Provided by: rpm_4.14.2.1+dfsg1-1build2_amd64 
NAME
rpm - RPM Package Manager
SYNOPSIS
QUERYING AND VERIFYING PACKAGES:
rpm {-q|--query} [select-options] [query-options]
rpm --querytags
rpm {-V|--verify} [select-options] [verify-options]
INSTALLING, UPGRADING, AND REMOVING PACKAGES:
rpm {-i|--install} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-U|--upgrade} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-F|--freshen} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {--reinstall} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
rpm {-e|--erase} [--allmatches] [--justdb] [--nodeps] [--noscripts]
[--notriggers] [--test] PACKAGE_NAME ...
MISCELLANEOUS:
rpm --showrc
rpm --setperms PACKAGE_NAME ...
rpm --setugids PACKAGE_NAME ...
rpm --setcaps PACKAGE_NAME ...
rpm --restore PACKAGE_NAME ...
select-options
[PACKAGE_NAME]
[-a,--all [SELECTOR]] [-f,--file FILE]
[-g,--group GROUP] {-p,--package PACKAGE_FILE]
[--hdrid SHA1] [--pkgid MD5] [--tid TID]
[--querybynumber HDRNUM] [--triggeredby PACKAGE_NAME]
[--whatprovides CAPABILITY] [--whatrequires CAPABILITY]
[--whatrecommends CAPABILITY] [--whatsuggests CAPABILITY]
[--whatsupplements CAPABILITY] [--whatenhances CAPABILITY]
[--whatobsoletes CAPABILITY] [--whatconflicts CAPABILITY]
query-options
General:
[--changelog] [--changes] [--dupes] [-i,--info]
[--last] [--qf,--queryformat QUERYFMT] [--xml]
Dependencies:
[--conflicts] [--enhances] [--obsoletes] [--provides]
[--recommends] [-R,--requires] [--suggests] [--supplements]
Files:
[-c,--configfiles] [-d,--docfiles] [--dump] [--fileclass]
[--filecolor] [--fileprovide][--filerequire] [--filecaps]
[--filesbypkg] [-l,--list] [-s,--state]
[--noartifact] [--noghost] [--noconfig
Scripts and triggers:
[--filetriggers] [--scripts] [--triggers,--triggerscripts]
verify-options
[--nodeps] [--nofiles] [--noscripts]
[--nodigest] [--nosignature]
[--nolinkto] [--nofiledigest] [--nosize] [--nouser]
[--nogroup] [--nomtime] [--nomode] [--nordev]
[--nocaps]
install-options
[--allfiles] [--badreloc] [--excludepath OLDPATH]
[--excludedocs] [--force] [-h,--hash]
[--ignoresize] [--ignorearch] [--ignoreos]
[--includedocs] [--justdb]
[--nodeps] [--nodigest] [--noplugins]
[--nocaps] [--noorder]
[--nosignature] [--noscripts] [--notriggers]
[--oldpackage] [--percent] [--prefix NEWPATH]
[--relocate OLDPATH=NEWPATH]
[--replacefiles] [--replacepkgs]
[--test]
DESCRIPTION
rpm is a powerful Package Manager, which can be used to build, install, query, verify, update, and erase
individual software packages. A package consists of an archive of files and meta-data used to install
and erase the archive files. The meta-data includes helper scripts, file attributes, and descriptive
information about the package. Packages come in two varieties: binary packages, used to encapsulate
software to be installed, and source packages, containing the source code and recipe necessary to produce
binary packages.
One of the following basic modes must be selected: Query, Verify, Install/Upgrade/Freshen/Reinstall,
Uninstall, Set Owners/Groups, Show Querytags, and Show Configuration.
GENERAL OPTIONS
These options can be used in all the different modes.
-?, --help
Print a longer usage message then normal.
--version
Print a single line containing the version number of rpm being used.
--quiet
Print as little as possible - normally only error messages will be displayed.
-v, --verbose
Print verbose information - normally routine progress messages will be displayed.
-vv Print lots of ugly debugging information.
--rcfile FILELIST
Replace the list of configuration files to be read. Each of the files in the colon separated
FILELIST is read sequentially by rpm for configuration information. Only the first file in the
list must exist, and tildes will be expanded to the value of $HOME. The default FILELIST is /usr/
lib/rpm/rpmrc:/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/rpmrc:/etc/rpmrc:~/.rpmrc.
