3 Customizing and Creating Response Files

3.1.1 What Is a Silent Installation?

A silent installation runs in the console and does not use the GUI. The interactive dialogs you normally see are not displayed in a silent installation.

Instead of prompting you to select a series of installation options, Oracle Universal Installer installs the software using a predefined set of options stored in a response file or passed on the command line. You can view the progress of a silent installation in the console.

3.1.2 What Is a Response File?

A response file is a specification file containing information you normally through the Oracle Universal Installer user interface during an interactive installation session. Each answer is stored as a value for a variable identified in the response file.

For example, values for Oracle home or installation type can be set automatically within the response file.

The response file template for the installation of your product can be found on your stage (CD-ROM) under the <root of CD>/response directory, with pre-populated values. For example:

<Products.xml_Location>/Response/<product>.<installtype>.rsp

3.1.3 Why Perform a Silent Installation?

Silent installations can be useful if you have to install an Oracle product multiple times on multiple computers. If the options you select while installing on each computer are always the same, you save the time of reviewing each installation screen and selecting the various installation options.

Silent installations can also ensure that multiple users in your organization use the same installation options when they install your Oracle products. This makes supporting those users easier because you already know what components and options have been installed on each computer.

Before you perform a silent installation, you should review the settings in the response file template provided with your Oracle product.

The remainder of this chapter describes the various parameters and settings you can modify within an Oracle Universal Installer response file.

3.3.1 Using Record Mode

To record a new response file:

1. At the command prompt, use the cd command to change to the directory that contains the Oracle Universal Installer executable file (setup.exe or runInstaller.sh) for your installation.

2. Enter the following command:

   setup -record -destinationFile <response_file_name> (on Windows)
   ./runInstaller -record -destinationFile <response_file_name> (on UNIX)
   
   

   Replace the <response_file_name> with the complete path for the new response file. For example:

   setup -record -destinationFile C:\response_files\install_oracle11g.rsp (on Windows)
   ./runInstaller -record -destinationFile /private/temp/install_oracle11g.rsp (on UNIX)
   
   

3. Use the Oracle Universal Installer user interface to select your installation options. These will be recorded.

   When Oracle Universal Installer displays the Summary page, you can either continue with the installation or exit.

   Oracle Universal Installer saves your new response file using the path and file name you specified on the command line.

3.4.1 Variable Values

This section contains information on how variables are populated with values.

<component>:<variable>=<value>

<component>:<version>:<variable>=<value>

<component>:<version>:<variable>=<value>
<component>:<variable>=<value>
<variable>=<value> 

<component>:<version>:<variable>=<value>
<component>:<variable>=<value>
<variable>=<value> 

<variable> = <recommendation> : <value>

3.4.2 Comments

Comments begin with a "#" (hash or pound) symbol. They contain information about the type of the variable, state whether the variable appears in dialog, and describe the function of the variable. A variable and a value are associated with a comment.

For example:

#TopLevelComponent;StringList;Used in Dialog
TopLevelComponent={"Demo", "1.0"}

3.4.3 Headers

The header is a comment that describes the different formats and comment conventions used in a response file.

For example:

#Parameter : UNIX_GROUP_NAME
#Type : String
#Description : UNIX group to be set for the inventory directory.
#Valid only on UNIX platforms.
#Example : UNIX_GROUP_NAME = "install"
UNIX_GROUP_NAME=<Value Unspecified>

3.4.4 Response File Parameters

The following are parameters for Oracle Universal Installer. All products installed using Oracle Universal Installer have these parameters in addition to product-specific variables.

INCLUDE

This parameter specifies the list of response files to be included in this response file. If you want to include other response files in your main response file, you must use this parameter. Note that the values in the main response file have priority over the included response files.

INCLUDE={"file1.rsp","file2.rsp",............."filen.rsp"}

You should specify the absolute path in the INCLUDE statement for each response file to be included. If you wish to specify a relative path, note that the location is relative to the current working directory (the location of the oraparam.ini file).

RESPONSEFILE_VERSION

This parameter specifies the version number of the response file.

