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Installing with the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility  



The basic steps for installing a software product are:
  1. Perform the preliminary steps.
  2. Review the product's release notes and installation information.
  3. Start the installation.
  4. Respond to installation questions about product options. The product is not installed on your system until you confirm your selections.
  5. Confirm your selections to install the product.

Performing Preliminary Steps  

Before installing software, follow these steps:

  1. Back up your system disk.
  2. Optionally identify source and destination locations.
  3. Install prerequisite software.

    Note that the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility will perform this automatically if the kits are available.
  4. Identify postinstallation procedures.

Specifying Locations  

For many operations, you must specify a location where the software kit resides and a location where you want to install the software. Two methods are available for identifying these locations:

You can also define logical names, and then override them by using the /SOURCE and /DESTINATION qualifiers on the PRODUCT command.


NoteIf you do not deassign logical names after they are used, they can cause unexpected results in future operations of the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility. HP recommends that you use the /SOURCE and /DESTINATION qualifiers.

Logical name PCSI$SOURCE defines the location of the software kits you want to install. Logical name PCSI$DESTINATION defines the location where you want to install the software. For example, if the software is located in DISK1:[KITS] and you want to install it in DISK2:[APPLICATIONS], use the following commands:
$ DEFINE PCSI$SOURCE DISK1:[KITS]
$ DEFINE PCSI$DESTINATION DISK2:[APPLICATIONS]

You can override the logical name definitions by using /SOURCE and /DESTINATION qualifiers on the PRODUCT command to specify a different source and destination.

If you do not define PCSI$DESTINATION, the utility installs the software product in SYS$COMMON:[VMS$COMMON] and in the directories under it.

Installing Prerequisite Software  

Install any prerequisite software or perform any prerequisite tasks. This information should be in the software product's installation instructions or release notes.

Note that the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility will perform this automatically if the kits are available.

Identifying Postinstallation Procedures  

Note any postinstallation procedures. This information should also be in the software product's installation instructions or release notes.

Extracting a Product's Release Notes  

To read a product's release notes, extract the notes to a file. For example, use either of the following commands to copy the CMS product release notes to a text file:

$ PRODUCT EXTRACT RELEASE_NOTES CMS/FILE=CMS_RELNOTES.TXT
$ PRODUCT EXTRACT RELEASE_NOTES CMS/SOURCE=WORK_DISK:[KITS]/FILE=CMS_RELNOTES.TXT
If you do not specify a file name, the release notes are written to a file in the current directory. The name specified in the kit is used. It is not necessary to install a software product before you use the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility to extract its release notes.

Installing a Product  

To start an installation, enter the PRODUCT INSTALL command. For example:

$  PRODUCT INSTALL CMS
To install more than one product at a time, enter a list of product names separated by commas. You can use asterisk (*) wildcard characters in the product names. For example:
$  PRODUCT INSTALL CMS/VERSION=3.4,LSE,COB*/VERSION=5.0
Features You Can Request During an Installation lists some of the features you can control with command qualifiers. A complete list is in the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual and in online help.

Table 7   Features You Can Request During an Installation
Feature Qualifier
Supply answers from a PCF
/CONFIGURATION=INPUT=pcf-name
Create a new PCF
/CONFIGURATION=OUTPUT=pcf-name1
Specify where to install the files
/DESTINATION=location
Display full descriptions of all product installation options and information
/HELP
Display log messages on your terminal
/LOG
Force the installation to be performed in recovery mode
/RECOVERY_MODE
Include a remark in the product database
/REMARK
Request recovery data to be saved to allow patch removal
/SAVE RECOVERY_DATA
Specify where the distribution kit is located
/SOURCE
Specify configuration variables
/CONFIGURATION=keyword2
Specify a work area for temporary files
/WORK=device

Using an Existing PCF  

Creating a Product Configuration File (PCF) describes how to create a PCF before installing a product. To use this existing PCF during the installation, use the /CONFIGURATION=INPUT qualifier with PRODUCT INSTALL. For example, to install CMS and use configuration choices recorded in the PCF named DEC-VAXVMS-CMS.PCSI$CONFIGURATION:

$ PRODUCT INSTALL/CONFIGURATION=INPUT=DEC-VAXVMS-CMS.PCSI$CONFIGURATION -
_$ CMS/VERSION=3.4

Creating a New PCF During the Installation  

If you did not create a PCF before the installation, you can create one during the installation. Use the /CONFIGURATION=OUTPUT=pcf-name qualifier with PRODUCT INSTALL. For example:

$ PRODUCT INSTALL/CONFIGURATION=OUTPUT=CMSV3.DAT CMS/VERSION=3.0
As you respond to questions about the options for CMS Version 3.0, your responses are recorded in the PCF named CMSV3.DAT in your current default directory.

For more information about product configuration files, see Product Files and Databases and Creating a Product Configuration File (PCF).

Responding to Installation Questions  

During an installation, you can request a full description of product options or an explanation to any single question. You can also accept the default value to any single question or to an entire subset of questions.

Requesting an Explanation to Questions  

To request a full description of all product options and information, use the /HELP qualifier with PRODUCT INSTALL. To request help about an individual question, press the Help key or PF2 in response to the question. The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility displays a description (if one is available) and a summary of disk and memory requirements for the option.

The following example uses the Help key:
$ PRODUCT INSTALL UCX
.
.
.
Optional example files may be installed... [YES] Help 

The example files include client server programming examples.

