Solaris Package Management

Introduction link

Packages, like in all distributions, are a simple way to install software. Here we will examine all the ways to manage these packages.

Locations link

To find out what is installed on your system, simply look at the /var/sadm/install/contents file:

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more /var/sadm/install/contents

(output edited for brevity)
/bin=./usr/bin s none SUNWcsr
/dev d none 0755 root sys SUNWcsr SUNWcsd
/dev/allkmem=../devices/pseudo/mm@0:allkmem s none SUNWcsd
/dev/arp=../devices/pseudo/arp@0:arp s none SUNWcsd
/etc/ftpd/ftpusers e ftpusers 0644 root sys 198 16387 1094222536 SUNWftpr
/etc/passwd e passwd 0644 root sys 580 48298 1094222123 SUNWcsr

To find where a specific software is installed on the system, you can do this:

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pkgchk -l -P showrev

Pathname: /usr/bin/showrev
Type: regular file
Expected mode: 0755
Expected owner: root
Expected group: sys
Expected file size (bytes): 29980
Expected sum(1) of contents: 57864
Expected last modification: Dec 14 06:17:58 AM 2004
Referenced by the following packages:
        SUNWadmc       
Current status: installed

Pathname: /usr/share/man/man1m/showrev.1m
Type: regular file
Expected mode: 0644
Expected owner: root
Expected group: root
Expected file size (bytes): 3507
Expected sum(1) of contents: 35841
Expected last modification: Dec 10 10:42:54 PM 2004
Referenced by the following packages:
        SUNWman        
Current status: installed

Identification link

When you have downloaded a package and want to check if it’s for SPARC or x86, here’s what to do:

First, verify that it’s a package:

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file SUNWrsc.pkg

SUNWrsc.pkg:	package datastream

Then display the package header:

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head SUNWrsc.pkg

# PaCkAgE DaTaStReAm
SUNWrsc 1 3266
# end of header
SUNW_PRODVERS=2.2.1
SUNW_PKGVERS=1.0
PKG=SUNWrsc
NAME=Remote System Control
DESC=Sun Remote System Control system software
ARCH=sparc
VENDOR=Sun Microsystems, Inc.

The Tools link

pkgtrans link

This will transform the system package into the “data stream” format:

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pkgtrans /var/tmp /tmp/SUNWrsc.pkg SUNWrsc

You will get a pkg. If you want to do the reverse:

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pkgtrans SUNWrsc.pkg .

pkginfo link

Here’s an example:

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pkginfo -l SUNWman

   PKGINST:  SUNWman
      NAME:  On-Line Manual Pages
  CATEGORY:  system
      ARCH:  sparc
   VERSION:  43.0,REV=67.0
   BASEDIR:  /usr
    VENDOR:  Sun Microsystems, Inc.
      DESC:  System Reference Manual Pages
    PSTAMP:  2004.09.01.17.00
  INSTDATE:  Sep 24 2004 12:32
   HOTLINE:  Please contact your local service provider
    STATUS:  completely installed
     FILES:    11383 installed pathnames
                   8 shared pathnames
                  97 directories
              119848 blocks used (approx)

pkgadd link

To install a specific package, do this:

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pkgadd -d . SUNWvts

Processing package instance <SUNWvts> from
 </cdrom/sol_10_sparc_4/Solaris_10/ExtraValue/CoBundled/SunVTS_6.0/Packages>

SunVTS Framework(sparc) 6.0,REV=2004.08.18.12.00
Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
Using </opt> as the package base directory.
## Processing package information.
## Processing system information.
## Verifying package dependencies.
## Verifying disk space requirements.
## Checking for conflicts with packages already installed.
## Checking for setuid/setgid programs.

This package contains scripts which will be executed with super-user
permission during the process of installing this package.

Do you want to continue with the installation of <SUNWvts> [y,n,?] y

Installing SunVTS Framework as <SUNWvts>

## Installing part 1 of 1.
9213 blocks

Installation of <SUNWvts> was successful.

To install all packages in data stream format:

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pkgadd -d /tmp/SUNWrsc.pkg all

Processing package instance <SUNWrsc> from </tmp/SUNWrsc.pkg>

Remote System Control(sparc) 2.2.1,REV=2002.02.11
Copyright 2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Using </> as the package base directory.
## Processing package information.
## Processing system information.
   15 package pathnames are already properly installed.
## Verifying disk space requirements.
## Checking for conflicts with packages already installed.
## Checking for setuid/setgid programs.

Installing Remote System Control as <SUNWrsc>

## Installing part 1 of 1.
10499 blocks

Installation of <SUNWrsc> was successful.

If the package is on a website:

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pkgadd -d http://instructor/packages/SUNWrsc.pkg all

## Downloading...
..............25%..............50%..............75%..............100%
## Download Complete


Processing package instance <SUNWrsc> from 
<http://instructor/packages/SUNWrsc.pkg>

Remote System Control(sparc) 2.2.1,REV=2002.02.11
Copyright 2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Using </> as the package base directory.
## Processing package information.
## Processing system information.
   15 package pathnames are already properly installed.
## Verifying disk space requirements.
## Checking for conflicts with packages already installed.
## Checking for setuid/setgid programs.

