B Noninteractive Installation and Configuration

B.1.1 What Is a Response File?

A response file contains answers to installation questions that otherwise would be provided by the user in an interactive installation session. Each answer is stored as a value for a variable that is identified in the response file. For example, values for ORACLE_HOME or Install Type can be set automatically within the response file. Response file templates are generated by the installation developer. The response file template for the installation of the product can be found on the installation DVD under the [DATABASE.RESPONSE] directory. You should be able to find one for your choice of install type (for example, ENTERPRISE.RSP for an Enterprise Edition server installation, or CUSTOM.RSP for a custom installation).

B.1.2 Why Perform a Silent Installation?

Silent installations can be useful if you need to install an Oracle product multiple times on multiple computers, or if you prefer not to use the GUI because of performance reasons over a slow remote X Windows connection. If the options that you select while installing on each computer are always the same, then you save the time of reviewing each installation screen and selecting the various installation options.

Silent installations can also ensure that multiple users in your organization use the same installation options when they install Oracle products. You can therefore more easily support those users because you already know what components and options have been installed on each computer.

Before you perform a silent installation, you should review the settings in the response file template that is provided with the Oracle product.

B.1.3 Modifying a Response File

If the product installation includes a response file template, then you can find it on the shipped media in the device:[DISK1.RESPONSE] directory. For a list of response files, refer to Section B.1.3.1, "List of Response File Names". Mandatory items have the following comment just before the definition:

# OPENVMS_VALUE_REQUIRED

Three values must be provided:

• FROM_LOCATION

• ORACLE_HOME

• ORACLE_HOME_NAME

FROM_LOCATION is the complete path of the source of the products to be installed (in other words, to the PRODUCTS.XML file in the STAGE subdirectory of the DATABASE, CLIENT, COMPANION, or CLUSTERWARE main directory of the DVD) from the shipped media. If contents of shipped media were copied to a local device, then specify that path. ORACLE_HOME is the directory into which the Oracle software will be installed. The account from which Oracle Universal Installer is run must have appropriate privileges to create a root-level directory if the directory that was specified for ORACLE_HOME does not already exist.

To modify the response file:

1. Make a copy of the response file for the product, and open it in a text editor.

2. Search for the three items that are listed in the preceding paragraph (or for the string OPENVMS_VALUE_REQUIRED), and provide values for those items.

3. Modify other fields as applicable (refer to comments within the response file that you are modifying).

B.2.1 Creating the ORAINST.LOC File

If you plan to install Oracle products noninteractively, then you must manually create the ORAINST.LOC file, if it does not already exist. This file specifies the location of the Oracle Inventory directory where Oracle Universal Installer creates the inventory of Oracle products that are installed on the system.

To create the ORAINST.LOC file, perform the following steps:

1. Set default directory to the Oracle oraInventory directory.The ORAINST.LOC file resides in a subdirectory under the SYS$LOGIN

   $ SET DEFAULT logindisk:[logindir.nodename]
   
   

2. Use a text editor to create the ORAINST.LOC file, containing the following lines:

   inventory_loc=oraInventory_location
   inst_group=group_id
   
   

   In this example, oraInventory_location is the location of the Oracle Inventory directory which is on an ODS-5 volume, and group_id is the group ID of the Oracle Database account.

3. Set the file protection on the ORAINST.LOC file as follows:

   $ SET FILE/PROT=(O:RWED,S:RWED,:rwe,w:re):oraInst.loc
   

B.2.2 Preparing Response Files

Oracle provides response file templates for each product and installation type and for each configuration tool. These files are located in the [DATABASE.RESPONSE] directory on the installation media.

Table B-1 lists the response files that are provided with Oracle Database 10g.

To prepare a response file:

1. Copy the response file from the response file directory to a directory on the system:

   $ COPY dvd_device:[DB.RESPONSE]response_file dest_path
   
   

   In this example, src_path is the installation media mount point directory or the db directory on the DVD. If you have copied the software to a hard drive, then you can edit the file in the RESPONSE directory if you prefer.

2. Open the response file in a text editor:

   $ EDIT [dest_path]response_file
   
   

3. Edit the file by following the directions in Section B.1.3, "Modifying a Response File".

   Note:

   Oracle Universal Installer or the configuration assistant fails if you do not correctly configure the response file. Refer to Section G.6, "Silent Response File Error Handling" for more information about troubleshooting a failed noninteractive installation.

B.2.3 Running Oracle Universal Installer Noninteractively

To run Oracle Universal Installer noninteractively, enter a command similar to the following:

$ @[directory_path]RUNINSTALLER [-SILENT] -RESPONSEFILE filename

In this command:

• directory_path is the DATABASE, CLIENT, COMPANION, or CLUSTERWARE directory in the hard drive copy of the DVD

• -SILENT specifies a completely noninteractive installation

• filename is the full path and file name of the installation response file that you configured

B.5.1 Using Database Configuration Assistant in Noninteractive Mode

In noninteractive mode, Database Configuration Assistant uses values that you specify in the response file or as command line options to create a database. As Database Configuration Assistant configures and starts the database, it displays a screen that contains status messages and a progress bar. The screen that it displays is the same screen that is displayed when you create a preconfigured database during an Enterprise Edition installation.

