HP OpenVMS systems documentation

The option statement conditionally processes a group of statements based on the user's response to a question. The option and end option statements form an option group.

Statement Syntax

; [ PDL-statements ]

end option

;

Function Syntax

Parameter

name

Indicates, as a quoted or unquoted string, the name of the associated PTF text module. This text module contains the text of a question that will be displayed to the user. The name you specify can be from 1 to 31 characters and must be unique among all text modules in the PDF; that is, two PDL statements cannot refer to the same text module.

Options

default value

Indicates the default value for the option. The value must be either 1 (true), 0 (false), yes, no, true, or false; the default is 1 (true).

If you specify an option statement with the default value 0, and the option group contains other option statements, any defaults for the enclosed option statements apply only when the top-level option statement is selected.

with helptext

Forces the display of the full help text module during the installation or configuration of the product. See Section 7.1 for usage constraints.

PDL-statements

Any product description language statement or a group of statements described in this reference section can be used, except the product and end product statements.

Required Terminator

Description

Statement

The option statement conditionally processes a group of statements based on the user's response to a question. The user is prompted to choose options during the configuration phase of an operation. If the user accepts an option, the utility executes the statements contained in the option group. If the user declines the option, the utility skips these statements.

You can nest option groups. The user must process and select an option group containing other option statements before any inner option statements are processed. That is, if the user declines an option, any option groups contained within it are also treated as being declined.

When an option is processed, the utility displays the prompt text line from the specified module in the PTF and waits for a response. The response can be Yes, No, or Return to accept the default answer.

Default answers come from one of three places:

• A product configuration file (PCF), if one is supplied with the /CONFIGURATION=INPUT=pcf-name qualifier on the command line of a PRODUCT INSTALL, PRODUCT CONFIGURE, or PRODUCT RECONFIGURE command.
• The product database (PDB) for an upgrade of a previously installed product where the PDB contains the answers from the previous installation.
• The product description file (PDF) from the product kit.

If an input PCF is used and it contains an answer for an option, that answer is the default. Depending on the entry in the PCF, the user may or may not be allowed to change the default value.

If no input PCF is supplied, or if the input PCF does not contain an answer for an option, the default answer is obtained from either the PDB or the PDF. If the PDB does not contain information about the product (for example, this is a new installation), or a product specific PDB entry exists but does not contain the option (a new option), then the default comes from the PDF. Default answers that come from either the PDB or PDF may be changed by the user.

In addition to the prompt text line, the utility displays help text (if present in the PTF), when the user specifies the /HELP qualifier on the command line, or the option statement contains the with helptext option.

You must supply prompt text for the option statement in the PTF using the =prompt directive. Help text is optional. If provided, it must immediately follow the prompt text line.

You cannot use the option statement in a patch, mandatory update, partial, or transition PDF. It is valid only in a full, platform, or operating system PDF.

Function

The user is prompted to choose options during the configuration phase of the operation. If the user selects an option, the option function returns true. If the user declines the option, the option function returns false.

Examples

option NET ; 
    file [SYSEXE]NETSERVER.COM ; 
    file [SYSEXE]NETSERVER.EXE ; 
    file [SYSHLP]NCPHELP.HLB ; 
    option NET_A default 0 ; 
        file [SYSEXE]FAL.COM ; 
        file [SYSEXE]FAL.EXE ; 
    end option ; 
    option NET_B ; 
        file [SYSEXE]REMACP.EXE ; 
        file [SYSMGR]RTTLOAD.COM ; 
        file [SYS$LDR]CTDRIVER.EXE ; 
        file [SYS$LDR]RTTDRIVER.EXE ; 
    end option ; 
end option ; 
      

If the product description file contains the previous lines, the product text file contains the corresponding text:

1 NET =prompt network support This option allows you to participate in a DECnet network. 1 NET_A =prompt incoming remote file access This option allows file access from other nodes in a DECnet network. 1 NET_B =prompt incoming remote terminal access This option allows users on other nodes in a DECnet network to log in.

The user must select option NET before NET_A or NET_B are available for selection. Therefore, NET is processed before NET_A or NET_B.

if (<option A>) ; 
    file [SYSEXE]A.EXE ; 
else ;  
    file [SYSEXE]B.EXE ; 
end if ; 
 
 
 
      

The product text file contains the corresponding text:

1 A =prompt the X capability This feature provides the A capability, but you will not get the B capability.

In this example, if the user selected the A option, the utility provides the file [SYSEXE]A.EXE. Otherwise, the utility provides the file [SYSEXE]B.EXE.

The part statement displays a message from the specified text module in the PTF about a group of statements during the configuration phase of an installation, configuration, or reconfiguration operation. The part and end part statements form a part group.

Syntax

[ PDL-statements ]

end part ;

Parameter

name

Indicates, as a quoted or unquoted string, the name of the associated PTF text module. The name you specify can be from 1 to 31 characters in length and must be unique among all names in the same product description.

Option

PDL-statements

Any product description language statement or a group of statements described in this reference section, except the product and end product statements.

Required Terminator

Description

The part statement displays a message from the specified text module in the PTF about a group of statements during the configuration phase of an installation, configuration, or reconfiguration operation. You can nest part groups, which are processed in lexical order.

Although the syntax of the part group and the option group is similar, their purpose is quite different. The part group simply displays a message and does not affect the processing of PDL statements contained within the group. In contrast, the option group prompts the user to accept or decline the option, causing the PDL statements that make up the option to be processed or ignored.

By default, the prompt text string is displayed without help text. However, help text is displayed after the prompt text when the user specifies the /HELP qualifier on the command line.

You must supply prompt text for the part statement in the PTF using the =prompt directive. Help text is optional. If provided, it must immediately follow the prompt text line.

Example

Suppose the product description file contains the following lines:

part CSWS ; 
    software HP AXPVMS CSWS 
        version required V1.0 component ; 
    software HP AXPVMS MOD_JSERV 
        version required V1.0 component ; 
    software HP AXPVMS MOD_PERL 
        version required V1.0 component ; 
end part; 
      

The product text file contains the corresponding text:

1 CSWS 
=prompt HP Secure Web Server 
This platform provides the following products: 
* HP Secure Web Server software (Based on Apache) 
* MOD_JSERV software 
* MOD_PERL software 
      

This example shows how to use the part statement to display a message about the required software products that this platform provides.

The patch image statement updates an executable image using PATCH commands.

Note Starting with OpenVMS Version 7.3, the patch image statement is obsolete. To support existing product kits that may have used this statement, the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility continues to process this statement in a backward-compatible manner. However, we recommend that you not use the patch image statement in new or revised product kits. Instead of patching an image file, provide a replacement image file with a file statement. Documentation of the patch image statement may be discontinued in a future release of this manual.

Syntax

Parameters

name

Indicates the relative file specification of the executable image you want to update.

with source

Indicates the file specification of the file containing the update commands. The file must contain OpenVMS VAX Image File Patch Utility (PATCH) commands.

Description

The patch image statement updates an executable image using PATCH commands. Use this statement when it is inconvenient to provide a new image.

You must supply the file containing the update commands as part of the product material.

The patch image statement specifies a managed object that has the following characteristics:

• Its name is the same as the name parameter of the product group in which the statement is lexically contained; it is a multicomponent name qualified by the relative file specification of the file that is being updated. It must be unique with respect to all managed objects in all scopes.
• It has assembly lifetime, and its scope is the same as that of the file being updated.
• Managed object conflict is unrecoverable.

Example

patch image [SYS$LDR]SYS.EXE with [SYSUPD]VERSION_PATCH.PAT ; 
      

This statement provides a file, [SYSUPD]VERSION_PATCH.PAT, to patch the image [SYS$LDR]SYS.EXE.

The patch text statement updates a text file using SUMSLP commands.

Note Starting with OpenVMS Version 7.3, the patch text statement is obsolete. To support existing product kits that may have used this statement, the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility continues to process this statement in a backward-compatible manner. However, HP recommends that you do not use the patch text statement in new or revised product kits. If possible, provide a replacement file with a file statement. If this is not practical, and you must edit an existing file, consider using a file statement with the assemble execute and assemble uses options to run a command procedure that places a copy of the previously installed file in the PCSI$DESTINATION scratch directory and performs the editing function there. Documentation of the patch text statement may be discontinued in a future release of this manual.

Syntax

Parameters

name

Indicates the relative file specification of the text file you want to update.

with source

Indicates the file specification of the file containing the update commands (as a single quoted or unquoted string). The file must contain SUMSLP commands for use by the EDIT/SUM editor.

Description

The patch text statement updates a text file using SUMSLP commands. Use this statement when it is inconvenient to provide a new file.

You must supply the file containing the update commands as part of the product material. You must also supply the file that you want to update, but this file is not propagated to the product kit. The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility uses it to calculate the input and output checksum values.

The patch text statement creates a temporary directory, identified by the logical name PCSI$SCRATCH, to compute a checksum value. The PCSI$SCRATCH directory is created as a subdirectory of SYS$SCRATCH.

The patch text statement specifies a managed object that has the following characteristics:

• Its name is the same as the name parameter of the product group in which the statement is lexically contained; it is a multicomponent name qualified by the relative file specification of the file that is being updated. It must be unique with respect to all managed objects in all scopes.
• It has assembly lifetime, and its scope is the same as that of the file being updated.
• Managed object conflict is unrecoverable.

Example

patch text [SYSUPD]VMSINSTAL.COM with [SYSUPD]VMSINSTAL.SLP ; 
      

This statement provides a file, [SYSUPD]VMSINSTAL.SLP, to patch the text file [SYSUPD]VMSINSTAL.COM.

The process parameter statement displays a message to users about process parameter requirements.

Note The utility does not adjust process parameters.

Syntax

Parameter

name

Indicates the process parameter name. The name you specify must be valid on the system where the product executes.

