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Could someone create an MSI Installer for new Scratch3 Desktop please?

SimpleSi

By SimpleSi
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Oaktech

Oaktech

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Perhaps I'm missing something... Just this morning I've deployed this by copying and pasting the created scratch directory into the C drive of a bunch of machines and it works fine. You could do it on a file creation GPO set to run once.
SimpleSi

SimpleSi

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Perhaps I'm missing something...

 

Its usually me that's missing something :)

 

I've deployed this by copying and pasting the created scratch directory into the C drive of a bunch of machines and it works fine

mm.. this sounds like the way I used to bodge things when I ran Win98SE workstations!

 

On my home machine, (only one I've installed it on so far) - if I look at desktop icon properties it says the .exe resides in

C:\Users\Simon\AppData\Local\Programs\scratch-desktop

 

Are you saying just copy contents of this whole folder to say c:\scratch-desktop on each machine?

 

How would it end up in each machines program menu?

 

You could do it on a file creation GPO set to run once.

woosh....

 

PS I know just about enough about network program deployment to know that if I can supply an MSI, the firm that setup new server and Win10 machines over the summer can quickly remote in and deploy it for me

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Arthur

Arthur

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I was wondering if some kind soul (with the necessary tools/knowledge) could knock up a quick .msi for it?

I have made an MSI should you still need it (and App-V package)? Both of them will create Start Menu shortcuts too. :)

 

Download: MSI / App-V

 

@Oaktech is right that the program runs from wherever you copy the folder to. e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Scratch".

 

One thing I noticed is that if you associate the Scratch .sb3 project files with the main EXE it won't open them when you double-click the files. :(

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SimpleSi

SimpleSi

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I have made an MSI should you still need it (and App-V package)? Both of them will create Start Menu shortcuts too. :)

 

Thank you very much - hopefully I can get it installed tomorrow before 1st lesson with Year 4 :)

 

One thing I noticed is that if you associate the Scratch .sb3 project files with the main EXE it won't open them when you double-click the files. :(

 

Ta for heads up :)

 

I 've had a similar problem that if the pupils double-click on an original Scratch 1.4 project - the computer seems to start a Scratch install!

 

I'll just carry on with opening projects within the Scratch program

SimpleSi

SimpleSi

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Your a star :)

 

I think things are so busy over at Scratch HQ that changelogs might not be at top of their list!

 

They haven't even announced the update to 1.2.1 on the forums - I just picked up on it in a thread

SimpleSi

SimpleSi

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JFI using the 1st msi (although I imagine its not related to being deployed by msi - just co-incidence) some of the computers came up with an error msg saying WebGL wasn't enabled for the browser!

 

Quickly cured by directly running the .exe installer but just mentioning it in case anyone else gets the problem

Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted
Quickly cured by directly running the .exe installer but just mentioning it in case anyone else gets the problem

Was that the EXE installer for v1.2.0 or v1.2.1? If the former, I think it's a Scratch bug and not the related to the MSI. :)

SimpleSi

SimpleSi

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I don't think it can be related to MSI but who knows when 6 out of 30 computers do it #Gremlins

 

However, I found a fatal (use) flaw with Scratch Desktop - when you go to save - it just has a blank filename - which in itself isn't the end of the world.

 

Which is the end of the world for real primary class use it that it doesn't add .sb3 to file name when it saves :(

 

So if you go to reload a saved prog, when you browse your folder - no files appear as the load dialog is only looking for .sb3 files :(

 

There is no chance on this earth of getting a class of pupils Y3/Y4 to successfully type .sb3 at the end of the filename when saving

 

So that's Scratch Desktop out for day-day use until they fix that!

 

But at least we have it as emergency backup if Scratch servers aren't available at lesson start

EDIT

Tried this when I got back home - its fine at home so I'm thinking that this was the bug that Scratch Desktop 1.2.1 fixed and the new MSI hasn't rolled out to all the computers at school yet!

I'll check as I'm back in tomorrow for coding club

Real shame it doesn't have any method (that I've discovered anyway) of finding out what version is actually running :(

/EDIT

Edited by SimpleSi
Syman_a

Syman_a

Posted
Posted
I don't think it can be related to MSI but who knows when 6 out of 30 computers do it #Gremlins

 

However, I found a fatal (use) flaw with Scratch Desktop - when you go to save - it just has a blank filename - which in itself isn't the end of the world.

 

Which is the end of the world for real primary class use it that it doesn't add .sb3 to file name when it saves :(

 

So if you go to reload a saved prog, when you browse your folder - no files appear as the load dialog is only looking for .sb3 files :(

 

There is no chance on this earth of getting a class of pupils Y3/Y4 to successfully type .sb3 at the end of the filename when saving

 

So that's Scratch Desktop out for day-day use until they fix that!