--macros FILELIST
Replace the list of macro files to be loaded. Each of the files in the colon separated FILELIST is
read sequentially by rpm for macro definitions. Only the first file in the list must exist, and
tildes will be expanded to the value of $HOME. The default FILELIST is /usr/lib/rpm/macros:/usr/
lib/rpm/macros.d/macros.*:/usr/lib/rpm/platform/%{_target}/macros:/usr/lib/rpm/fileattrs/*.attr:
/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/macros:/etc/rpm/macros.*:/etc/rpm/macros:/etc/rpm/%{_target}/macros:
~/.rpmmacros
--pipe CMD
Pipes the output of rpm to the command CMD.
--dbpath DIRECTORY
Use the database in DIRECTORY rather than the default path /var/lib/rpm
--root DIRECTORY
Use the file system tree rooted at DIRECTORY for all operations. Note that this means the
database within DIRECTORY will be used for dependency checks and any scriptlet(s) (e.g. %post if
installing, or %prep if building, a package) will be run after a chroot(2) to DIRECTORY.
-D, --define='MACRO EXPR'
Defines MACRO with value EXPR.
--undefine='MACRO'
Undefines MACRO.
-E, --eval='EXPR'
Prints macro expansion of EXPR.
More - less often needed - options can be found on the rpm-misc(8) man page.
INSTALL AND UPGRADE OPTIONS
In these options, PACKAGE_FILE can be either rpm binary file or ASCII package manifest (see PACKAGE
SELECTION OPTIONS), and may be specified as an ftp or http URL, in which case the package will be
downloaded before being installed. See FTP/HTTP OPTIONS for information on rpm's internal ftp and http
client support.
The general form of an rpm install command is
rpm {-i|--install} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This installs a new package.
The general form of an rpm upgrade command is
rpm {-U|--upgrade} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This upgrades or installs the package currently installed to a newer version. This is the same as
install, except all other version(s) of the package are removed after the new package is installed.
rpm {-F|--freshen} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This will upgrade packages, but only ones for which an earlier version is installed.
The general form of an rpm reinstall command is
rpm {--reinstall} [install-options] PACKAGE_FILE ...
This reinstalls a previously installed package.
--allfiles
Installs or upgrades all the missingok files in the package, regardless if they exist.
--badreloc
Used with --relocate, permit relocations on all file paths, not just those OLDPATH's included in
the binary package relocation hint(s).
--excludepath OLDPATH
Don't install files whose name begins with OLDPATH.
--excludedocs
Don't install any files which are marked as documentation (which includes man pages and texinfo
documents).
--force
Same as using --replacepkgs, --replacefiles, and --oldpackage.
-h, --hash
Print 50 hash marks as the package archive is unpacked. Use with -v|--verbose for a nicer
display.
--ignoresize
Don't check mount file systems for sufficient disk space before installing this package.
--ignorearch
Allow installation or upgrading even if the architectures of the binary package and host don't
match.
--ignoreos
Allow installation or upgrading even if the operating systems of the binary package and host don't
match.
--includedocs
Install documentation files. This is the default behavior.
--justdb
Update only the database, not the filesystem.
--nodigest
Don't verify package or header digests when reading.
--nomanifest
Don't process non-package files as manifests.
--nosignature
Don't verify package or header signatures when reading.
--nodeps
Don't do a dependency check before installing or upgrading a package.
--nocaps
Don't set file capabilities.
--noorder
Don't reorder the packages for an install. The list of packages would normally be reordered to
satisfy dependencies.
--noplugins
Do not load and execute plugins.
--noscripts, --nopre, --nopost, --nopreun, --nopostun, --nopretrans, --noposttrans
Don't execute the scriptlet of the same name. The --noscripts option is equivalent to
--nopre --nopost --nopreun --nopostun --nopretrans --noposttrans
and turns off the execution of the corresponding %pre, %post, %preun, %postun %pretrans, and
%posttrans scriptlet(s).
--notriggers, --notriggerin, --notriggerun, --notriggerprein, --notriggerpostun
Don't execute any trigger scriptlet of the named type. The --notriggers option is equivalent to
--notriggerprein --notriggerin --notriggerun --notriggerpostun
and turns off execution of the corresponding %triggerprein, %triggerin, %triggerun, and
%triggerpostun scriptlet(s).
--oldpackage
Allow an upgrade to replace a newer package with an older one.
--percent
Print percentages as files are unpacked from the package archive. This is intended to make rpm
easy to run from other tools.
--prefix NEWPATH
For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that start with the installation prefix
in the package relocation hint(s) to NEWPATH.
