A simple question. I would like to install software from openSUSE repos using yast or zypper into /home/user directories rather than root directories. I download a lot of science and math software that are quite large and basically self contained user type applications. As I find more applications, the installs keep filling up my root directories. I then have to keep adding space to root partition and jockeying my partition sizes between windows and linux to make more room for linux. I have a single user system so I’d like to download “stuff” into user directories.
I know as solution is that I can go directly to the site where the science/math code is originated and do downloads and install into user from there but I am wondering whether yast or zypper could be fooled into installs in home/user directories.
I’m using “opensuse 13.2, mate desktop mostly, old 32bit pentium machine. Lots of /home/user space. Somewhat limited on root partition space but 15 gig unused”
> but I am wondering whether yast or zypper could be fooled
> into installs in home/user directories.
No, I don’t think so.
> I’m using “opensuse 13.2, mate desktop mostly, old 32bit pentium
> machine. Lots of /home/user space. Somewhat limited on root partition
> space but 15 gig unused”
You can use symlinks.
Symlink /opt/mybigprogram to /home/_mybigprogram sort of thing.
not really what you wore looking for but close enough
you could use a file manager to unpack the content of those rpm’s to a folder of your choosing
eg you can use krusader or doublecmd (ark should work too) and copy the content of the rpm to /home/<you>/unpacked_apps, the thing is, if those applications come with libraries you will have to tweak your $PATH environment to make those apps work.
Highly recommend you just fix the root cause of your problem instead of introducing complexity into your system with workarounds…
Backup (or buy a new hard drive since nowadays they are so cheap) and simply install a new version of openSUSE but instead of accepting defaults choose “Advanced.” When the proposed partitioning layout is proposed, <uncheck> the box that suggests creating a separate /home partition.
I typically do this mainly for Servers because as you say… The apps and data are all located on the root partition leaving the /home partition a waste of space. Even if you are running your system as a Workstation, if you are installing server type apps you should partition as I recommend.
After you have re-installed, you can restore from backup or copy from your old disk the contents of your /home directory.
Symlinks will not solve the problem that the original location is where the app and data is still there.
If you get too weird, you’ll also have a problem managing the locations and permissions of both old and new files.