Space allocation on a disk happens in the following order. First all partition get the size allocated that is determined by the size parameter of the partition description. If a disk cannot hold the sum of these sizes this disk is not considered for installation. If all demands by the size parameter are fulfilled and there is still space available on the disk, the partitions which have a parameter "percent" specified are increased until the size demanded by by "percent" is fulfilled. If there is still available space on the disk (this normally only can happen if the sum of all percent values are below 100), all partitions that are specified with a size of zero are enlarged as far as possible. If a "maxsize" is specified for a partition, all enlargement are only done up to the specified maxsize.

If more than one of the available disks is eligible to hold a certain partition set, the disk is selected as follows. If there is a partition allocated on that disk that has its size specified by keywords "percent" or by "size=0" and does not have a "maxsize" value set then the desired size for this partition is considered to be unlimited. If a partition group contains a partition which an unlimited desired size, the disk that maximizes the partition size for the unlimited partitions is selected. If all partitions in a partition group are limited in size then the smallest disk that can hold the desired sizes of all partitions is selected for that partition group.

If there are multiple partition groups the the partition group with the lowest number (means highest priority) get assigned its disk first. Afterward the partition group with the next priority gets assigned a the optimal disk from the so far unassigned disks.

The following elements are global to all disks and partitions:

To configure individual partitions and disks, a list element is used with its items describing how should the partitions be created and configured

The attributes of such a partition are determined by several elements. These elements are described in more detail later.

	General remarks to all option values
	If there is a blank or a equal sign (=) contained in an option value, the values has to be surrounded by double quotes ("). Values that describe sizes can be followed by the letters K, M, G. (K means Kilobytes, M Megabytes and G Gigabytes).

<partitioning>
    <use_flexible_partitioning config:type="boolean">true</use_flexible_partitioning>

    <flexible_partitioning>
        <partitions config:type="list">
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">3</disk>
                <mount>/var</mount>
                <percent config:type="integer">100</percent>               
            </partition>
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">2</disk>                                
                <mount>/</mount>
                <size>1G</size>
            </partition>
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">2</disk>                                
                <mount>/usr</mount>
                <size>2G</size>
            </partition>
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">2</disk>                                
                <mount>/opt</mount>
                <size>2G</size>
            </partition>
           <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">1</disk>
                <mount>/home</mount>
                <percent config:type="integer">100</percent>               
            </partition>       
        </partitions>
    </flexible_partitioning>
</partitioning>

                    

A more complete example with other options is shown below:

<partitioning>
    <use_flexible_partitioning config:type="boolean">true</use_flexible_partitioning>

    <flexible_partitioning>
        <partitions config:type="list">
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">2</disk>
                <mount>swap</mount>
                <size>auto</size>
            </partition>
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">1</disk>
                <fstopt>defaults</fstopt>
                <fsys>reiser</fsys>
                <increasable config:type="boolean">true</increasable>
                <mount>/</mount>
                <size>2gb</size>
            </partition>
            <partition>
                <disk config:type="integer">2</disk>
                <fstopt>defaults,data=writeback,noatime</fstopt>
                <fsys>reiser</fsys>
                <increasable config:type="boolean">true</increasable>
                <mount>/var</mount>
                <percent config:type="integer">100</percent>
                <size>2gb</size>
            </partition>
        </partitions>
    </flexible_partitioning>

    <prefer_remove config:type="boolean">true</prefer_remove>
    <remove_special_partitions config:type="boolean">false</remove_special_partitions>
</partitioning>

                

Everywhere, product B depends on product A, there is no dependency related to product C. A, B and C are add-on products.

If there are two add-on products which want to insert their steps into the same location of the installation workflow (or proposal), they are inserted in the same order as the products are added. A must be added before B (otherwise adding B fails), steps of A are always prior to steps of B.

In order to avoid collisions of internal names of proposal items or sequence steps, all items should have its internal name prefixed by the add-on product name.

Because there are no really usable open source XML diff tools (the existing ones are typically written in Java), we define a special purpose file format aimed to cover the cases as described in the previous chapter.

In principle, the format is a list of directives to be applied to the existing control.xml. In principle, the file is a control file defining its own proposals, workflows etc. The control file has a special section, which defines changes to the existing workflow and proposals.

