Description of problem: When evaluating %include, anaconda apparently expands %include directives and places them at the top of the %post section before any other lines (taking the %included portions out of context). This becomes a problem when order of execution of %post install scripts matters. For example, a %post install section of a kickstart file: %post %include /mnt/ksroot/1.ks echo 2 %include /mnt/ksroot/3.ks echo 4 The includes contain "echo 1" and "echo 3" respectively. The expected output would be: 1 2 3 4 The actual result is however: 1 3 2 4 How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Create kickstart file with %includes as well as other lines in the %post section. 2. Install system using the kickstart file. 3. Observe kickstart output during %post. Actual results: %included lines are run first, followed by other lines. Expected results: Per documentation, "Use the %include /path/to/file command to include the contents of another file in the kickstart file as though the contents were at the location of the %include command in the kickstart file." (documentation quoted from http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-4-Manual/sysadmin-guide/s1-kickstart2-options.html)
This is fixed in RHEL5 which uses a completely different kickstart backend that doesn't have such weird problems as this one. If you require this fix in a RHEL4 update, please talk to your support representative who will raise the issue through the appropriate channels for consideration. Thanks for the bug report.