Files Reference

admin File

Purpose

Describes the format of an installation defaults file.

Description

admin is a generic name for an ASCII file that defines default installation actions by assigning values to installation parameters. For example, it allows administrators to define how to proceed when the package being installed already exists on the system.

/var/sadm/install/admin/default is the default admin file delivered with your system. The default file is not writable, so to assign values different from this file, create a new admin file. There are no naming restrictions for admin files. Name the file when installing a package with the -a flag of the pkgadd command. If the -a flag is not used, the default admin file is used.

Each entry in the admin file is a line that establishes the value of a parameter in the following form:

   param=value

Eleven parameters can be defined in an admin file. A file is not required to assign values to all eleven parameters. If a value is not assigned, pkgadd asks the installer how to proceed.

The eleven parameters and their possible values are shown below except as noted. They may be specified in any order. Any of these parameters can be assigned the value ask, which means that, if the situation occurs, the installer is notified and asked to supply instructions at that time.

Parameter	Description
basedir	Indicates the base directory where relocatable packages are to be installed. The value may contain $PKGINST to indicate a base directory that is to be a function of the package instance.
mail	Defines a list of users to whom mail should be sent following installation of a package. If the list is empty or if the parameter is not present in the admin file, the default value of root is used. The ask value cannot be used with this parameter.
runlevel	Indicates resolution if the run level (system state) is not correct for the installation or removal of a package. Options are: nocheck Do not check for run level (system state). quit Abort installation if run level (system state) is not met.
conflict	Specifies what to do if an installation expects to overwrite a previously installed file, thus creating a conflict between packages. Options are: nocheck Do not check for conflict; files in conflict are overwritten. quit Abort installation if conflict is detected. nochange Override installation of conflicting files; conflicting files are not installed.
setuid	Checks for executables that have setuid or setgid bits enabled after installation. Options are: nocheck Do not check for setuid executables. quit Abort installation if setuid processes are detected. nochange Override installation of setuid processes; processes are installed without setuid bits enabled.
action	Determines if action scripts provided by package developers contain possible security impact. Options are: nocheck Ignore security impact of action scripts. quit Abort installation if action scripts may have a negative security impact.
partial	Checks to see if a version of the package is already partially installed on the system. Options are: nocheck Do not check for a partially installed package. quit Abort installation if a partially installed package exists.
idepend	Controls resolution if other packages depend on the one to be installed. Options are: nocheck Do not check package dependencies. quit Abort installation if package dependencies are not met.
rdepend	Controls resolution if other packages depend on the one to be removed. Options are: nocheck Do not check package dependencies. quit Abort removal if package dependencies are not met.
space	Controls resolution if disk space requirements for package are not met. Options are: nocheck Do not check space requirements (installation fails if it runs out of space). quit Abort installation if space requirements are not met.

The value ask cannot be defined in an admin file that is used for non-interactive installation (since by definition, there is no installer interaction). Doing so causes installation to fail when input is needed.

Related Information

The pkgadd command.