Installing Packages From the Internet

Contents

5.1. 1-Click Install
5.2. YaST Package Search

Abstract

By default, it is only possible to install packages from configured and enabled repositories. Apart from the official repositories that are configured during the installation, numerous other repositories exist. The openSUSE Build Service hosts several hundred ones and a lot of third party repositories exist, too—see http://en.opensuse.org/Additional_YaST_Package_Repositories for example.

openSUSE offers two easy ways to install from these repositories without the need to first subscribe to them. The 1-Click Install method allows you to install packages directly from a web browser, while the YaST Package Search lets you query almost all known repositories for openSUSE. You can directly install any package found by the package search module.

[Warning]Trusting External Software Sources

Before installing from external software repositories, make sure it can be trusted. openSUSE is not responsible for any potential problems arising from software installed from third-party software repositories.

1-Click Install

The 1-Click Install is available from a lot of repositories browseable by web interface. A very popular interface is the openSUSE Build Service software search. To install a package from the BuildService via 1-Click Install proceed as follows:

  1. Start the openSUSE Build Service software search at http://software.opensuse.org/search.

  2. Select your system version from the drop-down menu, for example openSUSE 11.3. Search for the package you want to install, for example the OpenStreetMap editor josm.

  3. Click Search.

  4. From the results list select the preferred item by clicking it's 1-Click Install button.

  5. In the Web browser's open file download dialog, select to open the file with the YaST Meta Package Handler.

  6. The 1-click installer opens. In the Additional Software Repositories dialog you can select software repositories to subscribe to. Normally there is no need to change the default selection. By default you remain subscribed to these repositories after the installation has finished, so you will receive updates from them in the future. Uncheck Remain Subscribed to These Repositories after Installation to only use the repositories once. Click Next to proceed.

  7. Now select the software packages that should be installed. Normally there is no need to change the default selection. Click Next to proceed.

  8. The Proposal screen summarizes the choices you made. Click Customise to restart the configuration steps from above. Click Next and Yes to proceed with the installation.

  9. Enter the root password to start the installation. In case a new repository was added you also need to confirm the import of the repository's GnuPG key. During the installation several progress pop-ups appear that do not need any interaction. After reading the Installation was successful message, click Finish.

[Tip]Disabling 1-Click Install Feature

If you want to disable the 1-Click install feature, uninstall the yast2-metapackage-handler package using YaST or entering the following command as root:

rpm -e yast2-metapackage-handler

YaST Package Search

Provided you are connected to the internet, you can also search and install packages from almost all known repositories for openSUSE directly via YaST's Package Search. This module is not available by default, you need to install the package yast2-packager-webpin. This module is a YaST frontend for the Webpin package search available at http://packages.opensuse-community.org/. To install packages via the Package Search proceed as follows:

  1. Start the Package Search from the YaST Control Center via Software+Package Search.

  2. Search for a software package by entering it's name into the Search Expression field and clicking Search.

  3. The search result is listed in the tab Found Packages. Click on a package name to see the repository URL, the package version number and the architecture in the Package Description pane.

    [Warning]Double check the Package Information

    Make sure to double check whether the software is hosted on a repository you trust before you install it. Also check if the architecture complies with your system (x86_64 packages can only be installed on 64bit systems).

  4. Mark a package for installation by clicking its checkbox. You can mark several packages at once. You can even start a new search for other packages without losing your current selection, which is always available on the All Selected Packages. Once you have finished the package selection, proceed with Next.

  5. In the Additional Software Repositories dialog you can select software repositories to subscribe to. Normally there is no need to change the default selection. By default, you remain subscribed to these repositories after the installation has finished, so you will receive updates from them in the future. Uncheck Remain Subscribed to These Repositories after Installation to use the repositories only once. Click Next to proceed.

  6. Now select the software packages that should be installed. Normally there is no need to change the default selection. Click Next to proceed.

  7. The Proposal screen summarizes the choices you made. Click Customise to restart the configuration steps from above. Click Next and Yes to proceed with the installation.

  8. Confirm the next dialog. In case a new repository is used, you will also need to confirm the import of the repository's GnuPG key. During the installation several progress pop-ups appear that do not need any interaction. After reading the Installation was successful message, click Finish.