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AIX Version 4.3 Kernel and Subsystems Technical Reference, Volume 2

Predefined Attribute Extended (PdAtXtd) Object Class

Description

The Predefined Attribute Extended (PdAtXtd) object class is used to supplement existing device's attributes represented in the Predefined Attribute (PdAt) object class with information that can be used by Device Management User Interface. For AIX release 4.3.0, the WebSM Device application will be the first user interface application to take advantage of this object class.

Types of Attributes to represent in PdAtXtd

Not all existing device's attributes in PdAt need to be represented in the PdAtXtd object class. Non-displayable attributes (i.e with a null string in the 'generic' field of the PdAt object class) should not have a corresponding PdAtXtd entry, otherwise, it will become displayable.

The PdAtXtd object class can also be used to override the current value or possible values of an attribute.

Predefined Attribute Extended Object Class Descriptors

The Predefined Attribute Extended object class contains the following descriptors:

ODM Type Descriptor Name Description Required?
ODM_CHAR uniquetype Unique Type Yes
ODM_CHAR attribute Attribute Name No
ODM_CHAR classification AttributeClassification No
ODM_CHAR sequence Sequence number No
ODM_VCHAR operation Operation Name No
ODM_VCHAR operation_value Operation Value No
ODM_VCHAR description Attribute Description No
ODM_VCHAR list_cmd Command to list Attribute value No
ODM_VCHAR list_values_cmd Command to list Attribute values No
ODM_VCHAR change_cmd Command to change Attribute value No
ODM_VCHAR help Help text NO
ODM_VCHAR nls_values Translated Attribute values No

These descriptors are described as follows:

Unique Type Identifies the class-subclass-type name of the device to which this attribute is associated. This descriptor is the same as the Unique Type descriptor in the PdAt object class.
Attribute Name Identifies the device attribute. This is the name that can be passed to mkdev and chdev configuration commands and device methods in the attribute-name and attribute-value pairs.
Classification Identifies the device atttribute's classification. The followings characters are valid values:
B Indicates a basic attribute.
A Indicates an advanced attribute.
R Indicates a required attribute.
Sequence Identifies the number used to position the attribute in relation to others on a panel/menu. This field is identical to the 'id_seq_num' currently in the sm_cmd_opt (SMIT Dialog/Selector Command Option) object class.
Operation Identifies the type of operation associated with the unique device type. Operation and attribute name fields are mutually exclusive. The following operation names are used by WebSM Device application:
assign_icon Indicates that an icon is to be assigned to the unique device type.
add_device type Indicates that the unique device type can be manually added to the system via the WebSM Device Application's 'New' Device action. device type is a user chosen name that will identify the type or class of device that can be added vi WebSM Device Application. This name will be sorted in alphabetical order, therefore, to have all similar type or class of devices be grouped together in the WebSM device selection panel, choose the name accordingly. Example: 
add_isa_tokenring
add_isa_ethernet
add_tty

will allow the selections for adding ISA adapters (token ring and ethernet) be together, but

add_tokering_isa
add_ethernet_isa
add_tty

will cause the selection for adding tty to be inserted in between the two ISA adapters selections.

move_device type Indicates that the unique device type can be moved to another location via the WebSM Device Application's Move action
list_parent Indicates that the unique device type has a special method to obtain the list of parent devices that it can be connected to. The method must be listed in the list_cmd field.
show_apply_option Indicates that a selection will appear on the device properties panel, to allow the user to apply change(s) to devices' properties immediately, or defer the change(s) until the next System Restart.
Operation Value Identifies the value associated with the Operation field. For WebSM Device Application, when the operation is 'assign_icon', the value in operation_value will be the name of the icon associated with the unique device type. The icon name is the first extension of the icon file name under /usr/websm/codebase/images directory.

When the operation is 'add_<device>', the operation_value field may contain the command used to make the device, if the 'mkdev' command cannot be used. However, WebSM Device Application will invoke the command stored in this field with the same arguments normally passed to the 'mkdev' command.

Description Identifies the attribute's description. WebSM Device Application expects this field to be of the following format: message file,set id,msg id,default text
List Cmd Identifies the command to issue to override the attribute's current value, except when operation field is set, then it will be the command to issue to return information associated with the operation. For example:

In the case of 'add_tty' operation, the list_cmd field contains the following value:

lsdev -P -c tty -s rs232 -Fdescription

The string returned from executing this command will be put on the WebSM device selection panel.

List Values Cmd Identifies the command to issue in order to obtain the possible values of an attribute. The values returned will override the values field in the Predefined Attribute object class.
Change Cmd Commands used to change the attribute value if'chdev' cannot be used.

NOTE: When commands (stored in <field>_cmd) are executed to obtain information for an attribute, WebSM Device Application will always pass the device name as an argument to the command. Therefore, it is essential that the command stored in these <field>_cmd, handle this fact. Otherwise, a script can be stored in thesefields in the following manner:

list_cmd = "x()\n\
{\n\
<run some command>\n\
}\n\
x "

In the case of the change_cmd field, WebSM Device Application will also pass in the attribute=value pair after the first argument.

Help Help text associated with the attribute. This could be of the form: 
message file,set id,msg id,default text

OR

a numeric string equal to a SMIT identifier tag.
Nls Values Identifies the text associated with the attribute's values. These values will be displayed in place of the values stored in the Predefined Attribute object class. This field should be of the form: 
message file,set id,msg id,default text

The ordering of values should match the ordering in the Predefined Attribute values field.

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