Create and using a response file for server installation

Create and using a response file for server 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 server 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 msiexec command-line parameters described in Specify command line parameters for server 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

PGMFOLDER¹ 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. Note: Multiple installations of IBM MQ all use the same DATFOLDER.

LOGFOLDER path Folder for the IBM MQ queue manager log files. For example, c:\mqm\log. Note: Multiple installations of IBM MQ all use the same LOGFOLDER.

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

Anything else. Dialog is displayed.

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.

KEEPQMDATA keep |delete If the Server feature is to be uninstalled, whether to delete any existing queue managers.
delete removes any existing queue managers.

keep, or any other value, keeps them.
Note: This property is only valid on a final server uninstallation. Otherwise this property is ignored.

LAUNCHWIZ 0|1|yes|no| "" 0 or no. Do not launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard after IBM MQ is installed.
1 or yes. Launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard if the Server feature is installed.

"". Launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard to install the Server (the default).

If this option is to launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard, you can specify the WIZPARMFILE, either in this file, or on the command line.

The Prepare IBM MQ Wizard must be run to make the IBM MQ installation operational. If you choose not to launch it here, we must run it before using IBM MQ.

WIZPARMFILE path \ file_name When specified, the file that contains the parameters to pass to the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard when it is launched. These are in the [Services].

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 ³ are installed by default irrespective of the feature list provided in the ADDLOCAL property. If we do not want a feature, use REMOVE="feature" to specify that 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).

STARTSERVICE 0|no| "" 0 or no. Do not start the IBM MQ Service at the end of installation.
"" (the default). Start the IBM MQ Service at the end of installation if it was running at the start, or if this is a new installation.

Anything else. Start the Service at the end of the installation.

Ignored if the server feature is not installed.

If we do not start the IBM MQ Service, IBM MQ will not be operational and queue managers will not start. We must run the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard for the service to be correctly configured.

This parameter is only valid if LAUNCHWIZ is set to no.

STARTTASKBAR 0|no| "" 0 or no. Do not start the IBM MQ taskbar application at the end of installation.
"" (the default). Start the IBM MQ taskbar application at the end of installation if it was running at the start, or if this is a new installation.

Anything else. Start the taskbar application at the end of the installation.

Ignored if the server feature is not installed.

This parameter is only valid if LAUNCHWIZ is set to no.

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 versions of the product before 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 version of the product before IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1 is installed, or if another installation of IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1, or later, 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.
For a new installation, the typical features that are installed by default, irrespective of the feature list provided in the ADDLOCAL property, include the following features:

Server
MQ Explorer
Extended Messaging APIs (was Java and .NET Messaging and Web Services before Version 9.1.0)
Web Administration
Development Toolkit
Java Runtime Environment

Procedure
Create a response file for installation in one of the following ways:
Copy and edit the file Response.ini that is supplied in 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"
LOGFOLDER="c:\mqm\log"
AGREETOLICENSE="yes"
LAUNCHWIZ=""
WIZPARMFILE="d:\MQParms.ini"
ADDLOCAL="Server,Client"
REMOVE="Toolkit"
Parent topic: Installing the server using msiexec

Last updated: 2020-10-04

Property	Values	Meaning
PGMFOLDER¹	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. Note: Multiple installations of IBM MQ all use the same DATFOLDER.
LOGFOLDER	path	Folder for the IBM MQ queue manager log files. For example, c:\mqm\log. Note: Multiple installations of IBM MQ all use the same LOGFOLDER.
USERCHOICE	0\|no	If the command line or response file specifies parameters to install features, a dialog can be displayed to prompt the user to accept the preselected options, or review and possibly change them. 0 or no. Suppresses display of the dialog. Anything else. Dialog is displayed. 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.
KEEPQMDATA	keep \|delete	If the Server feature is to be uninstalled, whether to delete any existing queue managers. delete removes any existing queue managers. keep, or any other value, keeps them. Note: This property is only valid on a final server uninstallation. Otherwise this property is ignored.
LAUNCHWIZ	0\|1\|yes\|no\| ""	0 or no. Do not launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard after IBM MQ is installed. 1 or yes. Launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard if the Server feature is installed. "". Launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard to install the Server (the default). If this option is to launch the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard, you can specify the WIZPARMFILE, either in this file, or on the command line. The Prepare IBM MQ Wizard must be run to make the IBM MQ installation operational. If you choose not to launch it here, we must run it before using IBM MQ.
WIZPARMFILE	path \ file_name	When specified, the file that contains the parameters to pass to the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard when it is launched. These are in the [Services].
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 ³ are installed by default irrespective of the feature list provided in the ADDLOCAL property. If we do not want a feature, use REMOVE="feature" to specify that 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).
STARTSERVICE	0\|no\| ""	0 or no. Do not start the IBM MQ Service at the end of installation. "" (the default). Start the IBM MQ Service at the end of installation if it was running at the start, or if this is a new installation. Anything else. Start the Service at the end of the installation. Ignored if the server feature is not installed. If we do not start the IBM MQ Service, IBM MQ will not be operational and queue managers will not start. We must run the Prepare IBM MQ Wizard for the service to be correctly configured. This parameter is only valid if LAUNCHWIZ is set to no.
STARTTASKBAR	0\|no\| ""	0 or no. Do not start the IBM MQ taskbar application at the end of installation. "" (the default). Start the IBM MQ taskbar application at the end of installation if it was running at the start, or if this is a new installation. Anything else. Start the taskbar application at the end of the installation. Ignored if the server feature is not installed. This parameter is only valid if LAUNCHWIZ is set to no.
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 versions of the product before 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 version of the product before IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1 is installed, or if another installation of IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1, or later, is present and set as the primary.