Software Deployment

Hi Giz,
you have stated this the second time now!
But please answer the other questions to, if you want real help.
As i wrote before, the only tool which is capable of such a task is a AD-GPO install to the users context.
To install an app with this complexity with user rights will be quite a task, if its possible at all.
An easier approch would be, to install as administrator and alter the setup to self heal the user specific things.
Regards, Nick

Thanks Nick.

Hi Giz,
Was it a permissions problem?

been a while since I packaged it but you need admin rights to install dragon and need to set permissions on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Licenses

Have you had a look on http://knowledgebase.nuance.com/

:)

Thanks all for your help. Krisbcn, i think is a permission problem cos it works fine when installed as an admin but not as a standard user. I actually need a tool i can use to set rights. I've used adminstudio 6 to set rights but still not working.

Giz

did you use setacl with a custom action

easy to set permissions on reg keys,files, folders etc

Hi Giz,
what do you mean with with "Installs fine as..."?
Is the setup running properly to its end, but the app doesn't work as expected?
Or does the setup routine stop somewhere in the middle?
What do you mean with "STANDARD USER"? A VISTA Standard User or User account in XP?
Regards, Nick

Have you tried using process monitor to track down issue?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processmonitor.mspx

Hi Giz,
To set permissions I use to use cacls for files and subinacl for registry entries, both trought Custom Actions in deferred mode after system context, it is, after being copied all files to target.
Subinacl is not usually installed in WXP SP2, so I must insert it (as never overwrite) into systemfolder.
the CA for cacls can be both as .EXE and VBS, Subinacl as VBS.

Ask again if still in trouble.
Hope it helps

KrisBcn

Thanks all. NHEIM, what i mean by standard user is actually Win2000 locked down environment. The application installs and completes installation as a standard user but when launched the application won't work. But as an ADMIN it instals and works okay. I actually don't know ho to set permissions to use cacls for files and subinacl for registry entries with CUSTOM ACTION.

Any help would be appreciated.

Giz

Hi Giz,
ok, i see. But this is a scenario, which is normally not foreseen by the vendor.
Next question: How do you intend to deploy this app?
Do you have a deployment solution?
Do you have Active Directory in place?
Maybe, we can choose a different approach with certain deployment tools.
Regards, Nick

Ok Giz! Here it goes how I use them (in InstallShield):

Permission for files/folders :
- Create Custom Action Type "New EXE" --> Path Referencing a directory
Working Directory = SystemFolder
Filename & CommandLine = cacls "FullPath" /T /E /G Users:F"
Set it al Install Exec Sequence after ScheduleReboot, or where you need it, set condition Not REMOVE="ALL"
Read the cacls.exe command help
This one can also be a vbscript.


Permission for Registry keys/subkeys :
- Subinacl.exe must be installed in SystemFolder, if not, then add it and read its /help
- Create CA Type "New VBSScript" --> Storen in Custom Action
on Script :

dim WshShell
dim str
Set WshShell=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
str="subinacl /noverbose /subkeyreg " & Chr(34) & "hkey_classes_root\RPUChartbook.Document" & Chr(34) & " /grant=Users=F"
WshShell.Run str,0,true
str="subinacl /noverbose /keyreg " & Chr(34) & "hkey_classes_root\RPUChartbook.Document\DefaultIcon" & Chr(34) & " /grant=Users=F"
WshShell.Run str,0,true
Set WshShell=nothing

Sequence it after SheduleReboot too or whenever you need it.

- Create inverse custom actions for uninstall


Hope it helps

KrisBcn

We actually use Novell ZenWorks for deployment.

very easy to set permissions using SETACL. exe

I use SETACL with a custom action to set permissions using wise or installshield

if using installshield

launch the custom action wizard


type - launch an executable

location - stored in binary table

source - browse to setacl.exe

target - -on "C:\Program Files\foldername" -ot file -actn ace -ace "n:Users;p:change"


for a standard user in a locked dowm environment you will normally assign "change" permissions

if you need full permissions then set to "Full"



in script execution - immediate execution

execution scheduling- always execute

tick the option wait for the action to finish executing


install execute sequence - after install finalize
install execute condition - Not Installed



if setting permissions on a reg file then

-on "HKLM\XXXX\XXXXX" -ot reg -actn ace -ace "n:Users;p:full

if setting permissions on a file then

on "C:\Program Files\foldername\file name" -ot file -actn ace -ace "n:Users;p:change"

or you can set it to "full" if required


this will work 100% for you
cheers

Hi Giz,
what about AD? If yes, you could try to install the MSI with a policy per user. It's the only possibility to let standard users install "normal software", because the MSI-Script portion runs with elevated privileges. It's not working with all packages, because it hast to be properly authored, but i would give it a try.
Regards, Nick

Thanks Nick, We use Zenworks for deploying our applications.