9.2 Building the POSBranch Image

This section explains how to build the image for the POSBranch terminal.

9.2.1 Cloning the Image Description Tree

xscr builds images using a specific file system directory structure known as the Image Description Tree. The Image Description Tree provides the XML documents, scripts, configuration files, and other components required to build client images for Point of Service systems.

To create a POSBranch image, you can use any of the client Image Description Trees provided with Novell Linux Point of Service (Minimal, Java, Browser, or Desktop). The Image Description Trees are located at /opt/SLES/POS/system/image_name-version/.

To maintain a standardized source tree and simplify the upgrade process, it is recommended that you maintain the default Image Description Trees provided with Novell Linux Point of Service as master copies. To build a POSBranch image, you can clone one of the default Image Description Trees, then modify the cloned tree.

When you clone an Image Description Tree using xscr, you can define the image distribution as NLD or SLES (--dist nld | sles). POSBranch images require the SLES distribution.

NOTE:NLD is the default distribution type. Therefore, if you do not specify the image distribution when cloning the Image Description Tree, xscr defaults to NLD.

When you define the image distribution as SLES, xscr adds a child document (image_name-sles.xml) to the parent Image Specification Document that includes the SLES RPMs in the image.

Here is the syntax to clone an Image Description Tree to create a POSBranch image (type the command all on one line): 

xscr --create image_name-version --image image_name-version --dist sles

For example, the following command clones the Desktop-2.0.21 Image Description Tree to create a new SLES-based Image Description Tree named myImage-1.1.1:

xscr --create myImage-1.1.1 --image desktop-2.0.21 --dist sles

The new Image Description Tree is located at /opt/SLES/POS/system/myImage-1.1.1. You can then modify this cloned Image Description Tree as required to create the POSBranch image.

For a description of the individual Image Description Tree components, see Image Description Tree and Novell Linux Point of Service Files and Directory Structure in the Novell Linux Point of Service 9 Administration Guide.

9.2.2 Adding branch.xml to the Parent Image Specification Document

Image Specification Documents contain XML elements that define the structure, configuration, and other components required to build images for Point of Service terminals. In general, a master Image Specification Document (or parent document) defines general image parameters and individual image subcomponents such as add-on features, custom applications, and so forth are defined in sub-documents referred to as child documents.

The default Image Description Trees provided with Novell Linux Point of Service have a parent Image Specification Document at the root of the tree. After you clone the tree you want to use to build the POSBranch image, you must add branch.xml as a child document in the IncludeSpecificationList element within the parent Image Specification Document. For more information, see IncludeSpecificationList in the Novell Linux Point of Service 9 Administration Guide.

The syntax to include the branch.xml document in the IncludeSpecificationList element is as follows: 

<IncludeSpecificationList>
     <IncludeSpecification URI="/opt/SLES/POS/system/templates/
      support/branch.xml"/>
</IncludeSpecificationList>

The branch.xml document provides the following Branch Server components:

  • All the RPMs required for a functional Branch Server.
  • The RPM database so YAST2-Online Update can be used to update the image.
  • The Linux Kernel Crash Dump (LKCD) to provide a system for detecting, saving and examining system crashes.
  • Branch Server configuration information obtained from the LDAP directory.

9.2.3 Generating the POSBranch Image

The POSBranch image must be deployed on a bootable CD. This requires that you generate the POSBranch image with a CDBoot image.

Novell Linux Point of Service provides a default Image Description Tree (/opt/SLES/POS/system/cdboot-version) and Image Specification Document (/opt/SLES/POS/system/templates/support/cdboot.xml) for CDBoot images. You can use these components to generate the CDBoot image.

You must also create a config.image file. ImageBuilder uses the parameters defined in the config.image file to build the CDBoot and POSBranch images. For information on creating this file, see Section 9.3.2, Creating the config.image File.

To build the CDBoot image, you must use ImageBuilder’s CD boot feature. This feature requires the CD setup directory as a parameter so ImageBuilder can locate the config.image file. It then uses the parameters defined in the config.image file to create the CDBoot image. When you generate the CDBoot image, ImageBuilder also builds the client image designated in the config.image file’s IMAGE parameter.

IMPORTANT:You must designate the POSBranch image in the config.image file’s IMAGE parameter.

Here is the syntax to generate the CDBoot and POSBranch images (type the command all on one line):

xscr --prepare --build --image image_name-version --feature boot_cd:config=CD_setup_directory --destdir directory

For example, the following command creates the CDboot and client images as specified in the config.image file in the /tmp/cdsetup directory and saves the images to /tmp/mycd.

xscr --prepare --build --image cdboot-2.0.21 --feature boot_cd:config=/tmp/cdsetup --destdir /tmp/mycd