vpdadd Command

Purpose

Adds entries to the product, lpp, history, and vendor databases.

Syntax

vpdadd { -c Component | -p Product | -f Feature } -v v.r.m.f [ -D Destdir ] [ -U Command ] [ -R Prereq ] [ -S Msg_Set ] [ -M Msg_Number ] [ -C Msg_Catalog ] [ -P Parent ] [ -I Description ]

Description

The vpdadd command is for use with or by installers that wish to be listed in Vital Product Database (VPD). The VPD consists of the product, lpp, and history databases. Entries to the inventory database must be added by the sysck command. A new vendor database is now included to track products that use destination directories and non-installp uninstallers.

The vpdadd command uses a tree structure of Product at the highest level, then Feature, and then Component.

The Component is the lowest installable unit, but in this hierarchy, a Component is not selectable for install or uninstall. Therefore, if an installer is using the vpdadd command to update the install database, they should look at their own tree representation and add entries based on their structure. If only adding one entry per install, then adding a Product type rather than Component type would allow that entry to be listed in the uninstall Web-based System Manager and SMIT interfaces. All the entries are made in the VPD, but Components and Features are filtered out in the default lslpp listings (-Lc).

Flags

Item Description
-C Msg_Catalog Specifies the message catalog to search for a translated description of the Component. The default (English) description is specified with the -I flag. If the message catalog is not in the standard NLSPATH, then the full path name should be given.
-c Component Specifies the Component name to add to the VPD. An entry is only added if it is unique. Uniqueness is described as having a different destination directory. If the same instance of a Component is already in the database, then no entry is added, and an error is returned. This allows a force install (that is, reinstall).
-D Destdir Specifies the root (prefix) path that is added to all the files in a Component when being installed (and when being added to the inventory database by the sysck command). Files in a Component are listed with relative path names, so the root path is allowed to change. The default destination directory is /opt.
-f Feature Specifies the Feature name to add to the VPD. An entry is only added if it is unique. Uniqueness is described as having a different VRMF or destination directory. If the same instance of a Feature is already in the database, then no entry is added, and an error is not returned. This allows for a force install (that is, reinstall).
-I Description Specifies the default description of the Component, Feature or Product. The description must be specified in double quotation marks. Single quotation marks are allowed inside the description, and double quotation marks must be prepended with a \.
-M Msg_Number Specifies the message number for the description.
-P Parent Specifies the parent software unit. A Component specifies either a Feature or a Product as its parent, depending on where it was in the tree. This flag is used to allow tree listings in Web-based System Manager.
-p Product Specifies the Product name to add to the VPD. An entry is only added if it is unique. Uniqueness is described as having a different VRMF or destination directory. If the same instance of a Product is already in the database, then no entry is added, and an error is not returned. This allows a force install (that is, reinstall).
-R Prereq Specifies a Component (fileset) that is a requisite of the installing Component. The argument must be specified in quotation marks. This flag can be used more than once to specify multiple prerequisites. Although these are treated as prerequisites at install time (by the installer), they are listed as corequisites in the Product database to avoid creating circular requisite chains.
-S Msg_Set Specifies the message set (if more than one in the catalog).
-U Command Specifies the Command to launch the uninstaller for this Component. This may be just a command path name, or it may include parameters if there is a global uninstaller. The geninstall command calls this uninstaller, and installp does not deinstall a fileset if this value is set in the VPD.
-v v.r.m.f The VRMF of the Component, Feature or Product being added.

Security

Attention RBAC users and Trusted AIX users: This command can perform privileged operations. Only privileged users can run privileged operations. For more information about authorizations and privileges, see Privileged Command Database in AIX® Version 7.1 Security. For a list of privileges and the authorizations associated with this command, see the lssecattr command or the getcmdattr subcommand.

Examples

  1. The following example shows how the Registry service would call vpdadd to add a Component for the Foo product. This Component has two requisites, one that is specific to the operating system, and one that is listed as GUID. 
    vpdadd -c EPL2890198489F -v 1.2.3.0 -R "bos.rte.odm 4.3.3.0" -R "8KDEOKY90245686 1.1.0.0"  \
-U /usr/opt/foo/uninstaller.class -p KID892KYLIE25 -I "Foo Database Component"
  2. To add a new product devices.pci.cool.rte to the VPD, enter: 
    vpdadd -p devices.pci.cool.rte -v 5.1.0.0 -U /usr/sbin/udisetup

Files

/usr/sbin/vpdadd