Web server plug-in response file


 

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This page describes the response file for performing a silent installation of the Web server plug-ins for WAS.

Install WAS silently using an options response file.

The responsefile.txt file has directives that set installation options. Comments in the file describe how to set the string value for each directive.

Use the options file to run the Plug-ins installation wizard in silent mode, which is referred to as installing silently. The wizard reads the options file to determine responses and does not display the GUI.

Location of the response file


The sample options response file is named responsefile.txt. The file is in the plugin directory on WAS disc or in the downloaded installation image.

Mode of use


The Plug-ins installation wizard can read an existing options response file and run silently without displaying the GUI.

Install silently


The options file supplies the values to the plug-ins installation wizard when installing silently. The wizard reads the options file to determine responses and does not display the GUI. Use the following command to use a copy of the options file named myresponsefile.txt for a silent installation:

install -options "myresponsefile.txt" -silent

Create an operational environment


The installation of the plug-ins is a three-step process:

  1. Install the binary plug-in modules for supported Web servers

  2. Set the Web servers to use the binary module to communicate with the appserver

  3. Create a Web server definition in the appserver

    As you install an application, we can install it on the Web server definition in addition to the appserver. All applications on the Web server definition are listed in its plug-in configuration file. After propagation, the real Web server can access the applications.

The sample options response file, responsefile.txt, controls...

  1. Installing the binary plug-ins
  2. Configuring the Web server
  3. Creating a script for creating the Web server definition on a remote appserver machine.

The script is customized according to values supplied in responsefile.txt. The script is generated to run on the appserver machine to create the Web server definition.

If the Web server is on the same machine as a stand-alone appserver, responsefile.txt can create the Web server definition directly without creating a script.

To edit and use the response file for installing the plug-ins and configuring the Web server and appserver, perform the following procedure:

  1. Copy responsefile.txt from the plugins directory on WAS disc to a place that we can identify on the machine.

  2. Edit the file to customize the values for the installation.

  3. Save the file.

  4. Start the installation. For example:

    install -options /tmp/plugins/myresponsefile.txt -silent

    (Windows) On non-Windows operating systems, silent installations run in a synchronous process. The process does not return until the silent installation finishes. For a silent installation to run synchronously on Windows, issue the first of the following commands:

    • Synchronous processing:

      START /WAIT install.exe -options "C:\temp\myresponsefile.txt" -silent

    • Asynchronous processing:

      install -options "C:\temp\plugins\myresponsefile.txt" -silent

  5. After the installation, examine the logs for success.

Logging


If no installation logs exist, refer to...

$HOME/plglogs/log.txt

We can also cause ISMP to record status about a problem that is preventing the installation from occurring.

For example, if we start the silent installation without accepting the license in the directive...

-OPT silentInstallLicenseAcceptance="false"

...the installation does not occur. The fact that the license entry was not accepted is recorded in...

$HOME/plglogs/log.txt

If all validations pass, the installation occurs. Then, the Plug-ins installation wizard records installation events in the following log files. The log files are in...

PLUGINS_ROOT/logs/install

log.txt

Records all of the ISMP events that occur during the installation. The log also describes whether the installation was local or remote. Messages at the end of the file indicate whether manual configuration steps are required to complete the installation. Key elements to look for in the installation record are:

Manual steps warning

When the wizard requires you to run a script to create the Web server definition, the wizard refers to the fact that manual steps are required.

If manual steps are required, the name and location of the script that run are written in the log file at the end of the installation record.

Web server type

The log has a record of the Web server type, such as IHS for the IBM HTTP Server, for example.

Location of the plug-in configuration file

The log has a record of plugin-cfg.xml location currently in the Web server configuration.

installconfig.log

Lists all of the configuration events that occur during the installation.

installGSKit.log

Lists events that occur during the installation of the GSKit code.

The command line for the installation is listed when the installation occurs.

The GSKit 7 installation record is written after the GSKIT 7: entry in the log. [Solaris]

The GSKit 4 installation record is written after the GSKIT 4: entry in the log.

installWeb_server_typePlugin.log

Records events that occur during the installation of a Web server plug-in. The name of the file varies to reflect the Web server:

Each log lists the following critical information:

  • The plug-in binary module that is currently installed

  • The current location of the plug-in configuration file configured for the Web server

configure_Web_server_type_webserver.log

Lists events that occur during the configuration of a Web server plug-in. The name of the file varies to reflect the Web server:

  • configure_APACHE_webserver.log
  • configure_IHS_webserver.log
  • configure_IIS_webserver.log
  • configure_SUNJAVASYSTEM_webserver.log
  • configure_DOMINO_webserver.log

The configureWeb_server_type_webserver.log file reports the actions that the Plug-ins installation wizard performs as it updates the Web server configuration file.

