Software Installation Administrator's Guide

Chapter 9
Inst Command Reference

This chapter provides a description of the commands listed on the primary menus of the Inst application. It describes commands that are not covered in other parts of this guide, including hidden commands, and provides expanded discussions of command features. Commands on each menu are presented in alphabetical order.

This chapter contains these sections:

"Main Menu Commands"

"View Menu Commands"

"Administrative Menu Commands"

"Interrupt Menu Commands"

Main Menu Commands

The list below describes all commands (including hidden commands) that appear on the Inst Main menu.

admin: Use the admin command to display the Administrative Commands Menu. This provides a variety of functions that are not needed for most installations.
conflicts: Use the conflicts command with no arguments to display the list of conflicts that Inst has detected in your installation selections. Conflicts occur if you select incompatible software for installation, if you omit required selections, or if you omit subsystems that are prerequisites to other selected subsystems.; If a conflict occurs, the go command is not processed; an error message is posted that includes a list of suggested resolutions. Use the conflicts command to specify your choice of conflict resolutions in the conflicts message:; Inst uses conflict choices to modify your original selections and complete the installation. If you prefer, you can modify your selections with install, remove, and keep commands instead of accepting the suggested conflict resolutions.
from: Use the from command to specify the location of the software distribution that you wish to install. Your specification can include a single product in the distribution. The syntax of the argument to the from command is explained in "Alternative Ways to Specify a Distribution".; The from command causes four events:; If the distribution is on a remote server, Inst must have access to the IP address of the server. If the server address is not listed in the target's /etc/hosts file (/etc/hosts or /root/etc/hosts), Inst prompts you for the address.; When Inst is invoked, it displays a message about the default location of the software distribution. If this location is correct, it is not necessary to issue the from command.
go: Use the go command to start the installation and removal of files that you selected with install, remove, and keep commands. Before the installation begins, Inst does several checks to verify that your selections are valid. If any check fails, no installations or removals are performed and an error message is displayed.
help: Use the help command to display information on a given topic:; The topic can be almost any word that appears on a menu, letters that appear in the output of list and step, and the special vocabulary of the Inst application.; If you are unfamiliar with Inst or feel confused, start with help help.; If help output is more than one screenful, a more? prompt appears after one screenful. Press the space bar when you are ready to display more output.; A complete list of topic arguments to help is shown in Table 9-1.
install: Use the install command to select products or product components for installation. The install command queues your request; the installation occurs only after you use the go command. Until you issue the go command, you can change your selections as you wish. Use the keep command to undo an install request.
keep: Use the keep command to select products or product components that should be kept as is on the target. Also use the keep command to undo other requests - keep cancels any pending install or remove selections. The existing versions on the target, if any, remain undisturbed.
list: Use the list command to show the products or product components that are in the currently available distribution. By default, list displays at the subsystem level. See "Interpreting list Output" for a description of the output. Also see "Using the View Commands Menu" for information on controlling list output.
quit: Use quit to exit Inst.; If you made installation or removal selections that were not processed by the go command, Inst reminds you of pending selections and asks you to confirm the quit. If you type yes, the selections are discarded. If you type no, you return to the current menu. You can use list to identify pending selections and go to install or remove them.; Usually, auxiliary commands are executed automatically after you use quit. If you are installing software that requires a system reboot, you will be asked if you are ready to restart the system. If you answer no, the Inst session resumes. If you answer yes, the system reboots and resumes operation using the new software.
remove: Use the remove command to select installed products or product components that you wish to remove from the target. The removal does not occur until you enter the go command. Until then, you can change your selections for any or all subsystems. To undo a remove request, use the keep command.; Inst automatically removes old versions of software when it installs a upgrade to the software, so it is not necessary to remove old versions explicitly. Typically, software is removed when it is no longer needed or when the target system is short of disk space.
set: Use the set command with no arguments to display a list of preferences that allow you to tailor Inst operation. To change a preference, use set with the preference and its value as arguments:; For a list of preferences, see "The Preferences List".
sh: Use sh with no arguments to invoke an IRIX shell. Use sh with an IRIX command as its argument to execute the IRIX command. This command displays the contents of the /usr/tmp directory on the target:; See "Escaping to the Shell" for additional information.
shroot: Use shroot with no arguments to invoke an IRIX shell that executes commands relative to a new root (see the chroot(1M) reference page). Use shroot with an IRIX command as an argument; the command is executed relative to the new root. This command displays the contents of /root/usr/tmp:; See "Escaping to the Shell" for additional information.
step: Use the step command to display and select individual products or product components. The step command takes keyword arguments. It also takes the name of a product, image, or subsystem as an argument. See "Using step to Make Selections" for additional information on step.; When you use step, Inst reads single keystrokes. The key that you press as each item is displayed determines the action that is taken.; Table 9-2 describes the effects of keystrokes during step operations. The items in this table assume that the viewing level is subsystem (see "Using the View Commands Menu" for information on setting viewing levels).
view: Use the view command without arguments to display the View menu. Use the view command with arguments (View menu items) to control the output of the list and step commands. (See "Using the View Commands Menu" for more information on view features.); By default, list and step display all software in the distribution at the subsystem level; subsystems are sorted alphabetically by shortname. You can use view to change these defaults. For example, these commands set the view to the target and reset it to the distribution:; These commands specify the viewing level:; These commands change the sorting index to size and filter out downgraded distribution items from displayed lists:; Also use view commands with the set command to set Inst preferences (see "A Closer Look at Preferences" for details).

