages queried, you could
use %{NAME} as the format string. To print the packages name and dis-
tribution information in two columns, you could use %-30{NAME}%{DISTRI-
BUTION}. rpm will print a list of all of the tags it knows about when
it is invoked with the --querytags argument.
There are three subsets of options for querying: package selection,
file selection and information selection.
PACKAGE SELECTION OPTIONS:
PACKAGE_NAME
Query installed package named PACKAGE_NAME. To specify the
package more precisely the package name may be followed by the
version or version and release both separated by a dash or an
architecture name separated by a dot. See the output of rpm -qa
or rpm -qp PACKAGE_FILE as an example.
-a, --all [SELECTOR]
Query all installed packages.
An optional SELECTOR in the form of tag=pattern can be provided to nar-
row the selection, for example name="b*" to query packages whose name
starts with "b".
--dupes
List duplicated packages.
-f, --file FILE
Query package owning installed FILE.
--filecaps
List file names with POSIX1.e capabilities.
--fileclass
List file names with their classes (libmagic classification).
--filecolor
List file names with their colors (0 for noarch, 1 for 32bit, 2
for 64 bit).
--fileprovide
List file names with their provides.
--filerequire
List file names with their requires.
-g, --group GROUP
Query packages with the group of GROUP.
--hdrid SHA1
Query package that contains a given header identifier, i.e. the
SHA1 digest of the immutable header region.
-p, --package PACKAGE_FILE
Query an (uninstalled) package PACKAGE_FILE. The PACKAGE_FILE
may be specified as an ftp or http style URL, in which case the
package header will be downloaded and queried. See FTP/HTTP OP-
TIONS for information on rpm's ftp and http client support. The
PACKAGE_FILE argument(s), if not a binary package, will be in-
terpreted as an ASCII package manifest unless --nomanifest op-
tion is used. In manifests, comments are permitted, starting
with a '#', and each line of a package manifest file may include
white space separated glob expressions, including URL's, that
will be expanded to paths that are substituted in place of the
package manifest as additional PACKAGE_FILE arguments to the
query.
--path PATH
Query package(s) owning PATH, whether the file is installed or
not. Multiple packages may own a PATH, but the file is only
owned by the package installed last.
--pkgid MD5
Query package that contains a given package identifier, i.e. the
MD5 digest of the combined header and payload contents.
--querybynumber HDRNUM
Query the HDRNUMth database entry directly; this is useful only
for debugging.
--specfile SPECFILE
Parse and query SPECFILE as if it were a package. Although not
all the information (e.g. file lists) is available, this type of
query permits rpm to be used to extract information from spec
files without having to write a specfile parser.
--tid TID
Query package(s) that have a given TID transaction identifier.
A unix time stamp is currently used as a transaction identifier.
All package(s) installed or erased within a single transaction
have a common identifier.
--triggeredby PACKAGE_NAME
Query packages that are triggered by package(s) PACKAGE_NAME.
--whatobsoletes CAPABILITY
Query all packages that obsolete CAPABILITY for proper function-
ing.
--whatprovides CAPABILITY
Query all packages that provide the CAPABILITY capability.
--whatrequires CAPABILITY
Query all packages that require CAPABILITY for proper function-
ing.
--whatconflicts CAPABILITY
Query all packages that conflict with CAPABILITY.
--whatrecommends CAPABILITY
Query all packages that recommend CAPABILITY.
--whatsuggests CAPABILITY
Query all packages that suggest CAPABILITY.
--whatsupplements CAPABILITY
Query all packages that supplement CAPABILITY.
--whatenhances CAPABILITY
Query all packages that enhance CAPABILITY.
PACKAGE QUERY OPTIONS:
--changelog
Display change information for the package.
--changes
Display change information for the package with full time
stamps.
--conflicts
List capabilities this package conflicts with.
--dump Dump file information as follows (implies -l):
path size mtime digest mode owner group isconfig isdoc rdev symlink
--enhances
List capabilities enhanced by package(s)
--filesbypkg
List all the files in each selected package.
--filetriggers
List filetrigger scriptlets from package(s).
-i, --info
Display package information, including name, version, and de-
scription. This uses the --queryformat if one was specified.
--last Orders the package listing by install time such that the latest
packages are at the top.
-l, --list
List files in package.
--obsoletes
List packages this package obsoletes.
--provides
List capabilities this package provides.
--recommends
List capabilities recommended by package(s)
-R, --requires
List capabilities on which this package depends.
--suggests
List capabilities suggested by package(s)
--supplements
List capabilities supplemented by package(s)
--scripts
List the package specific scriptlet(s) that are used as part of
the installation and uninstallation processes.
-s, --state
Display the states of files in the package (implies -l). The
state of each file is one of normal, not installed, or replaced.
--triggers, --triggerscripts
Display the trigger scripts, if any, which are contained in the
package. --xml Format package headers as XML.
FILE SELECTION OPTIONS:
-A, --artifactfiles
Only include artifact files (implies -l).
-c, --configfiles
Only include configuration files (implies -l).
