Acrobat X
I am faced with trying to deploy Acrobat X, using WISE, however I can't create a "clean baseline" system either through a VM or otherwise, I have to use a system that has what our Enterprise uses which will mean taking a snapshot of the install with Symantec running, the firewall on, etc and several additional components. I know this is not the ideal situation, but that is what I am presented with in my current environment.
I have researched a lot and found that even with the Adobe X customization wizard out since a few months ago, not many have been able to get a successful install out of it.
I have only a few more days to work on this before I hit my back up against a deadline...and would appreciate some insight on how best to package version 10 of acrobat.
It has been suggested to me to not use WISE and just write something in vbscript, but besides a cmd line silent install, executing the .msi with a /qn swritch, I am not sure what was meant by that.
And yes, I am new to app pkging in some respects, but not new to systems enginneering by any means.
I have researched a lot and found that even with the Adobe X customization wizard out since a few months ago, not many have been able to get a successful install out of it.
I have only a few more days to work on this before I hit my back up against a deadline...and would appreciate some insight on how best to package version 10 of acrobat.
It has been suggested to me to not use WISE and just write something in vbscript, but besides a cmd line silent install, executing the .msi with a /qn swritch, I am not sure what was meant by that.
And yes, I am new to app pkging in some respects, but not new to systems enginneering by any means.
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Posted by:
pjgeutjens
13 years ago
Emily,
quote from the package KB seems to suggest you get your hands on the enterprise edition, extract the MSI from that and customise from there using an mst.
This has also always been my preferred method for adobe readers.
Good Luck,
PJ
quote from the package KB seems to suggest you get your hands on the enterprise edition, extract the MSI from that and customise from there using an mst.
This has also always been my preferred method for adobe readers.
Grab the enterprise download and extract it using an unzip program (I used 7-Zip). Grab AcroRead.msi and Data1.cab and discard the rest..
You can then provide whatever public properties you want on the command-line as you install from the msi.
Good Luck,
PJ
Posted by:
Helpy
13 years ago
PJ has the right approach when packaging any Adobe products (Reader or Standard/Pro versions) for enterprise distribution.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
13 years ago
customise from there using an mst....using the Adobe Customization Tool, remember.
Posted by:
SpareMeTrix
13 years ago
Yes, I used the Adobe Custumization tool to create the proper mst. I have a cmd that works to run the install with the use of the transform and writes to a log file...
My issue is with translating that cmd line to a vbscript.
I am trying to write a vbscript that essentially runs this line--
msiexec /i "\\server\path\x.msi /"qb! ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS="\\server\path\x.mst" /L* "C:\Windows\Logs\x.LOG"
I am hitting my head against a wall getting something together that runs the msi with the transform AND writes the log file.
Ugh
My issue is with translating that cmd line to a vbscript.
I am trying to write a vbscript that essentially runs this line--
msiexec /i "\\server\path\x.msi /"qb! ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS="\\server\path\x.mst" /L* "C:\Windows\Logs\x.LOG"
I am hitting my head against a wall getting something together that runs the msi with the transform AND writes the log file.
Ugh
Posted by:
SpareMeTrix
13 years ago
ok I changed my cmd line a little...now to figure out how to get it to work as a vbscript?
msiexec /i \\server\share\*.msi /qn ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS=\\server\share\*.mst /norestart /log "C:\Windows\Logs\*.LOG"
I have tried:
Dim oShell
Set oShell = Wscript.CreateObject ("WScript.Shell")
oShell.run "cmd /K CD C:\ & msiexec /i "\\server\share\*.msi /qn ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS=\\server\share\*.mst /li "C:\Windows\Logs\*.LOG"
Set oShell = Nothing
It will not write the log file this way. Am I doomed using WScript? I am looking for short and sweet since the variables are set in the transform...
