Re: Other than --rebuild, how do I use an SRPM file?

[Malcolm Tredinnick <malcolm commsecure com au>]

On Wed, Dec 05, 2001 at 11:27:24AM -0500, Pete Peterson wrote:
> 
> I want to build the latest openssh for Red Hat 6.2.  I grabbed the
> SRPM and did an 'rpm --rebuild' on it and created a bunch of new
> RPM files.  The only problme is that the default configuration
> wasn't exactly what I wanted.  Unfortunately --rebuild removes
> all the intermediate data, so I couldn't modify patch files,
> config files or spec files --- whatever it is that I would have
> to change to, for instance, enable MD5 passwords.
> 
> I've read the man page multiple times and read the (unmaintained)
> RPM HOWTO and I can't seem to find a way to to unwrap the pieces
> from an SRPM file so they can be modified.  The build instructions
> seem to be telling me that you need a spec file (-b) or a spec
> file embedded in a maybe-compressed tar file (-t).
> 
> I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, but could somebody please
> either explain the procedure or point out where in TFM I should read to get
> an explanation that I can understand, for unwinding an SRPM and recreating
> a new RPM?

Do 'rpm -i <package name>', which will install the sources in
_topdir/SOURCES and the specfile in _topdir/SPECS (where "_topdir" is
either whatever you've set it to in ~/.rpmmacros or /usr/src/redhat by
default).

The go into the specfile and look at the configure options in the %build
section. Change them as appropriate.

To rebuild the package, then run 'rpm -ba <specfile>' from inside the
SPECS directory and you end up with binary rpms and a source rpm with
your new settings (ready for a future rpm --rebuild ...). If you just
want the binary rpms, just do 'rpm -bp <specfile>'.

Cheers,
Malcolm

-- 
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.