SIMS install parameters

[Bigsby]

Hi All,

 

Can we still use the /s param to install sims as follows:

 

Simsinst.exe /s {QuietMode} {NoServerApps} [sIMSDirectory]="s:\SIMS\" [sIMSDotNetDirectory]="C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\SIMS .net"

 

I found most of this on dated posts

1. Here
   
2. Here
   
3. Here
   

Is this still something that is possible or is it too dated to still work?

[mullet_man]

SIMSinst.exe /s works OK for me without any of the other data or switches you have.

 

This way doesn't seem to install Acrobat which is a bonus too.

[Bigsby]

Hmm, that's good. Have you got SIMS deploying via SCCM package?

[6Foot2]

Hmm, that's good. Have you got SIMS deploying via SCCM package?

 

We (currently) deploy FMS via SCCM. This is the batch file that makes that happen:

 

"\\SQLSERVERName\SIMSROOT\sims\Setups\FMS\FMSApplicationSetup.exe" /S {QuietMode} [FMSDirectory]="%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL" [sIMSDirectory]="S:\SIMS"


if not exist "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL\FMSConnect.ini" copy .\ini\FMSConnect.ini "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL"

if not exist "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL\SS_FMS_Select.ini" copy .\ini\SS_FMS_Select.ini "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL"

 

HTH.

[Bigsby]

We (currently) deploy FMS via SCCM. This is the batch file that makes that happen:

 

"\\SQLSERVERName\SIMSROOT\sims\Setups\FMS\FMSApplicationSetup.exe" /S {QuietMode} [FMSDirectory]="%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL" [sIMSDirectory]="S:\SIMS"


if not exist "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL\FMSConnect.ini" copy .\ini\FMSConnect.ini "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL"

if not exist "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL\SS_FMS_Select.ini" copy .\ini\SS_FMS_Select.ini "%programfiles(x86)%\SIMS\FMSSQL"

 

HTH.

 

 

Awesome, thank you so much.

For new updates do you just supersede the old version in SCCM

[6Foot2]

Awesome, thank you so much.

For new updates do you just supersede the old version in SCCM

 

Because this calls the FMSApplicationSetup.exe from the 'SIMSROOT\sims\Setups\FMS' folder, once FMS on the server has been updated, and FMSApplicationSetup.exe has been updated at the same time. This means that I don't have to create a new FMS deploy package when FMS is updated.

 

I think that answers the question you asked.

 

[Bigsby]

Because this calls the FMSApplicationSetup.exe from the 'SIMSROOT\sims\Setups\FMS' folder, once FMS on the server has been updated, and FMSApplicationSetup.exe has been updated at the same time. This means that I don't have to create a new FMS deploy package when FMS is updated.

 

I think that answers the question you asked.

 

I think so, so by upadting the server files all your older clients will update themselves whenever they are next online?

[6Foot2]

I think so, so by updating the server files all your older clients will update themselves whenever they are next online?

 

They should, although I have found that it often does not work. If I find that to be the case, I delete the current deployments and redeploy WITHOUT having to create a new FMS package, as I might with, say a new version of Audacity etc.

[Bigsby]

They should, although I have found that it often does not work. If I find that to be the case, I delete the current deployments and redeploy WITHOUT having to create a new FMS package, as I might with, say a new version of Audacity etc.

Gonna give it a go, thanks very much for your help.

 

Just as a side note, did you consider SOLUS3 and prefer SCCM?

[6Foot2]

Gonna give it a go, thanks very much for your help.

 

Just as a side note, did you consider SOLUS3 and prefer SCCM?

 

SOLUS was not an option for us as we don't have the MIS component of SIMS: Without the 'other half' of SIMS we found that SOLUS simply refuses to work (tried SOLUS, and SOLUS2)

[Boredguy]

Your FMS shortcut should call FMSLoad.exe then Finance.exe for it to automatically check if there is a newer version of FMS available to update the client to

eg

"C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\FMSSQL\FMSLoad.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\FMSSQL\Finance.exe"

is our old shortcut's target.

[6Foot2]

Your FMS shortcut should call FMSLoad.exe then Finance.exe for it to automatically check if there is a newer version of FMS available to update the client to

eg

"C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\FMSSQL\FMSLoad.exe" "C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\FMSSQL\Finance.exe"

is our old shortcut's target.

