topic Re: PCSI removing identifiers?? in Operating System - OpenVMS

PCSI removing identifiers??

Willem Grooters — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:56:07 GMT

VMS 7.3-2, probably newer as well.

PROD INSTALL A_1.0 /DEST=disk:[A_10].
PROD INSTALL A_2.0 /DEST=disk:[A_20]
PROD REMOVE A_xxx.

The installation script for both versions are equal where it concerns creating an identifier:

$ MCR AUTHORIZE ADD/ID A_ID

The first PROD INSTALL will create the identifier, the second will try as well but it fails because it already exists - as expected.

The de-installation script does not contain a command to remove the identifier, so it is expected that PROD REMOVE A_xxx - regardless the version - will keep this identifier defined.

However, we found that, no matter which version is removed, the created identifier is removed as well.

Is this information on what identifiers are created (and which files) kept somewhere 'hidden'? If so, how can we get around the problem?

The de-installation script does NOT hold a line to remove identifier A_ID, but after PROD REMOVE A - no matter which version -

Re: PCSI removing identifiers??

Volker Halle — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:34:06 GMT

Willem,

PCSI can manage rights identifiers as 'managed objects' with the rights identifier statement in the PDL file. Do you use this feature ?

PCSI would remove the identifier automatically, when you remove the product.

Volker.

Re: PCSI removing identifiers??

Willem Grooters — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:52:37 GMT

PCSI would remove the identifier automatically, when you remove the product.

and that's just the annoying thing...

I don't know whether the feature is used or not. I'll check tomorrow. AFAIK, the DCL procedure that is used to install the product, does all the work, just like KITINSTAL.COM would do using VMSINSTAL.

Re: PCSI removing identifiers??

Hoff — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:37:28 GMT

You're getting somewhat "creative" here, and PCSI isn't always entirely appreciative of "creativity".

In general, a PRODUCT V2.0 package is intended to entirely replace PRODUCT V1.0. You're assuming that PRODUCT V1.0 and V2.0 are distinct, and (in practice) they're really not.

There's a dependency here if you do want to follow this approach, and I'd assume that the PCSI two kits here are not set up for what you're doing. To get where you appear to want here, you might want to look at the platform kit; at a platform suite.

And for this case, see the PCSI developer's manual, and specifically the "Managed Object Conflict" section of the manual. You've got a collision within the database and within the expectations of PCSI itself.

If you're looking to implement a multi-version kit (as it appears), then you'll want to work this out within the images and tools within the kit itself, rather than with the destination mechanism.

Re: PCSI removing identifiers??

Willem Grooters — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:48:46 GMT

Hoff,

There's nothing creative here.

In this particular case, there is a conflict in the expectations of the software supplier and the requirement to locate software versions in their own directory, like described. There is good reason for that: in this high-availability environment, it allows fast rollback if something is severely wrong with the new version.
This is a very valid situation.

WG

Re: PCSI removing identifiers??

Willem Grooters — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:13:27 GMT

The installation script will be adapted to ask for removal.