Adding open source applications to your AIX system

Adding open source applications to your AIX system 

Options for installing open source applications from the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media.

Things to consider 

The information in this how-to scenario was tested using specific versions of AIX. The results you obtain might vary significantly depending on your version and level of AIX. 

The AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media that is shipped with your base operating system

software contains the most commonly used open source applications that you can use with the AIX operating system. Your options for installing from this media include: 

• Using the SMIT install_software fast path to install RPM packages from the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media. 
• Using the geninstall command to install RPM packages from the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media. 
• Installing a bundle. Bundles group the applications you need for a basic Linux operating environment, basic desktop use, GNOME or KDE desktop use, or application development. 
• Installing from a directory of packages classified by function. These directory groupings cover a broad range of applications, shell environments, network applications, development tools, application libraries, and so on. 
• Installing a single package for a particular application. 

The following procedures provide examples of installing RPM packages from AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media. 

• To install the cdrecord and mtools RPM packages using SMIT, do the following: 

1. Run the SMIT install_software fast path. 
2. Enter the device name for the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media (for example, /dev/cd0), and press Enter. 
3. Use the F4 key to list the contents of the device. 
4. Select the cdrecord and mtools packages, and press Enter. 
5. Accept the default values for the rest of the Install Software menu fields, and press Enter. 
6. Confirm that you do want to install the software, and press Enter. 

The software installation process begins at this point. 

• To install the cdrecord and mtools RPM packages from the command line, type the following: 

           # geninstall -d/dev/cd0 R:cdrecord R:mtools

The software installation process begins at this point. 

• Use the rpm command, which is automatically installed with the base operating system for AIX, to install the bundles required for the GNOME desktop and the bc application package. Complete instructions are available on the readme file for the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications. 

1. With your system powered on and AIX running, insert the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications media into the media drive of your system. 
2. With root authority, mount the media drive using the following command: 

mount -vcdrfs -oro /dev/cd0 /mnt

The -v flag specifies the virtual file system type of cdrfs. The -o flag specifies the ro option, which means the mounted file is read-only. The device name is /dev/cd0. The directory in which you want to mount the media drive is /mnt. 

    3. Change to the /mnt directory by using the following command:

cd /mnt 

    4. Use the ls command to list the contents of the media. The listing contains the following, which you can view or print: 

• The readme file contains complete instructions for installing from this media. 
• The CONTENTS file lists all packages available on this media and provides a short description of the purpose for each package. 

   5. In your Web browser, open the /mnt/LICENSES/index.html file to view software licensing information. 

   6. In your terminal window, change to the ezinstall/ppc directory by using the following command:

cd /mnt/ezinstall/ppc

In the next step, you use the rpm program to install GNOME by installing four bundles (Base, Desktop Base, GNOME Base, and GNOME Apps). Alternatively, you can install all necessary packages using the smit install_bundle fast path and selecting the GNOME bundle.

7. Install GNOME by using the following sequence of commands:

8. rpm -Uhv ezinstall/ppc/base/*

9. rpm -Uhv ezinstall/ppc/desktop.base/*

10.rpm -Uhv ezinstall/ppc/gnome.base/*

rpm -Uhv ezinstall/ppc/gnome.apps/*

The -U flag updates any earlier versions of each package that you might have on your system. The -h flag prints hash marks (#) at timed intervals to indicate that the installation is progressing. The -v flag displays relevant informational or error messages that occur during the installation. Your result will look similar to the following:

rpm -Uhv ezinstall/ppc/desktop.base/*

gdbm ##################################################

libjpeg ##################################################

libpng ##################################################

libtiff ##################################################

libungif ##################################################

readline ##################################################

zlib ##################################################

If your rpm command returns an error, it is probably caused by one of the following:

• Not enough space in your current file system. Resize the file system or change your mount point. 
• Package is already installed. The rpm program discovered an existing package of the same name and version level, so it did not replace the package. A script on the media installs only those packages from a directory that are not already installed on your system, as shown in the following example: 

/mnt/contrib/installmissing.sh ezinstall/ppc/desktop.base/*

• Failed dependencies. The packages listed in the error message must be installed before you can install this package or bundle. 

Install the bc application package by using the following command:

rpm -Uhv RPMS/ppc/bc-*.rpm