Novell LINUX ENTERPRISE SERVER 10 - INSTALLATION AND ADMINISTRATION 11-05-2007, Installation Manual

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Figure 8.2 YaST Package Manager
In SUSE® Linux Enterprise, software is available in the form of RPM packages. Nor-
mally, a package contains everything needed for a program: the program itself, the
configuration files, and all documentation. A list of individual packages is displayed
to the right in the individual package window. The content of this list is determined by
the currently selected filter. If, for example, the Patterns filter is selected, the individual
package window displays all packages of the current selection.
In the package manager, each package has a status that determines what to do with the
package, such as “Install” or “Delete.” This status is shown by a symbol in a status box
at the beginning of the line. Change the status by clicking or selecting the desired status
from the menu that opens when the item is right-clicked. Depending on the current sit-
uation, some of the possible status flags may not be available for selection. For example,
a package that has not yet been installed cannot be set to “Delete.” View the available
status flags with Help > Symbols.
The font color used for various packages in the individual package window provides
additional information. Installed packages for which a newer version is available on
the installation media are displayed in blue. Installed packages whose version numbers
are higher than those on the installation media are displayed in red. However, because
the version numbering of packages is not always linear, the information may not be
128 Installation and Administration