diff --git a/Modules/CPackRPM.cmake b/Modules/CPackRPM.cmake
index dc6cd1f950..9628fbfd59 100644
--- a/Modules/CPackRPM.cmake
+++ b/Modules/CPackRPM.cmake
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# CPack script for creating RPM package
+# Author: Eric Noulard with the help of Alexander Neundorf
+
 IF(CMAKE_BINARY_DIR)
   MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "CPackRPM.cmake may only be used by CPack internally.")
 ENDIF(CMAKE_BINARY_DIR)
@@ -6,9 +9,191 @@ IF(NOT UNIX)
   MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "CPackRPM.cmake may only be used under UNIX.")
 ENDIF(NOT UNIX)
 
+# rpmbuild is the basic command for building RPM package
+# it may be a simple (symbolic) link to rpmb command.
 FIND_PROGRAM(RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE rpmbuild)
 
 IF(NOT RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE)
   MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "RPM package requires rpmbuild executable")
 ENDIF(NOT RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE)
 
+# If rpmbuild is found 
+# we try to discover alien since we may be on non RPM distro like Debian.
+# In this case we may try to to use more advanced features
+# like generating RPM directly from DEB using alien.
+# FIXME feature not finished (yet)
+FIND_PROGRAM(ALIEN_EXECUTABLE alien)
+IF(ALIEN_EXECUTABLE)
+  MESSAGE(STATUS "alien found, we may be on a Debian based distro.")
+ENDIF(ALIEN_EXECUTABLE)
+
+# 
+# Use user-defined RPM specific variables value
+# or generate reasonable default value from
+# CPACK_xxx generic values.
+# The variables comes from the needed (mandatory or not)
+# values found in the RPM specification file aka ".spec" file.
+# The variables which may/should be defined are:
+#
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_SUMMARY (mandatory)
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_SUMMARY)
+  # if neither var is defined lets use the name as summary
+  IF(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY)
+    STRING(TOLOWER "${CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME}" RPM_PACKAGE_SUMMARY)
+  ELSE(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY)
+    SET(RPM_PACKAGE_SUMMARY ${CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY})    
+  ENDIF(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY)
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_SUMMARY)
+ 
+# RPM_PACKAGE_NAME (mandatory)
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_NAME)
+  STRING(TOLOWER "${CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME}" RPM_PACKAGE_NAME)
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_NAME)
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_VERSION (mandatory)
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_VERSION)
+  IF(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION)
+    MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "RPM package requires a package version")
+  ENDIF(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION)
+  SET(RPM_PACKAGE_VERSION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION})
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_VERSION)
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_ARCHITECTURE (optional)
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_ARCHITECTURE)
+  # FIXME This should be obtained through 'arch' command
+  # but is it --really necessary-- ?
+  SET(RPM_PACKAGE_ARCHITECTURE i386)
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_ARCHITECTURE)
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_RELEASE
+# The RPM release is the numbering of the RPM package ITSELF
+# this is the version of the PACKAGING and NOT the version
+# of the CONTENT of the package.
+# You may well need to generate a new RPM package release
+# without changing the version of the packaged software.
+# This is the case when the packaging is buggy (not) the software :=)
+# If not set, 1 is a good candidate
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_RELEASE)
+  SET(RPM_PACKAGE_RELEASE 1)
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_RELEASE)
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE)
+  SET(RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE "unknown")
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE)
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_GROUP
+IF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_GROUP)
+  SET(RPM_PACKAGE_GROUP "unknown")
+ENDIF(NOT RPM_PACKAGE_GROUP)
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_SOURCE
+# The name of the source tarball in case we generate
+# a source RPM
+
+# RPM_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION
+# FIXME may be found in CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_FILE
+
+# RPM_USER_BINARY_SPECFILE 
+# FIXME when this is set then CPack should us the 
+# user provided file.
+
+# Now we may create the RPM build tree structure
+SET(RPM_ROOTDIR "${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}")
+MESSAGE(STATUS "CPackRPM:: Using RPM_ROOTDIR=${RPM_ROOTDIR}")
+# Prepare RPM build tree
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR})
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR}/tmp)
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR}/BUILD)
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR}/RPMS)
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR}/SOURCES)
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR}/SPECS)
+FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${RPM_ROOTDIR}/SRPMS)
+
+#SET(RPM_FILE_NAME "${RPM_PACKAGE_NAME}-${RPM_PACKAGE_VERSION}-${RPM_PACKAGE_RELEASE}-${RPM_PACKAGE_ARCHITECTURE}.rpm")
+SET(RPM_FILE_NAME "${CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_NAME}")
+# it seems rpmbuild can't handle spaces in the path
+# neither escaping (as below) nor putting quotes around the path seem to help
+#STRING(REGEX REPLACE " " "\\\\ " RPM_DIRECTORY "${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}")
+SET(RPM_DIRECTORY "${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}")