**Table 9-1 :** Help Topics
*	devices	main	same
.N	dir	maintenance	save
.O	dist	miniroot	selection
?	distribution	mkfs	set
A	files	more	sethostipaddr
D	filter	mount	sethostname
I	from	names	sh
L	fsname	networkerror	shroot
N	go	new	source
O	hardware	nfs	space
S	help	older	spaceerror
T	i	options	step
U	image	overview	subsystem
admin	incompatible	preferences	targ
all	inst	prerequisite	target
args	install	product	timeouterror
b	installable	quit	umount
base	installed	r	uninstalled
beginner	k	readerror	unmount
check	keep	recalculate	upgrade
config	kernelerror	removable	view
conflicts	keywords	remove	wildcard
d	list	request
date	load	required
default	lverror	return

**Table 9-2 :** Keys Used in *step* Mode
Key	Action
`d`	Select this subsystem for installation if marked with d
`f`	List the files in this subsystem
h	Display help for the step feature
`i`	Select this subsystem for installation
j	Retain the current request and display the next subsystem
`k`	Keep the current version and/or cancel the current request
`l`	List all previous subsystems
`n`	Retain the current request
`p`	Retain the current request and display the previous subsystem
`q`	Quit step mode
`r`	Select this subsystem for removal
u	(Same as `i`)
D	Select the remaining subsystems in this product for installation if marked with d
I	Select the remaining subsystems in this product for installation
J	Retain the current request for all subsystems in this product and display the first subsystem in the next product
K	Keep the current version and/or cancel the current request for the remaining subsystems in this product
N	(Same as `J`)
P	Retain the current request and display the first subsystem of the previous product
R	Select the remaining subsystems in this product for removal
U	(Same as `I`)
<Enter>	(Same as `j or n`)
`+`	(Same as `j, n`, or `<Enter>`)
	(Same as `p`)
/pattern<Enter>	Search for pattern specified after the slash
<right-arrow>	(Same as `i` or `u`)
<left-arrow>	(Same as `k`)
<down-arrow>	(Same as `n`, `j`, `+`, or `<Enter>`)
<up-arrow>	(Same as `p` or `-`)
<Shift-right-arrow>	(Same as D)
<Shift-left-arrow>	(Same as K)
<Shift-down-arrow>	(Same as J or N)
<Shift-up-arrow>	(Same as P)

View Menu Commands

dist: Use the dist command to set the view to the distribution. When the view is set to dist, the list and step commands display software in the distribution inventory. See also the targ command description in this section.
filter: Use the filter command with no arguments to display the list of filters that can be used to modify the output of list and step commands. This form of the command also shows the current settings for the filters (on or off). By default, all filters are off.; Use the filter command with one of these arguments to modify the output of list and step commands:; For example, this command causes new products to be omitted from list and step displays:
help: Use the help command to display Inst online help. Help is available on all topics listed in Table 9-1.
level: Use the level command with no arguments to display the current level of the software hierarchy (see Figure 1-1) that is shown in list and step displays. By default, software is displayed at the subsystem level. Use the level command with one of these arguments to change the level of software shown in list and step displays.
return: Use the return command to return to the Main menu.
set: Use the set command to examine and change the settings of variables called preferences. If you provide no arguments, the current settings are displayed. If you provide the name and a value, the preference value is changed.; Most preference settings are saved in the installation history when you issue the quit command and are restored the next time that you invoke Inst. "The Preferences List" describes set preferences in detail.
show: Use the show command to display the current view settings.
sort: Use the sort command with no arguments to display the current sorting order of list and step displays. By default, software is sorted alphabetically by shortname, but you can use the sort command to change the sort order so that subsystems are shown in ascending order of size. After your entry, the new sort order is displayed:
targ: Use the targ command to set the view to target software. When the view is set to targ, the list and step commands display software that is either installed on the target or recorded in the installation history. See also the dist command description in this section.

Administrative Menu Commands

The list below describes all commands (including hidden commands) that appear on the Administrative Commands menu.

