Using ctltool to edit control files for Windows images

Each computer on which you want to install an image must have the same product configuration values as those stored in the image's control file. You can either create a new image, or edit the control file associated with the existing image to change the product configuration values.

Ctltool is a utility that you can use to change the product configuration values in an existing control file to create a new control file. This new control file can be used to install the same image on computers that require different values.

Related topics

Product-installation-directory-for-Windows-computers

Installing-products-in-a-Windows-environment

Before you begin

You must have created the installable image.

To edit a control file

  1. Open a command prompt.
  2. Change to the \Install\instbin subdirectory in the directory where the installable image is stored.

  3. Enter the following command:
    ctltool.exe drive:\path\inputfile.ctl drive:\path\outputfile.ctl
    The option drive:\path\inputfile.ctl represents the path to and name of the control file that you want to edit (the control file that was created with the installable image). The option drive:\path\outputfile.ctl represents the path to and name of the new control file that you want to create.
    For example, you create an installable image and store it in D:\installable image. The installation utility creates a .ctl file named install.ctl and stores it in the same directory along with the image files. To edit this control file, and create a new one in the same directory, at the command prompt, you would change to D:\installable image\Install\instbin, and enter ctltool.exe "D:\installable image\install.ctl" "D:\installable image\newfile.ctl".

    Note

    If the path that you enter for the input control file or the output control file has a space in it, you must enclose the path within quotes.

    The installation utility displays the first value stored in the control file.

  4. Type a new value, and press Enter to save your entry and display the next variable. To keep the existing value, press Enter. If you are changing a password variable, the value is encrypted in the new control file.
    When the ctltool has finished displaying all the variables in the control file, the command prompt is displayed.

  5. Rename the new control file to install.ctl so that when you install the image, the installation utility uses the new control file. The installation utility looks for a control file named install.ctl to perform the installation.

    Note

    Optionally, you can use the -install command line option when you install the image to specify the location and name of the new control file that you want to use. For more details on the -install command line option, see Installing an installable image.

Where to go from here

Creating-and-deploying-an-installable-image-for-Windows-computers

 

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