> in addition, it would be useful if the "list installed" variation also > accepted package names or globs, as does "rpm -qa 'glob'". yes, i know > you can pipe it to grep, but still ... :-) > read my explanation earlier in this thread. > Installing/updating RPMs > ------------------------- > > there is, it seems, some inconsistency in what you should be allowed to > "install" and what you should be allowed to "update" -- should this > depend on whether the package is either "new" or "newer"? > > if i try to "update" a package for which i don't even have a version on > my system, yum will take the time to consult all of the repositories, only > to give up afterwards with: > > # yum update ogle > ... much repository consulting here ... > Finding updated packages > Downloading needed headers > Cannot find any package matching ogle available to be updated. > No actions to take > > based on this, i'm assuming that you can't technically "update" to a "new" > RPM, but if so, yum could have saved me the time of consulting the > repositories and deduced right away that this update was doomed to > failure, no? so i can't (by default) "update" to a new RPM. > > however, apparently, i *can* "install" a newer RPM: > > # yum install vnc > > Downloading needed headers > Resolving dependencies > Dependencies resolved > I will do the following: > [update: vnc 4.0-0.beta4.3.2.i386] > Is this ok [y/N]: > > note that, since i already have a version of vnc installed, at least yum > is asking if i want to "update". fair enough, but if yum is going to be > interactive here, then to be consistent, perhaps i should also be allowed > to say that, yes, i want to "update" a non-installed RPM earlier. > > (based on the above, it's not clear what should happen if i choose to > update or install using a glob pattern, for which i have only *some* of > the available packages that match that glob already installed. thinking > about that makes my head hurt.) > I don't think I understand what you mean here. read the explanation of 'tolerant' in the yum.conf man page or in the yum man page. > Cleaning > -------- > > last topic -- what does it mean to say > > # yum clean oldheaders > > From the man page, "Eliminate the old headers that yum no longer needs > to determine the remote availablility of packages." > > sorry, i'm sure i'm being clueless, but what does this mean yum clean oldheaders gets rid of the headers from a system that are: 1. out of date from what is on the repository 2. headers from packages you have installed on your system (once you have them installed you don't need the .hdr file anymore, that information is now in the rpmdb) -sv
