sims.net users admin

[itgeek]

Hi I think there is a way to do this. Users need admin rights to install upgrades on workstations. Is there a way users can do this without having to been admins?.

 

 

Thanks

[dalehopper]

grant staff permission to write to the relevant folders via batch file

 

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\*.*" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\AMPA" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\AMPA7" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\Template" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\tempRpt" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office" /E /G Staff:C

IF EXIST "C:\Program Files\SIMS" CACLS "C:\Windows\SIMS.ini" /E /G Staff:C

 

Dale

[matt40k]

Yes, sort of. Generally you can give them full access to

C:\Program files\sims\*

C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\SIMS Applications\*

c:\windows\sims.ini

 

However you'll have issues with stuff like the Exams module, they will need to be local admins\power users.

 

Capita does have a tool to set file permissions simsperm.bat, however GP is sooo much nicer.

Edited June 11, 2009 by matt40k

[dalehopper]

also look at the simsperb.bat located in s:\sims\setups

 

thats helps

 

Dale

[dhicks]

also look at the simsperb.bat located in s:\sims\setups

 

Note that simsperm.bat can assign permissions per security group as well as per individual user, so create a security group on your domain controller called "SIMSUsers" or similar and run "simsperm.bat DOMAIN\SIMSUsers". Then to let a user run SIMS you simply have to make them a member of the SIMSUsers group.

 

--

David Hicks

[Guest Guest]

IME nomatter the permissions on the SIMS folder and registry, SIMS will not auto update. Some people say it works, but i am yet to see it myself, and afaik so are my LEA support team.

[dalehopper]

the ultimate way to do it i find, is to update it as administrator anyway

 

simply using lanview or something simlar i can log on all the sims computers that need updating run the sims.exe, let them update, restart or logoff all within 10 mins and without leaving my desk

[Ric_]

IME nomatter the permissions on the SIMS folder and registry, SIMS will not auto update. Some people say it works, but i am yet to see it myself, and afaik so are my LEA support team.

 

I've never had a problem!

 

However you'll have issues with stuff like the Exams module, they will need to be local admins\power users.

 

I've found that giving write access to c:\PDOXUSRS.NET fixes a lot of problem and means you don't need to make people power users'.

[matt40k]

I've found that giving write access to c:\PDOXUSRS.NET fixes a lot of problem and means you don't need to make people power users'.

 

That's for the BDE, the power users bit is for the exams module registering COM+ components.

[Jamman960]

Take a look at Simsperm.bat and replicate its effects via group policy, it saves having to run scripts on every pc. I'll dig out the settings later if anyones interested - they may have already been posted on here somewhere though.

 

 

Edit: heres a quick guide -

 

This needs to be done on the workstations policy

 

Within Comp Config\Security settings\Registry give the target groups full access to:

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib

 

Within Comp Config\Security Settings\File System give the target groups full access to the following dirs:

 

%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\SIMS Applications

%ProgramFiles%\SIMS

 

Once this is done anyone within the selected groups will be able to update sims and you won't need to run scripts on each pc. These settings have exactly the same effects as running simsperm... just don't choose the "everyone" group as capita suggested to us lol

 

James

Edited June 11, 2009 by Jamman960

[eean]

Is it possible to have sims run and install the updates, but really execute the UI and in a silent operation?

I'm thinking that you could have a wrapper MSI would run this exe. This could then be deployed (and redeployed when there's an update) via group policy.

Alternatively, you could make a autoit script, or similar, to run this update silently with enhanced permissions - perhaps via a logon script or via a scheduled task (so then you have it run when the computer is idle).

 

Just a few ideas. Don't do this yet myself but need to takle this problem soon!

[apeo]

Try using simsload, we use it here using gpo startup. It seems to work but test it as it may not work in your situation. If that dont work then you could deploy it by running each setup as a startup script, there are other threads that give details on how to do this.. if i get time ill link it.

[matt40k]

Is it possible to have sims run and install the updates, but really execute the UI and in a silent operation?

I'm thinking that you could have a wrapper MSI would run this exe. This could then be deployed (and redeployed when there's an update) via group policy.

Alternatively, you could make a autoit script, or similar, to run this update silently with enhanced permissions - perhaps via a logon script or via a scheduled task (so then you have it run when the computer is idle).

 

Just a few ideas. Don't do this yet myself but need to takle this problem soon!

 

The sims .exe is pulsar.exe, the SIMS shortcut will run simsload then pulsar. Thus if you don't create the shortcut correctly future upgrades won't work. simsload.ini will check the version numbers of the current installation against that of the setups, if they are out-of-date, it will attempt to upgrade (even if you don't have permissions, if you don't you tent to find that it renames it .old.

[timzim]

FYI To call SIMSload properly on launch your SIMS shortcut should have the following in the Target box:

 

"C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\SIMSLoad.exe" "C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net\Pulsar.exe"

[apeo]

The sims .exe is pulsar.exe, the SIMS shortcut will run simsload then pulsar. Thus if you don't create the shortcut correctly future upgrades won't work. simsload.ini will check the version numbers of the current installation against that of the setups, if they are out-of-date, it will attempt to upgrade (even if you don't have permissions, if you don't you tent to find that it renames it .old.

 

Yes mate, what i was saying is that you can run the sims update application (simsload) without running sims. The benefit of this is that you can deploy sims automatically using gpo when the computer starts. Im not sure this is what eean wanted but the option is there. Its how we run our updates here, previously it was done using a script to launch the setup applications.

[MattMitchell]

We use SIMSPERMS.BAT to set up the access rights - this machine I'm using updates SIMS fine but I don't have admin access to it as a whole. I believe it's a question of allowing write access to the SIMS program folder.

[Hecate]

We run simsload in a startup script so the users never see the update process - it works for us

[superfletch]

+1 for SIMSLoad in a startup (not login) script.

 

Combine it with simsperm and a security group (which you should have anyway) for it to work properly.

 

Sometimes simsload doesn't do everything - particularly SIMSAMPARKSetup, if simsperm is run then end users won't have a problem if the program calls AMPARK when they try and access Assessment Manager.

[eean]

In the spirit of trying to keep startup as lean as possible - has anyone tried calling simsload from a MSI then just redeploying the msi whenever an update is available? Or is so quick whenever there's no update it's not worth it?

[steveo2000]

Ive been told and im about to test, if you do the following:

 

 

In the setups folder of sims there is a "simsperm.bat"* file that needs to be run on each machine that has sims installed on it. to do this you need to follow a few rules:



1.Install sims on the machine


2.From CMD run "simsperm.bat allusers"

Job Done

 

Now I'm waiting for the next update to try this out but ive done it on a few machines so fingers crossed!