How to Build an Image in Stages

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You can use the options provided in the distro_const command to stop and restart the build process at various checkpoints in the image-generation process, in order to check and debug your selection of files, packages, and scripts for the image that is being built.

Become an administrator.
For more information, see Using Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Securing Users and Processes in Oracle Solaris 11.2 .
Download the distribution-constructor package.
Select manifest for your image.
(Optional)If needed, customize the manifest, adding references to your custom scripts.

Review the valid checkpoints at which you can choose to pause or resume the build.

# distro_const build -l manifest.xml

This command displays the valid checkpoints at which you can pause or resume building an image. Use the checkpoint names provided by this command as valid values for the other checkpointing command options.

For example, the following command confirms which checkpoints are available for a manifest file named dc_livecd.xml.

# distro_const build –l /usr/share/distro_const/dc_livecd.xml

Checkpoint        Resumable Description
--------------    --------- -------------
transfer-ips-install      X Transfer package contents from IPS
set-ips-attributes        X Set post-installation IPS attributes
pre-pkg-img-mod           X Pre-package image modification
ba-init                   X Boot archive initialization
ba-config                 X Boot archive configuration
ba-arch                   X Boot archive archiving
boot-setup                  Setup LiveCD boot menu
pkg-img-mod                 Package image area modifications
create-iso                  ISO image creation
create-usb                  USB image creation

Note - In this sample command output, an “X” in the resumable field indicates that you can restart the build from this checkpoint.

Build the image and pause building the image at the specified checkpoint.
```
# distro_const build -p checkpoint manifest
```
For example, the following command starts building an image and pauses the build before ba-arch modifies the image area:
```
# distro_const build –p ba-arch /usr/share/distro_const/dc_livecd.xml
```
Resume building the image from a specified checkpoint.
```
# distro_const build -r checkpoint manifest
```
Note - The specified checkpoint must be either the checkpoint at which the previous build stopped executing, or an earlier checkpoint. A later checkpoint is not valid.
For example, the following command resumes building the image at the ba-arch stage.
```
# distro_const build –r ba-arch /usr/share/distro_const/dc_livecd.xml
```
Note - You can combine the pause and resume options in a build command.
(Optional)After the build is complete, you can view a log file reporting on the build process.
The build output displays the location of log files.