RESPONSEFILE_VERSION = <version_number>

FROM_LOCATION

The location of the source of the products to be installed. The default generated value for this parameter is a path relative to the location of the runInstaller file oraparam.ini. Relative paths are necessary for shared response files used by multiple users over a network. Since people may be mapping to different drives, absolute paths will not work for shared response files.

Notes:

• You must enter a value for FROM_LOCATION for a complete silent installation. You may want to use the command line to set this parameter. If the location is a relative path, remember that the path should be relative to the location of the oraparam.ini file.

• Make sure that /var/opt/oracle/oraInst.loc (or /etc/oraInst.loc for Linux, AIX, and Sequent) exists. The response file for UNIX has a public variable, setunixinstallgroup, that only becomes effective when it is the first Oracle Universal Installer installation and the oraInst.loc file is not already present in the location mentioned above.

FROM_LOCATION_CD_LABEL

This parameter is used in multiple-CD installations. It includes the label of the compact disk where the file products.jar exists. You can find the label in the disk.label file in the same directory as products.jar.

LOCATION_FOR_DISK2

This parameter is for the complete path to other disks.

LOCATION_FOR_DISK2="F:\teststage\cd\Disk2" 

If there are more than two disks, more variables will be added as LOCATION_FOR_DISK3, and so on.

The CD location for a silent installation is located by two mechanisms:

1. Oracle Universal Installer looks for the Location_For_Disk{DiskNumber} variable in the response file and uses that location.

2. If the variable does not have a value or does not have the required files, it looks for the components under ../../Disk{DiskNumber}/stage (from products.jar).

   Therefore, you can either specify the location to look for it in the response file or you can copy them into the disk. For example:

   <Product_Shiphome_Location>/stage
   

RESTART_SYSTEM

Set this boolean variable to TRUE if you want to restart the system without the user's confirmation. This is the force value for restarting the system.

NEXT_SESSION

Set this boolean variable to TRUE if the installer needs to go to the File Locations page for another installation or to another response file if you are performing a silent installation.

NEXT_SESSION = TRUE

NEXT_SESSION_ON_FAIL

Set this boolean variable to TRUE to allow users to invoke another installation session even if the current installation session fails. This variable is used only if the NEXT_SESSION variable is set to TRUE.

NEXT_SESSION_ON_FAIL = TRUE

NEXT_SESSION_RESPONSE

Use this string variable to enter the complete path of the next session's response file if you want to automatically begin another silent installation when the current installation is complete. If you specify only a file name, the Installer looks for the response file in the <TEMP>/orainstall directory. This variable is only used if NEXT_SESSION is set to TRUE; otherwise, Oracle Universal Installer ignores the value of this variable.

NEXT_SESSION_RESPONSE="/private/usr2/nextinstall.rsp"

ORACLE_HOME

The location where products are to be installed. You must enter a value for ORACLE_HOME for a complete silent installation.

ORACLE_HOME_NAME

The name of the current Oracle home. You must enter a value for ORACLE_HOME_NAME for a complete silent installation.

SHOW_COMPONENT_LOCATIONS_PAGE

The location page, which appears in a custom installation type, can be suppressed by setting this value to FALSE. If you set the value to FALSE, the user is prevented from specifying alternate directories. If there are products with installed directories which can be changed, you may want to set the value to TRUE.

SHOW_CUSTOM_TREE_PAGE

Set SHOW_CUSTOM_TREE_PAGE to TRUE if the custom tree page in the installer must be shown. In the Custom Tree page, dependencies can be selected or deselected. This page appears only in a custom installation type.

SHOW_END_SESSION_PAGE

The installation success/failure page, which appears at the end of an installation, can be suppressed by setting this value to FALSE.

SHOW_EXIT_CONFIRMATION

Set to TRUE if you need to show the confirmation when exiting the installer.

SHOW_EXIT_CONFIRMATION = TRUE

SHOW_INSTALL_PROGRESS_PAGE

The installation progress page, which appears during the installation phase, can be suppressed by setting the value to FALSE.

SHOW_OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOL_PAGE

Set to TRUE if you must show the Optional Configuration Tools page in the installer. The Optional Configuration Tools page shows the list of optional configuration tools that are part of this installation and the status of each tool, including detailed information on why the tool has failed.