 

Yup. We have FMSLoad.exe in the first part of our target in our FMS shortcut:

 

[mullet_man]

I use SCCM and check for the version number of the sims.net exe, it's only updated a few times a year so I just change it when we update.

 

Seems to work fine. The deployment is only really used when doing a image of a laptop/PC, as we use SIMSload to check for a new version the devices mostly update that way before SCCM has a chance to check for a new version.

[Damon]

Don't forget to set the relevant permissions when automating the install. That includes things like SIMS ini and any files the client will need to write to.

[Bigsby]

I use SCCM and check for the version number of the sims.net exe, it's only updated a few times a year so I just change it when we update.

Seems to work fine. The deployment is only really used when doing a image of a laptop/PC, as we use SIMSload to check for a new version the devices mostly update that way before SCCM has a chance to check for a new version.

Are you deploying with a bat file? I was trying the following with no luck

"Source\SIMSinst.exe" /s {QuietMode} {NoServerApps} [sIMSDirectory]="C:\SIMS" [sIMSDotNetDirectory]="C:\Program Files (x86)\SIMS\SIMS .net"

I found most of that info here so it may be a bit dated

 

SOLUS was not an option for us as we don't have the MIS component of SIMS: Without the 'other half' of SIMS we found that SOLUS simply refuses to work (tried SOLUS, and SOLUS2)

Noob question here but what is MIS?

 

Don't forget to set the relevant permissions when automating the install. That includes things like SIMS ini and any files the client will need to write to.

Do you run the simsperm.bat to fix that? & can it be done via SCCM package?

[Damon]

I haven't used SIMSPerm in while and I have a feeling it was slightly flawed. If you are relying on SIMSLoad to do the upgrades, give your SIMS User group (from your Domain) modify access to the install directory and SIMS ini. There used to be a few more ini files but they were for OMR readers, FMS and so on. You can just use ICACLS (https://ss64.com/nt/icacls.html) on the command line to set your permissions after the install.

[6Foot2]

...Noob question here but what is MIS?...

 

Management Information System as compared with Financial Management System.

 

The MIS holds the staff and student data: Forename, Surname, Date of birth, Date of Employment/Enrolment, Form, Timetable, behaviour Records, etc.

[Bigsby]

I haven't used SIMSPerm in while and I have a feeling it was slightly flawed. If you are relying on SIMSLoad to do the upgrades, give your SIMS User group (from your Domain) modify access to the install directory and SIMS ini. There used to be a few more ini files but they were for OMR readers, FMS and so on. You can just use ICACLS (https://ss64.com/nt/icacls.html) on the command line to set your permissions after the install.

We have been manual setting all folders to allow R/W access to the "Authenticated users" group, do you think setting an AD group to have access is best?

I can include the ICACLS stuff right in the .bat of .ps1 I create for deployment so that should work well, thanks.

Management Information System as compared with Financial Management System.

 

The MIS holds the staff and student data: Forename, Surname, Date of birth, Date of Employment/Enrolment, Form, Timetable, behaviour Records, etc.

I see, thanks. We will definitely need that side of SIMS.

I wonder in that case is the right approach is to use SOULS3 or SCCM?

[6Foot2]

...I see, thanks. We will definitely need that side of SIMS.

I wonder in that case is the right approach is to use SOULS3 or SCCM?

It is my understanding that if you have both the MIS, and FMS of SIMS, then SOLUS works well.

 

We tried with SOLUS, and SOLUS2 before we gave up, so I am not familiar with SOLUS3. We are now moving our finance management to Sage (the move to Sage is not connected at all with SOLUS issues)

[Bigsby]

It is my understanding that if you have both the MIS, and FMS of SIMS, then SOLUS works well.

 

We tried with SOLUS, and SOLUS2 before we gave up, so I am not familiar with SOLUS3. We are now moving our finance management to Sage (the move to Sage is not connected at all with SOLUS issues)

Nice one, I will look into both options but seeing as I know & we currently have SCCM infrastructure in place it sounds like the better of the two.

Many thanks for all your help it's much appreciated, hope the move to Sage goes well (gotta be better than Capita)

[Damon]

We have been manual setting all folders to allow R/W access to the "Authenticated users" group, do you think setting an AD group to have access is best?

It depends on who will have access to these computers but I tend to lean on the side of caution when creating a script so I don't have to remember to change it at a later date (i.e. if used on machines that pupils have access to). Having a SIMS user group on AD can certainly ease management though.