		
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<productDefines  xmlns="http://www.suse.com/1.0/yast2ns"
    xmlns:config="http://www.suse.com/1.0/configns">
  <!-- .mo-file must be in installation tarball -->
  <textdomain>OES</textdomain>
  <!-- these options override base product's ones -->
  <globals>
    <additional_kernel_parameters></additional_kernel_parameters>
  </globals>
  <software>
    <selection_type config:type="symbol">auto</selection_type>
  </software>
  <partitioning>
    <evms_config config:type="boolean">false</evms_config>
    <root_max_size>10G</root_max_size>
  </partitioning>
  <network>
    <force_static_ip config:type="boolean">false</force_static_ip>
    <network_manager>laptop</network_manager>
  </network>
  <!-- base product's list is preserved, these are appended -->
  <clone_modules config:type="list">
    <clone_module>printer</clone_module>
  </clone_modules>
  <proposals config:type="list">
<!-- put proposals for standalone product installation here -->
  </proposals>
<!-- workflow for standalone product installation -->
  <workflows config:type="list">
    <workflow>
      <defaults>
        <archs>all</archs>
      </defaults>
      <label>Preparation</label>
      <!-- mode and stage must be set this way -->
      <mode>installation</mode>
      <stage>normal</stage>
      <modules config:type="list">
        <module>
           <label>License Agreement</label>
           <name>license</name>
           <enable_back>no</enable_back>
           <enable_next>yes</enable_next>
        </module>
      </modules>
    </workflow>
  </workflows>
  <!-- stuff for installation together with base products -->
  <update>
    <proposals config:type="list">
      <proposal>
        <label>OES Installation Settings</label>
        <mode>installation,demo,autoinstallation</mode>
        <stage>initial</stage>
        <name>initial</name>
        <enable_skip>no</enable_skip>
        <append_modules config:type="list">
          <append_module>module_1</append_module>
          <append_module>module_2</append_module>
        </append_modules>
        <remove_modules config:type="list">
          <remove_module>module_3</remove_module>
          <remove_module>module_4</remove_module>
        </remove_modules>
        <replace_modules config:type="list">
          <replace_module>
            <replace>old_module</replace>
            <new_modules config:type="list">
              <new_module>module_5</new_module>
              <new_module>module_6</new_module>
            </new_modules>
          </replace_module>
        </replace_modules>
      </proposal>
    </proposals>
    <workflows config:type="list">
      <workflow>
        <defaults>
          <archs>all</archs>
          <enable_back>no</enable_back>
          <enable_next>no</enable_next>
        </defaults>
        <mode>installation</mode>
        <stage>initial</stage>
        <append_modules config:type="list">
          <module>
            <heading>yes</heading>
            <label>OES configuration</label>
          </module>
          <module>
            <label>Perform Installation</label>
            <name>a1_netsetup</name>
          </module>
          <module>
            <label>Perform Installation</label>
            <name>a2_netprobe</name>
          </module>
        </append_modules>
        <remove_modules config:type="list">
          <remove_module>finish</remove_module>
        </remove_modules>
        <insert_modules config:type="list">
          <insert_module>
            <before>perform</before>
            <modules config:type="list">
               <module>
               <label>Perform Installation</label>
                <name>i1_netprobe</name>
              </module>
            </modules>
          </insert_module>
        </insert_modules>
        <replace_modules config:type="list">
          <replace_module>
            <replace>language</replace>
            <modules config:type="list">
               <module>
               <label>Perform Installation</label>
                <name>r1_language</name>
              </module>
            </modules>
          </replace_module>
        </replace_modules>
      </workflow>
    </workflows>
    <inst_finish>
      <before_chroot config:type=”list”>
        <module>before_chroot_1</module>
        <module>before_chroot_2</module>
      </before_chroot>
      <after_chroot config:type=”list”>
        <module>after_chroot_1</module>
        <module>after_chroot_2</module>
      </after_chroot>
      <before_umount config:type=”list”>
        <module>before_umount_1</module>
        <module>before_umount_2</module>
      </before_umount>
    </inst_finish>
  </update>
</productDefines>

	    

Text domain is important for YaST to handle translations properly. The appropriate set of .mo-files must be present to have the texts related to the control file translated.