--relocate OLDPATH=NEWPATH
For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that start with OLDPATH in the package
relocation hint(s) to NEWPATH. This option can be used repeatedly if several OLDPATH's in the
package are to be relocated.
--replacefiles
Install the packages even if they replace files from other, already installed, packages.
--replacepkgs
Install the packages even if some of them are already installed on this system.
--test Do not install the package, simply check for and report potential conflicts.
ERASE OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm erase command is
rpm {-e|--erase} [--allmatches] [--justdb] [--nodeps] [--noscripts] [--notriggers] [--test] PACKAGE_NAME
...
The following options may also be used:
--allmatches
Remove all versions of the package which match PACKAGE_NAME. Normally an error is issued if
PACKAGE_NAME matches multiple packages.
--justdb
Update only the database, not the filesystem.
--nodeps
Don't check dependencies before uninstalling the packages.
--noscripts, --nopreun, --nopostun
Don't execute the scriptlet of the same name. The --noscripts option during package erase is
equivalent to
--nopreun --nopostun
and turns off the execution of the corresponding %preun, and %postun scriptlet(s).
--notriggers, --notriggerun, --notriggerpostun
Don't execute any trigger scriptlet of the named type. The --notriggers option is equivalent to
--notriggerun --notriggerpostun
and turns off execution of the corresponding %triggerun, and %triggerpostun scriptlet(s).
--test Don't really uninstall anything, just go through the motions. Useful in conjunction with the -vv
option for debugging.
QUERY OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm query command is
rpm {-q|--query} [select-options] [query-options]
You may specify the format that package information should be printed in. To do this, you use the
--qf|--queryformat QUERYFMT
option, followed by the QUERYFMT format string. Query formats are modified versions of the standard
printf(3) formatting. The format is made up of static strings (which may include standard C character
escapes for newlines, tabs, and other special characters) and printf(3) type formatters. As rpm already
knows the type to print, the type specifier must be omitted however, and replaced by the name of the
header tag to be printed, enclosed by {} characters. Tag names are case insensitive, and the leading
RPMTAG_ portion of the tag name may be omitted as well.
Alternate output formats may be requested by following the tag with :typetag. Currently, the following
types are supported:
:armor Wrap a public key in ASCII armor.
:arraysize
Display number of elements in array tags.
:base64
Encode binary data using base64.
:date Use strftime(3) "%c" format.
:day Use strftime(3) "%a %b %d %Y" format.
:depflags
Format dependency comparison operator.
:deptype
Format dependency type.
:expand
Perform macro expansion.
:fflags
Format file flags.
:fstate
Format file state.
:fstatus
Format file verify status.
:hex Format in hexadecimal.
:octal Format in octal.
:humaniec
Human readable number (in IEC 80000). The suffix K = 1024, M = 1048576, ...
:humansi
Human readable number (in SI). The suffix K = 1000, M = 1000000, ...
:perms Format file permissions.
:pgpsig
Display signature fingerprint and time.
:shescape
Escape single quotes for use in a script.
:triggertype
Display trigger suffix.
:vflags
File verification flags.
:xml Wrap data in simple xml markup.
For example, to print only the names of the packages queried, you could use %{NAME} as the format string.
To print the packages name and distribution information in two columns, you could use
%-30{NAME}%{DISTRIBUTION}. rpm will print a list of all of the tags it knows about when it is invoked
with the --querytags argument.
There are two subsets of options for querying: package selection, and information selection.
PACKAGE SELECTION OPTIONS:
PACKAGE_NAME
Query installed package named PACKAGE_NAME. To specify the package more precisely the package name
may be followed by the version or version and release both separated by a dash or an architecture
name separated by a dot. See the output of rpm -qa or rpm -qp PACKAGE_FILE as an example.
-a, --all [SELECTOR]
Query all installed packages.
An optional SELECTOR in the form of tag=pattern can be provided to narrow the selection, for
example name="b*" to query packages whose name starts with "b".
--dupes
List duplicated packages.
-f, --file FILE
Query package owning FILE.
--filecaps
List file names with POSIX1.e capabilities.
--fileclass
List file names with their classes (libmagic classification).
--filecolor
List file names with their colors (0 for noarch, 1 for 32bit, 2 for 64 bit).
--fileprovide
List file names with their provides.
--filerequire
List file names with their requires.
-g, --group GROUP
Query packages with the group of GROUP.
--hdrid SHA1
Query package that contains a given header identifier, i.e. the SHA1 digest of the immutable
header region.
