JDK-7144130 : Clarifications/verification on IPS required
  • Type: Bug
  • Component: install
  • Sub-Component: install
  • Affected Version: 7,7u4
  • Priority: P2
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • OS: solaris
  • CPU: x86,sparc
  • Submitted: 2012-02-09
  • Updated: 2013-11-07
  • Resolved: 2012-05-04
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JDK 7
7u4Fixed
Description
We need clarification from the Solaris 11/ IPS team about how the following things work in IPS. The answers to the following things are essential to correctly develop and test IPS packages.

   1.  How do we downgrade?
          * Use case/Example: From 6u30 to 6u26 0r 7u4 to 7u2?
   2. How do we un-install JDK 6?
          * Use case: What if I am an administrator who just does not want Java on my system. Can't I do that without un-installing half of the operating system? Is there something like "--ignore_dependency" option?
   3. What if a package is un-installed which has set some specific symlinks. What happens then? What happens to dead symlinks?
          * Use case: I install and un-install JDK 7. How can we trigger something that checks for existence of other JREs installed in the system and if yes making that JRE default.
   4. Can JDK 6 and JDK 7 co-exsist? Can we install 6 when 7 is already installed in the system?
          * Use case/Example:I have seen cases when 1.7.0.2 was installed and it did not allow me to install 1.6.0.31? It said something to the tune of "A newer package is already installed"
	  * How do we have multiple JDK6 or JDK7 on system?  How can I have 6u30 AND 6u31?
   5. Why does IPS block 7 packages when the incorporation name is different?  
          * Use case/Example: When I try and install runtime/java/###@###.### IPS says blocked by ub_javavm incorporation. however, the incorporation names are different and so is the publisher name although the package names are same.So, does that mean we cannot have consistency among package names for JDK 6 and JDK 7.
   6. Do we have to follow the SVR4 way of determining default java by looking at /var/sadm/system/admin/default_java. If yes, how? Knowing that IPS does not have postinstall scripting support.

Comments
EVALUATION After several email conversations with the S11 gang, the following changes are made to IPS packages: 1. JDK 6 and JDK 7 family of packages can co-exist. 2. Create an umbrella package for 6 and 7 so that other consolidations can "depend" on this unbrella package rather than specific update versions 3. Set symlinks to make a version of java default 4. Set symlinks for gnome integration 5. Set mediators for those symlinks so that packages that set the same symlinks (eg 6 and 7) can work seamlessly 6. Ability of an administrator to change default java between different java version families using pkg set-mediator command of IPS
28-02-2012