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CHAPTER 13
Package Commands

Package Command-Line Utilities
Setting Up Package Configuration Files
Adding Packages
Checking the Installation of a Package
Listing Packages
Removing Packages
Package System Log File

This chapter describes how to use the solaris 2.x package commands to install, remove, and administer software.

Package Command-Line Utilities

You manage software from a command line by using the commands shown in Table 13-1. The package commands are located in the /usr/sbin directory. You must have superuser privileges to use the pkgadd and pkgrm commands.

Table 13-1 Package Commands

Task Command
Set installation defaults vi(1) admin(4)
Create a script to define installation parameters pkgask(1M)
Install software package or store files for installation at a later time pkgadd(1M)
Check accuracy of installation pkgchk(1M)
List installed packages pkginfo(1M)
Remove packages pkgrm(1M)

Before adding a package, insert the CD-ROM into its caddy and mount the CD-ROM, following the instructions at the end of Chapter 12.


NOTE:  You may experience problems with adding and removing some packages that were developed before the Solaris 2.5 release. If adding or removing a package fails during user interaction or if you are prompted for user interaction and your responses are ignored, set the following environment variable to:
NONABI_SCRIPTS=TRUE

Setting Up Package Configuration Files

The pkgadd and pkgrm files, by default, use information from the /var/sadm/install/admin/default file, as shown here:

oak% more /var/sadm/install/admin/default
#ident      “@(#)default1.492/12/23 SMI”/* SVr4.0  1.5.2.1*/
mail=
instance=unique
partial=ask
runlevel=ask
idepend=ask
rdepend=ask
space=ask
setuid=ask
conflict=ask
action=ask
basedir=default
oak%

The parameters in this file are a set of parameter=value pairs, each on a separate line. If you do not want to use the default values, you can create an admin file and set different values. Table 13-2 lists and describes the parameters and shows the available values.

Table 13-2 Package Administration Options

Parameter Description Possible Value
mail Who will receive mail about installation or removal? user-name
instance Package already installed. ask
overwrite
unique*
quit
partial Partial package installed. ask*
nocheck
quit
runlevel Is run level correct? ask*
nocheck
quit
idepend Are package dependencies met? ask*
nocheck
quit
rdepend Is there a dependency on other packages? ask*
nocheck
quit
space Is disk space adequate? ask*
nocheck
quit
setuid Ask permission to setuid? ask*
nocheck
quit
nochange
conflict Will overwriting a file cause conflict with other packages? ask*
nocheck
quit
nochange
action Check for security impact? ask*
nocheck
quit
basedir Set base install directory. ($PKGINST creates a default directory with the same name as the package.) default*
$PKGINST
/path
/path/$PKGINST


*Indicates the default value.


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