Zypper tips

To check from which repo package came from

# rpm -qa --qf '%-20{NAME} %-20{VENDOR}\n' 'libav*5[678]'

To install only packages from one repo

#zypper in -r pvdm-kde43 amarok

Change the behaviour of download-install-download-install-download to download all-install all

modify /etc/zypp/zypp.conf and find and change:

commit.downloadMode = DownloadInAdvance

• How to locally cache zypper update files

upgrading your system using 'zypper dup'

• When you want to do an upgrade, "zypper dup" actually brings your system to the version of the available packages. This may mean downgrading and removing of installed packages.
• The recommended way of doing this is to perform it against a specific repo: use

zypper dup -from repo -r, --repo <alias|#|URI>    Load only the specified repository.
zypper dup -r 5 -r 6 -r 7

• If you intend to use "zypper dup" without any specific repostitory, you need to define repo priorities if you don't want to encounter surprises.

• For the full story read [here].

if you want to find a certain file:

zypper in 'libqtiff.so()(64bit)'
Reading installed packages...
'libqt4-x11' providing 'libqtiff.so()(64bit)' is already installed.
Nothing to do.

if you want to install a certain version:

zypper in MozillaFirefox \>= 3

Other examples:

zypper in yast*                     # install all yast modules
zypper in -t pattern lamp_server    # install lamp_server pattern (packages  needed for a LAMP server) 
zypper in vim -emacs                # install vim and remove emacs in one go
zypper in amarok packman:libxine1   # install libxine1 from packman and  amarok from any repo
zypper in bitchx-1.1-81.x86_64.rpm  # install bitchx rpm from local directory
zypper in -f subversion             # force reinstallation of subversion

search packages

zypper search -s --match-exact virtualbox-ose
Reading installed packages...
S | Name           | Type    | Version    | Arch   | Repository
--+----------------+---------+------------+--------+------------------------------------
v | virtualbox-ose | package | 1.6.2-2.1  | x86_64 | VirtualBox OSE
i | virtualbox-ose | package | 1.5.6-33.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-11.1-Oss
v | virtualbox-ose | package | 1.5.6-20.5 | x86_64 | VirtualBox OSE (
v | virtualbox-ose | package | 1.6.2-2.1  | i586   | VirtualBox OSE
v | virtualbox-ose | package | 1.5.6-33.1 | i586   | openSUSE-11.1-Oss
v | virtualbox-ose | package | 1.5.6-20.3 | i586   | VirtualBox OSE

patterns

list patterns:

zypper patterns

information on packages

zypper if amarok

Information for package amarok:
Repository: @System
Name: amarok
Version: 2.2.0-38.1
Arch: x86_64
Vendor: obs://build.opensuse.org/KDE
Installed: Yes
Status: up-to-date
Installed Size: 24.2 MiB
Summary: Media Player for KDE
Description:
Amarok is a media player for all kinds of media. This includes MP3, Ogg
Vorbis, audio CDs, podcasts and streams. Play lists can be stored in
.m3u or .pls files.

Other examples:

zypper info -t patch MozillaFirefox    # show information about 'MozillaFirefox' patch
zypper patch-info MozillaFirefox       # the same as above
zypper info -t pattern lamp_server     # show info about 'lamp_server' pattern
zypper info -t product openSUSE-FTP    # show info about specified product

dependencies

what-provides or wp

To list all providers of specified capability, do:

 zypper wp firefox
 Reading installed packages...
 S | Name           | Type    | Version     | Arch   | Repository
 --+----------------+---------+-------------+--------+------------------
 i | MozillaFirefox | package | 3.0-0.1     | x86_64 | Updates for 11.1
 v | MozillaFirefox | package | 2.9.95-25.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-11.1-Oss
 v | MozillaFirefox | package | 3.0-0.1     | i586   | Updates for 11.1
 v | MozillaFirefox | package | 2.9.95-25.1 | i586   | openSUSE-11.1-Oss

Regarding optional dependencies, we do have them, and use them. They're enabled by default. To avoid the several hundred unexpected packages like in the example in the article you can use zypper with --no-recommends or turn them off in the zypper.conf config file.

The zypper summary before an installation distinguishes between hard dependencies and recommends, so you can see what turning recommends off would have saved you even if you didn't.

package locks

To lock all packages starting with 'yast2', do:

zypper al 'yast2*'
Reading installed packages...
Specified lock has been successfully added

To list currently active locks:

zypper ll
# | Name             | Type    | Repository
--+------------------+---------+-----------
1 | libpoppler3      | package | (any)
2 | libpoppler-glib3 | package | (any)
3 | yast*            | package | (any)

To remove a lock, do:

zypper rl yast2-packager

Other examples:

zypper al zypper                   # lock package 'zypper' (exact match)
zypper al -r repo-oss virtualbox*  # restrict the lock to 'repo-oss'  repository (allowing installation from others)
zypper rl 3                        # remove lock by number

rpm examples

# rpm -qi  amarok                 Show details of package
# rpm -qf  /usr/sbin/sshd         Shows where file came from
# rpm -qR openssh-server          Show dependencies - What do I need for this package to work?
# rpm --whatrequires initscripts  Find reverse dependencies - What will break if I remove this package
# rpm -qip                        Show details of not yet installed package
# rpm --verify openssh-server     Find out if any files in the package have been modified since install.
# rpm -qlv postfix                list all files in a rpm