solpatch(1) — USER COMMANDS

NAME

solpatch − install, list, remove patch packages

SYNOPSIS

solpatch [ −d spool_dir ] [ −l patch_logfile ]

DESCRIPTION

solpatch allows for the installation, listing, and/or removal of patch packages.

The Solbourne Patch Management System utilizes the SunOS/SVR4 packaging application software utilities. The System V ABI specifies a new model for the distribution format of applications. This model is called software packages, and is supported by tools and utilities to create releasable distribution media. Software that is packaged using the ABI formats is guaranteed to install correctly, easily, and in a similar fashion on all ABI-compliant systems.

Solpatch interfaces with the package utilities pkgadd, pkgrm, pkginfo, and pkgparam.

Solpatch must be run as the super-user.

OPTIONS

−d patch_spooldir

This is the directory where the patch packages reside prior to installation. These patch packages may have been obtained via anonymous ftp from solbourne.com, via email from SOLIS (Solbourne On-Line Information System) at solis@solbourne.com, or via tape from the Solbourne Technical Services group. Each patch package consists of a directory containing the actual package information files and package objects. The default patch spool directory area is /var/spool/pkg. The patch spool directory area can also be defined by setting the PATCH_SPOOLDIR environment variable.

−l patch_logfile

This is the file specification of where the actions performed by solpatch are logged. The default solpatch logfile is /var/adm/patch_logfile. The solpatch logfile can also be defined by setting the PATCH_LOGFILE environment variable.

USAGE

The root account from which the solpatch utility is invoked should contain the following directories in the PATH environment variable to locate the solpatch utilities: /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, /usr/sadm/install/bin

The Main Menu

Solpatch presents a main menu entitled Solbourne Patch Management System after performing initialization and pre-processing steps. From the main menu you can select to install patch package(s), list currently installed patch package(s), or remove installed patch package(s).

Help is available from all menu option screens by pressing the ’h’ key.

Common Command Keys/Cursor Movement

Common screen manipulation functions available at the install, list, and remove screens are display next page (’n’ key), display previous page (’p’ key), scroll screen display up a line (’u’ key), and scroll screen display down a line (’d’ key).

The screen display can be captured to a user specified file from the solpatch install, list, and remove menus by entering ’c’ at the prompt line. All pages of a multi-screen display will be captured. Multiple invocations of the capture option will append to the specified file if it exists.

Help can be obtained by entering ’h’ at the prompt lines of the install, list, and remove menus.

An invalid option that is entered will cause the screen to beep.

Install option

Upon selecting the install patch package(s) option from the main solpatch menu, a list of patch packages available for installation is presented. Information items displayed on this screen include the patch id number (listed with sequence numbers along the left side of the screen), install toggle field, type of patch package (M for mandatory, O for optional), and a description of the patch package. The full README file associated with a patch package can be displayed by entering the patch sequence number followed by the letter ’h’.

By default, all patch packages with a type of "M" (mandatory) are presented with a install toggle field set to ’y’ and all patch packages with a type of "O" (optional) are presented with a toggle field set to ’n’. To toggle the install field for a patch package from ’y’ to ’n’ or from ’n’ to ’y’, simply enter the patch id sequence number at the prompt line.

During the pre-processing phase upon invocation of solpatch, a dependency check is performed on all patch packages currently installed and those available for installation in the patch spool directory. If an error is encountered during this phase the install toggle field will display a ’-’ for the patch package that encountered an error during the dependency check. Upon selection of this patch package, when attempting to toggle the install field from ’n’ to ’y’, an error window will be presented to the user informing of the patch packages on which this patch package depends, but were unable to be located as either installed or found in the patch spool directory. This patch package will not be allowed to be installed until the dependency errors are corrected. This will usually involve obtaining the missing patch package(s) via one of the methods mentioned above.

For patch packages that have special installation instructions associated with them, a special character such as ’∗’ will be displayed immediately to the right of the Type field. Special instructions regarding this patch package will be displayed to the user upon selection of this patch package.

If a patch package is selected for installation, all patch packages which the selected patch package depend upon are automatically also selected for installation and the install toggle field set to ’y’. Conversely, if a patch package is selected to toggle the install field from ’y’ to ’n’, all patch packages which depend on the patch package will also have their install fields set to ’n’.

When the user selects the ’i’ (install) option, all patch packages which have the install toggle field set to ’y’ will be installed. As installation is occurring, status information will be displayed upon the screen and also logged to the patch logfile. Upon completion of installation, the user will be prompted to press a key and will then be returned to the solpatch main menu.

List option

Upon selecting the list patch package(s) option from the solpatch main menu, a list of patch package(s) currently installed on the system will be displayed. Information items displayed on this screen include the patch id number, type of patch package (M for mandatory, O for optional), and a description of the patch package. The full README file associated with a patch package can be displayed by entering the patch sequence number followed by the letter ’h’.

Remove option

Upon selecting the remove patch package(s) option from the main solpatch menu, a list of patch packages currently installed on the system are displayed. Information items displayed on this screen include the patch id number (listed with sequence numbers along the left side of the screen), remove toggle field, type of patch package (M for mandatory, O for optional), and a description of the patch package. The full README file associated with a patch package can be displayed by entering the patch sequence number followed by the letter ’h’.

By default, all patch packages are presented with a remove toggle field set to ’n’. To toggle the remove field for a patch package from ’n’ to ’y’ or from ’y’ to ’n’, simply enter the patch id sequence number at the prompt line.

For patch packages that have special removal instructions associated with them, a special character such as ’∗’ will be displayed immediately to the right of the Type field. Special instructions regarding this patch package will be displayed to the user upon selection of this patch package.

If a patch package is selected for removal, all patch packages which the selected patch package depend upon are automatically also selected for removal and the remove toggle field set to ’y’. Conversely, if a patch package is selected to toggle the remove field from ’y’ to ’n’, all patch packages which depend on the patch package will also have their remove fields set to ’n’.

When the user selects the ’r’ (remove) option, all patch packages which have the remove toggle field set to ’y’ will be removed. As removal of patches is occurring, status information will be displayed upon the screen and also logged to the patch logfile. Upon completion of the removal process, the user will be prompted to press a key and will then be returned to the solpatch main menu.

FILES

pkginfo package characteristics file

pkgmap package contents description file

/var/adm/patch_logfile
default solpatch log file

/usr/bin/pkginfo display software package information

/usr/bin/pkgparam displays package parameter values

/usr/sbin/pkgadd transfer software package to the system

/usr/sbin/pkgchk check accuracy of installation

/usr/sbin/pkgrm removes a package from the system

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

PAGER Solpatch checks the environment variable PAGER to determine what pager to use to display help and README files. If no PAGER is specified, ’more’ will be used.

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