Combining answer files, is it possible?
So in trying to automate every single program we have in our environment I've come across a bit of a trouble program.
This program has a setup.exe that we can run, but halfway through it kicks off another install of a seperate program, then goes back and finishes the original program.
I've made a setup.iss file for the first program, but because the second program is a seperate install the answer file doesn't handle it's options.
My question is can you combine answer files? Sort of the same way that you can pass commands to an msi file from a .exe file.
I'm thinking that I can install these two programs separately and just have two separate answer files, but I'm still curious if this is possible.
Thanks
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Answers (1)
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Posted by:
SMal.tmcc
10 years ago
If you can preinstall the second program first and see if that stops the branching. the installer may see the second program is already installed and skip that task.
Comments:
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Yeah that's where my brain is going as well.
Now my only trouble is finding the seperate install file.
Thanks for the tip though Mr. Smal - AFCUjstrick 10 years ago-
can you open the setup.exe with winzip and extract the other installer.
Another method to get this second install could be harvest it from your temp dir.
go to your user profile\appdata\local\temp and delete all the files that will delete. Start the install manually on that machine, step in a window or 2. Typically installs extract to the temp dir or a sub folder. check the temp dir for the files and see if you can harvest it that way. - SMal.tmcc 10 years ago-
I just stepped through the install and checked the folder you specified after each step and never saw a .exe show up.
I did refresh the folder after each step as well just to be sure. - AFCUjstrick 10 years ago -
what program is this anyway?
If it is an install shield program look under C:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information or C:\Program Files x86\InstallShield Installation Information at the sub dirs, it extracts to that area so it then can use the same files in case you uninstall. - SMal.tmcc 10 years ago -
It's not a very broadly known program. It's called Evolve, but the secondary program that it installs is called PegaReach.
If you google search it the one that refers to a company called PSCU is who we are dealing with.
It is an installshield because the /r switch worked for the answer file.
Also it says installshield in the title bar when it's starting the install.
I'm going to check those folders now while running through the install. - AFCUjstrick 10 years ago -
As unbelievable as this will sound, there are no files in either of those locations that reference these programs.
I've uninstalled and reinstalled the program on two different machines and there is nothing in there about these programs. - AFCUjstrick 10 years ago -
the only other thought is to start the install and search the drive for files/dirs created today and see if you can find a directory someplace else with the same time as you started the install. - SMal.tmcc 10 years ago
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I don't have an answer for you. I just want to say I'm dealing with this same exact situation. First Data has been less than helpful. I've been trying to automate this for about a year and I JUST today discovered that I could use the /r switch and create an .iss answer file to automate the Evolve client install. Any progress on the PegaReach client yet? I can't find the installer for that either. - joewiard 8 years ago
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Actually yes I did get this figured out.
I found the installer for PegaReach and made an answer file for it.
Then did the exact same thing for the "Evolve" setup.exe.
The PegaReach installer is located in the "Reach662" folder for us. The file has .donotrun as it's file extension. Change that to .exe and it works fine. Not sure why they disabled it like that. - AFCUjstrick 8 years ago-
Fantastic! I was able to create an .iss file from PegaReach, then go back and install Evolve after, creating an .iss file for that install as well, since the options were different if PegaReach is already installed.
So now I can silently install PR first, then silently install Evolve, and everything seems to be fine. Have your users run into any issues if you install it this way vs letting Evolve to kick off the PR install?
Thank you so much for replying and pointing me to this. - joewiard 8 years ago -
Nope no problems at all. What line of work are you in that you'd need to install Evolve? - AFCUjstrick 8 years ago
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Send me an email so we can talk outside of here.
jstrickland@afcu.org - AFCUjstrick 8 years ago -
Check your mail filter. Our filter seems to be letting my email out, but I'm getting it returned as undeliverable. - joewiard 8 years ago
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http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:2awANjXlOpgJ:https://pdn.pega.com/documents/pegareach-8x-installation-and-connection-manual-v72+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us - joewiard 8 years ago