-p, --package PACKAGE_FILE
Query an (uninstalled) package PACKAGE_FILE. The PACKAGE_FILE may be specified as an ftp or http
style URL, in which case the package header will be downloaded and queried. See FTP/HTTP OPTIONS
for information on rpm's internal ftp and http client support. The PACKAGE_FILE argument(s), if
not a binary package, will be interpreted as an ASCII package manifest unless --nomanifest option
is used. In manifests, comments are permitted, starting with a '#', and each line of a package
manifest file may include white space separated glob expressions, including URL's, that will be
expanded to paths that are substituted in place of the package manifest as additional PACKAGE_FILE
arguments to the query.
--pkgid MD5
Query package that contains a given package identifier, i.e. the MD5 digest of the combined header
and payload contents.
--querybynumber HDRNUM
Query the HDRNUMth database entry directly; this is useful only for debugging.
--specfile SPECFILE
Parse and query SPECFILE as if it were a package. Although not all the information (e.g. file
lists) is available, this type of query permits rpm to be used to extract information from spec
files without having to write a specfile parser.
--tid TID
Query package(s) that have a given TID transaction identifier. A unix time stamp is currently used
as a transaction identifier. All package(s) installed or erased within a single transaction have a
common identifier.
--triggeredby PACKAGE_NAME
Query packages that are triggered by package(s) PACKAGE_NAME.
--whatobsoletes CAPABILITY
Query all packages that obsolete CAPABILITY for proper functioning.
--whatprovides CAPABILITY
Query all packages that provide the CAPABILITY capability.
--whatrequires CAPABILITY
Query all packages that require CAPABILITY for proper functioning.
--whatconflicts CAPABILITY
Query all packages that conflict with CAPABILITY.
--whatrecommends CAPABILITY
Query all packages that recommend CAPABILITY.
--whatsuggests CAPABILITY
Query all packages that suggest CAPABILITY.
--whatsupplements CAPABILITY
Query all packages that supplement CAPABILITY.
--whatenhances CAPABILITY
Query all packages that enhance CAPABILITY.
PACKAGE QUERY OPTIONS:
-d, --artifactfiles
List only artifact files (implies -l).
--changelog
Display change information for the package.
--changes
Display change information for the package with full time stamps.
-c, --configfiles
List only configuration files (implies -l).
--conflicts
List capabilities this package conflicts with.
-d, --docfiles
List only documentation files (implies -l).
--dump Dump file information as follows (implies -l):
path size mtime digest mode owner group isconfig isdoc rdev symlink
--enhances
List capabilities enhanced by package(s)
--filesbypkg
List all the files in each selected package.
--filetriggers
List filetrigger scriptlets from package(s).
-i, --info
Display package information, including name, version, and description. This uses the
--queryformat if one was specified.
--last Orders the package listing by install time such that the latest packages are at the top.
-L, --licensefiles
List only license files (implies -l).
-l, --list
List files in package.
--obsoletes
List packages this package obsoletes.
--provides
List capabilities this package provides.
--recommends
List capabilities recommended by package(s)
-R, --requires
List capabilities on which this package depends.
--suggests
List capabilities suggested by package(s)
--supplements
List capabilities supplemented by package(s)
--scripts
List the package specific scriptlet(s) that are used as part of the installation and
uninstallation processes.
-s, --state
Display the states of files in the package (implies -l). The state of each file is one of normal,
not installed, or replaced.
--triggers, --triggerscripts
Display the trigger scripts, if any, which are contained in the package.
--noartifact
Don't display artifact files. --noghost Don't display ghost files. Useful in combination with
option --list.
--noconfig
Don't display config files.
--xml Format package headers as XML.
VERIFY OPTIONS
The general form of an rpm verify command is
rpm {-V|--verify} [select-options] [verify-options]
Verifying a package compares information about the installed files in the package with information about
the files taken from the package metadata stored in the rpm database. Among other things, verifying
compares the size, digest, permissions, type, owner and group of each file. Any discrepancies are
displayed. Files that were not installed from the package, for example, documentation files excluded on
installation using the "--excludedocs" option, will be silently ignored.
The package selection options are the same as for package querying (including package manifest files as
arguments). Other options unique to verify mode are:
--nodeps
Don't verify dependencies of packages.
--nodigest
Don't verify package or header digests when reading.
--nofiles
Don't verify any attributes of package files.
--noghost
Don't verify ghost files.
--noconfig
Don't verify config files.
--noscripts
Don't execute the %verifyscript scriptlet (if any).
--nosignature
Don't verify package or header signatures when reading.
--nolinkto
--nofiledigest (formerly --nomd5)
--nosize
--nouser
--nogroup
--nomtime
--nomode
--nordev
Don't verify the corresponding file attribute.
