AutoYast network config - Ask info not retained

I’m trying to semi-automate the build of several Xen VMs using autoyast image files. The goal is to automate everything except for the hostname and ipaddr, which will be passed from an <ask-list> so I can use one xml file for all installations.

Xen server is running SLES 10 sp2, VMs will be running openSuSE 10.3 or 11.1 (whichever I can make work and appears stable). I have combed the forums and tried multiple xml variations. Here are the most recent variations I have tried:


<general>
<ask-list config:type=“list”>
<ask>
<pathlist config:type=“list”>
<path>networking,dns,hostname</path>
</pathlist>
<title>New Server Name</title>
<question>Enter the server name:</question>
<stage>initial</stage>
<default>vsmtp-X</default>
</ask>
<ask>
<pathlist config:type=“list”>
<path>networking,interfaces,0,ipaddr</path>
</pathlist>
<title>New Server IP address</title>
<question>Enter the server IP address:</question>
<stage>initial</stage>
<default>192.168.199.236</default>
</ask>
</ask-list>

</general>

<networking>
<interfaces config:type=“list”>
<interface>
<bootproto>static</bootproto>
<device>eth0</device>
<ipaddr>value</ipaddr>
<netmask>255.255.255.0</netmask>
<startmode>auto</startmode>
<usercontrol>no</usercontrol>
</interface>
</interfaces>
<dhcp_options>
<dhclient_additional_options></dhclient_additional_options>
<dhclient_client_id></dhclient_client_id>
<dhclient_hostname_option>AUTO</dhclient_hostname_option>
</dhcp_options>
<dns>
<dhcp_hostname config:type=“boolean”>false</dhcp_hostname>
<dhcp_resolv config:type=“boolean”>true</dhcp_resolv>
<domain>communitect.com</domain>
<hostname>value</hostname>
<nameservers config:type=“list”>
<nameserver>192.168.199.111</nameserver>
<nameserver>192.168.199.112</nameserver>
</nameservers>
</dns>
<managed config:type=“boolean”>false</managed>
<routing>
<ip_forward config:type=“boolean”>false</ip_forward>
<routes config:type=“list”>
<route>
<destination>default</destination>
<device>-</device>
<gateway>192.168.199.1</gateway>
<netmask>-</netmask>
</route>
</routes>
</routing>
</networking>

I have tried using both <stage>initial</stage> and <stage>cont</stage>, with ‘initial’ being my preference. In both cases I get prompted at the appropriate time during the installation and I see that eth0 has been assigned the correct address right up until the end when I get to the first login prompt.

I can’t find the <element>value</element> syntax documented anywhere other than a couple of threads where it appears to resolve other users’ problems. Since I’ve added it I get the literal word ‘value’ in the ipaddr for eth0, prior to that I was getting nothing.

Thanks in advance, Paul

Well… 40 some-odd views and no replies, so in case anyone is interested…

My XML worked installing openSuSE 11.1, but it wouldn’t work properly with 10.3. I haven’t had time to really pinpoint the problem, but I suspect <pathlist> was failing even though I thought I read that it was the non-deprecated syntax for both of these versions of the OS. I hope this saves someone some time and frustration.

Paul