-d, --docfiles
Only include documentation files (implies -l).
-L, --licensefiles
Only include license files (implies -l).
--noartifact
Exclude artifact files.
--noconfig
Exclude config files.
--noghost
Exclude ghost files.
VERIFY OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm verify command is
rpm {-V|--verify} [select-options] [verify-options]
Verifying a package compares information about the installed files in
the package with information about the files taken from the package
metadata stored in the rpm database. Among other things, verifying
compares the size, digest, permissions, type, owner and group of each
file. Any discrepancies are displayed. Files that were not installed
from the package, for example, documentation files excluded on instal-
lation using the "--excludedocs" option, will be silently ignored.
The package and file selection options are the same as for package
querying (including package manifest files as arguments). Other op-
tions unique to verify mode are:
--nodeps
Don't verify dependencies of packages.
--nodigest
Don't verify package or header digests when reading.
--nofiles
Don't verify any attributes of package files.
--noscripts
Don't execute the %verifyscript scriptlet (if any).
--nosignature
Don't verify package or header signatures when reading.
--nolinkto
--nofiledigest (formerly --nomd5)
--nosize
--nouser
--nogroup
--nomtime
--nomode
--nordev
Don't verify the corresponding file attribute.
--nocaps
Don't verify file capabilities.
The format of the output is a string of 9 characters, a possible attri-
bute marker:
c %config configuration file.
d %doc documentation file.
g %ghost file (i.e. the file contents are not included in the package payload).
l %license license file.
r %readme readme file.
from the package header, followed by the file name. Each of the 9
characters denotes the result of a comparison of attribute(s) of the
file to the value of those attribute(s) recorded in the database. A
single "." (period) means the test passed, while a single "?" (question
mark) indicates the test could not be performed (e.g. file permissions
prevent reading). Otherwise, the (mnemonically emBoldened) character
denotes failure of the corresponding --verify test:
S file Size differs
M Mode differs (includes permissions and file type)
5 digest (formerly MD5 sum) differs
D Device major/minor number mismatch
L readLink(2) path mismatch
U User ownership differs
G Group ownership differs
T mTime differs
P caPabilities differ
MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS
rpm --showrc
shows the values rpm will use for all of the options are cur-
rently set in rpmrc and macros configuration file(s).
rpm --setperms | --setugids | --setcaps PACKAGE_NAME
obsolete aliases for --restore
rpm --restore [select-options]
The option restores file metadata such as timestamp, owner,
group, permissions and capabilities of files in packages.
FTP/HTTP OPTIONS
rpm can act as an FTP and/or HTTP client so that packages can be
queried or installed from the internet. Package files for install, up-
grade, and query operations may be specified as an ftp or http style
URL:
http://HOST[:PORT]/path/to/package.rpm
ftp://[USER:PASSWORD]@HOST[:PORT]/path/to/package.rpm
If both the user and password are omitted, anonymous ftp is used.
rpm allows the following options to be used with ftp URLs:
rpm allows the following options to be used with
http and ftp URLs:
--httpproxy HOST
The host HOST will be used as a proxy server for all http and
ftp transfers. This option may also be specified by configuring
the macro %_httpproxy.
--httpport PORT
The TCP PORT number to use for the http connection on the proxy
http server instead of the default port. This option may also
be specified by configuring the macro %_httpport.
LEGACY ISSUES
Executing rpmbuild
The build modes of rpm are now resident in the /usr/bin/rpmbuild exe-
cutable. Install the package containing rpmbuild (usually rpm-build)
and see rpmbuild(8) for documentation of all the rpm build modes.
FILES
rpmrc Configuration
/usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc
/usr/lib/rpm/<vendor>/rpmrc
/etc/rpmrc
~/.rpmrc
Macro Configuration
/usr/lib/rpm/macros
/usr/lib/rpm/<vendor>/macros
/etc/rpm/macros
~/.rpmmacros
Database
/var/lib/rpm/Basenames
/var/lib/rpm/Conflictname
/var/lib/rpm/Dirnames
/var/lib/rpm/Group
/var/lib/rpm/Installtid
/var/lib/rpm/Name
/var/lib/rpm/Obsoletename
/var/lib/rpm/Packages
/var/lib/rpm/Providename
/var/lib/rpm/Requirename
/var/lib/rpm/Sha1header
/var/lib/rpm/Sigmd5
/var/lib/rpm/Triggername
Temporary
/var/tmp/rpm*
SEE ALSO
rpm-misc(8),
popt(3),
rpm2cpio(8),
rpmbuild(8),
rpmdb(8),
rpmkeys(8),
rpmsign(8),
rpmspec(8),
rpm --help - as rpm supports customizing the options via popt aliases
it's impossible to guarantee that what's described in the manual match-
es what's available.
http://www.rpm.org/ <URL:http://www.rpm.org/>
AUTHORS
Marc Ewing <marc@redhat.com>
Jeff Johnson <jbj@redhat.com>
Erik Troan <ewt@redhat.com>
09 June 2002 RPM(8)
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