		<textdomain>OES</textdomain>
	    

The proposals are defined the same way as for the base product. The workflow for the standalone installation must have the mode and stage set

		<mode>installation</mode>
		<stage>normal</stage>
	    

The label of the proposal can be modified. The mode, stage, and proposal name has to be specified, other options (enable_skip, architecture) are optional. The modes, stages, and architectures do not

		<proposal>
		    <label>OES Installation Settings</label>
		    <mode>installation,demo,autoinstallation</mode>
		    <stage>initial</stage>
		    <name>initial</name>
		    <enable_skip>no</enable_skip>
		    [.....]
		</proposal>
	    

Adding an item to a proposal is possible at the end only. If the proposal has tabs, the items are added to a new created tab.

		<append_modules config:type="list">
		    <append_module>module_1</append_module>
		    <append_module>module_2</append_module>
		</append_modules>
	    

		<remove_modules config:type="list">
		    <remove_module>module_3</remove_module>
		    <remove_module>module_4</remove_module>
		</remove_modules>
	    

The replacement is available in 1:N mode – one client is to be replaced by one or more new clients. If you need M:N use remove and replace together.

		<replace_modules config:type="list">
		    <replace_module>
			<replace>old_module</replace>
			<new_modules config:type="list">
			    <new_module>module_5</new_module>
			    <new_module>module_6</new_module>
			</new_modules>
		    </replace_module>
		</replace_modules>
	    

The workflow to update is identified the same way as other workflows. The archs, modes, and installation don't need tobe alligned to the same groups as in the base product workflows.

		<workflow>
		    <defaults>
			<archs>all</archs>
			<enable_back>no</enable_back>
			<enable_next>no</enable_next>
		    </defaults>
		    <mode>installation</mode>
		    <stage>initial</stage>
		    [...]
		</workflow>
	    

		<append_modules config:type="list">
		    <module>
			<heading>yes</heading>
			<label>OES configuration</label>
		    </module>
		    <module>
			<label>Perform Installation</label>
			<name>a1_netsetup</name>
		    </module>
		    <module>
			<label>Perform Installation</label>
			<name>a2_netprobe</name>
		    </module>
		    [...]
		</append_modules>
	    

		<insert_modules config:type="list">
		    <insert_module>
			<before>perform</before>
			<modules config:type="list">
			    <module>
				<label>Perform Installation</label>
				<name>i1_netprobe</name>
			    </module>
			    [...]
			</modules>
		    </insert_module>
		</insert_modules>
	    

		<remove_modules config:type="list">
		    <remove_module>finish</remove_module>
		    [...]
		</remove_modules>
	    

		<replace_modules config:type="list">
		    <replace_module>
			<replace>language</replace>
			<modules config:type="list">
			    <module>
				<label>Perform Installation</label>
				<name>r1_language</name>
			    </module>
			    [...]
			</modules>
		    </replace_module>
		</replace_modules>
	    

In CODE 10, the last step of an installation commonly known as inst_finish has been modularized, so it's possible to control the clients started at the end of the 1st stage. In principle, this phase runs in a chroot environment – all system access is done via chrooted process.

There are 3 cases that an add-on product can modify the workflow...

		    <inst_finish_stages config:type="list">
			<before_chroot>
			    <label>Copy Theme</label>
			    <steps config:type="list">
				<step>copy_theme</step>
				[...]
			    </steps>
			</before_chroot>
		    </inst_finish_stages>
		

		    <inst_finish_stages config:type="list">
			<chroot>
			    <label>Update Configuration</label>
			    <steps config:type="list">
				<step>pkg</step>
				[...]
			    </steps>
			</chroot>
		    </inst_finish_stages>
		

		    <inst_finish_stages config:type="list">
			<before_umount>
			    <label>Disconnect Network Disks</label>
			    <steps config:type="list">
				<step>iscsi_disconnect</step>
				[...]
			    </steps>
			</before_umount>
		    </inst_finish_stages>
		

All new steps are added at the end of the current list in the particular inst_finish workflow. It is not possible to remove any other inst_finish clients or replace them.

To replace a workflow, just create workflows as in base product control file. The important is that the stage of the workflow is set to

		<stage>continue</stage>
	    

and the mode is set for the specified mode.

The algorithm is rather straightforward. Every time, remove is applied first, then replace and the last step is add. This is done per product, so first the changes by product A are applied, then by product B etc.

