SimpleSi Posted January 7, 2019 Posted January 7, 2019 Happy New Year Scratch 3 is now live and MIT have made an .exe for a offline version but I was wondering if some kind soul (with the necessary tools/knowledge) could knock up a quick .msi for it? https://scratch.mit.edu/download Simon
Oaktech Posted January 7, 2019 Posted January 7, 2019 Perhaps I'm missing something... Just this morning I've deployed this by copying and pasting the created scratch directory into the C drive of a bunch of machines and it works fine. You could do it on a file creation GPO set to run once.
SimpleSi Posted January 7, 2019 Author Posted January 7, 2019 Perhaps I'm missing something... Its usually me that's missing something I've deployed this by copying and pasting the created scratch directory into the C drive of a bunch of machines and it works fine mm.. this sounds like the way I used to bodge things when I ran Win98SE workstations! On my home machine, (only one I've installed it on so far) - if I look at desktop icon properties it says the .exe resides in C:\Users\Simon\AppData\Local\Programs\scratch-desktop Are you saying just copy contents of this whole folder to say c:\scratch-desktop on each machine? How would it end up in each machines program menu? You could do it on a file creation GPO set to run once. woosh.... PS I know just about enough about network program deployment to know that if I can supply an MSI, the firm that setup new server and Win10 machines over the summer can quickly remote in and deploy it for me
Popular Post Arthur Posted January 7, 2019 Popular Post Posted January 7, 2019 I was wondering if some kind soul (with the necessary tools/knowledge) could knock up a quick .msi for it? I have made an MSI should you still need it (and App-V package)? Both of them will create Start Menu shortcuts too. Download: MSI / App-V @Oaktech is right that the program runs from wherever you copy the folder to. e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Scratch". One thing I noticed is that if you associate the Scratch .sb3 project files with the main EXE it won't open them when you double-click the files. 11
SimpleSi Posted January 7, 2019 Author Posted January 7, 2019 I have made an MSI should you still need it (and App-V package)? Both of them will create Start Menu shortcuts too. Thank you very much - hopefully I can get it installed tomorrow before 1st lesson with Year 4 One thing I noticed is that if you associate the Scratch .sb3 project files with the main EXE it won't open them when you double-click the files. Ta for heads up I 've had a similar problem that if the pupils double-click on an original Scratch 1.4 project - the computer seems to start a Scratch install! I'll just carry on with opening projects within the Scratch program
SimpleSi Posted January 10, 2019 Author Posted January 10, 2019 Just to say the MSI did work (once the workstations were updated0 Thanks @Arthur
SimpleSi Posted January 15, 2019 Author Posted January 15, 2019 @Arthur I don't know how much charitable unpaid work your willing to do but they've released a new version (1.2.1) that fixes a few bugs Any chance of an updated MSI? Simon
Popular Post Arthur Posted January 16, 2019 Popular Post Posted January 16, 2019 Any chance of an updated MSI? New MSI below. Download: Scratch Desktop v1.2.1.msi Do you know if there is a changelog somewhere? Going through the GitHub issue tracker is a bit time consuming. One small thing I noticed with v1.2.1 is that it now works in a VM, which is good. 6
SimpleSi Posted January 16, 2019 Author Posted January 16, 2019 Your a star I think things are so busy over at Scratch HQ that changelogs might not be at top of their list! They haven't even announced the update to 1.2.1 on the forums - I just picked up on it in a thread
SimpleSi Posted January 17, 2019 Author Posted January 17, 2019 JFI using the 1st msi (although I imagine its not related to being deployed by msi - just co-incidence) some of the computers came up with an error msg saying WebGL wasn't enabled for the browser! Quickly cured by directly running the .exe installer but just mentioning it in case anyone else gets the problem
Arthur Posted January 17, 2019 Posted January 17, 2019 Quickly cured by directly running the .exe installer but just mentioning it in case anyone else gets the problem Was that the EXE installer for v1.2.0 or v1.2.1? If the former, I think it's a Scratch bug and not the related to the MSI.
SimpleSi Posted January 22, 2019 Author Posted January 22, 2019 (edited) I don't think it can be related to MSI but who knows when 6 out of 30 computers do it #Gremlins However, I found a fatal (use) flaw with Scratch Desktop - when you go to save - it just has a blank filename - which in itself isn't the end of the world. Which is the end of the world for real primary class use it that it doesn't add .sb3 to file name when it saves So if you go to reload a saved prog, when you browse your folder - no files appear as the load dialog is only looking for .sb3 files There is no chance on this earth of getting a class of pupils Y3/Y4 to successfully type .sb3 at the end of the filename when saving So that's Scratch Desktop out for day-day use until they fix that! But at least we have it as emergency backup if Scratch servers aren't available at lesson start EDIT Tried this when I got back home - its fine at home so I'm thinking that this was the bug that Scratch Desktop 1.2.1 fixed and the new MSI hasn't rolled out to all the computers at school yet! I'll check as I'm back in tomorrow for coding club Real shame it doesn't have any method (that I've discovered anyway) of finding out what version is actually running /EDIT Edited January 22, 2019 by SimpleSi
Syman_a Posted January 23, 2019 Posted January 23, 2019 I don't think it can be related to MSI but who knows when 6 out of 30 computers do it #Gremlins However, I found a fatal (use) flaw with Scratch Desktop - when you go to save - it just has a blank filename - which in itself isn't the end of the world. Which is the end of the world for real primary class use it that it doesn't add .sb3 to file name when it saves So if you go to reload a saved prog, when you browse your folder - no files appear as the load dialog is only looking for .sb3 files There is no chance on this earth of getting a class of pupils Y3/Y4 to successfully type .sb3 at the end of the filename when saving So that's Scratch Desktop out for day-day use until they fix that! But at least we have it as emergency backup if Scratch servers aren't available at lesson start EDIT Tried this when I got back home - its fine at home so I'm thinking that this was the bug that Scratch Desktop 1.2.1 fixed and the new MSI hasn't rolled out to all the computers at school yet! I'll check as I'm back in tomorrow for coding club Real shame it doesn't have any method (that I've discovered anyway) of finding out what version is actually running /EDIT I used the 1.2.1 MSI and did not encounter this problem with my yrs 3&4 codeclub. 1
SimpleSi Posted January 24, 2019 Author Posted January 24, 2019 I'll check as I'm back in tomorrow for coding club Yep tried a computer out - it didn't save as .sb3 so manually ran .msi installer - now OK
mrstrong Posted January 24, 2019 Posted January 24, 2019 New MSI below. Download: Scratch Desktop v1.2.1.msi ..... Can I ask what you use to create the msi's ? On a slightly different note the most annoying thing I've found is that there is no "Save As" in the online version Just "save to your computer" which plonks a "Scratch Project.sb3" in your downloads folder, subsequent saves result in Scratch Project (1).sb3 etc How are you all dealing with this ?
