Directly Working on an XML Manifest File

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If you are familiar with XML, you can create a file and configure the manifest directly with any text editor. This method enables you to navigate freely throughout the file to configure only those parameters you want to customize.

How to Create and Directly Edit an XML Manifest

Before You Begin

Ensure that your role has the appropriate rights profiles to perform this procedure. See Using Rights Profiles to Install Oracle Solaris.

Create a new manifest XML file by using one of two methods:

Create a copy of an existing manifest file.

For example:

aiserver$ cp /usr/share/auto-install/default.xml /var/tmp/mem1.xml

Export an existing manifest.

List existing manifests.

aiserver$ installadm list -m -n solaris11_4-i386
Service Name           Manifest Name  Type     Status    Criteria
------------           -------------  -------  ------   --------
solaris11_4-i386       orig_default   derived  default   none
                       x86manifest    xml      inactive  none

Export the selected manifest to a new file.

aiserver$ installadm export -o /var/tmp/mem1.xml -m x86manifest -n solaris11_4-i386

(Optional) Verify the results.
```
aiserver$ ls /var/tmp
...
mem1.xml
...
```

Open and modify the file copy.
If you are working on a copy of a manifest, then the valid XML tags are already in the file for you to configure. Otherwise, see the ai_manifest(5) man page for instructions on creating or editing XML manifest files.
Create the new manifest's instance name for the install service.
Optionally, specify criteria to identify which AI clients should use that manifest. For example:
```
aiserver$ installadm create-manifest -n solaris11_4-i386 -f ./var/tmp/mem1.xml \
   -m mem1 -c mem="2048-unbounded"
```
The command assigns mem1 to solaris11_4-i386. Clients with memory size 2048 MB or greater will use mem1.

See Specifying Criteria for AI Manifests and System Configuration Profiles for more information about specifying client criteria.

(Optional) List the current manifests.

aiserver$ installadm list -m -n solaris11_4-i386
Service Name           Manifest Name  Type     Status    Criteria
------------           -------------  -------  ------    --------
default-i386           orig_default   derived  inactive  none
solaris11_4-i386       x86manifest    xml      default  none
                       mem1           xml      inactive mem = 2048 MB - unbounded
                       orig_default   derived  inactive  none