How to install Packages on your Linux Desktop

Novell Cool Solutions: Tip
By Joe Harmon

Digg This - Slashdot This Posted: 2 Feb 2005

Sometimes you will receive some popup or error message indicating that you don't have a certain package installed. Or perhaps you have found an additional piece of software that you need, but you're not sure how to install it now that you found it. This document will walk you through installing packages through Red Carpet and Yast2. The main differences between the two systems are that Red Carpet is used for updating your system after the OS has been installed, and Yast2 is used for installing packages during the installation of the OS. However either one can be used to install packages.

Installing Packages via Red Carpet

• First thing that we need to do is launch Red Carpet. The menus are listed below.


 NLD 9: SYSTEM | SOFTWARE UPDATE
 NLD 9: N | SYSTEM | CONFIGURATION | RED CARPET


 SUSE 9.2 SYSTEM | SOFTWARE UPDATE
 SUSE 9.2: GREEN BUTTON | SYSTEM | CONFIGURATION | RED CARPET


• Once you have Red Carpet up and running, click on the search tab. Click on the drop down and choose "All Channels". In the search field, put in the name of the package that you are looking for, or if you don't know the name of the package, you can also put in a descriptor. For this example let's say that I was looking for a news client. I can put in the word "news" and it will not only search for the package name, but it also searches the description field of that package.

• If you are not sure what the package is, simply select it and click on the information button for a description.

• To install a package, double click on the package and then choose Run Now and then Continue.

Installing Packages via Yast2

• Launch Yast2 by following the menu system below.


 NLD 9: SYSTEM | ADMINISTRATOR SETTINGS | SOFTWARE | INSTALL AND REMOVE SOFTWARE
 NLD 9: N | SYSTEM | YAST | SOFTWARE | INSTALL AND REMOVE SOFTWARE


 SUSE 9.2 SYSTEM | YAST | SOFTWARE | INSTALL AND REMOVE SOFTWARE
 SUSE 9.2: GREEN BUTTON | SYSTEM | YAST | SOFTWARE | INSTALL AND REMOVE SOFTWARE


• In the search field, put in the name of the package that you are looking for, or if you don't know the name of the package, you can also put in a descriptor. We will use the same example that we used for Red Carpet. Let's say that I was looking for a news client. I can put in the word "news" and it will not only search for the package name, but it also searches the description field of that package.

• Once you select the appropriate package and choose Accept, you will be prompted to put in the media CD or DVD.

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