Redhat Source Package Build

Download the following file

bsu-3.0.2-1.src.rpm

You can either build it in the /usr/src/redhat directory tree, or somewhere else where you have write privileges (like your home directory tree). An alternative location can be set with a .rpmmacros file in your home directory. This is an example of my .rpmmacros file.

%packager 	P. Michaels <pm@cgiss.boisestate.edu>
%vendor		BSU
%_topdir	/home/pm/redhat
%_prefix	/usr
%_exec_prefix    %{_prefix}
%_mandir         %{_prefix}/share/man
%_datadir        %{_prefix}/share
%_sysconfdir     %{_prefix}/etc
%_bindir         %{_exec_prefix}/bin
%_gpg_name      Paul Michaels

The %_topdir variable specifies where the package will be built. The steps are to unpack the source RPM, then cd into the SPECS directory and issue a build command. The unpack command is

rpm -ihv bsu-3.0.2-1.src.rpm

The directory tree will look something like this:

 redhat/
       |-- BUILD
       |-- RPMS
       |   |-- i386
       |   |-- noarch
       |   `-- x86_64
       |
       |-- SOURCES
       |   `-- bsu-3.0.2.tar.gz
       |-- SPECS
       |   `-- bsu-3.0.2-1.spec
       `-- SRPMS

Then change into the SPECS directory and edit the BSU spec file:

cd redhat/SPECS
vi bsu-3.0.2-1.spec

You can edit the bsu-3.0.2-1.spec file which starts like this:

{vlist10}
%define name bsu
%define version 3.0.2 
%define release 1

vlist10

And change the release to match your initials, say “JMS":

{vlist11}
%define name bsu
%define version 3.0.2 
%define release 1JMS

vlist11

Save the edited spec file and then build the binary rpm:

rpmbuild -ba bsu-3.0.2-1.spec

If all goes well, it will build and locate a binary rpm in the redhat\RPMS directory tree. Install the binary rpm as described in section 2.6.2.