Variants are used to configure certain characteristics of their parent installation differently.
This means several versions of the same installation can be created, by:
installing only certain parts of programs (client objects / server objects);
including or excluding certain programs;
adding other files;
specifying processes to be run upon completing the installation procedure;
adding shortcuts in the Windows operating environment,
installing Windows parts, Java parts or AS/400 server parts.
For example, it can be useful for an application to produce two variants of its installation:
one that only contains the client objects (for installing client workstations) and defines shortcuts;
another that includes the server objects (for installing a server workstation) and does not create shortcuts, but which contains a database creation script.
Access
To work with an installation's variants, you must either:
Select the Variants option from the Installations menu in the Installation program manager.
Select the Variants option from the context-sensitive menu in the Installation program manager.
Lists
Variants
List of variants of the current installation. The name, description, client part and server part, and the type (Windows, Java or AS/400) are specified for each variant.
The list is sorted in alphabetical order by variable name.
Extended-selection list.
Note: You can sort the list according to the criterion of a given column simply by clicking on the column heading (first click: ascending order, second click: descending order).
Context-sensitive menus
Create
This option opens a dialog box that lets you create a variant which will automatically be associated with the installation.
Details/Modify
This option opens a dialog box that lets you display or modify the general characteristics of the selected variant.
Note: The available option will be either Modify or Details, depending on the user's authorities:
| Modify | If the user has write authority for the *INSTAL authority at Repository level. Additionally, only the installation owner or software engineers with modification authorities will have access to this option. |
| Details | If the user is not the installation owner or does not have modification authorities. |
Copy
This option opens a dialog box that lets you create a new variant by copying the selected variant.
Delete
This option opens a message box requesting confirmation before effectively deleting the selected variants. Once validated, the variation list is updated.
Produce
This option runs the Installation program creation wizard for the variant.
Buttons
Enter
Closes the dialog box.
Keyboard shortcut: Esc.