skype 4.1 on RHEL6 (Springdale Linux/PUIAS)

By thomas, 27 November, 2012

The latest version of skype doesn't appear to work well on RHEL6, I found the following forum http://community.skype.com/t5/Linux/Skype-for-Redhat-Enterprise-6/td-p/… and followed the two things mentioned there to make it work.

  • Download the ubuntu 10 version and extract the contents with dpkg
  • Download the ubuntu 10 qtwebkit and extract using dpkg, put the libraries in /usr/share/skype
  • rename the skype binary to skype-ubuntu and then run skype from a script which sets GTK2_RC_FILES=/etc/gtk-2.0/gtkrc

    #!/bin/sh

    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/share/skype:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
    export GTK2_RC_FILES=/etc/gtk-2.0/gtkrc
    exec skype-ubuntu $@

You can get the contents of the debian package with dpkg

mkdir skype-debian
dpkg -x skype-debian_4.1.0.20-1_i386.deb skype-debian
dpkg -x libqt4-webkit_4.6.2-0ubuntu5.5_i386.deb skype-debian
cd skype-debian
mv usr/lib/libQtWeb* usr/share/skype
rm -r usr/lib
rm -r usr/share/doc/libqt4-webkit
tar cjf skype-4.1.0.20.tar.bz2 *

Then use the following spec file with that tar and you'll be able to make a src rpm for mocking...

%define __os_install_post %{nil}
%define _enable_debug_packages %{nil}
Summary: Skype is free Internet telephony that just works
Name: skype
Version: 4.1.0.20
Release: 1%{?dist}
License: Commercial
Group: Applications/Internet
URL: http://www.skype.com/products/skype/linux/
Source: skype-4.1.0.20.tar.bz2
BuildRoot: %{_tmppath}/%{name}-%{version}-root
Provides: config(skype) = %{version}-fc16, skype = %{version}-fc16, skype(x86-32) = %{version}-fc16
Requires: sqlite(x86-32)
Requires: alsa-lib(x86-32)
Requires: qt-x11(x86-32)
Requires: libXrandr(x86-32)

%description
Hack to get Skype 4.1 to work on Springdale Linux
Skype

Skype is software that enables the world's conversations.
Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice
calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users.
Everyday, people also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines
and mobiles.

* Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to anyone else, anywhere in the world.
* Call to landlines and mobiles at great rates.
* Group chat with up to 200 people or conference call with up to 25 others.
* Free to download.

Originally done with rpm version 4.9.1.2,
built on du4-fc16-linuxui-02 at Mon Jun 11 19:38:07 2012
from skype-4.0.0.7-fc16.src.rpm with opt flags -O2 -g -march=i386 -mtune=i686

%install
rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
pushd $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
tar xjvf %{SOURCE0}
mv %{name}-%{version}/* .
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/%{_docdir}/%{name}-%{version}
mv LICENSE README README.sdl third-party_attributions.txt $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/%{_docdir}/%{name}-%{version}
\rm -r %{name}-%{version}
popd

%clean
rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT

%files
%defattr(-,root,root)
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %config %attr(0644L,root,root) "/etc/dbus-1/system.d/skype.conf"
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %config %attr(0644L,root,root) "/etc/prelink.conf.d/skype.conf"
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0755L,root,root) %{_bindir}/skype
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0755L,root,root) %{_bindir}/skype-ubuntu
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_datadir}/applications/skype.desktop
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %doc %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_docdir}/%{name}-%{version}/LICENSE
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %doc %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_docdir}/%{name}-%{version}/README
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %doc %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_docdir}/%{name}-%{version}/README.sdl
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %doc %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_docdir}/%{name}-%{version}/third-party_attributions.txt
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_datadir}/icons/skype.png
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_datadir}/icons/SkypeBlue_16x16.png
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_datadir}/icons/SkypeBlue_32x32.png
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_datadir}/icons/SkypeBlue_48x48.png
%verify(md5 size link user group mtime mode rdev) %attr(0644L,root,root) %{_datadir}/pixmaps/skype.png
%{_datadir}/skype

%changelog
* Mon Nov 25 2012 Thomas Uphill 4.1.0.20
- update to latest version

* Tue Feb 05 2008 Skype Technologies S.A. 2.1.0.10
- bugfix: #98304, Groups: No menus without surprise key.
- bugfix: #98312, Debug logs have different Filenames.
- bugfix: fix for tabs issue with qt 4.4.0 forward ported from 2.0.
- internal: disable prelink for skype on fc9 and fc10.
- internal: lib update

Sorry for making you jump through hoops but I doubt skype would like me posting the src rpm. Good luck.