Create and using a response file for client installation

Create and using a response file for client installation

We can use the msiexec command with a parameter that specifies additional properties that are defined in a response file. There are three ways of creating a response file for a client installation.

About this task

A response file is an ASCII text file, with a format like a Windows .ini file, that contains the stanza [Response]. The [Response] stanza contains some or all the parameters that would normally be specified as part of an interactive installation. The parameters are given in a property=value pair format. Any other stanzas in the response file are ignored by msiexec.

An example response file, Response.ini, is supplied with IBM MQ . It contains the default installation parameters.

We can combine the use of a response file with the msiexec command line parameters described in Specify command line parameters for client installation with msiexec.
Table 1 shows the parameters that are available for use in a response file. These parameters can also be used on the command line. If a parameter is specified both on the command line and in a response file, the setting on the command line takes precedence.

Property Values Meaning

PGMFOLDER ¹ path Folder for the IBM MQ program files. For example, c:\mqm.

DATFOLDER path Folder for the IBM MQ data files. For example, c:\mqm\data.

USERCHOICE 0|no If the command line or response file specifies parameters to install features, a dialog can be displayed to prompt you to accept the preselected options, or review and possibly change them.
0 or no. Suppresses display of the dialog.

Anything else. Dialog is displayed and we can amend the options.

Not used for a silent installation.

AGREETOLICENSE ² yes Accept the terms of the license. Set to yes before a silent installation.
If the installation is not silent, this parameter is ignored.

ADDLOCAL feature, feature, All| "" A comma-separated list of features to install locally. For a list of valid feature names, see IBM MQ features for Windows systems.
All installs all features

"" installs the typical features. If we do not want a feature use REMOVE="feature"
Note: If this is a new installation the typical features (Client, Java, .NET Messaging, and Development Toolkit) are installed by default irrespective of the feature list provided in the ADDLOCAL property. If we do not want a feature use REMOVE="feature"

REMOVE feature, feature, |All| "" A comma-separated list of features to remove. For a list of valid feature names, see IBM MQ features for Windows systems.
All uninstalls all features

"" uninstalls no features (the default).

INSTALLATIONDESC "Description of installation" Sets the installation description from the command line. Subject to the documented installation description length limitations

INSTALLATIONNAME 1 [INSTALLATION0,]Name Sets the installation name from the command line. Subject to the documented installation name character and length limitations. Note: Supply INSTALLATION0,Name only when upgrading from a release earlier than IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1.

MAKEPRIMARY 0|1| "" Makes the installation primary, if possible, or removes the primary flag. 1 = Make primary, 0 = Make non-primary, - use default algorithm Note: This option is ignored if a release earlier than IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1 is installed, or if another Version 7.1 or later installation is present and set as the primary.

Notes:

For multiple installations, the INSTALLATIONNAME or PGMFOLDER must be supplied as an additional parameter on any non-interactive installation command. Supplying the INSTALLATIONNAME or PGMFOLDER ensures that we do not work with the wrong installation in case you omit or incorrectly specify the TRANSFORMS parameter.
For a silent installation to succeed, the AGREETOLICENSE="yes" property must be defined either on the command line or in the response file.

Procedure
Create a response file for installation in one of the following ways:
Copy and edit the file Response.ini that is supplied on the IBM MQ Windows Server install image, using an ASCII file editor.
Create your own response file using an ASCII file editor.
Use the msiexec command with the SAVEINI (and optionally, the ONLYINI ) command line parameters to generate a response file that contains the same installation options as shown in the following example:
msiexec /i "path\IBM MQ.msi" /q SAVEINI="response_file"
TRANSFORMS="1033.mst" AGREETOLICENSE="yes"
To run the msiexec command with a response file, specify the full path and file name of the response file with the USEINI parameter as shown in the following example:
msiexec /i "path\MSI\IBM MQ.msi" /l*v c:\install.log
TRANSFORMS="1033.mst" USEINI="C:\MQ\Responsefile" 
In the response file, all text is in English, and comments begin with a ; character.
Example
The following example shows a typical response file:
[Response]
PGMFOLDER="c:\mqm"
DATFOLDER="c:\mqm\data"
AGREETOLICENSE="yes"
ADDLOCAL="Client"
REMOVE="Toolkit"
Parent topic: Installing a client using msiexec

Last updated: 2020-10-04

Property	Values	Meaning
PGMFOLDER ¹	path	Folder for the IBM MQ program files. For example, c:\mqm.
DATFOLDER	path	Folder for the IBM MQ data files. For example, c:\mqm\data.
USERCHOICE	0\|no	If the command line or response file specifies parameters to install features, a dialog can be displayed to prompt you to accept the preselected options, or review and possibly change them. 0 or no. Suppresses display of the dialog. Anything else. Dialog is displayed and we can amend the options. Not used for a silent installation.
AGREETOLICENSE ²	yes	Accept the terms of the license. Set to yes before a silent installation. If the installation is not silent, this parameter is ignored.
ADDLOCAL	feature, feature, All\| ""	A comma-separated list of features to install locally. For a list of valid feature names, see IBM MQ features for Windows systems. All installs all features "" installs the typical features. If we do not want a feature use REMOVE="feature" Note: If this is a new installation the typical features (Client, Java, .NET Messaging, and Development Toolkit) are installed by default irrespective of the feature list provided in the ADDLOCAL property. If we do not want a feature use REMOVE="feature"
REMOVE	feature, feature, \|All\| ""	A comma-separated list of features to remove. For a list of valid feature names, see IBM MQ features for Windows systems. All uninstalls all features "" uninstalls no features (the default).
INSTALLATIONDESC	"Description of installation"	Sets the installation description from the command line. Subject to the documented installation description length limitations
INSTALLATIONNAME 1	[INSTALLATION0,]Name	Sets the installation name from the command line. Subject to the documented installation name character and length limitations. Note: Supply INSTALLATION0,Name only when upgrading from a release earlier than IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1.
MAKEPRIMARY	0\|1\| ""	Makes the installation primary, if possible, or removes the primary flag. 1 = Make primary, 0 = Make non-primary, - use default algorithm Note: This option is ignored if a release earlier than IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1 is installed, or if another Version 7.1 or later installation is present and set as the primary.