Options

consume value

Indicates that the process parameter must be increased by the specified value. Use this option when the product consumes a resource that is controlled by the process parameter. The value must be a single unquoted string that specifies an unsigned integer value. You cannot use this option with either the maximum, minimum, or require option.

maximum value

Indicates that the process parameter must have a value less than or equal to the specified value. The value must be a single unquoted string that specifies an integer value.

minimum value

Indicates that the process parameter must have a value greater than or equal to the specified value. The value must be a single unquoted string that specifies an integer value.

require value

Indicates that the process parameter must have the specified value. The value must be a single string that specifies a value of the parameter's type. This option is valid for any parameter data type. You cannot use this option with either the maximum, minimum, or consume option.

Description

The process parameter statement displays a message to users after the installation about process parameter requirements. Note that the utility does not adjust process parameters.

Example

process parameter ASTLM minimum 6; 
process parameter BYTLM require 32768; 
process parameter PRCLM consume 2; 
process parameter FILLM maximum 40; 
      

These statements display a message to users that a process that executes the product must have the following process parameters:

ASTLM greater than or equal to 6
BYTLM set to 32768
PRCLM increased by 2
FILLM less than or equal to 40

The process privilege statement displays a message to users about process privilege requirements.

Note The utility does not adjust process privileges.

Syntax

Parameter

name

Indicates the process privilege names as a list. The privileges you specify must be valid on the system where the product executes.

Description

The process privilege statement displays a message to users after the installation about process privilege requirements. The utility does not adjust process privileges.

Example

process privilege (group, oper, tmpmbx, sysnam) ; 
      

The statement in this example displays a message to the user that processes using the product must have the GROUP, OPER, TMPMBX, and SYSNAM privileges.

The product statement specifies product identification and other descriptive information about the product. The product and end product statements form a product group.

Syntax

[ PDL-statements ]

end product ;

Parameters

producer

Indicates the legal owner of the software product. This parameter must be a single quoted or unquoted string.

base

Indicates the base hardware and operating system combination on which the product is intended to be installed. This parameter must be a single quoted or unquoted string. By convention, the string AXPVMS denotes an OpenVMS Alpha product, VAXVMS denotes an OpenVMS VAX product, and VMS denotes a product applicable for either OpenVMS Alpha or VAX.

Although any base system name can be used when you package a product, HP recommends that you use the names AXPVMS, VAXVMS, and VMS when developing products for use on OpenVMS.

name

Indicates the name of the product. This parameter must be a single quoted or unquoted string. The combination of producer, base, and name parameters must be unique among products installed on the system.

version

Indicates the version of the product. This parameter must be a single quoted or unquoted string.

kittype

Indicates the kit type of the product through use of one of the following keywords or keyword phrases:

• full. A complete description of a layered product (application software) that can be used to install or upgrade the product.
• operating system. A complete description of an operating system that can be used to install or upgrade the product. Only one product or operating system type can be installed on the system.
• partial. A partial (incomplete) description of a product that can be used only to upgrade an existing version of the same product. Installation of a partial kit changes the version number of the product and can upgrade a product of type full, operating system, or platform. A partial kit must contain an upgrade statement and have the same producer-base-name identification string as the product it upgrades.
• patch. A partial (incomplete) description of a product that can be used only to update an existing version of a product. Installation of a patch kit does not change the version number of the product and can update a product type: full, operating system, or platform. A patch kit must contain an apply to statement and have a different producer-base-name identification string than the product it updates.
• platform. A complete description of a suite of products that can be used to install or upgrade the entire set of products.
• transition. A complete or incomplete description of a product that was installed on the system by another installation method, such as VMSINSTAL. A transition kit is used only to register a previously installed product; it does not contain any product material. Registration using a transition kit defines the name of a product and its managed objects in the POLYCENTER Software Installation product database. After a product is registered, the utility can use this information to satisfy software dependency requirements that other products may have on the availability of this product.
  The keyword transition used alone denotes a layered product; the keyword phrase transition operating system denotes an operating system.
• mandatory update. This is functionally identical to a patch kit. Its type implies that the patch must be applied to the product it updates.

See Section 3.5 for a more detailed description of kit types and example PDFs.

Option

PDL-statements

Any product description language statement or a group of statements described in this reference section, except the product and end product statements.

Required Terminator

Description

The product statement specifies product identification and other descriptive information about the product. The product and end product statements form the product group. A product description file consists of a product group and any other PDL statements that this group might enclose.

The product statement is a utility directive and does not specify a managed object.

Examples

product HP VAXVMS FMS V2.4 full ; 
    file [sysmsg]fdvshr.exe image library ; 
    file [sysmsg]fmsmsg.exe ; 
    file [sysexe]fmsfed.exe ; 
    file [sysexe]fmsfaa.exe ; 
    file [sysexe]fmsfte.exe ; 
    directory [systest.fms] ; 
    file [systest.fms]ivp.exe ; 
    file [systest.fms]samp.flb ; 
end product ; 
      

The product statement in this example identifies the product as FMS version 2.4 that is intended to be installed on an OpenVMS VAX system.

product HP AXPVMS INTERNET_PRODUCTS V1.1 platform ; 
   .
   .
   .
end product ; 
      

The product statement in this example identifies INTERNET_PRODUCTS Version 1.1 as a suite of products (that is, a platform) for installation on an OpenVMS Alpha system.