How can I make an RPM depend on package a OR package b?
This seems like a simple question, but the docs don't seem to have anything to say on the subject. I would like to do something like Requires: vim or emacs but when I do that, I in fact depend on vim, or and emacs. What is the syntax for depending on one or another of two packages?
Answer
The standard way to do this is via virtual provides: the providing RPMs each state that they provide a virtual package, and the dependent RPM requires that virtual package. So, in your example, vim and emacs both Provides: text-editor, and your package would Requires: text-editor.
If the packages that you're depending on don't provide an appropriate virtual package, you could probably hack around this by making up your own. Make dummy my-package-vim-mode and my-package-emacs-mode RPMs that Requires: vim and Requires: emacs, respectively, and Provides: my-package-text-editor, then have your package Requires: my-package-text-editor.