Application Packaging Developer's Guide

Managing the Base Directory

Any package that is available in multiple versions or for multiple architectures should be designed to walk the base directory, if needed. Walking a base directory means that if a previous version or a different architecture of the package being installed already exists in the base directory, the package being installed resolves this issue, perhaps by creating a new base directory with a slightly different name. The request and checkinstall scripts in the Solaris 2.5 and compatible releases have the ability to modify the BASEDIR environment variable. This is not true for any prior version of the Solaris OS.

Even in older versions of the Solaris OS, the request script had the authority to redefine directories within the installation base. The request script can do this in a way that still supports most administrative preferences.