Package building.

[nicholab]

I am feeling annoyed I cant manage to build any packages using wininstall le via the RM application tool. Every package I try to build does not work. Why I am being so use less at it. How do people build successful packages or deploy software using scripts?

[alonebfg]

some software its diffacult to build a pacakage for i use the winstall le from the 2000 disk and it works fine most of the time but other times i have no luck at all.

[Jona]

what software are you trying to package OP?

[enjay]

I find the older version in Winstall easier to use than the one which came with AppWiz2 - you'll find it in the rollback folder. I've got it in installed on my main PC, so I build the packages on the test PC and then edit the MSI on my other PC.

 

Remember that WinInstall creates external MSIs, i.e. the files are not contained within the MSI, so when you save the MSI file, it creates the relevant folder structure of Program Files, Windows and so on inside C:\Program Files\VERITAS Software\Winstall (2000) or C:\Program Files\On Demand\can't-remember-the-rest! in the newer one, so you need those files too.

 

What I do if I've made the MSI myself from scratch is copy it somewhere, along with all the folders/files I've just mentioned, and then use AppWiz2 to create a package from an existing MSI. That seems to work better than trying to manually create the package in the Q: drive.

[nicholab]

One of the things I have tried to package is Java and smart notebook software. I just what the notebook not the full install and I cannot get it to work. Every thing else just does not what to package. Did not quite get what you were saying about external MSI and how to get round this limitation.

[flyinghaggis]

some software its diffacult to build a pacakage for i use the winstall le from the 2000 disk and it works fine most of the time but other times i have no luck at all.

 

I definitely wouldn't use the WinintallLE version on the windows 2000 Server disk. It's designed for Windows 2000 clients and captures lots of settings that will cause serious problems on XP clients. The one on the 2003 Server resource pack is an updated version that is much more compatible with XP (though it's still very limited in what it can do).

[enjay]

@Nicholab

What I meant about external MSIs is that you need more than just the MSI to install things. An external MSI is basically a list of what files go where, but is not the files themselves - these are stored alongside the MSI in the appropriate folder structure. If you just have the MSI but none of the actual files, then all the installs will fail as there are no files to transfer. Have a look at some of your existing packages and you'll hopefully see what I mean.

[klawd]

We use EMCO MSI Package Builder

 

Install XP into virtual pc, install EMCO package builder, run the application installer, EMCO will then output a MSI for you

Then just copy back your "pure" XP image, ready to go again

 

Its quick and so far everything has worked without problems.

 

EMCO do a 20% discount for education.

works out at £203 for a site license.

[ajbritton]

One of the things I have tried to package is Java and smart notebook software.

 

Both these are delivered as MSI packages. It generally considered a 'bad idea' to attempt to re-package MSI based apps. You need to customise the install by creating a transform file (MST). This can be done using Orca if you are a Windows Installer expert, or using a tool like InstallShield Tuner.

[meastaugh1]

Smart Notebook is pretty easy as it's just a case of using the NOTEBOOK_ONLY property. Manual here. And here are the Java instructions.

[nicholab]

Done it now I used the RM application installer to install it by running a batch file. So for Smartnotebook I use batch file to install/uninstall and an MSI switch in the ini file and a batch file to uninstall java. This is a very useful hack for RM systems.

[Guest Guest]

I use;

 

WinInstall LE - To build packages from scratch, very rare i have to do this (im actually doing this now using the "discovery"/snapshot tool.

 

Orca - To edit and/or make transforms for MSIs

 

WIWW (Windows Installation Wrapper Wizard) - To "wrap" up exe's into msi's by adding switches to get them to run silently/add setup.ini files etc

 

Advanced installer - for when i have just a basic thing to deploy and i just want it "msi'ed" up asap. Quick and easy for sending out files and reg fixes. (Its just another WinInstall really)

 

Essential Website - http://www.appdeploy.com - every major app is well documented on the ins/out and complications of deploying.

 

Filemon and Regmon - Great for watching whats happening in the background, usually leading you straight to the problem and how to fix it.

 

eg an app wont run as it requires a write to the registery on first load. Log on with admin, run regmon, run app, see where and what it needs to be wrote and make the change yourself with msi made by wininstall/advanced installer

 

 

To date i havnt found a program i couldnt package up. This is all on a vinilla 2003 though so...

[Geoff]

WinInstall LE

 

This isn't available any more is it?

[enjay]

WinInstall LE

 

This isn't available any more is it?

 

No, but that's not a reason to stop using it! I use WinInstall LE too - we have the 2003 version as well, but I just prefer the LE version so I use that instead.

[Geoff]

Anyone know where I can still get a copy then?

[Norphy]

http://www.softpile.com/Utilities/Miscellaneous/Review_16745_index.html

 

You will probably have to disable your internet connection when you try to install it as it phones home.

[Geoff]

That link doesn't work

[contink]

Did a quick google and found this:

http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t48327.html

 

bottom post link works at the moment.