MANUAL FOR XRPM.
----------------

"Xrpm" is a tool born out of frustration with the RedHat and Caldera rpm
management tools.  The first version was written in Tcl/Tk, a great 
scripting language but I don't like it for any larger applications.  This
version is written in Python a much better language in my opinion.


COMMAND LINE OPTIONS.
---------------------

Xrpm accepts the following command line parameters which is useful when
calling it from a file manager - or just from the command line:-)

xrpm [options] filename
	
    Options: [-i] [-l] [-q]
        -i	Install package <filename>
        -l	List the files in package <filename>
        -q	Query the package <filename>
	
    Example:
        xrpm
		    Run the program interactively.
		    
        xrpm -i /usr/local/rpms/donothing-0-3.1-i386.rpm
            Install the package "donothing-0.3.1-i386.rpm" that is located in 
            the /usr/local/rpms directory.

Xrpm will not display the main listbox in any of these cases, it will 
instead perform the action immediately and exit once complete.  For 
example if you use "xrpm" to query a package from the command line it will 
display the query box with a "Close" button.  Once you press the "Close" 
button the program will exit.  It will not go back to the main screen as
it would normally do.


DISPLAYING INSTALLED PACKAGES.
-------------------------------------

Start "xrpm", a list of all packages installed on your system is displayed
in the listbox.  Options at this point include "Query", "List files" and
"Remove" displayed in the buttons on the right side of the listbox.

    Query:
    ------
    Displays the following information about the package:
        Name, Version, Release, Install Date, Group, Size, Summary,
        Description, Distribution, Vendor, Build date, Build host and
        Sorce RPM.

    You may double click on a package name to query it.
    You may multiple select packages and query them one after another.

    File list:
    ----------
    Displays a list of files that are contained in the package.
    You may multiple select packages and list files after another.
    
    Once in the listbox you may double click on ASCII displayable
    files and read them.

    Remove:
    -------
    Removes the package.  Note that you must be logged in or su'd to
    "root" in order for this to work.  For options see the "rpm" man 
    page.

    Quit:
    -----
    Exits the program.
	
	

THE "FILE" MENU:
----------------

You may display ,query, obtain a package file list and install packages 
that reside in a directory on your system or at an ftp site from the
"File" menu.

    Open Directory:
    ---------------
    Opens a directory/file listbox which displays the current directory
    and the RPM packages contained in the directory.  Double clicking on
    any directory in the "Directory" box will change to that directory.
    There are two buttons available.
	
        Open:
        -----
        Returns to the main screen and displays a list of packages from
        the directory you were in.  The same list as was displayed in the
        file listbox.  You may now perform all the familiar functions with
        the buttons on the right hand side just as described above.  The
        one difference is that the "Remove" is disabled and the "Install"
        button is enabled, allowing you to install packages that you
        choose.
 
        Cancel:
        -------
        Returns to the main screen and once again displays the installed
        packages list.

        Mouse Functions
        ---------------
        Pressing the right mouse button in the left directory display will
        pop up a hot list of common directories and choosing one will do a
        fast "cd" to that directory.
        
        Highlighting an RPM file that is listed in the right panel and 
        pressing the right mouse button will pop up a file COPY and DELETE
        option.

	
    Open FTP Site:
    --------------
    This is very similar to the "Open Directory" function but it opens an
    FTP site instead.  Once the FTP site is open all other functions are
    identical to the "Open Directory" function.
 
    To open a site to the root directory:
        Double click on the site name or highlight the site and click on 
        the "Open" button.
    	
    To open a site to the displayed path:
        Double click on the path name or highlight the path and click on 
        the "Open" button.
        
    To open an unlisted site:
        You may open an unlisted site by entering the site name in the 
        "Filter" area and pressing enter.  This will open the site to the 
        root directory.
 
    To add entries to the ftp site list:
        For your own personal list, copy the /usr/lib/xrpm/ftp-sites file
        to your home directory and call it ".ftp-sites".  Now edit this 
        file and add entries, one per line.  The site name and the path 
        must be seperated by a single space.  For entries with no path
        put a "/" in it's place.
        
        You may also open the site manually from (see unlisted above) and 
        once the site is open press the "Save  Site" button.
        
        If you don't want a personal "ftp-sites" file just edit the one
        in /usr/lib/xrpm you won't be able to save sites however.
 	
 
    List Installed:
    ---------------
    This returns to the startup mode of displaying all packages installed
    on your system.
 

	View Log File:
	--------------
    If the logging option is enabled this will open the log file and 
    display it's contents.
    
    
    Exit:
    -----
    Exits the program.


THE "GROUP" MENU:
-----------------

The group menu displays the package group types available and lets you 
display only the packages within that group.  It will also show subgroups.


THE "OPTIONS" MENU:
-------------------

The options menu is used for setting the following system options.

    Enable Log:
    -----------
    This option enables a log file which stores installation and removal
    of packages.  I intend this as an audit trail so one can rebuild a 
    system from the log file.  Once the system is installed from a CD-ROM 
    distribution, logging should be enabled.  With logging enabled, each
    installation and removal of packages is logged.  By viewing this log 
    at a later time, the system administrator can tell exactly what packages
    were used to customize the system.
    
    The next version of XRPM should have a utility to automatically go 
    through the log file and update the system.
    
    These items are logged in the log file (/var/lib/rpm/xrpm-use.log)
    
    Function         -  can be "Removed" or "Installed"
    Package name     -  always present
    Install options  -  only used if installing (Oh really)
    Host name        -  only used if FTP install
    Path             -  used if install is from directory or FTP site
    Date             -  always present
    
    
    Use Tkman:
    ----------
    This option enables the use of Tkman for displaying man files when one
    double clicks on a man file inside a package.
    
    
    Save Options:
    -------------
    Saves the options to /etc/xrpm.conf.  Note this is usually only 
    allowable from "root".  You of course may set the permissions on the 
    file to whatever you want.
    
    
Any bug reports, suggestions, code improvements are greatfully received.
Please send to George A. Farris - george@gmsys.com.
