INSTALLER(8)                System Manager's Manual               INSTALLER(8)

NAME
     installer - system software and package installer tool.

SYNOPSIS
     installer [-volinfo] [-pkginfo] [-allow] [-dumplog] [-help]
               [-verbose | -verboseR] [-vers] [-config] [-plist]
               [-file <pathToFile>] [-lang <ISOLanguageCode>] -pkg
               <pathToPackage> -target <pathToDestinationVolume>

DESCRIPTION
     The installer command is used to install Mac OS X installer packages to a
     specified volume.  The installer will install a single package per invo-
     cation. This package can be either a single package or a metapackage. In
     the case of the metapackage, all packages in the metapackage will be
     installed unless disqualified by a package's check tool.

     The target volume must already be mounted when the installer command is
     invoked.

     For system software installs, the target volume must be a different vol-
     ume than the one currently running the booted system. See systemsetup to
     set the boot volume.

     The installer command requires at least "admin" priviledges to run. If a
     package requires authentification (set in a package's .info file) the
     installer must be either run as root or with the SUDO command.

     The installer is not responsible for rebooting the machine after
     installing. Use /sbin/reboot or /sbin/shutdown -r now to reboot the sys-
     tem.

     The installer displays two forms of output. The default turse output is
     intended for parsing by scripting languages for automating (or scripting)
     installs and verbose output providing additional information and descrip-
     tive error messages.

     A list of flags and their descriptions:

     -volinfo
             Displays a list of volumes into which the software package can be
             installed. The volumes listed are the mounted volumes available
             when the command is run.

     -pkginfo
             Displays a list of packages that can be installed onto the target
             volume. If a metapackage is given as the package source, all of
             its subpackages are listed.

     -allow  Allows overriding (in packages which support it) installing older
             versions of packages over newer installed versions.

     -dumplog
             Prints the standard installer log to StdOut. This information is
             not displayed by default.

     -help   Displays the help screen describing the list of parameters.

     -verbose
             Displays more descriptive information than the default output.
             Use this parameter in conjunction with -pkginfo and -volinfo
             information requests to see more readable output. The default
             output is formatted for scripting.

     -verboseR
             Displays same information as -verbose except the output is for-
             matted for easy parsing.

     -vers   Displays the version of this command.

     -config
             Formats the command line installation arguments for later use.
             The output is sent to StdOut, but can be redirected to a file to
             create a configuration file. This configuration file can be sup-
             plied as the argument to the -file parameter instead of typing a
             long series of installation arguments. The config file can be
             used to perform multiple identical installs.

     -plist  Formats the installer output into an XML file, which is sent by
             default to StdOut. Use this parameter for -pkginfo and -volinfo

     -file pathToFile
             Specifies the path to the XML file containing parameter informa-
             tion in the key/value dictionary. This file can be used instead
             of the command line parameters, and supersedes any parameters on
             the command line. When you type this parameter, you type the path
             to the XML file. For example:

             installer -file /temp/configfile.plist

     -lang ISOLanguageCode
             Default language of installed system (ISO format). This is only
             necessary when performing a system (OS) install, otherwise is it
             ignored. There is no verification done to make sure that the lan-
             guage being set actually exists on the machine, as language pack-
             ages are usually installed after the base system and therefore
             may be installed after the default language is set, but before
             the machine is restarted.

ENVIRONMENT
     COMMAND_LINE_INSTALL  Set when performing an installation using the
                           installer command.

EXAMPLES
     installer -volInfo -pkg InstallMe.pkg

     installer -pkgInfo -pkg DeveloperTools.mpkg

     installer -pkg OSInstall.mpkg -target / -lang en

     installer -pkg DeveloperTools.mpkg -target /

     installer -pkg InstallMe.pkg -target "/Volumes/Macintosh HD2"

     installer -pkg InstallMe.pkg -file /tmp/InstallConfigFile

FILES
     /usr/sbin/installer  Software package installer tool

SEE ALSO
     softwareupdate(8) systemsetup(8) reboot(8) shutdown(8)

Mac OS                          March 28, 2002                          Mac OS