Software Deployment

There's nothing too magical about the BB install. I would recommend, however, that you package the keyboard driver separately. For that, you'll need to get into either executing the installer EXE via a Custom Action or installing it via DifxApp/DPINST.

You could also run the entire BB installer without capturing it. http://itninja.com/link/downloads-and-documentation

Lastly, we've found that the BB updates don't change very much at all, meaning that, once you have a project file (in Wise or InstallShield, whichever it is you're using), it's a snap to update by just updating the files which have actually changed. To identify those files, you'll find a tool like Beyond Compare useful.

Were you aware of this, or were you alluding to something else when you made the comment. I am indeed aware of that but we prefer to have it separate, as some users are violently opposed to using the truly dreadful BB keyboard, regarding any advantage gained by the provision of special keys far outweighed by the feeling that one is shaking hands with a corpse.

As for permissioning, we only allocate 'Change' rights to those locations and we use SetACL via a Custom Action. Because of the bloated nature of the BB software, you'll find it more efficient to have SetACL (or your favoured permissioning tool) run immediately after the CreateFolders action. That way, the files copied in by InstallFiles will simply inherit the folder's permissions. Otherwise, your users will need to sit through the tool permissioning every file individually and we know how much users love to wait.

Also, for the sotrt0807.exe automated install, can I just drop the /cfg=config.ini switch/parameter combo from the command line? I wouldn't know, since 9,999 times out of 10,000, I will capture any legacy installer to create an MSI.

You're just starting out on this track and, whilst you could have picked a worse application (anything from IBM, Oracle, Adobe, Ahead...), it isn't a walk in the park and this isn't the place to "talk you through" the process of capturing installations.

Owen - I didn't have you down as a coward LOL :) As I mentioned, BB is made a lot easier once you have captured one. After that, a file comparison with Beyond Compare identifies what's changed. We then update the WSI, compile and test. As ever, we test against the vendor install, just to be sure we got everything.

PS.
Anyone know why BB re-work the Flash OCX and pretend it's theirs, screwing up your existing Flash install at the same time?

PPS.
We work around their pig ignorance: I'm just curious to know if anyone's asked them...

Thanks for the quick follow-up, and thanks for the link. I performed a test install using for the command line, [font="courier new"]sotrt0807.exe /s /cfg=config.ini, and it seems to have worked.

I have not edited or made any changes to the config.ini file (nor would I know how to do so), so I wonder if it is really necessary to include the [font="courier new"]/cfg=config.ini switch in the command line.

As for your comment regarding packaging the keyboard driver separately, the keyboard driver is now installed by default as a step in the installation process (unless specified otherwise). I remember a few years ago I had to install the keyboard driver separately after doing the core install, but now it's part of the core install process. Were you aware of this, or were you alluding to something else when you made the comment.

Also, I need to change some permission settings following the installation:

Registry keys
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BLOOMBERG L.P. [Full Control is granted to Users]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL [Full Control is granted to Users]

Directory
C:\blp [Full Control is granted to Users]

I assume this would be best done by using a script, and I would just set the package to run the script after the install. Any tips or pointers?

Thanks.

from what I remember of BB it was a nightmare to package and eventually we put those into our bucket of manual apps where I used to work. it sucked. might have got better. Ian (vbscab) won't steer you wrong, follow what he says in his post.

As for permissioning, we only allocate 'Change' rights to those locations and we use SetACL via a Custom Action. Because of the bloated nature of the BB software, you'll find it more efficient to have SetACL (or your favoured permissioning tool) run immediately after the CreateFolders action. That way, the files copied in by InstallFiles will simply inherit the folder's permissions. Otherwise, your users will need to sit through the tool permissioning every file individually and we know how much users love to wait.

I recognize that there is valuable information in this post, but due to my lowly Newbie status, I have no idea what it means. Could you break it down, or provide a step-by-step tutorial on what I should do (or point me in the right direction)? This would be my first time modifying permissions post-install in this manner.

Up until now, I have been modifying permissions manually. As such, I have no favored permissioning tool, nor would I be able to tell you the names of any permissioning tools (yes, I'm that new).

Also, for the [font="courier new"]sotrt0807.exe automated install, can I just drop the [font="courier new"]/cfg=config.ini switch/parameter combo from the command line?

You're just starting out on this track and, whilst you could have picked a worse application (anything from IBM, Oracle, Adobe, Ahead...), it isn't a walk in the park and this isn't the place to "talk you through" the process of capturing installations.

Could you point me in the right direction? Surely, there must be a tutorial somewhere in here, as I imagine this comes up a lot, not necessarily with BB, but with other legacy installers.

You're gonna laugh, but unfortunately I'm the only one in my office with packaging "experience"; in other words there is no one more experienced, etc. that I can defer to or consult with.

Hello, i just packaged Baloomberg professinal and i faced a lot of problems especially for unistaller - here are my solutions to have unattended installation and uninstallation. I wasnt solving licensing.
all installation and uninstallation processes are run by vbs scripts in my package
Installation:
- Installation executable is Wise Installer type. One manual installation was performed. There was setup.blp file created by manual installation (file was stored in TEMP). File is downloaded and used in installation command line: “%CURRENTDIR%\sotrt07072011.exe” /s /cfg=”%CURRENTDIR%\setup.blp
Set installation to Download/Download on SCCM

Uninstallation:
- Uninstallation sequence developed in following order
1. Bloomberg keyboard
2. Bloomberg Excel Tools
3. Bloomberg PFM Upload Tool for Microsoft Excel
4. Bloomberg SFD Data Dictionaries
5. Bloomberg professional service
- Uninstallation command lines acquired from registry. WARNING - uninstaller is Case sensitive and all paths must be properly interpreted – in uninstall.vbs the use of chr(34) is necessary in case of Bloomberg Excel Tools uninstallation, used full paths to all files (dont use relative paths)
- All uninstallations are UNWISE installers and there must be correct log file passed to proper uninstaller. Switches to perform uninstallation silently must be passed right after uninstaller executable (can’t be listed only after log file), switches are “ /s /a ” meaning Silent process and Automatic mode (no user choices other than Cancel) – tip obtained from http://itninja.com/blog/view/7.8-gigabyte-size-limit-in-nt''s-ntfs2
- Unwpxy.exe with switches “ /s /a ” must be run before Bloomberg Excel Tools uninstallation command is executed
- Uninstallation of Bloomberg Professional services causes 3x displaying "Wise Uninstall" popup window with text "Could not open INSTALL.LOG file" and OK button. Script Uninstall.exe was developed in AutoIt to click OK every time the popup displays during uninstallation vbs script is run.

I am trying to run sotrt12072011.exe /s /cfg=custom.blp and change Maindir to Maindir = "C:\Program Files (x86)\blp"

the default is set to c:\blp i tried c:\blp1 looks like .blp file is ignored. Has anyone tried to change Maindir for bloomberg?

Thank you.

It does not like spaces in the path to the blp file so make sure that isn't your problem - also you don't need quotes in the blp file around "C:\Program Files (x86)\blp". A colleague has also warned me that it somehow remembers where it was last installed and uses that value so watch out in case it caches that blp file somewhere too!