Configuration File Format

ID 659205
Updated 7/31/2018
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* NOTE: In reference to the articles “Silent Installation Guide for Intel® Parallel Studio XE for OS X*” and "Silent Installation Guide for Intel® Parallel Studio XE for Linux*."*

A few comments on the directives inside the silent install configuration file:

ACCEPT_EULA=accept

  • This directive tells the install program that the invoking user has agreed to the End User License Agreement or EULA.  This is a mandatory option and MUST be set to 'accept'. If this is not present in the configuration file, the installation will not complete.  By using the silent installation program you are accepting the EULA.
  • The EULA is in a plain text file in the same directory as the installer.  It has file name "license".  Read this before proceeding as using the silent installer means you have read and agree to the EULA.  Have questions? Check out our Get Help page for your support options.

INSTALL_MODE=RPM

  • This directive tells the install program that the RPM method should be used to install the software.  This will only work if the install user is "root" or has full root priveleges and your distribution support RPM for package management.  In some cases, where the operating system of the target system does not support RPM or if the install program detects that the version of RPM supported by the operating system is flawed or otherwise incompatible with the install program, the installation will proceed but will switch to non-RPM mode automatically.  This is the case for certain legacy operating systems (e.g. SLES9) and for operating systems that provide an RPM utility, but do not use RPM to store or manage system-installed operating system infrastructure (e.g. Ubuntu, Debian).  THUS, Ubuntu and Debian users set this to INSTALL_MODE=NONRPM.
  • If you do not want to use RPM, then this line should read "INSTALL_MODE=NONRPM".  In this case, the products will be installed to the same location, but instead of storing product information in the system's RPM database, the Intel product install information will be stored in a flat file called "intel_sdp_products.db", usually stored in /opt/intel (or in $HOME/intel for non-root users). 

ACTIVATION=exist_lic

  • This directive tells the install program to look for an existing license during the install process.  This is the preferred method for silent installs.  Take the time to register your serial number and get a license file (see below).  Having a license file on the system simplifies the process.  In addition, as an administrator it is good practice to know WHERE your licenses are saved on your system.  License files are plain text files with a .lic extension.  By default these are saved in /opt/intel/licenses which is searched by default.  If you save your license elsewhere, perhaps under an NFS folder, set environment variable INTEL_LICENSE_FILE to the full path to your license file prior to starting the installation or use the configuration file directive ACTIVATION_LICENSE_FILE to specify the full pathname to the license file.
  • Options for ACTIVATION are { exist_lic, license_file, server_lic, serial_number }
  • exist_lic directs the installer to search for a valid license on the server.  Searches will utilize the environment variable INTEL_LICENSE_FILE, search the default license directory /opt/intel/licenses, or use the ACTIVATION_LICENSE_FILE directive to find a valid license file.
  • license_file is similar to exist_lic but directs the installer to use ACTIVATION_LICENSE_FILE to find the license file.
  • server_lic is similar to exist_lic and exist_lic but directs the installer that this is a client installation and a floating license server will be contacted to active the product.  This option will contact your floating license server on your network to retrieve the license information.  BEFORE using this option make sure your client is correctly set up for your network including all networking, routing, name service, and firewall configuration.  Insure that your client has direct access to your floating license server and that firewalls are set up to allow TCP/IP access for the 2 license server ports.  server_lic will use INTEL_LICENSE_FILE containing a port@host format OR a client license file.  The formats for these are described here /content/www/us/en/develop/articles/licensing-setting-up-the-client-floating-license.html
  • serial_number directs the installer to use directive ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER for activation.  This method will require the installer to contact an external Intel activation server over the Internet to confirm your serial number.  Due to user and company firewalls, this method is more complex and hence error prone of the available activation methods.  We highly recommend using a license file or license server for activation instead.
  • No license file but you have a serial number?  If you have only a serial number, please visit https://registrationcenter.intel.com to register your serial number.  As part of registration, you will receive email with an attached license file.  If your serial is already registered and you need to retrieve a license file, read this:  /content/www/us/en/develop/articles/how-do-i-manage-my-licenses.html
  • Save the license file in /opt/intel/licenses/ directory, or in your preferred directory and set INTEL_LICENSE_FILE environment variable to this non-default location.  If you have already registered your serial number but have lost the license file, revisit https://registrationcenter.intel.com and click on the hyperlinked product name to get to a screen where you can cut and paste or mail yourself a copy of your registered license file.
  • Still confused about licensing?  Go to our licensing FAQS page https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/licensing-faq

ACTIVATION_LICENSE_FILE

  • This directive instructs the installer where to find your named-user or client license.  The format is:
  • ACTIVATION_LICENSE_FILE=/use/a/path/to/your/licensefile.lic  where licensefile.lic is the name of your license file.

CONTINUE_WITH_OPTIONAL_ERROR

  • This directive controls behavior when the compiler encounters an "optional" error.  These errors are non-fatal errors and will not prevent the installation to proceed if the user has set CONTINUE_WITH_OPTIONAL_ERROR=yes.  Examples of optional errors include an unrecognized or unsupported linux distribution or version or certain prerequisites for a product cannot be found at the time of installation (such as a supported Java runtime or missing 32bit development libraries for 32bit tool installation).   Fatal errors found during installation will cause the installer to abort with appropriate messages printed.
  • CONTINUE_WITH_OPTIONAL_ERROR=yes directs the installer to ignore non-fatal installation issues and continue with the installation.
  • CONTINUE_WITH_OPTIONAL_ERROR=no directs the installer to abort with appropriate warning messages for the non-fatal error found during the installation.

PSET_INSTALL_DIR

  • This directive specifies the target directory for the installation.  The Intel Compilers default to /opt/intel for installation target.  Set this directive to the root directory for the final compiler installation.

CONTINUE_WITH_INSTALLDIR_OVERWRITE

  • Determines the behavior of the installer if the PSET_INSTALL_DIR already contains a existing installation of this specific compiler version. The Intel compiler allows co-existence of multiple versions on a system.  This directive does not affect this behavior, each version of the compiler will have a unique installation structure that does not overwrite other versions.  This directive dictates behavior when the SAME VERSION is already installed in the PSET_INSTALL_DIR.
  • CONTINUE_WITH_INSTALLDIR_OVERWRITE=yes directs the installer to overwrite the existing compiler version of the SAME VERSION
  • CONTINUE_WITH_INSTALLDIR_OVERWRITE=no directs the installer to exit if an existing compiler installation of the SAME VERSION already exists in PSET_INSTALL_DIR

COMPONENTS

  • A typical compiler package contains multiple sub-packages, such as MKL, IPP, TBB, Debugger, etc.  This directive allows the user to control which sub-packages to install.
  • COMPONENTS=DEFAULTS directs the installer to install the pre-determined default packages for the compiler (recommended setting).  The defaults may not include some sub-packages deemed non-essential or special purpose.  An example is the cluster components of MKL, which are only needed in a distributed memory installation.  If you're not sure of the defaults you can do a trial installation of the compiler in interactive mode and select CUSTOMIZE installation to see and select components.
  • COMPONENTS=ALL directs the installer to install all packages for the compiler.
  • COMPONENTS=<pattern> allows the user to specify which components to install.  The components vary by compiler version and package. For a list of component, grep for the <Abbr> tags in <installation directory>/uninstall/mediaconfig.xml, such as this :
  • cd <compiler root>/uninstall
  • grep Abbr mediaconfig.xml
  • note that the list may have close to or over 100 components.

PSET_MODE

  • Sets the installer mode.  The installer can install, remove, modify, or repair an installation.
  • PSET_MODE=install directs the installer to perform an installation
  • PSET_MODE=remove directs the installer to remove a previous installation.  If multiple versions of the compiler are installed, the installer removes the most recent installation.  This information is kept in the RPM database or the non-rpm database depending on the mode used for the installation.
  • PSET_MODE=repair directs the installer to retry an installation again, checking for missing or damaged files, directories, and symbolic links, permissions, etc.

CLUSTER_INSTALL_AUTOMOUNT (optional)

  • This directive is only needed for installation of the Intel(R) Parallel Studio XE 2017 Cluster Edition product.  For Composer and Professional Editions leave this directive commented out.
  • CLUSTER_INSTALL_AUTOMOUNT=yes tells the installer to only perform the main package installation on a cluster head node or admin node in a directory that is remote mounted on all the cluster compute nodes.  This prevents the cluster installation from replicating all files on all nodes.  The head or admin nodes has the tools installed whereas compute nodes assume the PSET_INSTALL_DIR is  remote mounted - hence they do not need a full installation and just a few symbolic links and other small changes as necessary.
  • CLUSTER_INSTALL_AUTOMOUNT=no directs the installer to use CLUSTER_INSTALL_MACHINES_FILES to find all cluster nodes and perform local installations as if those nodes were stand-alone servers.  This requires additional time and replicates files on all nodes.

CLUSTER_INSTALL_MACHINES_FILE (optional)

  • This directive is only needed for installation of the Intel(R) Parallel Studio XE 2017 Cluster Edition product.  For Composer and Professional Editions leave this directive commented out.
  • This directive instructs the installer where to find the machines file for a cluster installation.  The machines file is any text file with the names of all the cluster hosts on which to install the compiler.  The work performed on each host depends on CLUSTER_INSTALL_AUTOMOUNT (see above)
  • CLUSTER_INSTALL_MACHINES_FILE=/your/path/to/your/machinefile/machinefile.txt

INTEL_SW_IMPROVEMENT_PROGRAM_CONSENT

  • This directive guides the installer in the user's intent for the optional Intel Software Improvement Program. This setting determines whether or not the product periodically sends customer usage information back to Intel. More information on the Intel Software Improvement Program can be found here: /content/www/us/en/develop/articles/software-improvement-program.html.
  • INTEL_SW_IMPROVEMENT_PROGRAM_CONSENT=no directs the installer to configure the product not to send usage data back to the Intel Software Improvement Program.
  • INTEL_SW_IMPROVEMENT_PROGRAM_CONSENT=yes directs the installer to configure the product to send usage data back to the Intel Software Improvement Program. Setting this to YES is your consent to opt-into this program.

SIGNING_ENABLED

  • Directs the installer whether or not to check RPM digital signatures.  Checking signatures is recommended.  It allows the installer to find data corruption from such things as incomplete downloads of compiler packages or damaged RPMs.
  • SIGNING_ENABLED=yes directs the installer to check RPM digital signatures.
  • SIGNING_ENABLED=no directs the installer to skip the checking of RPM digital signatures.