rpm return code

Summary
What do the various rpm return code values mean? I cannot find a chart.

Symptom
I looked for a return code meaning chart, when RPM returned a non-zero return code, I cannot find an interpertation. I tried to RTFM ...

Background
Return codes have to have arcane meanings, don't they? This is *nix, after all ...

Diagnosis
You are thinking too hard.

Solution
There is presently no deep meaning to non-zero RPM return codes.

Discussion
From the mailing list:

Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 08:18:18 -0600
From: Rebecca.R.Hepper@seagate.com
Reply-To: rpm-list@redhat.com
To: rpm-list@redhat.com
Subject: [rh-rpm] Re: rpm return codes

Once upon a time, Jeff Johnson told me the following:

The exit code is the number of failed objects (i.e. packages). The
exit code is also capped at 255 to prevent accidental wrap around to 0.
(read: if more than 255 packages failed, then exit code is 255).

> ----------- initial question -----------------
> i'm programming an application which should be able to install rpms...
> because the aim is, to automate as much as possible (especially if
> errors occure) it is neccessary to evaluate what error occured (e.g:
> dependencies error, file conlicts, ...). for that purpose i searched for
> return codes of 'rpm' but i couldn't find a list with them :-(

References
[point at the mailing list thread]

Revision History
initial RPH 020208

Last updated: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 00:18:57 -0400