KIDS
The Kernel Installation and Distribution System (KIDS)
is a new tool introduced in Kernel V8.0. It introduces significant
revisions to the process of exporting packages over the previous export
mechanism, DIFROM. The KIDS tools provide a standard interface for
distribution of packages from the platform to another.
Distribution is the mechanism KIDS uses to export packages.
The system manager creates transport globals from build entries. KIDS
stores these transport globals in a global. KIDS can then write the
global to a host file. This file is the distribution file which can be
distributed to its destination via FTP or a PackMan message in MailMan.
Advantages
There are several advantages to using host files over
INIT routines (Fileman's method of transport). The first advantage is
that there is no limit to the size of a package you export. The second
advantage is that you no longer have to overwrite a package's existing
routines with new routines before running the installation.
Most importantly, KIDS allows transport of entities like PARAMETERs and
PROTOCOLs that the FileMan INIT process was not aware of.
KIDS provides many supplies for developers to help build and
install packages. These supplies include tools to verify a build. This
is useful for developers who are preparing to create a transport
global. If there are missing components, the developer can either
create the missing component or remove the component from the building
entry. Another tool provided by KIDS is the ability to verify package
integrity after an installation has been completed. After the
installation, check sums of package components can be compared against
the check sums of the components when they were originally transported.
Importing Distribution Tip
You may discover problems when trying to load KIDS
Distributions from files. The 'Load a Distribution' option asks for a
Host File name that should include a path. However, the
combination of path and file name cannot exceed 75 characters.
Here is a work around to make loading distributions from anywhere a
snap.
Modify the following line in the Kernel XPDIL routine to allow
up to 245 characters.
S
DIR(0)="F^3:245",DIR("A")="Enter a Host File",DIR("?")="Enter a
filename and/or path to input Distribution."
[Although it is not generally accepted practice to make
modifications to VistA's infrastructure code, this is one that is
defendable. It only changes a parameter (from 75 to 245) and the
consequences, if overwritten by a future release, are not severe.]
|
