No category in Group Policy object

[Southwell]

Hi,

 

I'am trying to get some deployable software so users can go to add/remove programs and install whatever program that is available on the network.

Now i created the MSI, created the GPO but there are no categories that i can put the file into? Is there any way to custom add them? Will this result in the software being viewable from the users PC? I can only assign it also, i heard it had to be published, this is grayed out though.

 

Thanks

[projector1]

:oops:

[projector1]

opps

there are two types of advertising

assigned = the app appears to the user in the startmenu it is only installed when the launch it

 

published = it appears in the add/remove window

 

(i think some msi's are not publishable)

you may be able to use the ocra msi editor

[Southwell]

I think i could have it as viewable from a users PC but there are no categories. Going by Technet you should just be able to add them, but there is no add button, anyone know how to add the categories?

 

Thanks

[JamesC]

It's a little misleading because initially you would think that you can add/create categories when adding the msi to a policy and at the same time specify what categories the msi should be added to.

 

To add categories you need to right click 'Software Installation' (blue icon with a picture of a cd) in the Group Policy Editor (appears when you edit a policy to add the software in the Group Policy Management Console) and click properties. Here you have the option to add your own categories as well as assign a piece of software to a specific file extension so that if a user tries to open a file with an extension that you have already linked to an application then that application will proceed to install.

 

Once you have added your categories, the next time you publish some software you will be able to click the categories tab and give that piece of software a category that you want users to see in add remove programs.

 

If you have already published software you can simply right click the application in the Group Policy Editor and click properties. Opening the categories tab will allow you to give that piece of software a category post publishing it to a user. You can also change the categories for applications like this without unnecessarily removing and re-publishing software.

[Southwell]

Thanks very much, I didn't expect it to be there! Really appreciate that.