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POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility Developer's Guide
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Appendix A
Migrating from VMSINSTAL to the POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility

VMSINSTAL is an installation mechanism supplied by HP. This appendix contains information about VMSINSTAL options and callbacks and their POLYCENTER Software Installation utility equivalents.

A.1 VMSINSTAL Options and Equivalents

Table A-1 lists some tasks that you may need to perform, the corresponding VMSINSTAL option, and the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility equivalent. Note that some VMSINSTAL options do not have an equivalent. In many cases, this is because the design of the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility eliminates the need for an equivalent.

Table A-1 VMSINSTAL Options and Equivalents
Task VMSINSTAL Option POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility Equivalent
Creating a file that specifies answers to installation questions OPTIONS A Create a product configuration file (PCF). This is similar to an auto-answer file in VMSINSTAL.
Specifying a temporary work directory OPTIONS AWD Specify the /WORK qualifier to the PRODUCT command.
Starting the system OPTIONS B 1 No equivalent.
Tracing callbacks during installation OPTIONS C 2 Use the /LOG and /TRACE qualifiers to the PRODUCT command. You can also use the /NOCOPY qualifier when debugging a product description file (PDF) to prevent the product material from being copied into the reference copy.
Manipulating product kits OPTIONS G Use the COPY/FORMAT=REFERENCE and COPY/FORMAT=SEQUENTIAL commands to manipulate product kits (see Chapter 5).
Suppressing VMSINSTAL prompts OPTIONS I 2 No equivalent.
Debugging a kit OPTIONS K 2 Use the /LOG and /TRACE qualifiers to assist in debugging a PDF.
Providing a log of installation operations OPTIONS L Use the /LOG and /TRACE qualifiers. This provides more information than OPTIONS L with VMSINSTAL.
Displaying or printing release notes OPTIONS N Use the release notes option to the file statement and the PRODUCT EXTRACT RELEASE_NOTES command. The release notes are created in the file DEFAULT.PCSI$RELEASE_NOTES in the current directory.
Performing an installation in test mode OPTIONS Q 2 No equivalent.
Installing a product in an alternate root OPTIONS R Use the /DESTINATION qualifier.
Pausing the installation at various points OPTIONS RSP 2 No equivalent.
Compiling information about the installation OPTIONS S 2 Use the /LOG and /TRACE qualifiers to the PRODUCT command.
1OpenVMS startup use only
2Developer's use only

A.2 VMSINSTAL Callbacks and Equivalents

To install a product using VMSINSTAL, you create a command procedure named KITINSTAL.COM that makes callbacks to VMSINSTAL. If you are migrating from VMSINSTAL to the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility, see Table A-2, which lists the VMSINSTAL callbacks and their equivalents.