One of the most important data stored in the control.xml file are the values to influence the behavior of YaST code, like proposals etc. The idea is the same as for workflow/proposal adaptation: by redefining a value, the resulting values are changed. Within YaST, the options are accessible via ProductFeatures module. No new option groups can be defined. Options which are defined by the base product, but not by the add-on product, are kept unchanged (base product's value is used).

		<globals>
		    <additional_kernel_parameters></additional_kernel_parameters>
		</globals>
		[...]
		<software>
		    <selection_type config:type="symbol">auto</selection_type>
		</software>
	    

At the end of the installation, a profile for AutoYaST can be generated. The profile will be generated using modules from the base product and modules specified in the add-on product control file.

		<clone_modules config:type="list">
		    <clone_module>printer</clone_module>
		    [...]
		</clone_modules>
	    

The network code is instructed to force a static IP address.

The control file contains steps for both standalone installation and installation together with the base product. In the standalone installation workflow, selecting and installing packages is missing, these steps need to be prepended to the workflow.

	    
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<productDefines  xmlns="http://www.suse.com/1.0/yast2ns"
    xmlns:config="http://www.suse.com/1.0/configns">
<textdomain>OES</textdomain>
<network>
  <force_static_ip config:type="boolean">true</force_static_ip>
  <network_manager_is_default config:type="boolean">false</network_manager_is_default>
</network>
<proposals config:type="list">
  <proposal>
    <name>oes</name>
    <stage>continue,normal</stage>
    <mode>installation</mode>
    <proposal_modules config:type="list">
      <proposal_module>oes-ldap</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>imanager</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>lifeconsole</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>linux-user-mgmt</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>eguide</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>novell-samba</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>ifolder2</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>ifolder</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>ifolderwebaccess</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>iprint</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>nss</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>netstorage</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>novell-quickfinder</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>novell-vo</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>ncs</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>ncpserver</proposal_module>
      <proposal_module>sms</proposal_module>
    </proposal_modules>
  </proposal>
</proposals>
<workflows config:type="list">
  <workflow>
    <label>Preparation</label>
    <defaults>
      <archs>all</archs>
    </defaults>
    <mode>installation</mode>
    <stage>normal</stage>
    <modules config:type="list">
      <module>
        <label>License Agreement</label>
        <name>inst_license</name>
        <enable_back>no</enable_back>
        <enable_next>yes</enable_next>
      </module>
      <module>
        <label>OES Configuration</label>
        <name>inst_check_cert</name>
        <enable_back>no</enable_back>
        <enable_next>yes</enable_next>
      </module>
      <module>
        <label>OES Configuration</label>
        <name>inst_proposal</name>
        <arguments>false,false,`product</arguments>
        <enable_back>no</enable_back>
        <enable_next>yes</enable_next>
      </module>
      <module>
        <label>OES Configuration</label>
        <name>inst_oes</name>
        <enable_back>yes</enable_back>
        <enable_next>yes</enable_next>
      </module>
      <module>
        <label>OES Configuration</label>
        <name>inst_oes_congratulate</name>
        <enable_back>no</enable_back>
        <enable_next>yes</enable_next>
      </module>
    </modules>
  </workflow>
</workflows>
<update>
  <workflows config:type="list">
    <workflow>
      <defaults>
        <archs>all</archs>
        <enable_back>no</enable_back>
        <enable_next>no</enable_next>
      </defaults>
      <stage>continue</stage>
        <mode>installation</mode>
        <append_modules config:type="list">
          <module>
            <label>OES Configuration</label>
            <name>inst_oes_congratulate</name>
          </module>
        </append_modules>
        <insert_modules config:type="list">
          <insert_module>
            <before>suseconfig</before>
            <modules config:type="list">
              <module>
                <label>OES Configuration</label>
                <name>inst_check_cert</name>
              </module>
              <module>
                <label>OES Configuration</label>
                <name>inst_edirectory</name>
              </module>
              <module>
                <label>OES Configuration</label>
                <name>inst_proposal</name>
                <arguments>false,true,`product</arguments>
              </module>
              <module>
                <label>OES Configuration</label>
                <name>inst_oes</name>
              </module>
            </modules>
          </insert_module>
        </insert_modules>
      </workflow>
    </workflows>
  </update>
</productDefines>