Many of the Executables in Deployment Server for Clients/Server 5.6 have the ability to output the available switches to Command Windows or to text.
What are the benefits of knowing this?
1) You are working a scripted firm event in Deployment Server for Clients 5.6 and can't recall which switch allows you to do a particular firm function to get a list of command switches quickly just type the following code in a command prompt:
firm.exe /?
for a list of available command switches
Output:
FIRM 5.6 (1089.96)
Copyright (C) 1997-2003 Altiris, Inc. All rights reserved.
Usage:
firm drives
firm dir <dir>
firm type <file>
firm copy <src> <dest>
firm delete <file>
firm browse <file>
firm backupreg <dest> [<windir>] [noprofiles]
firm restorereg <src> [<drive>]
firm backuplist <dest> <listfile>
firm restorelist <src> [<drive>]
Path syntax: <drive|token>:<path><filename>
<drive> = [f|d]<letter>
f = FIRM drive, d = OS drive
e.g. dc: = OS drive c:
fd: = FIRM drive d:
<token> = auto (automation partition)
prod (production partition)
temp (TEMP environment variable)
2) You can also pipe the output to text file with the following command:
bootworks.exe /? > bootworks.txt
(This particular executable requires you hit any key 3 times for the output to completely finish.)
OutPut Text File results::
BootWorks(tm) Version 5.6.45
Copyright(c) 1996-2003, Altiris, Inc. All rights reserved.
BootWorks(tm) is a patented technology and trademark of Altiris, Inc.
Usage:
BOOTWORK.EXE [ [?] | [-hr] | [-wb] | [-rs] | [-pause] | [-f]
| [-new] | [-nfd] | [-nologin] | [-nologout] [-TimeSync]
| [-ipXXX.XXX.XXX.XXX -pXXX] | [-sNAME] ] | [-name] ]
| [-mipXXX.XXX.XXX.XXX] | [-mpXXX] ] | [-dsbios] | [-dhcp]
| [-mcwaitXX] | [-mcdelayXX] | [-a] | [-x]
| [-wait] | [-ss] | [-noDisk]| [-c[COMPUTERNAME]]
| [-logF:\FILENAME.EXT] | [-mcdelayXX] [-noupdate]
Press any key to display more help...
Options:
[?] help
[-a] Add PC to database.
[-cCOMPUTERNAME] Specifies the name of virtual computer.
If blank it automatically selects one from the list
[-dhcp] The number of seconds to listen for a DHCP response.
[-Diag] Will run diagnostic menu without prompting the user.
[-dsbios] disables reading the bios for system information.
[-dsriloe] disables scanning for Compaq(tm) RILOE(tm) board.
[-f] Pause an unregistered PC during boot process and wait for
a job from the server.
[-hr] hard reboot.(default)
[-ipXXX.XXX.XXX.XXX] specify the IP address of the server.
[-logF:\FILENAME.EXT] Specifies the name of the log file.
Press any key to display more help...
[-mcdelayXX] The number of seconds to delay between MCast requests for a
server. (default=5 sec)
[-mcwaitXX] The number of seconds to search for a server through MCast
before rebooting. (default=30 sec)
[-mipXXX.XXX.XXX.XXX] specify the Multicast IP address of the server.
[-mpXXX] specify the Multicast port of the server.
[-msgdhcp] Displays DHCP messages.
[-name] Prompts user to enter the name of an unregistered client
PC to register with the server.
[-new] Do the 'initial deployment event'.
[-nfd] Don't check for a network mapped drive.
[-noDiag] Will not display the option to run the diagnostic menu.
[-noDisk] Will not access the hard drive.
[-nologin] Load LAN drivers so BootWorks can check the server for work
to do without completing a user login.
[-nologout] Bootworks will reboot without trying to log off of the network.
[-noupdate] Bootworks will not auto update its settings from the server.
[-TimeSync] Do not synchronize time with the server.
[-pause] pause 5 seconds before production boot.
[-pXXX] specify the port number of the server.
Press any key to display more help...
[-rs] soft reboot.
[-sNAME] Computer name of the server to connect to.
[-ss] Sends status set in STATUS to the console.
[-wait] Don't exit from BootWork.
[-wb] warm reboot.
[-x] Exit to DOS when finished.
Here is a list of the executables that support this function:
bootworks.exe
Firm.exe
Aximport.exe
Axexport.exe
Axcomp.exe
AxSched.exe
AxEvent.exe
Logevent.exe
Switchcfg.exe
The only executable that has a different paramter for this ability is Rdeploy.exe it requres this command to output the parameters to a text file:
rdeploy -? -text > rdparams.txt
Output:
RapiDeploy TEXT 5.6 (1089.193)
Copyright (C) 1996-2003 Altiris, Inc. All rights reserved.
-bsl:N Set broadcast speed limit to N MBits/sec
-cfgfile:{name} Set the configuration filename (default is lastrun.cfg)
-checkdisk Mark restored volumes to be checked by the operating system
-cX Set compression type: X={off|size|balanced|speed}
-d{1-N} Specify the disk to process (e.g., -d1)
-forcegui Force the gui wizard to appear even if it doesn't have to
-forceoem Force the OEM partition to be processed
-forcebw Force the BW partition to be processed
-frm:{name} Specify files to be copied to the boot drive after restoring an image
-f{name} Specify the image name
-h Show command line help
-help Show command line help
-? Show command line help
-ip:{n.n.n.n:p} Set the multicast ip address and port.
-i{id} Set session ID
-i:{20-25} Sets VGA screen mode (ie. 23=640x480x16)
-kap Keep all existing partitions during download
-kp{1-31} Keep an existing partition during download
-mclient Client mode
-mconv Convert .img to .exe
-mdb Download and multicast image
-mig:{name} Specify migration file. Prompts before overwriting the drive
-mub Upload and multicast image
-mb Multicast only
-md Download image
-mu Upload image
-noprompt Prevent any need for user interaction, ie. hitting <OK> after an error occurs.
-nocancel Don't allow the user to cancel the imaging task
-nooem Make the destination NOT end up with any OEM partition
-nobw Make the destination NOT end up with any BW partition
-nt64k Force FAT16 to use 64k clusters (NT systems only)
-password:<pwd> Specify the image password
-poem Image the oem partition
-pb Image the bootwork partition
-p{1-31} Select the partitions to process (must be separated, ie. -p1 -p2, etc.)
-raw Treat all partitions as raw
-split:N Split image at N megabytes
-span Prompt for media between image files (use with -split)
-szf or -sz#:x{m|p} Resize partitions. -szf or -sz#:x{m|p}
-sN Send to N clients
-threshold:N Minimum # of clients needed to multicast
-text Run in text mode instead of GUI mode
-ve:{31-34} Sets VESA screen mode (ie. 31=640x480x256)
-wN Timeout for autonegotiation and client connecting
-x Cause the image to be self-extracting
If you plan to do a lot of scripted events these output files and commands are indispensable and are a quick and easy way to find the right switch rather than going to the userguide.pdf.
However, if you require a full explanation of how these switches work and what options are available there is no substitution for the User Guides.
Happy scripting!