--nocaps
Don't verify file capabilities.
The format of the output is a string of 9 characters, a possible attribute marker:
c %config configuration file.
d %doc documentation file.
g %ghost file (i.e. the file contents are not included in the package payload).
l %license license file.
r %readme readme file.
from the package header, followed by the file name. Each of the 9 characters denotes the result of a
comparison of attribute(s) of the file to the value of those attribute(s) recorded in the database. A
single "." (period) means the test passed, while a single "?" (question mark) indicates the test could
not be performed (e.g. file permissions prevent reading). Otherwise, the (mnemonically emBoldened)
character denotes failure of the corresponding --verify test:
S file Size differs
M Mode differs (includes permissions and file type)
5 digest (formerly MD5 sum) differs
D Device major/minor number mismatch
L readLink(2) path mismatch
U User ownership differs
G Group ownership differs
T mTime differs
P caPabilities differ
MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS
rpm --showrc
shows the values rpm will use for all of the options are currently set in rpmrc and macros
configuration file(s).
rpm --setperms PACKAGE_NAME
sets permissions of files in the given package. Consider using --restore instead.
rpm --setugids PACKAGE_NAME
sets user/group ownership of files in the given package. This command can change permissions and
capabilities of files in that package. In most cases it is better to use --restore instead.
rpm --setcaps PACKAGE_NAME
sets capabilities of files in the given package. Consider using --restore instead.
rpm --restore PACKAGE_NAME
The option restores owner, group, permissions and capabilities of files in the given package.
Options --setperms, --setugids, --setcaps and
--restore are mutually exclusive.
FTP/HTTP OPTIONS
rpm can act as an FTP and/or HTTP client so that packages can be queried or installed from the internet.
Package files for install, upgrade, and query operations may be specified as an ftp or http style URL:
ftp://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/path/to/package.rpm
If the :PASSWORD portion is omitted, the password will be prompted for (once per user/hostname pair). If
both the user and password are omitted, anonymous ftp is used. In all cases, passive (PASV) ftp
transfers are performed.
rpm allows the following options to be used with ftp URLs:
--ftpproxy HOST
The host HOST will be used as a proxy server for all ftp transfers, which allows users to ftp
through firewall machines which use proxy systems. This option may also be specified by
configuring the macro %_ftpproxy.
--ftpport PORT
The TCP PORT number to use for the ftp connection on the proxy ftp server instead of the default
port. This option may also be specified by configuring the macro %_ftpport.
rpm allows the following options to be used with http URLs:
--httpproxy HOST
The host HOST will be used as a proxy server for all http transfers. This option may also be
specified by configuring the macro %_httpproxy.
--httpport PORT
The TCP PORT number to use for the http connection on the proxy http server instead of the default
port. This option may also be specified by configuring the macro %_httpport.
LEGACY ISSUES
Executing rpmbuild
The build modes of rpm are now resident in the /usr/bin/rpmbuild executable. Install the package
containing rpmbuild (usually rpm-build) and see rpmbuild(8) for documentation of all the rpm build modes.
FILES
rpmrc Configuration
/usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc
/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/rpmrc
/etc/rpmrc
~/.rpmrc
Macro Configuration
/usr/lib/rpm/macros
/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/macros
/etc/rpm/macros
~/.rpmmacros
Database
/var/lib/rpm/Basenames
/var/lib/rpm/Conflictname
/var/lib/rpm/Dirnames
/var/lib/rpm/Group
/var/lib/rpm/Installtid
/var/lib/rpm/Name
/var/lib/rpm/Obsoletename
/var/lib/rpm/Packages
/var/lib/rpm/Providename
/var/lib/rpm/Requirename
/var/lib/rpm/Sha1header
/var/lib/rpm/Sigmd5
/var/lib/rpm/Triggername
Temporary
/var/tmp/rpm*
SEE ALSO
rpm-misc(8)(3),
popt(3),
rpm2cpio(8),
rpmbuild(8),
rpmdb(8),
rpmkeys(8),
rpmsign(8),
rpmspec(8),
rpm --help - as rpm supports customizing the options via popt aliases it's impossible to guarantee that
what's described in the manual matches what's available.
http://www.rpm.org/ <URL:http://www.rpm.org/>
AUTHORS
Marc Ewing <marc@redhat.com>
Jeff Johnson <jbj@redhat.com>
Erik Troan <ewt@redhat.com>
Red Hat, Inc. 09 June 2002 RPM(8)