I will learn more after this on how to transform my current knowledge to my current job's path...which is evolving to include scripting application installs....along with everything else I am responsible for.
msiexec /i \\server\share\*.msi /qn ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS=\\server\share\*.mst /norestart /log "C:\Windows\Logs\*.LOG"
I have tried:
Dim oShell
Set oShell = Wscript.CreateObject ("WScript.Shell")
oShell.run "cmd /K CD C:\ & msiexec /i "\\server\share\*.msi /qn ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS=\\server\share\*.mst /li "C:\Windows\Logs\*.LOG"
Set oShell = Nothing
It will not write the log file this way. Am I doomed using WScript? I am looking for short and sweet since the variables are set in the transform...
I will learn more after this on how to transform my current knowledge to my current job's path...which is evolving to include scripting application installs....along with everything else I am responsible for.
Posted by:
LikeToCode
13 years ago
Try this vbscript. You were close but your quotes("") were wrong.
Dim objShell
Set objShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
objShell.Run "%systemroot%\system32\msiexec.exe /i ""\\server\path\x.msi"" /qb! ALLUSERS=1 TRANSFORMS=""\\server\path\x.mst"" /L* ""C:\Windows\Logs\x.LOG"""
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
13 years ago
Remember that, if your deployment mechanism uses the System account to run the script, it will have no access to network resources (your command line uses UNCs...) so you may have to ensure that the source folder gets copied locally and the script executes the command line using that folder instead.
Posted by:
FergusStar
13 years ago
Not sure why you're having to resort to VBScript to package Acrobat if you're using Wise. I've used it for over a decade now (wow, it's really been that long ....) and I'm the Adobe packager/SME for my account. I find what works the best is to copy the installation files to a local temp folder (including the MST that I created with the Adobe X SDK which contains the customizations such as serial #, etc.), then run the execute command pointing to your temp folder. For example, I set my temp folder to be C:\TEMP; I then set the variable TEMP in Wise to be C:\TEMP (since all of your pathfiles have to be variables in Wise, you can't just type the path like a batch file), and copied the files to a subfolder 'Acrobat.' I've renamed my msi to AcroPro.msi for simplicity's sake, and named my mst file AcroPro.mst.
You can then execute the package; the fields in the Wise Execute Program command should say:
.EXE Path =msiexec.exe
Command line =/i %temp%\Acrobat\Acropro.msi /qn /norestart TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst
Check the box for 'Wait for program to exit,' and select how you want the execution window displayed in the drop down box (I usually choose 'Hidden'). Also, since 'msiexec.exe' is in the system32 folder, I don't bother with the full patch in the .EXE Path field, it finds it automatically. However if you are using something else, you'd need to enter the path as a variable (eg, %temp%\installme\setup.exe).
You can of course alter the commandline to suit your own needs, but that's the basic idea. If you copy/paste the lines below directly into the Wise Setup Editor, it will copy my command exactly for you, and you can see what it looks like:
item: Execute Program
Pathname=msiexec.exe
Command Line=/i %temp%\Acrobat\Acropro.msi /qn /norestart TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst
Flags=00000010
end
Hope this helps, I realize this is probably waaayyy past your deadline. But for future use, have at it! Wise is an amazing tool, you can pretty much make your installs do anything with it except the laundry. :)
Cheers,
Fergus
You can then execute the package; the fields in the Wise Execute Program command should say:
.EXE Path =
Command line =
Check the box for 'Wait for program to exit,' and select how you want the execution window displayed in the drop down box (I usually choose 'Hidden'). Also, since 'msiexec.exe' is in the system32 folder, I don't bother with the full patch in the .EXE Path field, it finds it automatically. However if you are using something else, you'd need to enter the path as a variable (eg, %temp%\installme\setup.exe).
You can of course alter the commandline to suit your own needs, but that's the basic idea. If you copy/paste the lines below directly into the Wise Setup Editor, it will copy my command exactly for you, and you can see what it looks like:
Pathname=msiexec.exe
Command Line=/i %temp%\Acrobat\Acropro.msi /qn /norestart TRANSFORMS=AcroPro.mst
Flags=00000010
end
Hope this helps, I realize this is probably waaayyy past your deadline. But for future use, have at it! Wise is an amazing tool, you can pretty much make your installs do anything with it except the laundry. :)
Cheers,
Fergus
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