Re: Get the command in the rpm spec

Greg Swift <gregswift@xxxxxxxxx> · Tue, 26 Nov 2013 21:55:14 -0600

So oddly enough you are the second person to bring this up in the last week (other @dayjob).

So generally speaking here are some things:

a) rpm -i installs the software regardless [1]

b) rpm -U installs or upgrades.  which makes it generally more useful.

c) most people recommend using yum directly rather than rpm these days, similar to dpkg vs apt.  it supports local installs natively, and behaves as expected in most cases.  yum install installs but not if there is an existing package and yum upgrade doesn't install, just upgrades installed packages.

d) if your weren't using a versioned directory the -i would break because the filename would be the same, and thus the packages would conflict.

So other notes about your spec:

a) defining Package, Rev and Rel is redundant.  when you put those in Name, Version, and Release they are exposed as %{name}, %{version}, and %{release} respectively.

 b) just because you can references files directly from various parts of our system doesn't mean its a good practice.  you should have source files, preferably a tarball that you extract in %prep section.  Even if you aren't 'building' something in the %build section.

take that for what its worth.

-greg

[1] tbh i thought it told you that the package was already installed.  But I stopped using -i almost immediately, in favor of -U

another reference:
http://www.techblogistech.com/2011/07/the-difference-between-rpm-uvh-and-rpm-ivh-or-how-to-install-packages-in-rhel-centos-or-fedora/

On Tue, Nov 26, 2013 at 9:19 PM, Zheng, Wendy <wendy.zheng@xxxxxxx> wrote:

What’s the best practice when installing new version of software if the rpm supports installing multiple versions? Looks like the user has to use “rpm -U” command to do that. Because it’s not allowed to uninstall the software in %pre section, if the user uses “rpm -i” command to install software, there will be multiple versions installed on the system.

Following is a spec example. I use it to build out 2 packages: Software-1.0-1.rpm and Software-2.0-1.rpm (change the Rev from 1.0 to 2.0)

%define Package Software

%define Rev 1.0

%define Rel 1
%define ViewName NightlyLinux

%define UserName admin

%define TempArea /tmp/%{Rev}
%define __strip /bin/true

Summary: Software

Name: %{Package}
Version: %{Rev}

Release: %{Rel}

License: ABC Corp.
Group: Utilities/System

Distribution: ABC Corp.

Vendor: ABC Corp.
Packager: ABC Corp.

AutoReqProv: no

BuildRoot: /tmp/linux/%{Rev}

%description

Software

%prep

%build

%install
install -m 775 -d $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/opt

install -m 775 -d $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/opt/software-%{Rev}

install -m 755 /emc/zhengw2/test/software.sh $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/opt/software-%{Rev}/software.sh

%clean

%pre

echo "$1 in pre"

%post

echo "$1 in post"

%preun
echo "$1 in preun"

%postun
echo "$1 in postun"

%files
%defattr (-,root,root)

%dir /opt/software-%{Rev}

/opt/software-%{Rev}/software.sh

Here is what I got:

When installing the Software-1.0-1, it’s first time to install, $1 is 1, which is correct:

**** # rpm -ivh Software-1.0-1.x86_64.rpm

Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]

1 in pre
   1:Software               ########################################### [100%]

1 in post

Then I install Software-2.0-1, it’s the second time to install, $1 is 2, even though I’m using “rpm -i” command:

**** # rpm -ivh Software-2.0-1.x86_64.rpm

Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]

2 in pre

   1:Software               ########################################### [100%]

2 in post

Because I’ve installed 2 versions, there are 2 folders under /opt, Software-1.0 and Software-2.0.

Then I uninstall 2.0 and try with “rpm -U” command, $1 is 2, same as when I’m using “rpm -i” command:

**** # rpm -e Software-2.0-1

1 in preun
1 in postun

**** # rpm -q Software

Software-1.0-1
**** # rpm -Uvh Software-2.0-1.x86_64.rpm

Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]

2 in pre

   1:Software               ########################################### [100%]

2 in post

1 in preun

1 in postun

So in my case, $1 cannot be used to distinguish which command “rpm -i” or “rpm -U” is using.

Thanks,

Wendy

From: Greg Swift [mailto:gregswift@xxxxxxxxx] 

Sent: 2013年11月27日 1:30

To: General discussion about the RPM package manager
Cc: Zheng, Wendy
Subject: Re: Get the command in the rpm spec

So... i think you need to step back and take a different approach.  RPM shouldn't be leaving the old version the the filesystem regardless of what you are doing.  Can you share your spec ?

On Tue, Nov 26, 2013 at 10:43 AM, Zheng, Wendy <wendy.zheng@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi all,

Really sorry that I didn't receive the previous response and resend the question again.

In this case, I'm maintaining a rpm package which installs the software with version number in its installation path. But now, the software owner doesn't want multiple versions be installed on the machine. Removing the version number in the installation path costs much effort, so I'm seeking for a solution to stop the user from using "rpm -i" command and suggest him to use "rpm -U" or "rpm -F" when he installs a new version to the machine with a older one installed.

Then I try to use the $1 in %pre to distinguish between install and upgrade. But I notice it doesn't work as the doc described because we allow multiple version of software install here. For example, software 1.0 is installed on the machine under path /opt/software-1.0. Now the user tries to install software 2.0. Because the software will be installed under path /opt/software-2.0, the use can install 2.0 with "rpm -i", "rpm -U" and "rpm -F" command. In this case, the value of $1 is 2 no matter which command is used. So in this case, I need to know the exact command the user is using instead of how many instances are installed on the system.

The description of $1 says that, when install, $1==1. This is true when only one version of software is allowed, because in this case, the second "rpm -i" command will fails to install because conflicts with previous version.

Best Regards,
Wendy
________________________________________
From: Zheng, Wendy
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 4:38 PM
To: rpm-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: Get the command in the rpm spec

Hi expertise,

I’m a newbie in RPM. I’m working on creating a RPM package which only one instance is allowed to install on users machine. Then I need to check whether there is other version of the software installed on the machine before installation (I’m writing some scripts in %pre section). Then I use the $1 variable to check for it. But I notice that no matter the user is running “rpm -i” command or “rpm -U”, $1 will always return 2 (if there is already one instance installed on the machine). But in fact I only need to stop the user when he’s running “rpm -i”, because “rpm -U” will remove the old versions after install.

  Then my question is, how can I know which command (“rpm -i” or “rpm -U”) the user is using in the rpm spec? Or do  you have any other suggestion to this solution?

Best Regards,
Wendy Zheng

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