CHAPTER 14
Admintool: Software Manager

Starting Admintool

Customizing Installation

Installing Software

Removing Software

ADMINTOOL IS A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE TO THE PACKAGE COMMANDS THAT YOU can use to install and remove unbundled software packages on a Solaris 2.x system.

This chapter replaces the Software Manager chapter in the first edition because, starting with the Solaris 2.5 system software release, the Admintool: Software functionality replaces Software Manager (swmtool).

Software that is designed to be managed using Admintool groups the packages into a set of clusters to make software management easier. Admintool calls the package commands. You can use the package commands and Admintool interchangeably. For example, you can install software by using Admintool and remove the software by using the pkgrm command. Alternatively, you can install software by using the pkgadd command and remove that software by using Admintool. Admintool displays all packages installed on a system, regardless of how they were installed.

Admintool provides the following functionality:

•  Displays a list of the software packages installed on a local system, showing the full title, package names, icons, and the size of each package

•  Installs and removes software on a local or a remote Solaris 2.x system

•  Lets you specify the directory from which to install the software

It is easy to use Admintool to add and remove software from a local system. Admintool provides a graphical user interface to the pkgadd and pkgrm commands. It also includes online help that provides general information on using the tool. Admintool enables you to view a descriptive list of software that is already installed on a system or of the software on the installation media. It also enables you to view detailed information about each package, including the package name.

Admintool does not enable you to add packages to a spool directory or to eliminate user interaction by using an administration file. You must use pkgadd command to access these tasks.

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NOTE:  Before the Solaris 2.5 release, Software Manager (accessed with the swmtool command) was the graphical tool for adding and removing software. With Solaris 2.5 and later releases, Admintool (accessed by using the admintool command) provides that capability. The swmtool command in the Solaris 2.5 and 2.6 releases is linked to the admintool command.

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Starting Admintool

Admintool executable, admintool, is located in the /bin directory. The obsolete Software Manager executable, swmtool (located in the /usr/sbin directory) is linked to the /bin/admintool command. If you type swmtool&, the Admintool window opens. Use the following steps to start Admintool.

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NOTE:  You must run Admintool as superuser to install or remove software or be a member of the UNIX sysadmin group (GID 14).

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1.  Log in as root, or become superuser, if you have not done so already.

   oak% su
   Password:<your root password >
   oak#

2.  Type admintool & and press Return. The Admintool: Users window opens, as shown in Figure 14-1

Figure 14-1  Admintool: Users window.

   # /bin/admintool &.

3.  From the Browse menu, choose Software. The Admintool: Software window appears, as shown in Figure 14-2.

Figure 14-2  Admintool:Software window.

Installing Software

The following sections describe how to access files from a local CD-ROM, how to set up custom installation, and how to choose an alternative location for installation.

Accessing Files from a Local CD-ROM Drive

Use the following steps to access software from a local CD-ROM:

1.  Insert the CD in the CD-ROM drive. After a few moments, a File Manager window displays the contents of the CD-ROM.

2.  From the Edit menu, choose Add. If volume management can read the CD-ROM and the packages are at the top level of the CD-ROM, the Admintool: Add Software window appears, as shown in Figure 14-3.

Figure 14-3  Admintool: Add Software window.

3.  If Admintool cannot find any packages at the top level of the hierarchy of the CD-ROM, or if volume management is not running, the Admintool: Set Source Media window opens, as shown in Figure 14-4. In this window, you can choose an alternative media or specify a different path.

Figure 14-4  Admintool: Set Source Media window.

4.  (If necessary) From the Software Location list, choose Hard Disk or CD without Volume Management. CD with Volume Management is the default.

5.  (If necessary) In the CD Path field, type the path to the subdirectory that contains the packages on the media.

6.  Click the OK button. If Admintool cannot locate any packages, an Admintool: Error window opens, as shown in Figure 14-5, telling you that no packages can be found at the path you specified.

Figure 14-5  Admintool: Error window.

7.  Adjust the path until you find the subdirectory that contains the packages you want to add.

Customizing Installation

Before you begin installing software, you can customize some of the installation parameters to minimize or maximize the amount of operator intervention required during installation.

Use the following steps to customize installation:

1.  Click the package you want to customize. The package name is highlighted and the Customize button is activated.

2.  Click the Customize button. The Admintool: Customize Installation window appears, as shown in Figure 14-6.

Figure 14-6  Admintool: Customize Installation window.

3.  By default, all packages are selected. Click individual packages to deselect them or use the Deselect All button to deselect all of the packages.

4.  The default location for installing packages is the /opt directory. If you want to specify an alternative location for installation, type it into the Installation Directory text field.

5.  When all of the settings are correct, click OK. The Customize Installation window closes.