MSI's and shortcuts

[Hightower]

RM CC3 does a handy thing with shortcuts in Start->All Programs - it creates program sets (so you can have a 'DT' folder say, with all the shortcuts to DT software) but the shortcuts only appear in here if the MSI has actually been installed.

 

Is this something that can be mimicked on a Vanilla network? If not, how do you all manage your shortcuts to software - I don't want a link to 2D Design if 2D Design is not installed if you know what I mean.

 

Thanks,

[6Foot2]

If you are using Redirected Desktops you could use a batch file as follows:

 

Redirected desktop location:

 

C:\Network Desktops\Students\Start Menu

 

Now we need the batch file to check for you program [lets say 2D Design] and if it is installed create a folder for the shortcut and copy it into it.

 

REM Check for 2D Design install
If not exist "C:\Program Files\2DDESIGN\2ddes32.exe" goto End
CD C:\Network Desktops\Students\Start Menu
MD Technology
Copy "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\2D Design\2D Design.LNK" "C:\Network Desktops\Students\Start Menu\Technology\2D Design.LNK"
:END

 

I haven't checked that this is the correct command to successfully copy a shortcut from one location to another but it is something I am thinking about doing to:

 

1. Speed up logon times

2. Eliminate shortcuts from menus where the programs are not installed.

 

Sorry if you had already considered this.

 

Add more program shortcuts as required.

[Norphy]

Like your school, my college is in the planning stages of moving away from CC3 and we will probably implementing a vanilla 2008R2/W7 network.

 

This is an issue I've been up against as well and to be honest and this is the one thing I haven't worked out how to replicate without going to CC4. The best I've come up with so far is to do the following:

 

Have the "core software" (everything that gets installed everywhere) installed in a core image. Modify the start menu so it's arranged how you want it (Core programs in core programs, DT programs in DT etc) and copy these changes to the default profile. Then let any program which gets installed after that just go into its own default start menu folder. Hopefully that will be a relatively small amount of programs!

 

Either that or modify the MSIs so the shortcuts get put elsewhere.

 

/edit DaveP posted while I was working on this post. That's a very cunning way of doing it! It's certainly worth trying.

Edited March 23, 2011 by Norphy