The Red Hat Enterprise Linux text mode installation program uses a screen-based
interface that includes most of the on-screen
widgets commonly found on graphical user
interfaces. Figure 4-1, and Figure 4-2, illustrate the screens that appear
during the installation process.
Note
While text mode installations are not
explicitly documented, those using the text mode installation
program can easily follow the GUI installation instructions.
Figure 4-1. Installation Program Widgets as seen in Boot Loader
Configuration
Figure 4-2. Installation Program Widgets as seen in Disk
Druid
Here is a list of the most important widgets shown in Figure 4-1 and Figure 4-2:
Window — Windows (usually referred to as
dialogs in this manual) appear on your screen
throughout the installation process. At times, one window may
overlay another; in these cases, you can only interact with the
window on top. When you are finished in that window, it disappears,
allowing you to continue working in the window underneath.
Checkbox — Checkboxes allow you to select or deselect a
feature. The box displays either an asterisk (selected) or a space
(unselected). When the cursor is within a checkbox, press
[Space] to select or deselect a feature.
Text Input — Text input lines are regions where you can
enter information required by the installation program. When the
cursor rests on a text input line, you may enter and/or edit
information on that line.
Text Widget — Text widgets are regions of the screen for
the display of text. At times, text widgets may also contain other
widgets, such as checkboxes. If a text widget contains more
information than can be displayed in the space reserved for it, a
scroll bar appears; if you position the cursor within the text
widget, you can then use the [Up] and
[Down] arrow keys to scroll through all the
information available. Your current position is shown on the scroll
bar by a # character, which moves up and down the
scroll bar as you scroll.
Scroll Bar — Scroll bars appear on the side or bottom of a
window to control which part of a list or document is currently in the
window's frame. The scroll bar makes it easy to move to any part of a
file.
Button Widget — Button widgets are the primary method of
interacting with the installation program. You progress through the
windows of the installation program by navigating these buttons,
using the [Tab] and [Enter] keys.
Buttons can be selected when they are highlighted.
Cursor — Although not a widget, the cursor is used to
select (and interact with) a particular widget. As the cursor is
moved from widget to widget, it may cause the widget to change
color, or the cursor itself may only appear positioned in or next to
the widget. In Figure 4-1, the cursor is
positioned on the OK button. Figure 4-2, shows the cursor on the
Edit button.
Navigation through the installation dialogs is performed through a
simple set of keystrokes. To move the cursor, use the
[Left], [Right], [Up],
and [Down] arrow keys. Use [Tab], and
[Alt]-[Tab] to cycle forward or backward
through each widget on the screen. Along the bottom, most screens
display a summary of available cursor positioning keys.
To "press" a button, position the cursor over the button (using
[Tab], for example) and press [Space] or
[Enter]. To select an item from a list of items, move
the cursor to the item you wish to select and press
[Enter]. To select an item with a checkbox, move the
cursor to the checkbox and press [Space] to select an
item. To deselect, press [Space] a second time.
Pressing [F12] accepts the current values and
proceeds to the next dialog; it is equivalent to pressing the
OK button.
Caution
Unless a dialog box is waiting for your
input, do not press any keys during the installation process (doing so
may result in unpredictable behavior).