In a remote scenario, this log is not present because run the script to create the Web server definition manually.

In a federated scenario, the script is created and this log is not present.

Information that ISMP can log when it cannot start the Plug-ins installation wizard


Certain events can prevent the installer from starting the installation wizard. Such an event is not enough disk space to launch the installation wizard, for example. If the installation fails and there is no information in the installation logs, use the -log parameter to record entries for events that cause the installer program to fail to start the installation wizard. The syntax of the install command for logging such events is:

install -options fully_qualified_options_response_file_name -silent -log # !fully_qualified_log_file_name @ALL

Verify or troubleshoot the installation if the PLUGINS_ROOT/logs/install/log.txt file does not contain a record of any problems, but problems exist.

If the error happens early in the installation, look for the logs in the system temporary directory. The installation program copies the logs from the system temporary directory to the logs directory at the end of the installation.

Response file user entry validation


Validation of the response file has been coded into the installation. If response file validation does not pass, the failure is recorded in the temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt file.

Accepted license agreement

Default directive setting

-OPT silentInstallLicenseAcceptance="false"

Valid setting

Set this directive to true to accept the license and install the plug-ins.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : LICENSE _ NOT _ ACCEPTED.

Valid install type

Default directive setting

-OPT installType="local"

Valid setting

Set this directive to remote or local. Any other value fails validation.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : INVALID _ PLUGIN _ INSTALL _ TYPE _ SCENARIO _ SELECTED.

Valid appserver installation location

Default directive setting

-OPT wasExistingLocation="C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer"

The setting varies per operating system.

Valid setting

If we set the directive... '

-OPT installType

...to local, this validation checks that the path is a valid WAS V7 directory. Any other path fails validation for a local installation type.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : NON _ WAS7 _ DIRECTORY

Valid Web server configuration file 1

Default directive setting

-OPT webServerConfigFile1="C:\Program Files\IBM\HTTPServer\conf\httpd.conf"The setting varies per operating system. Valid file names for each Web server are:

Valid setting

Validation checks that the file exists. A known problem in ISMP validates a directory specification. However, identify the file to establish a working configuration.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : NON _ EXISTENT _ WS _ CONFIG _ FILE.

Valid Web server configuration file 2

Default directive setting

-OPT webServerConfigFile2=""Valid file names for affected Web servers are:

  • Domino 7: names.nsf

  • Domino 8: names.nsf

  • Sun One Web Server: magnus.conf

Valid setting

Validation checks that the file exists. A known problem in ISMP validates a directory specification. However, identify the file to establish a working configuration.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : NON _ EXISTENT _ WS _ CONFIG _ FILE2.

Valid Web server definition name

Default directive setting

-OPT webServerDefinition="webserver1"

Valid setting

Validation verifies that spaces do not exist in the Web server definition name. If spaces exist, validation fails.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : INVALID _ WEB _ SERVER _ DEFINITION _ NAME.

Verify that application mapping is true or false

Default directive setting

-OPT mapWebserverToApplications="true"

Valid setting

If we set the directive to a value other than true or false, no error is generated or recorded in the temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt file. The Plug-ins installation wizard defaults the value to true and continues the installation.

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

None.

Valid Web server

Default directive setting

-OPT webServerSelected="none"

Valid setting

Specify the correct Web server for the operating system. Valid values include:

  • [AIX] none, ihs, apache, domino7, domino8, sunone

  • (Linux) none, ihs, apache, domino7, domino8, sunone

  • [HP-UX] none, ihs, apache, domino7, sunone

  • none, ihs, apache, domino7, domino8 (not supported on x86_64), sunone

  • (Windows) none, ihs, apache, domino7, domino8, iis6, iis7, sunone

Error identifier in temporaryPluginInstallLog.txt

INSTCONFFAILED : INVALID _ WEBSERVER _ SELECTED.

Usage notes





 

Related tasks

Install Web server plug-ins