Solidworks 2011 on CC3/4

[synaesthesia]

Looks like some folks have had fun with this in the past and I've had some success today, so thought I should share.

 

It's a mixture of someone elses guide for the 2008/2009 version and Solidwork's own network install guide, and some actual packagebuilding thrown in (mostly because transforms don't seem to work - something about software restrictions)

 

Won't go into too much detail as most here are already well aware of the basics of CC3/4

 

Create RM packages for Microsoft VSTA 2005 and 2008

Create RM package for C++ Runtime 2008

Follow the Solidworks network installation guide only to create the image. Store this image somewhere like RMPublic\Solidworks - or anywhere else you can reach it from your packagebuild machine.

Go through the process of making a package for Solidworks itself but rather than running an EXE or MSI, execute the .hta file in the image created beforehand.

Do the same for the rest of the associated packages.

 

This takes a LONG time, I hasten to add!

[webman]

We took a slightly alternative route (for 2010, but presumably 2011 is similar). Once we had the SolidWorks generated "image" (bunch of installation files), we just packaged that up with a batch file to install it. The batch file executed the EXE that the HTA would have done, and it also applies the required Win7 permissions.

 

install.cmd

@echo off
pushd "%~dp0"
start /wait sldim\sldIM.exe /adminclient /new /source ".\AdminDirector.xml"
cacls "C:\SolidWorks Data" /E /C /T /G Everyone:F

 

Package INI file

 

[Package]
Description=SolidWorks 2010 SP5
Version=1.0.0.0
OS=5.WS
ExeFile=install.cmd

[synaesthesia]

Will come back to this when we go Win7 on a vanilla network next summer Cheers

[JHLEHS]

We took a slightly alternative route (for 2010, but presumably 2011 is similar). Once we had the SolidWorks generated "image" (bunch of installation files), we just packaged that up with a batch file to install it. The batch file executed the EXE that the HTA would have done, and it also applies the required Win7 permissions.

 

install.cmd

@echo off
pushd "%~dp0"
start /wait sldim\sldIM.exe /adminclient /new /source ".\AdminDirector.xml"
cacls "C:\SolidWorks Data" /E /C /T /G Everyone:F

 

Package INI file

 

[Package]
Description=SolidWorks 2010 SP5
Version=1.0.0.0
OS=5.WS
ExeFile=install.cmd

 

Hello,

 

I have tried this approach and it has proposed mixed results, the package imported but said package failed when I went to assign to the machine. I then looked on hte machine and the package worked fine, however when I went to remove the package out of management console it wouldn't let me remove it. I spoke to RM and they told me that there is a limit to packages in the management console way via import the package method and they said it was 2GB and SolidWorks 2011 SP1 is 4.68. The scripts above work on the machine when I do a manually install. Any ideas?

 

JHLEHS

[webman]

For a package like this to uninstall, I think you'll need a section in the package .ini file to specify which command to run and which parameters to use for the uninstall. I imagine there is some automated msiexec command you can run to uninstall it, or there could be an executable in the installation like uninst.exe.

 

If I remember rightly, there is a tab in the CC4 properties dialog where you can enter the command or parameter for this. Or, if you do a fresh version of the package once you've worked out an automated way to remove it, I think the .ini file entry is "UninstallCommand". I can't quite remember exactly, but there is a package .ini file reference on the RM support site.

[JHLEHS]

For a package like this to uninstall, I think you'll need a section in the package .ini file to specify which command to run and which parameters to use for the uninstall. I imagine there is some automated msiexec command you can run to uninstall it, or there could be an executable in the installation like uninst.exe.

 

If I remember rightly, there is a tab in the CC4 properties dialog where you can enter the command or parameter for this. Or, if you do a fresh version of the package once you've worked out an automated way to remove it, I think the .ini file entry is "UninstallCommand". I can't quite remember exactly, but there is a package .ini file reference on the RM support site.

 

 

I have finally installed solidworks here was my actions:

 

 

Firstley I created a package for Microsoft VSTA which is a pre req for soid works:

 

I grabbed the .msi from the prereq folder in the admin image which was created and made a blank file called Microsoft VST 2005.ini and then inserted the following:

[Package]

WIPackage=vsta_aide.Msi

Description=Package for Microsoft VSTA 2005

OS=5.WS

ImmediateReboot=1

 

I then imported this into management console:

 

• In management console, go to
  File
  àImport
  àPackage
  .
  
  
• Choose
  Community Connect 3 Package
  
  
• Click
  Browse
  
  
• Select the
  Microsoft VSTA 2005.ini
  you just created
  
  
• Click
  Open
  
  
• Click
  OK
  
  

 

Next for solidworks I had to create an MST fille and an .ini file to point to the mst file. Thankfully solidworks have an file called swcreatemst.exe

 

I created the mst with the following command once browseing to the directiry where the swcreatemst.exe exists the command was:

 

 

• SwCreateMST.exe SolidWorks.Msi INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\Solidworks" SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER="xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx" ADDLOCAL=English,SampleFiles,Manuals,RealViewGraphicsdisplay,SolidWorks,FeatureWorks,InstantWebsite,PhotoWorksRender,ScanTo3D,SolidWorksAnimator,SolidWorksDesignChecker,SolidWorksRoutedsystems,SolidWorksToolbox,SolidWorksUtilities,TolAnalyst,CircuitWorks,DWGPartner,CoreSolidWorksTaskScheduler,ExampleFiles,HelpFiles,Intel_Modules_AgeiaX86 ENABLEPERFORMANCE=0 INSTALLWDS=0 SERVERLIST=25734@server OFFICEOPTION=3
  

Items in bold need to be filled out as it suggests. This creates an file called solidworks.mst in the solidworks main parent directory. Next you need to create an package.ini file to point to this and import the mst into rm mangement console

 

 

[Package]

WIPackage=SolidWorks.Msi

Description=Package for Solidworks 2010 SP2.1

OS=5.WS

WITransform=SolidWorks.Mst

Dependencies=Microsoft VSTA 2005

Note: Make sure that the solidworks.mst file is in the correct folder where the package.ini file is created otherwise this will not work.

 

I also had to add a software restriction policy using a path to %userprofile%\local settings\temp\solidworkslictemp.*

 

Now import the package into managment console by selecting file-import-package browse to the .ini file, click open click ok and this will take about 15mins to import as this is a huge package.

 

All done.

 

Hope this helps,

 

JHLEHS