NAME

swask - ask for user responses

SYNOPSIS

swask [-c catalog][-f file][-s source][-t targetfile][-x option=value]
[-X options_file][software_selections][@ targets]

DESCRIPTION

The swask utility runs the interactive software request scripts for the software objects selected. These scripts store the responses to the response files for later use by the swinstall and swconfig utilities.

The swinstall and swconfig can also run the interactive request scripts directly.

OPTIONS

The swask utility supports the following options. Where there is no description, the description in Common Definition for Utilities applies.

-c catalog

Specifies the pathname to an exported catalog structure below which the response files created by the request scripts are stored for later use.

If the c catalog option is omitted, the utility uses the source catalog, <distribution path>>/catalog, as the directory in which to store the response files. Hence these response files will be the ones available for use by the control scripts executed by swinstall.

-f file

-s source

-t targetfile

-x option=value

-X options_file

OPERANDS

The swask utility supports the software_selections operand described in Common Definition for Utilities .

Specifying values for the targets operand does not imply operations on the target role. The values are simply written as a list of targets for the targets option in the file made available to the request script via the SW_SESSION_OPTIONS environment variable. See Control Script Execution and Environment .

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

See Common Definition for Utilities for descriptions of external influences common to all utilities.

Extended Options

The swask utility supports the following extended options. The description in Common Definition for Utilities applies.

autoselect_dependencies=true

distribution_source_directory=implementation_defined_value

distribution_source_serial=implementation_defined_value

logfile=implementation_defined_value

loglevel=1

ask=true

software=

verbose=1

EXTERNAL EFFECTS

See Common Definition for Utilities .

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION

See Common Definition for Utilities for general information. There are two phases in the swask utility:

1. Selection phase

2. Execution phase

Selection Phase

The software selections apply to the software available from the distribution source if the -s option was specified. Otherwise, the software selections apply to software that has been already installed on the targets. Each specified selection is added to the selection list after it passes the following checks:

• If the -s option is specified and the selection is not available from the source, generate an event. If the -s option is not specified and the selection is not available from the target, generate an event.
  [SW_ERROR: SW_SELECTION_NOT_FOUND]

• If a unique version can not be identified, generate an event.
  [SW_ERROR: SW_SELECTION_NOT_FOUND_AMBIG]

Add any dependencies to the selection list if autoselect_dependencies=true.

Execution Phase

For each selected software that has a request control script:

• If it does not already exist, build the necessary control directories of the exported catalog structure to hold the response file for that software object.¹

• Set the value of the SW_CONTROL_DIRECTORY environment variable to the directory below which the request script writes the response file. It may be set to the control directory where the response file will eventually be held, or it may be set to another, temporary, directory.

  If a response file can be found from one of the following sources, searched in the order specified, then the implementation ensures that the response file is contained within the directory pointed to by SW_CONTROL_DIRECTORY. The means for doing this (e.g., copy, link, symlink) is undefined.

  1. If -c catalog was specified, any response file already existing below that catalog

  2. If -s was not specified, any response file from the catalog of the target or targets specified

  3. If -s was specified, any response file already existing in the source catalog.

• If ask=true, execute the request script. If ask=as_needed, execute the request script only if a response file does not already exist in the control directory.

• The request script writes a single response file in the control directory² defined by the supplied environment variable SW_CONTROL_DIRECTORY.

• If a request script returns an error and enforce_scripts=true, generate an event and invoke the implementation defined error handling procedures.
  [SW_ERROR: SW_REQUEST_ERROR]

  If a request script returns an error and enforce_scripts=false, generate an event.
  [SW_WARNING: SW_REQUEST_ERROR]

  If a request script returns a warning, generate an event.
  [SW_WARNING: SW_ASK_SCRIPT_WARNING]

EXIT STATUS

See Common Definition for Utilities .

CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS

See Common Definition for Utilities .

Footnotes

1.

If there are multiple product versions selected, they has separate control directories as specified in the software packaging layout. Update the global INDEX in the exported catalog structure so the appropriate version can be identified later.

2.

The swinstall and swconfig utilities will distribute the response file to the targets for use by that targets control scripts.