Trying to check a checkbox in an MSI by default... (warning, newbie)
I have an MSI I can deploy through group policy for some less used software for monitoring calls at our work.
I want to be able to create a 'default' installation method for that MSI, so it doesn't go through and use the defaults, but checks a few boxes, and ties them to the right servers as they are needed to. I need to check a box for "Agent monitoring" and then specify a server name for it. I am not sure the best way to do this, so if you guys have any options I'm open to hearing them as I'd like to modify this MSI so we can use it for our environment, and roll it out through group policy.
Thanks very much!
I want to be able to create a 'default' installation method for that MSI, so it doesn't go through and use the defaults, but checks a few boxes, and ties them to the right servers as they are needed to. I need to check a box for "Agent monitoring" and then specify a server name for it. I am not sure the best way to do this, so if you guys have any options I'm open to hearing them as I'd like to modify this MSI so we can use it for our environment, and roll it out through group policy.
Thanks very much!
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Posted by:
pjgeutjens
14 years ago
You could maybe try the following:
- start by installing Orca, we'll be doing some table edits, it's part of the microsoft SDK, found at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A55B6B43-E24F-4EA3-A93E-40C0EC4F68E5&displaylang=en. If InstallTaylor can do table edits , that's fine too, I never actually used it.
- open your MSI with Orca and go to the Control Table, this table contains the "intelligence" behind the install dialogs.
- Find the checkbox and textbox that you want to set values for, write down the properties that are linked with these elements (property field in the table).
- If there are properties linked to these controls you should be able to find them in the Property table
- Now for Orca, go to the "transform" menu , select "new transform"
- change the parameters to the values you'd like
- Go to the Transform menu again -> Generate transform, save as an .mst file
Now try applying your transform to your installation using msiexec /i <MSI PATH> TRANSFORMS=<MST PATH> /qb-
Or if they're public properties (name is all caps) you can pass them along on the command line directly.
- start by installing Orca, we'll be doing some table edits, it's part of the microsoft SDK, found at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A55B6B43-E24F-4EA3-A93E-40C0EC4F68E5&displaylang=en. If InstallTaylor can do table edits , that's fine too, I never actually used it.
- open your MSI with Orca and go to the Control Table, this table contains the "intelligence" behind the install dialogs.
- Find the checkbox and textbox that you want to set values for, write down the properties that are linked with these elements (property field in the table).
- If there are properties linked to these controls you should be able to find them in the Property table
- Now for Orca, go to the "transform" menu , select "new transform"
- change the parameters to the values you'd like
- Go to the Transform menu again -> Generate transform, save as an .mst file
Now try applying your transform to your installation using msiexec /i <MSI PATH> TRANSFORMS=<MST PATH> /qb-
Or if they're public properties (name is all caps) you can pass them along on the command line directly.
Posted by:
roma70
14 years ago
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
If you don't have one of the two major vendor's tools for authoring/editing MSIs (i.e. Wise or InstallShield) this will be painful, since it will involve using a tool like Orca or InstEdit to create the necessary table changes without the benefit of a GUI. The basic idea is to identify the properties whose values get populated by dialog box choices and set those properties directly in the transform. This really isn't the place to go through that process step-by-step, I'm afraid.
Posted by:
dj_xest
14 years ago
Hercules,
Try using Install Tailor to customize your MSI without going to the manually putting inputs in MSI. You need to find or at least make it work as a standalone version because it is embedded in the products of Wise. I have used this approach before when I was so innocent about MSI packaging and I was able to create a transform without using Wise, Installshield or Orca.
Try using Install Tailor to customize your MSI without going to the manually putting inputs in MSI. You need to find or at least make it work as a standalone version because it is embedded in the products of Wise. I have used this approach before when I was so innocent about MSI packaging and I was able to create a transform without using Wise, Installshield or Orca.
Posted by:
elgwhoppo
14 years ago
If you have no tools to create an MST, I would look at the Properties table of the MSI with Orca and see if you can command line some of your changes. The vendor may have put some properties in there that you can change via the command line.
A real life example of such a case is with Adobe Reader 9:
msiexec /i AcroRead.msi DISABLE_CACHE=1 DISABLE_BROWSER_INTEGRATION=YES SUPPRESS_APP_LAUNCH=YES /qn
If the vendor didn't leave you much to work with, then I'd make a case to management for getting some tools. Sounds like you need them.
A real life example of such a case is with Adobe Reader 9:
msiexec /i AcroRead.msi DISABLE_CACHE=1 DISABLE_BROWSER_INTEGRATION=YES SUPPRESS_APP_LAUNCH=YES /qn
If the vendor didn't leave you much to work with, then I'd make a case to management for getting some tools. Sounds like you need them.
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
Posted by:
dj_xest
14 years ago
Somehow, a stand alone Install Tailor was existing in the net. Not sure if somebody was able to detach it from Wise or Wise has changed it to something that will not be possible without the main. I think it was 5 years ago.. Wise will not like it for sure if they have found it.. :)
I found a thread, but it is already 3 years ago and the link is not working on my end. You can check it out. http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t65681.html
I found a thread, but it is already 3 years ago and the link is not working on my end. You can check it out. http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t65681.html
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