NOCHECK

Worked two weeks to modify an existing push script to break up machines according to operating systems (HP/UX & SUN) and versions (11i, 11iv2 & 11iv3, 5.8 & 5.9) to allow the proper packages to get installed and equalize my password across all boxes which were under the maintenance window this weekend.

Keeping in mind that the -n option for pkgadd directs Sun's package installer to do to so without prompting for interaction, (-n Installation occurs in non-interactive mode.) I found the following caveat frustrating:

The -n option causes the installation to halt if any interaction is needed to complete it.

Two weeks worth of work so I could fire off the script and just sit back and watch my installations take place was in jeopardy, which would require me instead to log into each and every box and run these commands by hand.

That's when I discovered -a my saving grace!

Simply put, I copied the default /var/sadm/install/admin/default file to one named noask and changed the following lines from 'ask' to 'nocheck'

#ident "@(#)default 1.4 92/12/23 SMI" /* SVr4.0 1.5.2.1 */
mail=
instance=unique
partial=ask
runlevel=ask
idepend=ask
rdepend=nocheck
space=ask
setuid=nocheck
conflict=nocheck
action=nocheck
basedir=default

Since the file noask was created in the default path, all I had to do was follow the pkgadd command with '-a noask'

pkgadd -a noask -d [/path_to/pkg]

From that point, I just kicked off the script, put my feet up, and watched the magic happen.