Using Packager and Installer for Linux and UNIX › Files, Directories, and Symbolic Links in PIF Products

Files, Directories, and Symbolic Links in PIF Products

A PIF product contains files, directories, and symbolic links. Normally, all these items are installed relative to the product installation path. To install them at a specific location on the target computer, specify their fully qualified destination path names.

The Packager and Installer support the following file types:

Standard file

Standard files are unchangeable product files that are mandatory installed on the target computer. The Installer checks standard files for consistency. In case of reinstall, standard files are replaced during reinstallation.

Configuration file

In configuration files, all settings are preserved, that is, configuration files are not updated during an update installation. The file size of configuration files changes often and does not reflect the product consistency. Therefore, the PIF product consistency check ignores changed configuration files. Adding new parameters to a configuration file must be done inside a pre- or post-install script. Configuration files are removed when the complete PIF product is removed, unless removal is suppressed by the lsm option -R or the internal parameter PIF_RETAIN_CONFIGURATION. In case of reinstall, configuration files are not modified by the Installer.

Temporary file

Temporary files are copied to the target computer at the time of the product installation, and are removed from the target computer when the product installation has finished. In case of reinstall, the Installer does not check temporary files.

Permanent file

A permanent file is not deleted from the system if a software product is removed. It remains on the system after the product removal. If the permanent file exists before the product installation and the modification date of the existing file is newer than the file that is shipped with the product, the permanent file remains unchanged on the system.

Directories (#dir) and symbolic links (#slink) are assigned to users and groups. These users and groups must exist prior to the product installation.

All directories of a path must have their own entry in the PIF product; for example, /usr/local/bin/ requires three entries in the product for the following directories: /usr, /usr/local, and /usr/local/bin.