Block Size -      Total:    507  Optional:      0  Required:    507
Global Pages -    Total:      0  Optional:      0  Required:    0
Global Sections - Total:      0  Optional:      0  Required:    0

Optional example files may be installed... [YES] [Return] 
.
.
.


The amount of information varies; some products provide more information than others, and some products provide no information.

Accepting Default Answers  

Default answers come from one of three places:

If you specify an input PCF and it contains an answer for an option, the default answer from the PCF is used. Depending on the entry in the PCF, the default answer may or may not be allowed to change.

If no input PCF exists, or if the input PCF does not contain an answer for an option, the default answer comes from either the PDB or the PDF. If the PDB is present and contains the option, then the default answer comes from the PDB. If the PDB is not present (a new installation) or does not contain the option (a new option), then the default comes from the PDF. Default answers that come from either the PDB or PDF may be changed.

To answer an option, either press Return to accept the default answer, or supply your own answer and then press Return.

Some products contain a subset of questions or options. During an installation procedure, you can accept the default values for an entire subset or you can answer each option in the subset.

When you select an option that has suboptions, the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility will ask:

Do you want the defaults for all options? [YES]
If you answer YES, you will not be asked about the subitems. Instead, the utility will use the defaults for the subitems. If you answer NO, the utility asks you about each subitem.

Confirming Your Answers  

After you respond to questions about product options, the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility can display a summary of your answers. For example:

Do you want to review the options? [YES] [Return] 
DEC TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS
    Optional example files may be installed...: NO
    Optional NFS files may be installed...: NO      
    Optional applications may be installed...: YES
The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility then asks:
Are you satisfied with these options? [YES] [Return] 
If you are not, answer NO to this question. You can then either enter your answers again or exit the installation procedure:
Do you want to change any options? [YES] NO [Return] 
%PCSIUI-I-USERABORT, operation terminated by user
By answering NO to this question, you can end the installation procedure. The product is not installed; your system remains unchanged.

Updating DCL Help Text  

When you install a layered product that updates DCL Help text, the PRODUCT INSTALL command requires exclusive access to the DCL Help library file, SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB. For example, if a user is accessing HELP while an installation is trying to update the help library, you see several messages and are asked to respond to several questions. These messages and questions appear in the following order:

  1. The system displays the following messages if the PRODUCT INSTALL command fails to obtain exclusive access to the help library after waiting for two minutes:
    %PCSI-I-PRCOUTPUT, output from subprocess follows ...
    %LIBRAR-F-OPENIN, error opening disk:[SYS0.SYSCOMMON.]
       [SYSHLP]HELPLIB.HLB;1 as input
    -RMS-E-FLK, file currently locked by another user
     
    %PCSI-E-MODREPLFLK1, error replacing module module-name in
       library disk:[SYS0.SYSCOMMON.][SYSHLP]HELPLIB.HLB
    -PCSI-E-MODREPLFLK2, library update failed because it is
       currently accessed by one or more users
    -PCSI-E-MODREPLFLK3, after the file is closed, answer YES 
       at the prompt to retry the update
    
  2. Either retry the library update operation or terminate the installation:

Performing the Installation as a Batch Job  

To run the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility as a batch job, include PRODUCT commands in a command procedure file and then submit the file to a batch queue. In the command procedure, include the /CONFIGURATION qualifier to specify an existing PCF so the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility can respond to questions about product options and configuration choices. If you do not specify /CONFIGURATION, the defaults are used.

Sample Command Procedure for Installing a Product shows how a product might be installed using a command procedure. The example sets and restores VERIFY, and times the installation.
Example 3  Sample Command Procedure for Installing a Product  
$ SAVE_PROC_VERIFY = F$ENVIRONMENT("VERIFY_PROCEDURE")
$ SAVE_IMAGE_VERIFY = F$ENVIRONMENT("VERIFY_IMAGE")
$ SET VERIFY
$ ON ERROR THEN GOTO ERROR_EXIT
$ START_TIME = F$TIME()
$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "START TIME -- ''START_TIME'"
$ PRODUCT INSTALL CHESSMASTER -
    /CONFIGURATION=PRODUCER -
    /HELP -
    /LOG
$ERROR_EXIT:
$ END_TIME = F$TIME()
$ TEMP = F$VERIFY(SAVE_PROC_VERIFY,SAVE_IMAGE_VERIFY)
$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "  --------------------------------"
$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "  END TIME -- ''END_TIME'"
$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "  START TIME -- ''START_TIME'"
$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "  --------------------------------"
$ EXIT


Installing a Patch Kit to Allow for its Removal 

A patch kit is not like common software products that you can easily remove from the system using the PRODUCT REMOVE command after the product is installed. In most cases, a patch kit is simply a subset of the full product you apply it to and usually does not force a change in the version number of the product.

Because of these characteristics, the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility treats patch kits in a special way. If you want to be able to uninstall a patch kit that turns out to be defective, for example, you first need to install the patch kit with the /SAVE_RECOVERY_DATA qualifier. This qualifier forces all the files and modules that the installation modifies or replaces to be saved in a specially designated area on the system disk. These files include the product database of the utility and special data files that describe the saved environment. Together, they form a recovery data set.

Later, if you decide to uninstall the patch kit using the PRODUCT UNDO PATCH command, the patch kit objects are deleted and the saved recovery data set is used to reinstate the displaced files along with the database.


Footnotes
1The F17 (defer) and F18 (write) keys have no effect when you use the PRODUCT INSTALL command.
2Can be either current or producer. For details, refer to the HP OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual: M--Z.

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