Unix Agent install: 'Variable syntax' error during push install

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

While performing a push installation of the NS Agent for Unix from the NS console, the installation fails on the client computer. The root user on the client is configured to run the 'c' shell. The following 'Variable syntax' error is found in the client-side installation log in /opt/altiris/notification/nsagent:

root @ mysolarisbox:/> echo ACTIVE SHELL IS $SHELL END
ACTIVE SHELL IS /sbin/sh END
root @ mysolarisbox:/> pkginfo -q ATRSnsclt; echo ERROR=$?
Variable syntax
root @ mysolarisbox:/> mkdir -p /opt/altiris/notification/nsagent; echo ERROR=$?
Variable syntax
root @ mysolarisbox:/>

Resolution

In bourne shells, the status for shell commands is returned by the "$?' variable. In C-shells, it is returned by "$status".

Issuing a "$?" variable in a c-shell will return that 'variable syntax' error.