To run Database Configuration Assistant in noninteractive mode, you must use a graphical display and set the DISPLAY.

B.5.2 Using Database Configuration Assistant in Silent Mode

In silent mode, Database Configuration Assistant uses values that you specify in the response file or as command-line options to create a database. Database Configuration Assistant does not display any screens or information while it creates the database. It logs all messages (including information, errors, and warnings) in a log file.

From the command line, enter the following command to see all of Database Configuration Assistant options that are available when you use the silent mode:

$ DBCA -help

B.5.3 Running Database Configuration Assistant in Noninteractive or Silent Mode

To run Database Configuration Assistant in noninteractive or silent mode, use the following steps:

1. Copy the DBCA.RSP response file template from the response file directory to a directory on the system:

   $ COPY device:[DB.RESPONSE]DBCA.RSP dest_path
   
   

   In this example, src_path is the installation media directory or the db directory on the DVD. If you have copied the software to a hard drive, then you can edit the file in the [.DB.RESPONSE] directory if you prefer.

2. Open the response file in a text editor as follows:

   $ EDIT NETCA.RSP     
   
   

3. Edit the file by following the instructions in the file.

   Note:

   Database Configuration Assistant stops if you do not correctly configure the response file.

   As an alternative to editing the response file template, you can also create a database by specifying all required information as command-line options when you run Database Configuration Assistant. For information about the supported options, enter the following command:

   $ DBCA -HELP
   
   

   Because of the DCL limit of eight command-line parameters on OpenVMS, it is not possible to specify all the required parameters to create a database directly at the command line. Therefore, as a workaround, Database Configuration Assistant command-line arguments may be placed in a file called SYS$SCRATCH:DBCA.ARGS. The dbca.com script looks for this file, and if present, passes the specified arguments to Database Configuration Assistant Java application. The DBCA.COM command procedure ignores all arguments that are specified at the command line except: -SILENT, -RESPONSEFILE response_file, and -HELP. To avoid inadvertently applying the same arguments to the next invocation of Database Configuration Assistant when DBCA.ARGS exits, if an arguments file was used, then it is renamed to SYS$SCRATCH:DBCA.ARGS_OLD.

4. Log into the Oracle Database account (typically oracle) and set the ORACLE_HOME logical name to specify the correct Oracle home directory.

5. If you intend to run Database Configuration Assistant in noninteractive mode, then set the DISPLAY.

6. Enter a command similar to the following to run Database Configuration Assistant in noninteractive or silent mode with a response file:

   $ DBCA -SILENT -RESPONSEFILE
   response_file
   
   

   In the example:

   • -silent indicates that you want to run Database Configuration Assistant in silent mode.

   • response_file is the full path to the copy of DBCA.RSP response file template that will be used.

The following sections contain examples that illustrate the use of silent mode.

Database Configuration Assistant Silent Mode Example 1: Creating a Clone Database

To create a clone database, enter the following in SYS$SCRATCH:DBCA.ARGS:

-silent 
-createDatabase 
-templateName Transaction_Processing.dbc 
-gdbname ora10 
-sid ora10 
-datafileJarLocation /disk$disk1/oracle10g/ora10/assistants/dbca/templates 
-datafileDestination /disk$disk1/oracle10g/ora10/oradata 
-responseFile NO_VALUE 
-characterset WE8ISO8859P1 

Then, ensure that the ORACLE_HOME environment is set up by running:

$ @disk:[oracle-home-path]ORAUSER

For example:

$ @DISK$DISK1:[ORACLE10g.ORA10]ORAUSER

Next, set the DISPLAY and start Database Configuration Assistant. Log files are present in the same location as with an interactive install. In this example:

DISK$DISK1:[ORACLE10g.ORA10.ADMIN.ORA10.CREATE]

In addition, check the ORA_ROOT:[ASSISTANTS.DBCA.LOGS] directory.

Database Configuration Assistant Silent Mode Example 2: Creating a Seed Template

To create a seed template, enter the following in SYS$SCRATCH:DBCA.ARGS:

-silent
-createCloneTemplate
-sourceDB ora10
-sysDBAUserName sys
-sysDBAPassword change_on_install
-templateName copy_of_ora10
-datafileJarLocation /disk$disk1/oracle10g/ora10/assistants/dbca/templates

Then, ensure that the oracle environment is set up by running the ORAUSER script, set the DISPLAY and start Database Configuration Assistant. Log files for creating a seed template are located in the ORA_ROOT:[ASSISTANTS.DBCA.LOGS] directory.