Open SUSE 11.0 - Installing Software

[doctorjohn2]

Software in OpenSuSE can be installed through rpms or compiled from source. Rpm files have the file extension (last three letters in their names) as .rpm, source files are usually tarballed (.tar.gz)

I find rpms very convenient to install. These however have to be tailor made for each version of OpenSuSE, and each architecture (Intel or PPC, 32 bit or 64 bit). There are people in the OpenSuSE community who do this work and they are known as packagers or package maintainers. They maintain packages (syn. rpms) of popular software used for different purposes, in "places" on the internet known as repositories (= a store of rpms).

A good place to start is here
Additional YaST Package Repositories - openSUSE
It has a list of third-party repositories. You will have to visit the individual websites listed under each repository to know what each has on offer.

Let us take the first, Packman, as a working example. Packman is a good multimedia repository. To install software from the Packman repository we have to:
1. Note the relevant url (link) of the repository
2. Add it to YaST sources
3. Open YaST Software Management and install what we want from the repository

Now what is this YaST? YaST (Yet another Setup Tool) is the default package manager (something like add/remove programs) in OpenSuSE. It can be used to install/uninstall software SAFELY without breaking/spoiling the system. YaST has a list of "sources" called YaST sources, where it stores information on where to find software.

1. Go to Additional YaST Package Repositories - openSUSE
Click on Packman in the index list
Now you will see that the Packman repository has many mirrors (one in each country). So right click on any one of them, in the section for your version of SuSE (mine is 11.0) and click "copy link location". Open Kwrite (if you are using KDE) or Gedit (if you are using GNOME) and paste the link.

Let us take a look at the link. If you selected a mirror for Open SuSE 11.0 it will look like this

http://packman.unixheads.com/suse/11.0/

2. Let's fire up YaST
I will show both GNOME and KDE screenshots side by side.
Press Alt and F2 keys on your keyboard. You will get a dialog box which looks like this


Type yast (if you use KDE) or yast2 (if you use GNOME) in that and press ENTER. You will get a password prompt in which you must key in your root password or user password (if you di dnot set a separate root password) and press ENTER.<br><br>

You will now get this

[doctorjohn2]

GNOME users, click on Software under Groups on the left, and then on what appears on the right, click on software repositories. KDE users click on Software repositories.
Another dialog box will open as shown below


As you can see, there are three repositories which are inactive (see active column). If you installed from the DVD you will have the DVD as an extra repository entry. Select each of these and make them active by checking the enabled checkbox below. For Updates repository also check refresh.

Now click Add to add a new repository. You will get the following


Now you have two options:

Easy (automatic):
Click on Community Repositories and click next
Check the repositories you want
Click Next, the repositories will be added automatically, click Finish and import any keys you are when prompted to do so by clicking the import button presented to you.

[doctorjohn2]

Manual Option:
You can manually add the mirrors of your choice in this method.

By default, the options Specify URL and download repository description files are checked. Leave them as it is and click Next.


Paste the url and Type a repository name, and click next<br>


The repository will get added. Click Finish. You will be prompted to import some gpg keys which you must accept. The window will then close.

Now in YaST, click on Software Management.
In the search box type the name of the software you are looking for and click search<br>
Mark them for installation<br>
Click Install/Accept. Remember to accept any prompt which mentions that additonal software needs to be installed; these will be the dependencies required for the package you selected to work and must NEVER be ignored.<br>

You can install multiple software at one go by typing for them in the search box you get in Software Management - checking them in the pane on the right, and clicking accept in the end.

You have now finished!
To run your newly installed software, the easiest way to find them is by clicking on Kmenu (Start button :-P)->Applications tab->New Applications

GNOME users - start menu->Applications->More Applications

Some important links:

Package Repositories - openSUSE
OSS
Non-OSS
Update

Additional YaST Package Repositories - openSUSE
Packman
VLC

If you install KDE
KDE/Repositories - openSUSE

If you install GNOME
Package Repositories - openSUSE

If you want Virtualisation
Index of /repositories/Virtualization:/VirtualBox

Other Methods for installation:

The One Click Install
The one click install is a fantastic innovation where via a yast metapackage, the software you select is installed. All that is required is:
Click the One-click Install link associated with a software you want to install. This will prompt you to download a package which automatically opens with YaST. You will have to key in your root password when prompted to do so.
Simply walk through the steps, repositories are automatically added, software downloaded and Voila!! your software is installed.
You can search for One-Clik install software here
Webpin

I find this particularly useful in the installation of NVidia drivers

[DenverD]

> OTHER METHODS FOR INSTALLATION:
> The One Click Install

who ever named that needs to be put in jail for FALSE ADVERTISING,
because i did it a couple of days ago and took the time to actually
count the number of clicks:

NOT counting the clicks to get to the right page
<http://packages.opensuse-community.org/> then:

1. *click* to select your version (from those listed)
2. type in the package name and *click* search
3. *click* to answer Firefox's question "should FF save/open"?
4. *click* to approve the repo be added
5. *click* to approve the software to be installed
6. *click* to continue after the "Following changes will be made..."
7. *click* Yes in the popup "Have you reviewed the changes..."
8. insert root password and *click*
9. *click* to Trust and Import the key..

maybe it should have another name...i see some call it "webpin" but i
don't see where that term is defined...so, i'm not sure what webpin
really is..

--
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE
3.5.7, SUSE Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

[doctorjohn2]

Webpin is just a search engine for the One-Click installs

[DenverD]

doctorjohn2 wrote:
> Webpin is just a search engine for the One-Click installs

don't you mean, "Webpin is a search engine for the Nine-Click installs"?

--
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via NNTP, Thunderbird 2.0.0.14, KDE
3.5.7, SUSE Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.18-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon