Creating Begin Scripts

A begin script is a user-defined Bourne shell script that you specify in the rules file. A begin script performs tasks before the Oracle Solaris software is installed on a system. You can use begin scripts only when using custom JumpStart to install the Oracle Solaris software.

Use a begin script to perform one of the following tasks:

• Creating derived profiles

• Backing up files before upgrading

• Record the duration of an installation

Important Information About Begin Scripts

• Do not specify something in the script that would prevent the mounting of file systems onto /a during an initial or upgrade installation. If the JumpStart program cannot mount the file systems onto /a, an error occurs and installation fails.

• During the installation, output from the begin script is deposited in /tmp/begin.log. After the installation is completed, the log file is redirected to /var/sadm/system/logs/begin.log.

• Ensure that root owns the begin script and that the permissions are set to 644.

• You can use custom JumpStart environment variables in your begin scripts. For a list of environment variables, see Custom JumpStart Environment Variables.

• Save begin scripts in the JumpStart directory.

Creating Derived Profiles With a Begin Script

A derived profile is a profile that is dynamically created by a begin script during a custom JumpStart installation. Derived profiles are needed when you cannot set up the rules file to match specific systems to a profile. For example, you might need to use derived profiles for identical system models that have different hardware components, such as systems that contain different frame buffers.

To set up a rule to use a derived profile, you must perform the following tasks:

• Set the profile field to an equal sign (=) instead of a profile.

• Set the begin field to a begin script that creates a derived profile that depends on the system on which you intend to install Oracle Solaris.

When a system matches a rule with the profile field equal to an equal sign (=), the begin script creates the derived profile that is used to install the Oracle Solaris software on the system.

The following is an example of a begin script that creates the same derived profile every time. You can write a begin script to create different derived profiles that depend on the evaluation of rules.

Example 4-1 Begin Script That Creates a Derived Profile

#!/bin/sh
echo "install_type        initial_install"    > ${SI_PROFILE}
echo "system_type         standalone"        >> ${SI_PROFILE}
echo "partitioning        default"           >> ${SI_PROFILE}
echo "cluster             SUNWCprog"         >> ${SI_PROFILE}
echo "package       SUNWman     delete"      >> ${SI_PROFILE}
echo "package       SUNWolman   delete"      >> ${SI_PROFILE}
echo "package       SUNWxwman   delete"      >> ${SI_PROFILE}

In the example, the begin script must use the SI_PROFILE environment variable for the name of the derived profile, which is set to /tmp/install.input by default.

Tracking Installation Duration With a Begin Script and Finish Script

You can include a begin script and a finish script to track the start time and end time of an installation. See the following examples.

Example 4-2 Begin Script That Tracks Starting Time

# more begin-with-date
#!/bin/sh
#

echo
echo "Noting time that installation began in /tmp/install-begin-time"
echo "Install begin time: `date`" > /tmp/install-begin-time
echo
cat /tmp/install-begin-time
echo
#

Example 4-3 Finish Script That Tracks Ending Time

# more finish*with*date
#!/bin/sh
#

cp /tmp/install-begin-time /a/var/tmp
echo
echo "Noting time that installation finished in /a/var/tmp/install-finish-time"
echo "Install finish time: `date`" > /a/var/tmp/install-finish-time
echo
cat /a/var/tmp/install-finish-time
#

The start and end times will be recorded in the finish.log file.