Installing Remote System Control as <SUNWrsc>

## Installing part 1 of 1.
10499 blocks

Installation of <SUNWrsc> was successful.

Spool link

The spool is where packages go (/var/spool/pkg). If, for example, on a Sun CD, we want to install a package and also have it copied to the spool directory, here’s an example:

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kgadd -d /cdrom/cdrom0/s0/Solaris_10/Product -s spool SUNWauda

Transferring <SUNWauda> package instance

Let’s check:

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ls -al /var/spool/pkg

total 6
drwxrwxrwt   3 root     bin          512 Oct  1 14:26 .
drwxr-xr-x  12 root     bin          512 Sep 30 20:03 ..
drwxrwxr-x   5 root     root         512 Oct  1 14:26 SUNWauda

To install it later:

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pkgadd SUNWauda

pkgchk link

This command allows you to verify if a package is properly installed (path, checksum…).

• To list the contents of a package:

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pkgchk -v SUNWladm

/usr
/usr/sadm
/usr/sadm/lib
/usr/sadm/lib/localeadm
/usr/sadm/lib/localeadm/Locale_config_S10.txt
/usr/sadm/lib/localeadm/admin
/usr/sbin
/usr/sbin/localeadm

• To check if a file has changed from its original state (in the package):

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pkgchk -p /etc/shadow

ERROR: /etc/shadow
    modtime <09/03/04 03:35:24 PM> expected <09/30/04 08:06:14 PM> actual
    file size <296> expected <309> actual
    file cksum <20180> expected <21288> actual

• The -l option lists the information about the package contents:

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pkgchk -l -p /usr/bin/showrev

Pathname: /usr/bin/showrev
Type: regular file
Expected mode: 0755
Expected owner: root
Expected group: sys
Expected file size (bytes): 29656
Expected sum(1) of contents: 31261
Expected last modification: Sep 02 09:21:11 2004
Referenced by the following packages:
       SUNWadmc       
Current status: installed

pkgrm link

To remove a package:

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pkgrm SUNWapchr

The following package is currently installed:
   SUNWapchr       Apache Web Server (root)
                   (sparc) 11.10.0,REV=2004.08.20.02.37

Do you want to remove this package? [y,n,?,q] y

## Removing installed package instance <SUNWapchr>
## Verifying package dependencies.
WARNING:
    The <SUNWapchu> package depends on the package
    currently being removed.
WARNING:
    The <SUNWapchd> package depends on the package
    currently being removed.
WARNING:
    The <SUNWipplr> package depends on the package
    currently being removed.
WARNING:
    The <SUNWserweb> package depends on the package
    currently being removed.
Dependency checking failed.

Do you want to continue with the removal of this package [y,n,?,q] y
## Processing package information.
## Removing pathnames in class <initd>
/etc/rcS.d/K16apache
/etc/rc3.d/S50apache
/etc/rc2.d/K16apache

(output ommited for brevity)

/etc/apache/httpd.conf-example
/etc/apache/README.Solaris
/etc/apache <shared pathname not removed>
/etc <shared pathname not removed>
## Updating system information.

Removal of <SUNWapchr> was successful.

Spool link

To remove a package and delete it from the spool:

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pkgrm -s spool SUNWauda

The following package is currently spooled:
   SUNWauda        Audio Applications
                   (sparc) 11.10.0,REV=2004.09.03.08.15

Do you want to remove this package? [y,n,?,q] y

Removing spooled package instance <SUNWauda>

pkgtrans link

To transform packages into a stream package, it’s quite simple:

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pkgtrans -s  Product  /var/tmp/stream.pkg SUNWzlib SUNWftpr SUNWftpu

Transferring <SUNWzlib> package instance
Transferring <SUNWftpr> package instance
Transferring <SUNWftpu> package instance

Let’s verify:

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file /var/tmp/stream.pkg

Let’s look at the header:

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head -5 /var/tmp/stream.pkg

# PaCkAgE DaTaStReAm
SUNWzlib 1 186
SUNWftpr 1 70
SUNWftpu 1 300
# end of header

Now, for installation:

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pkgadd -d /var/tmp/stream.pkg

The following packages are available:
  1  SUNWftpr     FTP Server, (Root)
                  (sparc) 11.10.0,REV=2004.12.11.01.30
  2  SUNWftpu     FTP Server, (Usr)
                  (sparc) 11.10.0,REV=2004.12.11.01.30
  3  SUNWzlib     The Zip compression library
                  (sparc) 11.10.0,REV=2004.12.10.05.25

Select package(s) you wish to process (or 'all' to process
all packages). (default: all) [?,??,q]: q

prodreg link

This provides a graphical interface for managing packages, similar to Solaris installation:

Package Locations link

To avoid risking damage to the main system, packages are installed in specific locations: