<param> Element

The <param> element is a child of the <paramList> element. This element declares a parameter, which includes a name and a default value. The default value is only used if the caller does not explicitly pass a value for this parameter. If the default value is unspecified and the caller does not explicitly pass a value for this parameter, a preflight error occurs at plan runtime.

The <param> element includes the following attributes. Use the prompt and displayMode attributes when the containing install, uninstall, or control block is invoked directly by the user rather than from a plan or another component.

• name – A required attribute of type identifier that is the name of the parameter. The name must be unique among every other local variable and parameter that is declared by the enclosing element.

• prompt – An optional attribute that is a string that specifies the text to display in the user interface when prompting for the parameter value. If this attribute is omitted, the value of name is used.

• default – An optional attribute that is a string that specifies the default value of the parameter. The parameter can include references to component variables, target host attributes, session variables, and installed component variables, but not to other parameters.

• displayMode – An optional attribute that specifies the display mode of the parameter. The legal values are as follows:

  • PASSWORD – The user-specified value is hidden, which means that the password is not shown or is replaced by asterisks.

  • BOOLEAN – The parameter is specified by means of a check box.

  • CLEAR – The value is displayed as entered.

  If the value is CLEAR or BOOLEAN, it can be safely displayed as entered. If the attribute is omitted, the value is CLEAR.