Table A-2 VMSINSTAL Callbacks and Equivalents
Task VMSINSTAL Callback Option POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility Equivalent
Adding an identifier to the rights database ADD_IDENTIFIER   Use the rights identifier statement.
Prompting the installer for information ASK   To confirm the completion of preinstallation tasks, use the confirm option to the information statement. The product text file (PTF) contains the prompt and help text.
Not recording responses to installation questions   A No equivalent.
Forcing a Boolean answer   B No equivalent.
Preceding a prompt with blank line   D No equivalent.
Disabling terminal echo   E No equivalent.
Displaying help text before the prompt   H The information statement.
Requiring an integer as the answer   I No equivalent.
Returning input in lowercase   L No equivalent.
Returning input in the same case   M No equivalent.
Indicating a null response is acceptable   N No equivalent.
Ringing the terminal bell before the prompt   R No equivalent.
Indicating the response can be a string   S No equivalent.
Returning input in uppercase   U No equivalent.
Indicating the response can be Ctrl/Z   A No equivalent.
Determining whether a license for the product is installed on the system CHECK_LICENSE   No equivalent. License management is outside the domain of the utility.
Determining whether the network is running CHECK_NETWORK   No equivalent. If you use a statement that references the DECnet network, the utility ensures that the network is available.
Determining whether there is sufficient disk space on the target device CHECK_NET_UTILIZATION   No equivalent. The utility ensures that sufficient disk space is available.
Determining whether a minimum version of software is present in the execution environment CHECK_PRODUCT_VERSION   Use the version minimum option to the software function.
Limiting an installation to specified versions of the OpenVMS operating system CHECK_VMS_VERSION   Use the version minimum and version maximum options to the software function, specifying HP as the producer name, VAXVMS or AXPVMS as the base, and VMS as the product name.
Determining which is the most recent version of an image COMPARE_IMAGE   You can manage file versions using the generation option to the file statement.
Determining whether the user has loaded the license for the product being installed on the system CONFIRM_LICENSE   No equivalent. License management is outside the domain of the utility.
Providing for orderly exit from an installation CONTROL_Y   No equivalent necessary; the utility provides this automatically.
Creating an account on the system CREATE_ACCOUNT   Use the account statement.
Deleting obsolete files from a previous installation DELETE_FILE   In full and operating system kits, the utility deletes files that are replaced during an upgrade. However, in a partial kit, you can remove obsolete files using the remove statement.
Locating files FIND_FILE   If you want to determine whether an optional software product is available, use the software function. You do not need to determine whether a file is present before performing an operation that references it; the utility does this automatically.
Generating structure definition language (SDL) definition files GENERATE_SDL   No equivalent.
Extracting the image file identification string for a file GET_IMAGE_ID   If you want to determine the available version of a software product, use the software function.
Obtaining a password for an account GET_PASSWORD   No equivalent necessary; the utility provides this function.
Placing requirements on system parameters GET_SYSTEM_PARAMETER   Use the system parameter statement.
Displaying messages to the user MESSAGE   Use the information statement to display information about pre- and postinstallation tasks. You do not need to provide error messages and progress information; the utility does this automatically.
Patching an image as part of the installation PATCH_IMAGE   Use the patch image statement.
Moving a shareable image's symbol table to the system shareable image library when the patch is complete   I No equivalent necessary. The image library option to the file statement controls its replacement in the image library.
Creating a journal file of patches   J No equivalent.
Saving old versions of the image file   K No equivalent necessary. The utility deletes existing versions.
Moving the file to the SYS$SPECIFIC directory   O No equivalent necessary. The placement of the file statement that originally described the image within a scope group determines its placement.
Reinstalling the image when the patch is complete   R No equivalent necessary; the utility does this automatically.
Queuing a print job to SYS$PRINT PRINT_FILE   No equivalent.
Invoking a command procedure of product-specific callbacks PRODUCT   No equivalent.
Adding a command to the system DCL table PROVIDE_DCL_COMMAND   Use the module statement with the type command parameter. You do not need to reinstall the system command table as a known image; the utility does this automatically.
Adding help to the DCL help library PROVIDE_DCL_HELP   Use the module statement with the type help parameter.
Adding a new file to the system PROVIDE_FILE   Use the file statement.
Placing the file in more than one location   C No equivalent necessary.
Preserving old versions   K No equivalent necessary. The utility deletes existing versions.
Adding the file to the SYS$SPECIFIC directory   O Enclose the file statement in a scope processor group.
Specifying an input file that contains a list of logical names for the source files and their respective destinations   T No equivalent necessary. Use one file statement for each file.
Adding a new image to the system PROVIDE_IMAGE   Use the file statement. The utility can distinguish whether a file is a valid executable image.
Placing the file in more than one location   C No equivalent necessary.
Dynamically patching ECOs into the new image file   E No equivalent necessary. You should package the file with the correct ECO numbers already set.
Moving a shareable image's symbol table to the system shareable image library   I Use the image library option to the file statement.
Preserving old versions   K No equivalent necessary. The utility deletes existing versions.
Moving the file to the SYS$SPECIFIC directory   O Enclose the file statement in a scope processor group.
Specifying an input file that contains a list of logical names for the source image files and their respective destinations   T No equivalent necessary. Use one file statement for each file.
Changing the file name and file type of all versions of a file RENAME_FILE   Use the archive option of the file statement to preserve an existing version of a file during an upgrade.
Restoring save sets of a product that is divided among several save sets RESTORE_SAVESET   No equivalent necessary.
Running an image during installation RUN_IMAGE   Use the execute statement or the assemble execute option to the file statement.
Specifying a UIC or protection code for product files SECURE_FILE   Use the owner and protection options to the directory and file statements.
Modifying the access control list (ACL) of a device, directory, or file SET ACL Use the access control option of the file and directory statements.
Determining the default case (upper or lower) in which text from the installer is returned to the installation procedure SET ASK_CASE No equivalent.
Running an installation verification procedure (IVP) SET IVP No equivalent necessary. You can specify the execute test statement and invoke the functional test for a product with the /TEST qualifier to the PRODUCT INSTALL command.
Calling a product's installation procedure after files have been moved to their target directories SET POSTINSTALL Depending on your application, you can use the execute postinstall statement.
Purging files replaced by an installation SET PURGE No equivalent necessary. The utility deletes existing versions.
Rebooting the system after the installation SET REBOOT No equivalent.
Ensuring a high level of installation success SET SAFETY No equivalent necessary. The utility provides the necessary disk management and reliability features.
Rebooting the system after the installation SET SHUTDOWN No equivalent.
Specifying a product-specific startup command procedure SET STARTUP Use the execute start statement.
Editing text files SUMSLP_TEXT   Use the patch text statement.
Identifying installation peculiarities TELL_QA   No equivalent necessary.
Exiting the installation procedure UNWIND   No equivalent necessary. The utility controls the flow of the installation.
Updating an existing user account UPDATE_ACCOUNT   Use the account statement to modify existing user accounts.
Making a file available for updating by copying it to a working directory UPDATE_FILE   No equivalent necessary.
Modifying an identifier in the rights database UPDATE_IDENTIFIER   Use the rights identifier statement to modify an existing rights identifier.
Updating a library UPDATE_LIBRARY   Use the module statement with the appropriate parameter for the type of library you are updating. To update the shareable image library, use the image library option to the file statement. No equivalent exists to update RSX libraries.

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