Listing available packages by using `imcl` commands

Use the listAvailablePackages command to list the offerings, updates, and features in a source repository.

About this task

Some packages require entitlement for update packages. If you list a service repository for the -repositories option, update packages that you do not have entitlement for are not shown. Entitlement is based on your IBM® ID credentials. For more information about ID credentials, see IBM ID credentials Help and FAQ. For more information about entitlement, see IBM Entitlement Help.

Procedure

Open a command-line utility.
Open the tools directory.
Run the command to list available packages:
```
imcl listAvailablePackages 
	-repositories source_repository 
	[ -connectPassportAdvantage ] 
	[ -features ] 
	[ -secureStorageFile storage_file -masterPasswordFile master_password_file | -keyring keyring_file [ -password password ] ]
	[ -long ]
	[ -preferences preference_key=value ]
	[ -prompt ] 
	[ -showPlatforms ] 
	[ -useServiceRepository ]      
```
Note: Starting in version 1.6.2, the -keyring and -password options that are used to store credentials to a key ring file are deprecated. Use the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options to store credentials to a credential file. For more information, see Migrate from key ring files to storage files.

Enclose file paths that include spaces with double quotation marks.
These examples use the -features and -long options:
- Windows: imcl.exe listAvailablePackages -repositories http://server/repository,C:\Installation Files\IBM -features -long
- Linux®, UNIX, IBM i, IBM z/OS®, and the OS X operating system: ./imcl listAvailablePackages -repositories http://server/repository -features -long

Results

Running the listAvailablePackages command with the -repositories option returns a list of packages in this format:

packageID_version_1 packageID_version_2

Use the -prompt option to display prompts for user credentials, master password, if secure storage is used.

Running the listAvailablePackages command with the -repositories, -features, -showPlatforms, and -long options returns a longer description of the packages, features, and platforms that are included in the repository. The returned information is in this format:

repository_path_1 : packageID_version_1 : display_name_1 : display_version_1 : featureId_a,featureId_b,featureId_c : os.arch repository_path_2 : packageID_version_2 : display_name_2 : display_version_2 : featureId_a,featureId_b,featureId_c : os.arch,os.arch

The -showPlatforms option returns information about the operating system, os, and the architecture, arch. For more information about the os and arch values, see Values for cic.selector.key.

What to do next

After you list the available packages, use the imcl commands to install the offerings, updates, and features.