Software Deployment

Are you installing as per-user or machine (ALLUSERS property)?
What does the Shortcut table entry look like?

(Some validation errors do not apply)

Thanks for the respond.
OK the installation is for 10 users. when i installed on my test machine i used all user property. installation looks fine but after installation the icons don't seem to work. Do i have to create a key under HKCU as the error i get...

KeyPath for Component: 'DesktopFolder' is Directory: 'DesktopFolder'. The Directory/Component pair must be listed in the CreateFolders table. ice18.html Component Directory_ DesktopFolder
Evaluation: ICE18
If so please help.

It won't let me create a new advertised shortcut for some reason.
My shortcut table looks like this:
shortcut :softwarename
Directory:Desktopfolder
Name: softwarename
component_ : Desktop folder
target : [shorcutpath1]
arguments:
descrip:
hotkey:0
Icon_:
Iconindex:0
showcmd:1
wrdir: bin
I can ignore other errors but this is causing me the trouble to launch the software from both desktop icon and the startup menu.

The DesktopFolder for example will be resolved to either %USERPROFILE%\Desktop for per-user or %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop for per-machine.

Component DesktopFolder has non-advertised shortcuts. It should use a registry key under HKCU as its KeyPath, not a file. ice43.html Component Attributes DesktopFolder
When a component installes files under %USERPROFILE% they should have a HKCU registry entry as keypath, however if you install to per-machine these files will go under %ALLUSERSPROFILE% instead meaning, machine "based" files.
So in this case solving this ICE is only cosmetic. The ICE rules don't know that it is a per-machine install and doesn't take into account about the ALLUSERS property.

KeyPath for Component: 'DesktopFolder' is Directory: 'DesktopFolder'. The Directory/Component pair must be listed in the CreateFolders table. ice18.html Component Directory_ DesktopFolder
This is also costemtic as the "DesktopFolder" path will alredy exist on the machine so no need to created it, the CreateFolder table is used for creating empty folders as otherwise Windows Installer will remove these during install.

Regarding your shortcut issue:
Make sure that the Component.KeyPath column value points to the executable (File.File column value) you want the shortcut to launch and then set the Shortcut.Target column to the feature holding this component (the Shortcut.Component column value), this will make the shortcut advertised.

Thanks to you!!!

Now I got an issue. I am trying to package a network install.

I have an msi that installs via a network. Meaning while installing it should install the core piece from say example. X: network location which actually contains all the folders and files. Which it does as per the guideline. The only thing thats not working is the shortcut. It does not point to the network location where the files are.
I am using WPS. In the working directory it points to the path but not the physical X: If I physically right click the shortcut in the program menu and point to the path which is the network drive it seems to work.
I tired to create a new shortcut but it don't let me point exactly where i want to.
Please Help!

Sorry but I don't really understand what the shortcut should point to as you say files.
Please give an example.

Shortcut.Target cannot point to a network path directory, so you need to use a property instead which holds the network-path-exe.

Thanks for the help previously!

I have the package ready to get it deployed and i am testing on my lab machines... now an issue has arised regarding the sms deployment.... The packages gets deployed to the machine but if i check on the add remove program it don't seem to be there nor the short cuts show up on the programs menu. But the files are copied to the programfiles folder as necessary. Why does it do that?

Thanks
su.deep

Why does it do that?As ever, enable Windows Installer logging (set it to use a verbose log) to begin the process of finding out.REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer]
"Debug"=dword:00000007
"Logging"="voicewarmup"

Hey thanks for the reply I am new to SMS and quite didn't understand the regedit so I still request you to help me out here on this matter and advise me with a resolution on this.

Thanks
su.deep

I am new to SMS and quite didn't understand the regedit No offence but the registry file extract I showed is just about as basic as it gets so, if you haven't understood it, your difficulties run much deeper than I have time to devote to (and it's nothing to do with SMS, BTW)

Google for "Group Policy" +"Windows installer" +logging and take it from there.

I have an issue with deployment a package via SMS it gives me an error saying drive letter error 1327. invalid drive X:

I have an issue with deployment a package via SMS it gives me an error saying drive letter error 1327. invalid drive X: Maybe you should try posting this in the 'Deployment' forum? My guess would be, though, that SMS uses the local System account for the actual install and, as you know, System has no access to network resources.