Performing a silent installation using response files

You can perform silent installations for ISMP-packaged products using response files.

A response file contains predetermined responses for an installation. By default, the geninstall command searches on the product media in the ISMP-product subdirectory for response files for each ISMP product. For example, the MyProduct ISMP product subdirectory is similar to the following:

/basedir/ismp/ppc/MyProduct/

The geninstall command searches in the ISMP-product subdirectory for each ISMP product specified in the install list or bundle for a MyProduct.response file. If a MyProduct.response file does not exist or is not found, geninstall proceeds with whatever defaults are configured in the installer.

The -t ResponseFileLocation option allows you to specify an alternate location for response files or response file templates. The ResponseFileLocation can either be a file or directory name. If the ResponseFileLocation is a directory, it must already exist. If the ResponseFileLocation is not an existing directory, it is assumed that a file name is specified.

To use response files with ISMP products, the following methods are available:

Create a response file template. To create an ISMP response file template in the default location, use the geninstall command with the -T flag. The -T flag creates an ISMP response file template in the default location, which is the directory containing the product installation files. The resulting template can be used to create a response file for future installations of the same product with the desired options. Creation of the response file template does not result in installation of the ISMP product.

To create an ISMP response file template for the MyProduct ISMP product using the product installation files in the /usr/sys/inst.images/ismp/ppc/MyProduct/ default directory, do the following:

/usr/sbin/geninstall -d /usr/sys/inst.images -T J:MyProduct

The MyProduct.template response file template that is generated is similar to the following:

#######################################################################
#
# InstallShield Options File Template
#
# Wizard name: Setup
# Wizard source: setup.jar
# Created on: Tue Jun 25 10:59:55 CDT 2004
# Created by: InstallShield Options File Generator
#
# This file can be used to create an options file (i.e., response file) for the
# wizard "Setup". Options files are used with "-options" on the command line to
# modify wizard settings.
#
# The settings that can be specified for the wizard are listed below. To use
# this template, follow these steps:
#
#    1. Enable a setting below by removing leading '###' characters from the
#    line (search for '###' to find settings you can change).
#
#    2. Specify a value for a setting by replacing the characters <value>.
#    Read each settings documentation for information on how to specify its
#    value.
#
#    3. Save the changes to the file.
#
#    4. To use the options file with the wizard, specify -options <filename>
#    as a command line argument to the wizard, where <filename>  is the name
#    of this options file.
#
#####################################################################
#####################################################################
#
# My Product Install Location
#
# The install location of the product. Specify a valid directory into which the
# product is  installed. If the directory contains spaces, enclose it in
# double-quotes. For example, to install the product to C:\Program Files\My
# Product, use
#
#    -P installLocation="C:\Program Files\My Product"
#
### -P installLocation=<value>

Although the preceding is a simple example, products often have many user-configurable options that might be set in the response file. Each of these options is presented in the template with an explanation of the expected value for that option.

Create a response file recording. To create a response file recording, use the geninstall command with the -E flag. The -E flag creates an ISMP response file recording in the default location, which is the directory containing the product installation files. This option requires running the ISMP installation interactively and completely. Creation of the response file recording will also result in installation of the ISMP product.

To record the MyProduct.response response file with the MyProduct ISMP product and the product installation files in the /usr/sys/inst.images/ismp/ppc/MyProduct/ default directory, do the following:

 /usr/sbin/geninstall -d /usr/sys/inst.images -E J:MyProduct

This starts the interactive installation wizard. It is necessary to run the wizard to completion to successfully create the response file recording. When completed, a message similar to the following displays:

Options record mode enabled - run the wizard to completion to create the options file response.file

The resulting file MyProduct.response response file is similar to the following:

################################################################
#
# InstallShield Options File
#
# Wizard name: Setup
# Wizard source: setup.jar
# Created on: Tue Jun 25 11:05:34 CDT 2002
# Created by: InstallShield Options File Generator
#
# This file contains values that were specified during a recent execution of
# Setup. It can be used to configure Setup with the options specified below when
# the wizard is run with the "-options" command line option. Read each setting's
# documentation for information on how to change its value.
#
# A common use of an options file is to run the wizard in silent mode. This lets
# the options file author specify wizard settings without having to run the
# wizard in graphical or console mode. To use this options file for silent mode
# execution, use the following command line arguments when running the wizard:
#
#    -options "record.txt" -silent
#
################################################################################
################################################################################
#
# My Product Install Location
#
# The install location of the product. Specify a valid directory into which the
# product is  installed. If the directory contains spaces, enclose it in
# double-quotes. For example, to install the product to C:\Program Files\My
# Product, use
#
#    -P installLocation="C:\Program Files\My Product"
#
-P installLocation="/opt/MyProduct"

The -P installLocation value has been completed according to the response given while running the wizard. In the preceding example, the /opt/MyProduct directory was specified as the installation location in the wizard. The response file generated by this action can be used directly to launch a silent installation with the chosen installation location.

Use a response file for a silent installation. You can use a response file generated by the two methods mentioned previously or one provided with the product to perform a silent installation with the desired options.
To use a response file for a silent installation with the geninstall command, the MyProduct product, and the installation files and response file in the /usr/sys/inst.images/ismp/ppc/MyProduct/ default directory, do the following:
```
/usr/sbin/geninstall -Zd /usr/sys/inst.images J:MyProduct
```
To use a response file for a silent installation with the geninstall command, MyProduct product, installation files in /usr/sys/inst.images/ismp/ppc/MyProduct/ directory, and the /tmp/MyProduct/MyProduct.response response file, do the following:
```
/usr/sbin/geninstall -Zd /usr/sys/inst.images  \
      -t /tmp/MyProduct/MyProduct.response J:MyProduct
```