Arthur Posted January 24, 2019 Posted January 24, 2019 Can I ask what you use to create the msi's? The WiX Toolset. I can post the source files if you would like those too? Scratch Desktop is pretty much self-contained so I could have also used the free version of Advanced Installer to do the job. 2
SimpleSi Posted January 24, 2019 Author Posted January 24, 2019 You need to change how chrome deals with downloads You can open a tab and enter chrome://settings/downloads and slide the switch across (no need to save afterwards - just close tab) Unfortunately, this seems to be a per user/computer setting so not totally practicable in most cases This is the thread on it http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/203074-scratch-3-chrome-download-location-settings.html with an offered GPO solution 1
mrstrong Posted January 25, 2019 Posted January 25, 2019 The WiX Toolset. I can post the source files if you would like those too? ... yes please It looks pretty powerful / worth learning. Somebody has just asked me for audacity on laptops so I might have a go doing an msi for that.
Arcath Posted March 1, 2019 Posted March 1, 2019 @Arthur any chance of that Wix config? I'm trying to do it myself but I could do with a working example to see where I am going wrong.
Arthur Posted March 1, 2019 Posted March 1, 2019 (edited) yes please any chance of that Wix config? I'm trying to do it myself but I could do with a working example to see where I am going wrong. I have uploaded the WiX files for Scratch Desktop v1.2.1 here... https://github.com/tweaktech/Scratch-Desktop-MSI I will update the ReadMe file when I have a bit of spare time, but if you have any questions or issues in the meantime, let me know. Edited March 1, 2019 by Arthur 2
Arcath Posted March 4, 2019 Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) @Arthur Thanks! I was close to something working but your config files have got me over the line. I've created a more general use script that creates the wix-config and MSI for any folder that contains an executable. Say you have Scratch 3 installed to the default location. You can run this command to create the MSI: (change my username to yours) .\create-msi-installer-from-folder.ps1 -Path "C:\Users\adam\AppData\Local\Programs\scratch-desktop" -Product "Scratch 3 Desktop" -Version "1.2.1" -executable "Scratch Desktop.exe" -Manufacturer "MIT" -Contact "Helpdesk" -HelpLink "https://scratch.mit.edu" -AboutLink "https://scratch.mit.edu/" -DownloadLink "https://scratch.mit.edu/download" This will give you an MSI that can be deployed of Scratch 3 Desktop (1.2.1).msi in the build\Deploy\Release folder. Going into a bit more detail this: Uses C:\Users\adam\AppData\Local\Programs\scratch-desktop as the source folder Scratch 3 Desktop as the product name 1.2.1 as the product version Scratch Desktop.exe as the executale in the folder to use for shortcuts/icons A manufacturer of MIT, Contact of Helpdesk, HelpLink/AboutLink of https://scratch.mit.edu and a DownloadLink of https://scratch.mit.edu On our deployments, I've set the HelpLink to our helpdesk url. You can view the source here: https://github.com/Ed-ITSolutions/create-msi-installer-from-folder And get the zipped releases here: https://github.com/Ed-ITSolutions/create-msi-installer-from-folder/releases It should support updating through a shared upgrade GUID. I have a few ideas to improve it but its got Scratch 3 deploying no problem which was my immediate problem. Edited March 4, 2019 by Arcath 2
Arcath Posted March 5, 2019 Posted March 5, 2019 I've updated the script a fair bit since my initial release. It now supports -Desktop to create a desktop shortcut on install and -FileType to associate a file extension with the installed program (will be useful in the future here). I've also fixed a bug when the exe was in a sub folder e.g. with Amazon Kindle. I'm thinking of building a site along side the script that lists confimed compatible programs and the commands used to generate them. 1
Jobos Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 I have uploaded the WiX files for Scratch Desktop v1.2.1 here... https://github.com/tweaktech/Scratch-Desktop-MSI I will update the ReadMe file when I have a bit of spare time, but if you have any questions or issues in the meantime, let me know. @Arthur Where does the msi install to?
Arthur Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 Where does the msi install to? The "Program Files (x86)" folder. 1
Jobos Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 The "Program Files (x86)" folder. That's great, thanks
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