Deploy Microsoft Expression Studio 4 Ultimate

[Biker]

Our ICT Dept want to use Microsoft Expression Studio 4 Ultimate next year to replace FrontPage. I can't find a way of deploying it across the network and I do not want to visit over 200 PC's to run a Setup.exe

[AngryTechnician]

It was the exact same way with Expression 3. The XSetup.exe is the only available deployment method, though it does have switches that you can use for silent install. I used the following command line for install:

 

XSetup.exe -q -manifest:ExpressionStudioManifest.cab

 

and this for uninstall:

 

XSetup.exe -x -q -manifest:ExpressionStudioManifest.cab

 

Irritatingly I can't find the original instructions I used for this to give you any more details.

[Gatt]

Expression 4 is out?

Can't find it on MVLS / VLSC - can only find v3

 

But glad it can be silently installed as we are looking at rolling it out as well!

[mprice]

Expression Studio Ultimate 4.0 - You can find it under "Developer Tools" on VLSC

[jc1875]

Also on MSDN Academic Alliance or Dreamspark if your school is signed up Edited September 1, 2010 by jc1875

[fafster]

It was the exact same way with Expression 3. The XSetup.exe is the only available deployment method, though it does have switches that you can use for silent install. I used the following command line for install:

 

XSetup.exe -q -manifest:ExpressionStudioManifest.cab

 

and this for uninstall:

 

XSetup.exe -x -q -manifest:ExpressionStudioManifest.cab

 

Irritatingly I can't find the original instructions I used for this to give you any more details.

 

If I try this, I get the following error:

 

 

---------------------------

Microsoft Expression Web Setup

---------------------------

Setup encountered an error: An attempt was made to load an assembly from a network location which would have caused the assembly to be sandboxed in previous versions of the .NET Framework. This release of the .NET Framework does not enable CAS policy by default, so this load may be dangerous. If this load is not intended to sandbox the assembly, please enable the loadFromRemoteSources switch. See Element for more information.

 

Any ideas? I'm running the install from a network drive (It's a mapped drive, not a UNC).

 

If there's no workaround I'll have to push the installation files to each machine.... :/

[Ric_]

IIRC running setup.exe /? gives you what options are required for a silent install. That's how I deployed it via SCCM.

[fafster]

I tried it earlier, but it doesn't give anything that would really cover the error I'm having.

 

Here's the help msgbox:

 

---------------------------

Microsoft Expression Web Setup

---------------------------

Command-line switch error: Invalid source location. Usage: [options]

 

 

 

[-?]

 

Show this usage information.

 

 

<-manifest:filename>

 

Cabed XSetup XML manifest file name.

 

Example: -manifest:XSetup.cab.

 

 

[-q]

 

Run in quiet mode.

 

 

[-d]

 

Ignore dependent products on uninstall.

 

 

[-l[i|w|e|a|r|u|c|m|o|p|v|x|*][:LogFileName]

 

Logging options. See msiexec.exe options.

 

 

[-x]

 

Uninstall (default is Install). Cannot be used with -r

 

 

[-r]

 

Repair (default is Install). Cannot be used with -x

 

 

[-source:SourceFilePath1[;SourceFilePath2...[;SourceFilePathN]]]

 

Source file location.

 

 

[-reboot]

 

Display the Reboot button at the end of setup.

 

 

[-AppLangId:LCID]

 

Default application language to install.

 

Example: 'AppLangId=1033' installs English packages.

 

 

[property=value] ... [property=value]

 

Global properties for setup session.

 

Example: ADDLOCAL=ALL

 

Example: REMOVE=ALL (same as -x)

 

Example: ADDLOCAL=FooFeature

 

Example: ADDLOCAL=FooFeature,BarFeature

 

 

[[Product:]property=value] ... [[Product:]property=value]

 

Product-specific properties for MSI installation session.

 

Example: Foo:ADDLOCAL=ALL

 

Example: Foo:REMOVE=ALL (removes Foo product features)

 

Example: Foo:ADDLOCAL=FooFeature

 

Example: Foo:ADDLOCAL=FooFeature,BarFeature

 

Obviously the -source switch looks the most promising, but I don't really know how to implement it (even if it is the right option).

 

Bugger it, I'll copy the files to the targets and try and figure all this out at a later date. It's too close to Christmas....

 

 

Cheers for the help, all.

[fafster]

Just a note for anyone else: When running the xsetup command that AngryTechnician quoted above, the manifest file must be in the current working directory.

 

EDIT: I'm mixing my threads up...

Edited December 23, 2010 by fafster

[fafster]

Right, think I've figured this out. First, .Net 4 needs to be installed, but you need the full version, not the client package.

 

.NET Framework Deployment Guide for Developers

 

As far as I can tell, this can't be deployed via GP, either. So I sorted it with psexec:

 

psexec @x:\path\to\computerlist.txt -d -c -v -n 3 -u "DOMAIN\USERNAME" "\\path\to\dotnetfx4_full.exe" /repair /x86 /parameterfolder Extended /passive /norestart

 

Then once that's done, I created a batch file to transfer the installation files to the target machines.

 

xcopy "\\path\to\Microsoft Expression" "c:\temp\MSE" /D /E /I /H /Y /Q
cd c:\temp\MSE\Setup\
xsetup.exe -q -manifest:WebStudioManifest.cab

 

And called it with another psexec line:

 

psexec @x:\path\to\computerlist.txt -d -c -v -n 3 -u "DOMAIN\USERNAME" "\\path\to\install_expression.bat"

 

And that's it.

[mistersparky]

Holy necro, batman!

 

I have spent a little time trying to deploy Mirosoft Expression Web Studio Pro 4 this week, and ran into this exact same problem. The solution provided worked a treat. However, I think I may have found another way around the problem. There are some good general technical details on the issue here - More Implicit Uses of CAS Policy: loadFromRemoteSources - .NET Security Blog - Site Home - MSDN Blogs, including a few solutions. The last of these solutions was to create a .config file (in this case, XSetup.exe.config), place it in the same directory as the XSetup.exe file, and edit it to include the following:

 

 

Then, call the application from the network install point as usual, in this case "XSetup.exe -q -manifest:WebStudioManifest.cab"

 

For me at least, this installed the application via a network drive without issue. I don't think it creates any gaping security holes in the application or one's network - if this is not the case, please let me know.

[chazzy2501]

What is the licensing requirement for studio ultimate 4.0. I have the download in my volume license portal and it says I require no key?

 

I have a FTE count of 101