SHOW_ROOTSH_CONFIRMATION

Set to TRUE if you need to show the Confirmation dialog asking to run the root.sh script in the installer. This variable is valid only on UNIX platforms.

SHOW_ROOTSH_CONFIRMATION = TRUE

SHOW_SPLASH_SCREEN

Set to TRUE if the initial splash screen in the installer needs to be shown.

SHOW_SPLASH_SCREEN = TRUE

SHOW_SUMMARY_PAGE

The Summary page can be suppressed by setting this value to FALSE.

SHOW_WELCOME_PAGE

Set to TRUE if you need to show the Welcome page in the installer.

SHOW_WELCOME_PAGE = FALSE

SHOW_RELEASE_NOTES

Set this parameter to TRUE if you want the release notes for this installation to be shown at the end of the installation. A dialog box lists the available release notes. Note that the SHOW_END_SESSION parameter must be set to TRUE before you can use this parameter.

TOPLEVEL_COMPONENT

This parameter is the name of the component (products) and the version as a string list. You must enter a value for TOPLEVEL_COMPONENT.

Usually, the components are represented with a pair of strings: the first one representing the internal name, the second representing the version.

For example, RDBMS 11.1. may be represented as {"oracle.rdbms","11.1.0.0.0"}.

UNIX_GROUP_NAME

This parameter is the UNIX group name to be set for the inventory on UNIX platforms.

Note: The UNIX group name is used for first-time installations only.

REMOVE_HOMES

Use this parameter to identify the Oracle homes you want to remove from the inventory during a deinstallation session. For each home, specify the home name using the full path information.

REMOVE_HOMES={"/home/oracle/ora9i","/home/oracle/ora8i"}

DEINSTALL_LIST

Use this parameter to enter a list of components to be removed during a silent deinstall session. For each component, specify the internal component name and version.

DEINSTALL_LIST={"sample1","1.0.0.0.0"}

SHOW_DEINSTALL_CONFIRMATION

Set this parameter to FALSE if you want to hide the deinstall confirmation dialog box during a silent deinstallation.

SHOW_DEINSTALL_PROGRESS

Set this parameter to FALSE if you want to hide the deinstallation progress dialog box during a silent deinstallation.

DEPENDENCY_LIST

The DEPENDENCY_LIST is the list of dependents on which the component depends. These dependent components represent the list of components that appear as "selected" during installation. Following is a list of some of this parameter's characteristics:

• The DEPENDENCY_LIST variable is only generated when dependencies are present and if the dependency is not a required one.

• You cannot list components to appear as deselected items in a dialog.

• Specifying required dependents is redundant since they will be selected anyway. The dependents selection can have the other two types of dependents: optional and one-or-more.

• The list of components is specified by an internal name and version number.

A typical example is listed here:

DEPENDENCY_LIST={"oracle.netclt","9.2.0.4.0","oracle.netmgr","9.2.0.4.0"}

CLUSTER_NODES

This parameter lists the nodes on the cluster on which the Oracle home is installed or would be installed. For new installations, this would be the node list on which the installation needs to be done (including the local node). For patching or upgrades, this is the node list on which the Oracle home is already installed.

CLUSTER_NODES={"alpha-1", "alpha-2"}

REMOTE_NODES

This parameter lists the remote nodes (apart from the local node) on the cluster on which to install during a silent installation. Oracle Universal Installer installs on all named nodes.

REMOTE_NODES={"alpha-1", "alpha-2"}

LOCAL_NODE

This parameter specifies the current node on which the installation occurs.

LOCAL_NODE={}

OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS

While all the required configuration tools are launched by the installer, you can control the optional configuration tools you would want to launch by specifying the tool's internal names in the OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS section.

Note:

The OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS variable is only generated when at least one optional configuration tool is available.

You can call the Net Configuration Assistant or the Database Configuration Assistant at the end of a database installation in silent mode also. For example, to launch the Net Configuration Assistant in silent mode, you can pass the parameter s_responseFileName="netca.rsp".

You can specify both the Auto-launch optional tools and User-launch optional tools in a string list.