+  
+
+SET(RPM_BINARY_SPECFILE "${RPM_ROOTDIR}/SPECS/${RPM_PACKAGE_NAME}.spec")
+IF(RPM_USER_BINARY_SPECFILE)
+  # User may have specified SPECFILE just use it
+  MESSAGE("CPackRPM: Will use user specified spec file: ${RPM_USER_BINARY_SPECFILE}")
+  # Note that user provided file is processed for @var replacement
+  CONFIGURE_FILE(${RPM_USER_BINARY_SPECFILE} ${RPM_BINARY_SPECFILE} @ONLY)
+ELSE(RPM_USER_BINARY_SPECFILE)
+  # No User specified spec file generate a valid one using var values
+  IF(RPM_PACKAGE_DEBUG)
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY = ${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_TOPLEVEL_TAG       = ${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_TAG}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY= ${PACK_TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_NAME   = ${CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_NAME}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_PATH   = ${CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_PATH}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME  = ${CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: RPM_BINARY_SPECFILE      = ${RPM_BINARY_SPECFILE}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM:: CPACK_PACKAGE_INSTALL_DIRECTORY   = ${PACK_PACKAGE_INSTALL_DIRECTORY}")
+    MESSAGE("CPackRPM ::CPACK_TEMPORARY_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME = ${CPACK_TEMPORARY_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}")
+  ENDIF(RPM_PACKAGE_DEBUG)
+  FILE(WRITE ${RPM_BINARY_SPECFILE}
+    "# -*- rpm-spec -*-
+Buildroot:      ${RPM_DIRECTORY}/${CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}
+Summary:        ${RPM_PACKAGE_SUMMARY}
+Name:           ${RPM_PACKAGE_NAME}
+Version:        ${RPM_PACKAGE_VERSION}
+Release:        ${RPM_PACKAGE_RELEASE}
+License:        ${RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE}
+Group:          ${RPM_PACKAGE_LICENSE}
+
+#%define prefix ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}
+%define _rpmdir ${RPM_DIRECTORY}
+%define _rpmfilename ${RPM_FILE_NAME}
+%define _unpackaged_files_terminate_build 0
+%define _topdir ${RPM_DIRECTORY}
+
+%description
+${RPM_PACKAGE_NAME} : will come soon 
+with the value of RPM_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION
+or
+the content of CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_FILE
+***
+${RPM_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION}
+***
+
+%prep
+
+%build
+  
+%install
+
+%clean
+
+%files
+%defattr(-,root,root,-)
+#%dir %{prefix}
+#%{prefix}/*
+/*
+
+%changelog
+* Tue Aug 16 2007 Erk <eric.noulard@gmail.com>
+  Generated by CPack RPM Generator and associated macros
+")
+
+ENDIF(RPM_USER_BINARY_SPECFILE)
+
+
+IF(RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE)
+  # Now call rpmbuild using the SPECFILE
+  EXECUTE_PROCESS(
+    COMMAND "${RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE}" -bb "${RPM_BINARY_SPECFILE}"
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}/${CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}"
+    ERROR_FILE "${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}/rpmbuild.err"
+    OUTPUT_FILE "${CPACK_TOPLEVEL_DIRECTORY}/rpmbuild.out")
+ELSE(RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE)
+  IF(ALIEN_EXECUTABLE)
+    MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "RPM packaging through alien not done (yet)")
+  ENDIF(ALIEN_EXECUTABLE)
+ENDIF(RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE)
diff --git a/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.cxx b/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.cxx
index e4e0b05a2d..83d653f008 100644
--- a/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.cxx
@@ -35,19 +35,34 @@ cmCPackRPMGenerator::~cmCPackRPMGenerator()
 }
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------
-int cmCPackRPMGenerator::CompressFiles(const char* outFileName,
-  const char* toplevel,
+int cmCPackRPMGenerator::CompressFiles(const char* /*outFileName*/,
+  const char* /*toplevel*/,
   const std::vector<std::string>& /*files*/)
 {
   this->ReadListFile("CPackRPM.cmake");
+//   const char* cmakeExecutable = this->GetOption("CMAKE_COMMAND");
+
   if (!this->IsSet("RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE")) 
     {
     cmCPackLogger(cmCPackLog::LOG_ERROR, "Cannot find rpmbuild" << std::endl);
     return 0;
     }
-  const char* rpmbuildExecutable = this->GetOption("RPMBUILD_EXECUTABLE");
-  printf("rpmbuild: %s outFileName: %s toplevel: %s\n", rpmbuildExecutable, 
-         outFileName, toplevel);
+
+  /* FIXME we should be able to stick with RPM naming scheme
+   * and not following CMake naming scheme?
+  const char* rpmFileName = this->GetOption("RPM_FILE_NAME");
+  const char* rpmDirectory = this->GetOption("RPM_DIRECTORY");
+  this->SetOption("CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_NAME",rpmFileName);
+  std::string rpmFilePath;
+  rpmFilePath += rpmDirectory;
+  rpmFilePath += "/";
+  rpmFilePath += rpmFileName;
+  this->SetOption("CPACK_TEMPORARY_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME",rpmFilePath.c_str());
+  */
+  //  this->SetOption("CPACK_OUTPUT_FILE_PATH",rpmFilePath);
+  
+  //FIXME I think we should split CPackRPM.cmake into (at least)
+  //      2 differents files
 
   return 1;
 }
diff --git a/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.h b/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.h
index 17c93f46a0..c3b7a075b7 100644
--- a/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/CPack/cmCPackRPMGenerator.h
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@
 
 /** \class cmCPackRPMGenerator
  * \brief A generator for RPM packages
- *
+ * The idea of the CPack RPM generator is to use
+ * as minimal C++ code as possible.
+ * Ideally the C++ part of the CPack RPM generator
+ * will only 'execute' (aka ->ReadListFile) several
+ * CMake macros files.
  */
 class cmCPackRPMGenerator : public cmCPackGenericGenerator
 {