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Hello all,
Pardon my dumb question, but whats the native package file format for
IBM-AIX, like .pkg for Solaris, .RPM for RedHat Linux etc.

I was told I can install Solaris' pkging utilities (pkgadd, pkgrm)and
create/install/remove Solaris .pkg on AIX, but I want to explore the
native packaging capabilities of AIX.

I think I should start with 'installp' command, but I dont think it
talks about any particular filetype. In the man page, it lists ,
..include, .lib, .motif etc.
Is there any one native file format, corresponding to pkg/Solaris,
RPM/RedHat Linux.

2. Also, how would you compare Solaris pkging with AIX installp?
I think, working with the native tools is always preferable to any
third party plugins to simulate Solaris pkging, but I'm interested
what can and cannot be done from installp.

Thanks for your time,
Prab

Prab_kar@hotmail.com (Prabh) writes:

>Hello all,
>Pardon my dumb question, but whats the native package file format for
>IBM-AIX, like .pkg for Solaris, .RPM for RedHat Linux etc.


bff.

check out a thing called epm, it helps you build rpms, bffs, pkgs, depots
and lots of other stuff.

-Mike

In article <e7774537.0411110923.42b2a450@posting.google.com >,
Prab_kar@hotmail.com says...

> Pardon my dumb question, but whats the native package file format for
> IBM-AIX, like .pkg for Solaris, .RPM for RedHat Linux etc.

AIX itself is packaged in the "backup format files" (BFFs).

> I was told I can install Solaris' pkging utilities (pkgadd, pkgrm)and
> create/install/remove Solaris .pkg on AIX, but I want to explore the
> native packaging capabilities of AIX.
>
> I think I should start with 'installp' command, but I dont think it
> talks about any particular filetype. In the man page, it lists ,
> .include, .lib, .motif etc.
> Is there any one native file format, corresponding to pkg/Solaris,
> RPM/RedHat Linux.

As above. The packaging is described in the documentation. Try this
link:
http://moka.ccr.jussieu.fr/doc_link/...gd/genprogc/pk
ging_sw4_install.htm

> 2. Also, how would you compare Solaris pkging with AIX installp?
> I think, working with the native tools is always preferable to any
> third party plugins to simulate Solaris pkging, but I'm interested
> what can and cannot be done from installp.

AIX 5L also supports rpm.

Prabh <Prab_kar@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Pardon my dumb question, but whats the native package file format for
> IBM-AIX, like .pkg for Solaris, .RPM for RedHat Linux etc.

The installable filesets are in 'BFF files', where BFF stands for
'backup file format'. They are the kind of files produced and consumed
by the AIX commands 'backup' and 'restore'.

All the files that get installed with 'installp' are just backed up
within that package. You can try to 'restore' a package into an empty
directory and see what is in it.

The tricky part is of course how the meta information is packaged:
Names, dependencies, post-install scripts etc.
You can probably understand some of it just by examining a restored
fileset, but there's extensive documentation you can find by browsing.

Normally you do not create these files by hand ('backup'), but with
tools of which there are some around.

> 2. Also, how would you compare Solaris pkging with AIX installp?
> I think, working with the native tools is always preferable to any
> third party plugins to simulate Solaris pkging, but I'm interested
> what can and cannot be done from installp.

Pretty much everything can be done, as long as you can pack it into
pre-install, post-install, post-remove etc. scripts.

I cannot give a detailed comparison as I only created a few simple
Solaris packages, but I think they are roughly equivalent.
Maybe there are more advanced dependency checking features on AIX.

And I think you are right, it's always best to use the native packaging
system.

Yours,
Laurenz Albe

Prab_kar@hotmail.com (Prabh) wrote in message news:<e7774537.0411110923.42b2a450@posting.google. com>...

> I think I should start with 'installp' command, but I dont think it
> talks about any particular filetype. In the man page, it lists ,
> .include, .lib, .motif etc.
> Is there any one native file format, corresponding to pkg/Solaris,
> RPM/RedHat Linux.

If you want more information on creating filesets that installp
recognizes (I've always thought of them as "lpp"s), read "Packaging
Software for Installation" (chapter 19) in the "General Programming
Concepts: Writing and Debugging Programs" document for AIX (the link
for the AIX 5.2 version is
http://publib16.boulder.ibm.com/pser...base/aix52.htm
: look for the above document in that list).

Despite the name of the doc, there's no actual coding required. The
chapter's pretty easy to get through, and it gives you a clear
understanding of how an AIX lpp file is put together (the actual
extension can vary according to convention). I was able to create
simple filesets within half an hour.