Parametric Path Names

A parametric path name is a path name that includes a variable specification. For example, /opt/$PKGINST/filename is a parametric path name because of the $PKGINST variable specification. A default value for the variable specification must be defined in the pkginfo file. The value may then be changed by a request script or a checkinstall script.

A variable specification in a path must begin or end the path name, or be bounded by slashes (/). Valid parametric path names take the following form:

$PARAM/tests
tests/$PARAM/generic
/tests/$PARAM

The variable specification, once defined, may cause the path to be evaluated as absolute or relocatable. In the following example, the prototype file contains this entry:

f none $DIRLOC/tests/generic

The pkginfo file contains this entry:

DIRLOC=/myopt

The path name $DIRLOC/tests/generic evaluates to the absolute path name /myopt/tests/generic, regardless of whether the BASEDIR parameter is set in the pkginfo file.

In this example, the prototype file is identical to the one in the previous example and the pkginfo file contains the following entries:

DIRLOC=firstcut
BASEDIR=/opt

The path name $DIRLOC/tests/generic will evaluate to the relocatable path name /opt/firstcut/tests/generic.

For more information on parametric path names, see Using Parametric Base Directories.