Software Packager for Linux and UNIX › Main Features of the Packager and Installer for UNIX and Linux

Main Features of the Packager and Installer for UNIX and Linux

The following is an extract of the most relevant features provided by the Packager and Installer for Linux and UNIX products:

• The Packager is designed as a workbench where you can easily access packages and their components with a single click.
• The Packager provides standard templates for prototype files and installation dialogs that you can use as a framework to build your individual PIF package or installation dialogs.
• The Packager lets you create self-installing PIF packages, which include the Installer, so that no installation tool is required on the target computer.
• The Packager lets you create PIF packages that may be installed by a nominated non-root user (non privileged installation).
• The Packager lets you create patch packages so that there is a way to fix applications without republishing or distributing the entire package. Changes are reversed if the patch installation is rolled back. Updating or removing a product removes all installed patches for that package.
• The Packager contains an installation dialog editor that provides you with a work surface, a toolbox, and drag-and-drop features to design the layout of installation dialogs. A Test dialog function lets you preview the installation dialog being created.
• The Installer installs PIF packages on a target computer, unattended or dialog-driven. The Installer also provides features to install UNIX and Linux products in packaging formats other than PIF, for example, PKG and RPM formats, and to manage any installed UNIX or Linux product on the target computer.
• The Installer presents installation dialogs in graphical mode when the target computer has Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.4 installed; otherwise installation dialogs are in the character-oriented VT100 mode.
• The Installer provides a way to switch the language of installation dialogs, by selecting the desired language from a combo box. The installer then immediately switches the dialogs to the new language.
• The Installer can perform unattended package installations that are controlled by parameters. In this case, you must provide the actual parameter values through separate response files in the PIF package.
• The Installer automatically resolves all dependencies defined in the PIF package and its components, if needed over several layers. The Installer ensures that all dependent products are installed on the target computer before the PIF package is installed.
• When a PIF package is being removed, the Installer automatically tries to remove all packages the PIF package was dependent on, if these packages are currently not required by other PIF packages. The Installer examines several layers if needed, but checks and removes only those packages that were delivered with the PIF package.
• The Installer manages shared files. Changed package files (for example, configuration files) are left unchanged after a package update installation.
• It is often necessary to keep a package version multiple times (multiple instances) on the target computer. PIF packages can be enabled for multiple installations through a package property. At installation time, the Installer creates individual names for each new instance of the main package. You can update and remove specific instances of the same package version.
• Within a PIF package you can specify alias names of other PIF or RPM packages (virtual packages), whose functionality or services are covered by this PIF package. The alias names can include, for example, the previous name of this package, if it has been renamed recently, or the names of packages that were merged in this PIF package. During installation, the dependency check evaluates the list of alias names and resolves dependencies to these packages.