Target Tracker - Licence

[IKWeb]

Evening all

 

So I should have really asked this question first, but got sidetracked on trying to find a workaround, and then once I found one thought I would ask how you lot (that use Target Tracker) go about applying the license to the devices.

 

So from some very poor software design, I found that TT installs to a users profile, which is horrid in an EDU setting as the chances of a student using the same machine twice is very limited, and schools that are moving to a serverless school don't have roaming profiles so when something gets installed to the user's local profile its a nightmare.

 

So with TT when it is installed to a local profile, the user then has to upload into the software a file which is that school's license key. granted it only has to be done once, but none less has to be done, again and again, if the user swaps devices or the local profile is removed for whatever reason.

 

After speaking with TT they advise they don't have a way around this - and they advise we keep the key on a shared drive and the student then imports it if it's asked for. This is for me and my setup isn't practical and is just very poor software design.

 

So I have found a workaround for it - but to those of you who also use Target Tracker - How do you get around this? do you simply store the file on a local share, and get the student to upload the license file when needed?

 

Or do you have another way?

 

TIA

[Oaktech]

TT itself should install to program files if you install off the MSI?

 

We run two schools with a shared staff so they're constantly changing keys between the two anyway. Both keys are on a network share for admin/slt and on the enforced desktop for teaching staff.

[atcoates]

We have the license on a shared drive similar to @Oaktech for staff to connect to. You can download the software from below and just unzip the software to get the msi file for deployment.

 

https://junipereducation.org/targettracker/download-targettracker/

[james.howell]

I know this thread is a few months old, but having bumped into it when looking at deploying TargetTracker for the first time myself, I thought I would share how I deploy te license without the need for extra scripts etc having just got round to moving from manual installs.

 

1. Download the TargetTracker exe installer, and grab the .msi for deployment by extracting the contents of the .exe (for example with 7zip)
   
2. Perform an admin install of the msi. This will allow you customise the config file when deployed

   msiexec /a "PathToMSI.msi TARGETDIR="C:\TargetTracker"

   
   

3. Run TargetTracker from the start menu, and import your license file
   
4. Navigate to the user profile folder, and open the user.config file in a text editor

   c:\users\%username%\appdata\Local\Target_Tracker\Primary_Target_Tracker.ex_Url_{RANDOMSTRING}\{TargetTrackerVersionNumber}\

   
   

5. Underneath the

   line, copy the entire following entry

   {LicenseAndConnectionDataLongStringHere}

   
   

6. In the extracted MSI folder, open the Primary Target Tracker.exe.config file, and look for the following line in the section

   
   

7. Replace the empty entry in the line below

   with the entry copied in the previous step

   {LicenseAndConnectionDataLongStringHere}

   
   

8. Now, when you deploy the MSI, TargetTracker will know the license key and connection information without needing to import the license key, as we have set the setting in the application .config properties it will use, either before checking the user.config file or when generating the file for the user for the first time - depending on the settings in the software itself. This is normal behaviour and is how saving app and user settings works with .NET based software.
   

 

Hopefully this is of use to those deploying TargetTracker. I am about to use this method across 3 primaries having previously had techs install it manually, so I'll post any feedback if I run into any issues. As always, test in your own environment, and your mileage may vary etc etc.

[simonw]

We upgraded from TT to Sonar, migration was painless.

 

Sync MIS to Sonar via Wonde.

 

Staff love it.

[DavR]

Never really had much trouble with TT, other than it needs updating quite often.

 

Unzip the exe to get the MSI, we deploy with a NoDesktopShortcut.mst that I made.

 

As with others, we put the license file on a mapped drive, and give staff a link to the license file. Opening the license file opens the software.

[james.howell]

I started going down the key launches the software route initially, but preferred the .config file modification as it is transparent to the user with no effort on their part, and I also feel better not having to - or setting a precedent of - sharing and distributing a license key, even internally.