#Example : OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS = {"configtool2 ", "configtool3"}
OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS=<Value Unspecified>

If no value is specified for this variable, all the tools are run by default. If there is a value specified, only those optional tools are run while the rest of the tools are ignored.

Suppress the configuration tool by mentioning only the tools that you want to run as part of the OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS variable added for each component. You should use the internal names of the configuration tool. The response file generator generates these internal names also as part of the options provided for the variable.

For example, if oracle.server has Tool1 and Tool2 and you want to run only Tool1 in the response file, you can specify it as follows:

oracle.server:11.1.0.0.0:OPTIONAL_CONFIG_TOOLS={"Tool1"} 

INSTALL_TYPE

You can set the installation type variable to determine the installation type of the currently selected top level component.

The installation type variable is only generated for the top level components and only when there is more than one installation type available.

Note:

You must enter a value for INSTALL_TYPE.

SELECTED_LANGUAGES

You can set the languages in which the components will be installed. You must use the internal name while specifying the value:

en,   : English
fr,   : French
de,   : German
ja,   : Japanese

For example, to specify Japanese:

SELECTED_LANGUAGES = {"ja"}

For more information on the languages Oracle Universal Installer supports, see "Product Language Selections" on page 8-1.

Note:

The SELECTED_LANGUAGES variable is only generated when more than one language is available.

ACCEPT_LICENSE_AGREEMENT

Set this Boolean variable to TRUE if you agree with the license agreement. This parameter requires you to set this variable to TRUE to indicate your acceptance of the license agreement normally accepted in the GUI. This variable is used only in silent installations. Installation cannot continue until this variable is set to TRUE.

3.5.1 Specifying a Response File

To start Oracle Universal Installer and specify the response file, enter the following command at the command line in the directory where the executable file is installed:

setup.exe -responseFile <filename> <optional_parameters> (on Windows)
./runInstaller -responseFile <filename> <optional_parameters> (on UNIX)

For help on command line usage, enter the following at the command line in the directory where the executable file is stored:

setup -help (on Windows)
./runInstaller -help (on UNIX)

In Windows, when you execute setup -help, a new command window appears, with the "Preparing to launch..." message. A moment later, the help information appears in that window.

3.5.2 Optional Parameters When Specifying a Response File

Optional parameters you can use with the -responseFile flag are:

• -nowelcome — Use the -nowelcome flag with the -responseFile flag to suppress the Welcome dialog that appears during installation.

• -silent — Use the -silent flag with the -responseFile flag to run Oracle Universal Installer in complete silent mode. Note that the Welcome dialog is suppressed automatically.

• -formCluster — Use the -formCluster flag for Oracle Clusterware installations to specify the cluster.

Note that when you specify the -silent flag, but no values are specified to a particular variable in a dialog, the installer stops. The success or failure of the installation when you specify this flag is generated as follows:

• In a file named silentInstall<timestamp>.log for hosts without an Oracle inventory. This file is generated in the /tmp directory on UNIX and the directory specified by the variable TEMP on Windows platforms.

• In the inventory logs directory for hosts that already had an inventory.

  Note:

  Using the -nowelcome option with the -silent option is unnecessary since the Welcome screen does not appear when you use the -silent option.

3.5.3 Setting Response File Variables From the Command Line

With Oracle Universal Installer 2.1 and higher, you can specify the value of certain variables when you start Oracle Universal Installer from the command line. Specifically, you can specify session and component variables. For specific information about the format and organization of response files, see "Modifying a Response File".

When you specify the value of a variable on the command line, that value overrides the value of the variable if it is defined in the response file.

./runInstaller session:<variable_name>=<value> (on UNIX)
setup.exe session:<variable_name>=<value> (on Windows)

./runInstaller session:SHOW_WELCOME_PAGE=false (on UNIX)
setup.exe session:SHOW_WELCOME_PAGE=false (on Windows)

./runInstaller <component_name>:<component_version>:<variable_name>=<value> (on UNIX)
setup.exe <component_name>:<component_version>:<variable_name>=<value> (on Windows)

./runInstaller COMP2:1.1.0.0.0:VAR1="test" (on UNIX)
setup.exe COMP2:1.1.0.0.0:VAR1="test" (on Windows)