Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard - some help please

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Hi folks,

Over the summer I've been playing with MSI installs via GPO but it's fast becoming apparent that there's a slew of packages I'd like to deploy via GPO but even sites like appdeploy are leaving me scratching my head with many comments appearing to be opinions rather than hard facts on deployment scenarios. Additionally many repacking resources have been converted to .exe files which has thrown me somewhat... let alone the joys of nLite, VM installs, etc... 8O

One thing I've come back to is the Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard but it lacks any kind of help file or instructions on how to make it work so I was wondering if anyone is up for a little hand holding and helping me get to grips with it all.

I've found a slew of command line installers or silent switchless installs on a few links from various threads on this forum and in my travels through Google, etc... but I'm at a loss to know how to setup some of them or know which are going to be worth using.


So, anyone able to provide someone with some advice, links, starting points, reference books, etc.. to get cracking on... All and any advice, help, etc... much appreciated.

Cheers

Martin

[mark]

Here too. Would love to get Macromedia Studio 8 sorted. Appdeploy have a page on it's taming but it looks a little complex: http://www.appdeploy.com/packages/detail.asp?id=605

[eean]

Your first problem is working out the silent command switch (there are pages on appdeploy and I think this site that will tell you the switches for install shield). Unless you can find it on the interwebnet, it's usually trial and error. You can usually recognise installers or rh click and go to properties on the exe and sometimes it tells you on the second page. It will normally work if it is a very simple program or microsoft patch or something. For installshield it is possible to get it to make a record file - however, often the dammed programmer has decided to put in a non-standard dialog and that messes the whole thing up.
Once you've got your silent command working, just open up WIWW, create the new msi file in the same directory as your install executable, select 'sourcedir' from the drop down, and browse to the executable (use unc not drive letters) and copy in your silent command in the bottom box.

Problems:
- You can't use WIWW for files that are MSI or MSI based (i.e. repackaged into an exe). You can't repackage (using snapshot programs) these files either.
For these you should use the /A switch to extract the msi file then use Wise InstallTailor (free from the wise site) to make a transform file (mst).

- Only use WIWW as a last resort. There is no error handing to pass back to the MSI so if anything goes wrong during install, at best it won't work (but windows will think it has) and and worst it will leave the machine hanging at the 'installing managed software' screen. I find them to be less reliable, especially when there are many simultanious installs over a wireless network - MSIs know to wait a while but not all install programs do. Also it is harder to make an uninstall. It's probably worth investing in a decent repackager (although I use various bits of crippled free demos).

@mark I think macromedia is a MSI, so WIWW is no good. Had a quick look at that appdeploy link and it seems that much of the advise it is giving (the scripting stuff) relates to making a the MSI silent for using MSIEXEC. This is not relevant to installing via active directory - you need to get the msi then make the mst (have a go with installtailor).

Hope this helps and I'm not just telling you stuff you already know.

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Thanks for that info eean, I had a feeling it was something that basic but wanted to be sure.

The additional warnings are also much appreciated and again were something I suspected but you've saved me a lot of heartache and hair loss so thanks again.


I'd be interested to hear what you've cobbled together to make your own repackaging and MSI editing kit though for obvious reasons.

Cheers

[eean]

I use MaSaI editor for making MSIs from stratch (i.e. when I know what files and registry entries I want to put on the machine) and for making transform files.
I use Wise Install Tailor, for making transform files that are based on the installer UI, for example selecting which components to install. Sometimes I'll then edit this file using MaSaI editor.
I use WinInstall 2003 LE for repackaging (i.e. taking a before and after snapshot of a computer - BTW always do this on a completely clean computer). Also if I need to set any file/registry permissions (as it is crippled by MaSaI!).

You can definately still get wise but the current download of Wininstall is for demo use only (or something is seriously crippled, you can't use it for real use). I don't know about MaSaI. If you need the older copies I have, PM me with your email or something and I'll try to send them to you.

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Had a quick peek around on google and found that MaSaI seems to be called "Installer Design Studio" now and the only version they have available is a 15 day trial version..

It seems a heck of a lot cheaper than WISE though so I'm going to grab the trial and have a play to see what it's like and if it can handle some of the apps I want to get sorted.

Those old versions would be appreciated for testing purposes but the more I think about it the more I suspect it's going to be my old version of WinInstall2003 (the free one that I luckily kept) and a clean machine..

Thanks again.. .

[eean]

I think the full version of masai - or what ever it's called now - can do repackaging. It can also the job of wise install tailor so it should do everything you need.

[fooby]

Is it just me or does everybody get errors when they try to do the registry key part of MaSaI?

Cannot perform '=' operation on System.Int16 and System.String

fooby

P.S: also on my laptop this happens.