Software Distributor Administrator Guide (September 2010)

11 Using Control Scripts
This chapter discusses how to use control scripts.
Table 11-1 Chapter Topics
Topics:
“Types of Control Scripts ” (page 270)
“Using Environment Variables ” (page 277)
“Execution of Control Scripts ” (page 281)
“Execution of Other Commands by Control Scripts ” (page 288)
“Control Script Input and Output” (page 289)
“File Management by Control Scripts ” (page 291)
“Testing Control Scripts ” (page 291)
“Requesting User Responses (swask)” (page 295)
11.1 Introduction to Control Scripts
SD-UX supports execution of both product and fileset control scripts. These shell scripts
allow you to perform additional, customized checks and operations as part your regular
software management tasks. The swinstall, swconfig, swverify, swask, and
swremove commands can execute one or more of these scripts. Control scripts are
usually supplied by software vendors, but you can write your own. All control scripts
are optional.
Product level control scripts are run when any fileset within that product is selected for
installation, configuration, verification, or removal so the activities in product control
scripts must pertain to all filesets in that product, but not to any fileset in particular.
Actions you want to apply to every fileset in a product should be in the appropriate
product level control script.
Fileset scripts must pertain only to the installation, configuration, or removal of that
fileset, and not to any other fileset or to a parent product.
Control scripts can perform a wide variety of customization and configuration tasks,
such as (but not limited to):
• Verifying if someone is actively using the product and, if so, preventing
reinstallation, update or removal.
• Ensuring the local host system is compatible with the software (scripts can check
beyond the compatibility enforced by the product’s uname attributes).
• Removing obsolete files or previously installed versions of the product.
11.1 Introduction to Control Scripts 269