config: Use the config command to list the configuration files that are installed on the target. Configuration files are marked with an m in the first column if their size or checksum is different from the originally installed version. Use config changed to list the names of configuration files for which a corresponding .O (older) or .N (newer) version was created.; The .O version of a configuration file is the version of the file that was obsoleted by the software installation. The version without the .O suffix contains changes that are required for compatibility with the rest of the newly installed software, for increased functionality, or to correct bugs. Use diff(1) or gdiff(1) to compare the two versions of the files and transfer information that you recognize as machine- or site-specific from the .O version to the no-suffix version.; When a .N version of a configuration file is created, it is a new, recommended version of the file. It contains changes or new features that can be added to the no-suffix version of the file at your option. Use diff(1) or gdiff(1) to compare the two versions of the files and add the .N version changes to the no-suffix version if you want them.
date: Use the date command with no arguments to display the system date. Enter arguments described in date(1) to change the date.
files: Use the files command to list the names and other information about the files that make up a subsystem or group of subsystems. The other information includes any pending selection for the file (that is, install, remove, or keep); the installation state; the subsystem name; disk space delta; and file type. See "Displaying the Files in a Subsystem" for more information.
hardware: Use the hardware command to display information about the internal architecture and components of the target system.
help: Use the help command to display Inst online help. Help is available on all topics listed in Table 9-1.
load: Use the load command to open a file that was created with the save command to contain a custom selection of software. Also see the discussion of save.
mkfs: Use the mkfs command to create a new filesystem (replaces the clean command found in earlier versions of Inst). You can use mkfs in miniroot installations only.; If a disk is new or if the current contents of the disk or filesystem are to be completely removed (cleaned), you can use mkfs to make new, empty filesystems. By default, new filesystems are made on the root (/) and user (/usr) filesystems. Partition 0 of a system disk is assumed to be the root filesystem (/); partition 6 (if present) is assumed to be the /usr filesystem.; When you use mkfs, specify the name of the disk device to be used for the filesystem. For example, the following command; creates an empty filesystem on partition 6.; All existing files, including all directories, programs, configuration files, and data, are lost when a new filesystem is made. You will be warned if a filesystem is already on the named device, and prompted for a confirmation before any new filesystem is made.
mount: Use the mount command without arguments to display mounted filesystems. Use mount with arguments to change the default mounts or add new mount points that are unknown to Inst. The two arguments are the block device name and the mount point. The mount command with arguments can be used during miniroot installations only.
recalculate: Use the recalculate command to initiate a disk space calculation. The recalculate command identifies the current amount of free disk space, the size of each subsystem, and the amount of disk space that will be consumed if the subsystem is installed or freed if it is removed.; If the detailspacecheck preference is off, or if files were created or removed in another shell, use recalculate to resynchronize space information.
return: The return command returns control to the Main menu from the Administrative Commands menu. You can also use return to execute a Main menu command from the Administrative Commands menu, as shown in this example:
save: Use the save command to copy the current custom selections of software to a file that you can later open using the load command (also see the discussion of load).
set: Use the set command to examine and change the settings of variables called preferences. If you provide no arguments, the current settings are displayed. If you provide the name and a value, the preference value is changed.; Most preference settings are saved in the installation history when you issue the quit command, and are restored the next time that you invoke Inst. "The Preferences List" describes set preferences in detail.
sh: Use the sh command with no arguments to invoke an IRIX shell. Include a single IRIX command as an argument to execute the command immediately (see "Escaping to the Shell" for additional information).
shroot: Use the shroot command with no arguments to invoke a "chrooted" IRIX shell (see the chroot(1M) reference page). If you provide arguments, they are taken as a single IRIX command to be executed immediately.; The shroot command uses the chroot(2) system call to invoke the shell as if /root were its root directory; that is, /root becomes / for all references. Thus files can be referred to with their normal pathnames (see "Escaping to the Shell" for additional information).
space: Use the space command to display a disk space summary; the displayed summary is the same as the list command if the set preference delayspacecheck is off. If delayspacecheck is on, the space command forces the disk space calculation to be performed and displays the disk space summary.
sethostname: Use the sethostname command to the hostname of the target system; this command restarts networking using the new hostname. The sethostname command can be used in miniroot installations only.
sethostipaddr: Use the sethostipaddr command to set the IP address of the target system; this command restarts networking using the new IP address. The sethostipaddr command can be used in miniroot installations only.
umount: Use the umount command to unmount disks that Inst has mounted by default or that have been mounted with the mount command. The filesystem name remains in the Inst device table even after the filesystem is unmounted. In some cases, filesystems mounted under the specified filesystem must be unmounted first.

Interrupt Menu Commands

The list below describes all commands that appear on the Interrupt menu.

continue

Use continue to resume processing from the point at which Inst was interrupted.

help

Use the help command to display Inst online help. Help is available on all topics listed in Table 9-1.

retry

Appears only if Inst displays the Interrupt menu automatically, which happens if an error occurs during go processing (subsystems are being installed or removed). Use retry after you correct the error (reported in a message above the menu) to repeat the installation and removal process.

set [preferences]

Use the set command to examine and change the settings of variables called preferences. If you provide no arguments, the current settings are displayed. If you provide the name and a value, the preference value is changed.

Most preference settings are saved in the installation history when you issue the quit command and are restored the next time that you invoke Inst. "The Preferences List" describes set preferences in detail.

sh

Use the sh command with no arguments to invoke an IRIX shell. Include a single IRIX command as an argument to execute the command immediately (see "Escaping to the Shell" for additional information).

shroot

Use the shroot command with no arguments to invoke a "chrooted" IRIX shell (see chroot(1M)). If you provide arguments, they are taken as a single IRIX command to be executed immediately.

The shroot command uses the chroot(2) system call to invoke the shell as if /root were its root directory; that is, /root becomes / for all references. Thus files can be referred to with their normal pathnames (see