If RPM fails to compile or install, you can still work around many issues. The key is to find out what went wrong, fix the problem, and try again. You may go through this loop many times before RPM successfully compiles and installs.

Most problems can be solved by changing the configuration settings. If possible, change the inputs to the configure command to specify C compiler options, and so on, that you discover you need. You can then run the basic commands to build RPM again, but with any special options you discovered are necessary:

$ ./configure –any_options_set_here

$ make

$ make install

If you take this approach, you avoid having to edit a number of Makefiles (one in each source code subdirectory) by hand. You also have an easier time of switching to different command-line options as you determine more solutions to the compilation problems.

If this won’t work, though, you can edit the Makefile.am file or the generated Makefile directly to add whatever settings are needed. For example, you may need to specify additional directories for libraries, or some C compiler compatibility option.

As you discover problems, remember you are not alone in porting RPM. Check the RPM mailing list, where the question of getting RPM going on other platforms comes up frequently.

Cross Reference

For details on viewing the RPM mailing list archives and signing up for the list, see www.rpm.org/mailing_list/.