Packager Scripting Language › Scripts in the Packager Environment

Scripts in the Packager Environment

Scripts are files containing instructions for modifying text files and used by the Packager for adapting ASCII files for target computers. Parameters can be used as variables in the scripts for target computer-specific values. The software management installer replaces these parameters with the target computer-specific values before applying the script to an ASCII file.

In an SXP product, you can specify scripts in the following archive files:

• original.sxp

  A product installed on the target computer using the original setup contains a response file that contains data required for the unattended installation of the product. A script is used to adapt the response file for the specific target computer. For example, the script sets the installation path of the product in the response file to a value appropriate for this target computer.

  You specify the script in the #ScriptFiles# section of the original.sxp archive file; the response file used by the script must be specified in the #ResponseFiles# section.

• ascnnnn.sxp

  In this archive file you specify a script that should be applied to the text file specified in the #info#section when the product is installed. Accordingly, a s ipt can be specified for uninstallation. The text file can be a file included with the product, but can also be a file that already exists on the target computer. Consequently, scripts can also be used to modify files that already exist on the target computer and thus to prepare the target computer for the installation of a product.

A script can be contained in a product and distributed with the product. It is also possible to not link the scripts directly to a product but, for example, make them available on a shared resource. The advantage of this is that scripts can be changed independently of the product. The disadvantage, however, is that it may be not possible to make the scripts available on the shared resource using software management mechanisms.

If the scripts have to be provided independent of the product data, they must be placed in a directory that is common to all products on the target computer. This directory can be configured in the #Directories# section of the sxpengnn.ini file. The path of a script must then be specified in the original.sxp and ascnnnn.sxp archive files using the SxpScriptDir parameter.