pkgask(1M) pkgask(1M)
NAME
pkgask - store answers to a request script
SYNOPSIS
pkgask [-d device] -r response [pkginst [pkginst [. . .]]
DESCRIPTION
pkgask allows an administrator to store answers to an
interactive package (one with a request script) or a set of
packages. A set is made up of a special-purpose package,
referred to as a Set Installation Package (SIP), and a
collection of one or more packages that are members of the
set. The SIP controls the installation of the set.
Invoking pkgask generates a response file that is then used as
input at installation time. The use of this response file
prevents any interaction from occurring during installation
since the file already contains all of the information the
package needs.
-d device Runs the request script for a package on device.
device can be (a) the full pathname to a
directory (such as /var/tmp), (b) the full
pathname to a device (such as /dev/rmt/* or
/dev/dsk/*) [see intro(7)], (c) a device alias;
or (d) "-" which specifies packages in datastream
format read from standard input. The default
device is the installation spool directory
(/var/spool/pkg).
An alias is the unique name by which a device is
known. (For example, the alias for a cartridge
tape drive might be ctape1.) The name must be
limited in length to 64 characters (DDB_MAXALIAS)
and may contain only alphanumeric characters
and/or any of the following special characters:
underscore (_), dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and
period (.). No two devices in the database may
share the same alias.
-r response Identifies a file or directory, response, which
should be created to contain the responses to
interactions with the package's request script.
The file, or directory of files, can later be
used as input to the pkgadd command [see
pkgadd(1M)]. When pkginst is a package, response
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pkgask(1M) pkgask(1M)
can be a full pathname or a directory; when
pkginst is a SIP, response must be a directory.
For a complete description of request scripts and
response files, see your system administration or
software packaging guides.
pkginst A short string used to designate a package/set.
It is composed of one or two parts: pkg (an
abbreviation for the package/set name) or, if
more than one instance of that package exists,
pkg plus inst (an instance identifier). (The
term ``package instance'' is used loosely: it
refers to all instantiations of pkginst, even
those that do not include instance identifiers.)
The package name abbreviation (pkg) is the
mandatory part of pkginst. To create such an
abbreviation, assign it with the PKG parameter.
For example, to assign the abbreviation cmds to
the Advanced Commands package, enter PKG=cmds.
If pkginst specifies a SIP, all request scripts
for packages which are members of that set are
run (if any) and the resulting response files are
placed in the directory provided to the -r
option.
The second part (inst), which is required only if
you have more than one instance of the package in
question, is a suffix that identifies the
instance. This suffix is either a number
(preceded by a period) or any short mnemonic
string you choose. If you don't assign your own
instance identifier when one is required, the
system assigns a numeric one by default. For
example, if you have three instances of the
Advanced Commands package and you don't create
your own mnemonic identifiers (such as old and
beta), the system adds the suffixes .2 and .3 to
the second and third packages, automatically.
To indicate all instances of a package, specify
enclosing the command line in single quotes, as
shown, to prevent the shell from interpreting the
* character. Use the token all to refer to all
packages available on the source medium.
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pkgask(1M) pkgask(1M)
Exit Codes
0 Successful completion of script.
1 Fatal error. Installation process is terminated at this
point.
2 Warning or possible error condition. Installation will
continue. A warning message will be displayed at the
time of completion.
3 Script was interrupted and possibly left unfinished.
Installation terminates at this point.
4 Script was suspended (administration). Installation
terminates at this point.
5 Script was suspended (interaction was required).
Installation terminates at this point.
10 System should be rebooted when installation of all
selected packages is completed. (This value should be
added to one of the single-digit exit codes described
above.)
20 The system should be rebooted immediately upon
completing installation of the current package. (This
value should be added to one of the single-digit exit
codes described above.)
77 No package was selected for the set.
99 Internal error.
NOTICES
You can use the -r option to indicate a directory name as well
as a filename. The directory name is used to create numerous
response files, each sharing the name of the package with
which it should be associated. This is useful, for example,
when you add multiple interactive packages with one invocation
of pkgadd. Each package needs a response file. To create
multiple response files with the same name as the package
instance, name the directory in which the files should be
created and supply multiple instance names with the pkgask
command. When installing the packages, you can identify this
directory to the pkgadd command.
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pkgask(1M) pkgask(1M)
When invoked with no pkginst specified on the command line,
pkgask only displays the names of sets if at least one SIP
exists on the device. Thus, if you have packages which are
not members of sets, they can be referenced only if their
pkginst names are provided on the command line.
FILES
/var/spool/pkg default spool directory
/usr/lib/locale/locale/LC_MESSAGES/uxpkg
language-specific message file
[See LANG on environ(5).]
REFERENCES
compver(4), copyright(4), depend(4), installf(1M), intro(7),
pkgadd(1M), pkgchk(1M), pkginfo(1), pkginfo(4), pkgmap(4),
pkgmk(1), pkgparam(1), pkgproto(1), pkgtrans(1), pkgrm(1M),
removef(1M), setinfo(4), space(4)
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