 

But at least we have it as emergency backup if Scratch servers aren't available at lesson start

EDIT

Tried this when I got back home - its fine at home so I'm thinking that this was the bug that Scratch Desktop 1.2.1 fixed and the new MSI hasn't rolled out to all the computers at school yet!

I'll check as I'm back in tomorrow for coding club

Real shame it doesn't have any method (that I've discovered anyway) of finding out what version is actually running :(

/EDIT

 

I used the 1.2.1 MSI and did not encounter this problem with my yrs 3&4 codeclub.

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mrstrong

mrstrong

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New MSI below. :)

 

Download: Scratch Desktop v1.2.1.msi

.....

 

Can I ask what you use to create the msi's ?

 

On a slightly different note the most annoying thing I've found is that there is no "Save As" in the online version

Just "save to your computer" which plonks a "Scratch Project.sb3" in your downloads folder, subsequent saves

result in Scratch Project (1).sb3 etc

 

How are you all dealing with this ?

Arthur

Arthur

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Can I ask what you use to create the msi's?

The WiX Toolset. I can post the source files if you would like those too?

 

Scratch Desktop is pretty much self-contained so I could have also used the free version of Advanced Installer to do the job.

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SimpleSi

SimpleSi

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You need to change how chrome deals with downloads

 

You can open a tab and enter

 

chrome://settings/downloads

 

and slide the switch across (no need to save afterwards - just close tab)

 

Unfortunately, this seems to be a per user/computer setting so not totally practicable in most cases

 

This is the thread on it

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/203074-scratch-3-chrome-download-location-settings.html

with an offered GPO solution

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mrstrong

mrstrong

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The WiX Toolset. I can post the source files if you would like those too?

 

...

 

yes please :)

 

It looks pretty powerful / worth learning.

 

Somebody has just asked me for audacity on laptops so I might have a go doing an msi for that.

  • 1 month later...
Arthur

Arthur

Posted
Posted (edited)
yes please

any chance of that Wix config? I'm trying to do it myself but I could do with a working example to see where I am going wrong.

I have uploaded the WiX files for Scratch Desktop v1.2.1 here...

 

https://github.com/tweaktech/Scratch-Desktop-MSI

 

I will update the ReadMe file when I have a bit of spare time, but if you have any questions or issues in the meantime, let me know. :)

Edited by Arthur
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Arcath

Arcath

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Posted (edited)

@Arthur Thanks!

 

I was close to something working but your config files have got me over the line.

 

I've created a more general use script that creates the wix-config and MSI for any folder that contains an executable.

 

Say you have Scratch 3 installed to the default location. You can run this command to create the MSI: (change my username to yours)

 

.\create-msi-installer-from-folder.ps1 -Path "C:\Users\adam\AppData\Local\Programs\scratch-desktop" -Product "Scratch 3 Desktop" -Version "1.2.1" -executable "Scratch Desktop.exe" -Manufacturer "MIT"  -Contact "Helpdesk" -HelpLink "https://scratch.mit.edu" -AboutLink "https://scratch.mit.edu/" -DownloadLink "https://scratch.mit.edu/download"

 

This will give you an MSI that can be deployed of Scratch 3 Desktop (1.2.1).msi in the build\Deploy\Release folder.

 

Going into a bit more detail this:

 

  • Uses C:\Users\adam\AppData\Local\Programs\scratch-desktop as the source folder
  • Scratch 3 Desktop as the product name
  • 1.2.1 as the product version
  • Scratch Desktop.exe as the executale in the folder to use for shortcuts/icons
  • A manufacturer of MIT, Contact of Helpdesk, HelpLink/AboutLink of https://scratch.mit.edu and a DownloadLink of https://scratch.mit.edu

 

On our deployments, I've set the HelpLink to our helpdesk url.

 

You can view the source here: https://github.com/Ed-ITSolutions/create-msi-installer-from-folder

And get the zipped releases here: https://github.com/Ed-ITSolutions/create-msi-installer-from-folder/releases

 

It should support updating through a shared upgrade GUID.

 

I have a few ideas to improve it but its got Scratch 3 deploying no problem which was my immediate problem.

Edited by Arcath
  • Thanks 2
Arcath

Arcath

Posted
Posted

I've updated the script a fair bit since my initial release.

 

It now supports -Desktop to create a desktop shortcut on install and -FileType to associate a file extension with the installed program (will be useful in the future here). I've also fixed a bug when the exe was in a sub folder e.g. with Amazon Kindle.

 

I'm thinking of building a site along side the script that lists confimed compatible programs and the commands used to generate them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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