Preprocessing

You use the piktc program to preprocess source configuration (.cfg) files on the master machine, and send the post-processing alert (.alt), object (.obj), program, and other files over the network to receiving piktc_svc daemons for installation on the slave systems. Preprocessing entails:

stripping out meta-comments (comments of the form // or /* */)
#include'ing auxiliary files (e.g., a list of Unix command macros)
using #if <os|host|hostgroup> #endif preprocessor directives, filtering through lines pertaining only to the current client (e.g., '#if solaris')
using #ifdef <define> #endifdef preprocessor directives, for including/excluding portions of the text (e.g., '#ifdef debug')
making macro substitutions (e.g., substituting a Unix command path, with command options, appropriate to the current client)
performing an across-the-board syntax check

Note that, in addition to the Pikt script and config files, it is possible to use meta-comments, #include's, #if's, #ifdef's, and macros in managed system configuration files and scripts written in other languages. Note, too, that scripts can rewrite config #include files, raising interesting possibilities for maintaining dynamic system configuration files.

1st page