Adding Packages or Patches With a Finish Script

You can create a finish script to automatically add packages or patches after the Solaris software is installed on a system. By adding packages with a finish script, you reduce time and ensure consistency in what packages and patches are installed on different systems at your site.

When you use the pkgadd(1M) or patchadd(1M) commands in finish scripts, use the -R option to specify /a as the root path.

Example 24-2 shows an example of a finish script that adds packages.

Example 24-2 Adding Packages With a Finish Script

  #!/bin/sh
 
  BASE=/a
  MNT=/a/mnt
  ADMIN_FILE=/a/tmp/admin
 
  mkdir ${MNT}
  mount -f nfs sherlock:/export/package ${MNT}1
  cat >${ADMIN_FILE} <<DONT_ASK2
  mail=root
  instance=overwrite
  partial=nocheck
  runlevel=nocheck
  idepend=nocheck
  rdepend=nocheck
  space=ask
  setuid=nocheck
  conflict=nocheck
  action=nocheck
  basedir=default
  DONT_ASK
 
  /usr/sbin/pkgadd -a ${ADMIN_FILE} -d ${MNT} -R ${BASE} SUNWxyz3 
  umount ${MNT}
  rmdir ${MNT}

1. Mounts a directory on a server that contains the package to install.

2. Creates a temporary package administration file, admin, to force the pkgadd(1M) command not to perform checks or prompt for questions when installing a package. Use the temporary package administration file to maintain a hands-off installation when you are adding packages.

3. Adds the package by using the -a option, specifying the package administration file, and the -R option, specifying the root path.

In the past, the chroot(1M) command was used with the pkgadd and patchadd commands in the finish script environment. In rare instances, some packages or patches do not work with the -R option. You must create a dummy /etc/mnttab file in the /a root path before issuing the chroot command.

To create a dummy /etc/mnttab file, add the following line to your finish script:

cp /etc/mnttab /a/etc/mnttab