newbie to wise need some help
Hey all
Im trying to create and msi package from an extractable executbale given to me via a vendor.
Now i use to use zenworks for novel back around 7 years ago, when snapshot packaging was all the craze. however now with more and more vendors doing there own extractable exe's or msi i'm a bit lost as to how installations should be done for new packages.
Im basically wondering what the best practise approach would be for my current situation. Exe which installs and app and a few settings that need to be inputed by the user. I know i could do it with a snapshot method turning the app into an msi, only prob is that you then have to go through the reg and clean it all up.
Just wondering if someone can point me in the right direction of how i should be doing this.
Regards
Im trying to create and msi package from an extractable executbale given to me via a vendor.
Now i use to use zenworks for novel back around 7 years ago, when snapshot packaging was all the craze. however now with more and more vendors doing there own extractable exe's or msi i'm a bit lost as to how installations should be done for new packages.
Im basically wondering what the best practise approach would be for my current situation. Exe which installs and app and a few settings that need to be inputed by the user. I know i could do it with a snapshot method turning the app into an msi, only prob is that you then have to go through the reg and clean it all up.
Just wondering if someone can point me in the right direction of how i should be doing this.
Regards
0 Comments
[ + ] Show comments
Answers (4)
Please log in to answer
Posted by:
India_Repackaging
16 years ago
Hi,
When you run a setup.exe, you can simultaneously check %temp% if there is a .msi which is extracted. You may use this extracted .msi file and work on it.
It is recommended to make changes to the .msi through a transform file i.e. .mst. You can use Orca, Wise Package Studio, Install Shield, etc to create and work on the transform. I generally prefer working with Orca but would suggest you to work with Wise or Install Shield or any other tool, simply because of the GUI (considering you are new to this)
Then you can install the application using the command line
msiexec /i <path of msi> transforms=<path of transform file>
When you run a setup.exe, you can simultaneously check %temp% if there is a .msi which is extracted. You may use this extracted .msi file and work on it.
It is recommended to make changes to the .msi through a transform file i.e. .mst. You can use Orca, Wise Package Studio, Install Shield, etc to create and work on the transform. I generally prefer working with Orca but would suggest you to work with Wise or Install Shield or any other tool, simply because of the GUI (considering you are new to this)
Then you can install the application using the command line
msiexec /i <path of msi> transforms=<path of transform file>
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
16 years ago
I'd simply add that, once your MSI/MST is done, do a test install and then run the vendor EXE over the top, using a lightweight snapshotter (I use Ziff-Davis's In Control - search for InCtrl5.ZIP) to capture any changes. This is because more than a few vendors put functionality into the Setup stub which really belongs in the MSI and the bare MSI on its own would obviously not have that functionality. Also, it's a good test that you haven't been over-zealous with your editing! :)
Posted by:
mrcheeks
16 years ago
Hey all thanks for the replies, well after looking at the package further i managed to just get away with using the Vendors MSI along with the particular InstallShield switches to create the answer file needed during setup.
All works ok installs ect, happy days
However now i need to do the un-install script
It seems that when ever i'm trying to run the un-install string to create an answer file nothing happens, i have copied the string exactly the same from the registry hence i know there isnt any gramar errors. However i dont even get the window to come up and prompt me for the un-install so i can provide an answer file for it.
I have followed everything on the KB article below, problem i have is i dont even get the un-install string to come up.
http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/printable.asp?m=12553
All works ok installs ect, happy days
However now i need to do the un-install script
It seems that when ever i'm trying to run the un-install string to create an answer file nothing happens, i have copied the string exactly the same from the registry hence i know there isnt any gramar errors. However i dont even get the window to come up and prompt me for the un-install so i can provide an answer file for it.
I have followed everything on the KB article below, problem i have is i dont even get the un-install string to come up.
http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/printable.asp?m=12553
Posted by:
mrcheeks
16 years ago
Hi All
Ok had a further look at this seems that when i install the app silently it doesn't create the application directory under C:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{E9FA6528-920D-11D3-A9B9-0060089703CC}
I can get around this problem by using altiris to copy this directory to the pc during the un-install process
However when i run the following string in dos to see if the un-install string works i dont get the un-install happening silently
C:\>RunDll32 C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\INSTAL~1\engine\6\INTEL3~1\ctor.dll,LaunchSetu
p "C:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{E9FA6528-920D-11D3-A
9B9-0060089703CC}\setup.exe" -uninst -s -x -f1C:\Windows\setup.iss
I have made sure that my *.iss file is within the directory specified
Below are the context of the file
[InstallShield Silent]
Version=v6.00.000
File=Response File
[File Transfer]
OverwrittenReadOnly=NoToAll
[{0C7168B8-9B8C-11D1-8461-00A024ABDD54}-DlgOrder]
Dlg0={0C7168B8-9B8C-11D1-8461-00A024ABDD54}-SprintfBox-0
Count=1
[{0C7168B8-9B8C-11D1-8461-00A024ABDD54}-SprintfBox-0]
Result=6
[{E9FA6528-920D-11D3-A9B9-0060089703CC}-DlgOrder]
Count=0
Any help would be appreciated
Ok had a further look at this seems that when i install the app silently it doesn't create the application directory under C:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{E9FA6528-920D-11D3-A9B9-0060089703CC}
I can get around this problem by using altiris to copy this directory to the pc during the un-install process
However when i run the following string in dos to see if the un-install string works i dont get the un-install happening silently
p "C:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{E9FA6528-920D-11D3-A
9B9-0060089703CC}\setup.exe" -uninst -s -x -f1C:\Windows\setup.iss
I have made sure that my *.iss file is within the directory specified
Below are the context of the file
[InstallShield Silent]
Version=v6.00.000
File=Response File
[File Transfer]
OverwrittenReadOnly=NoToAll
[{0C7168B8-9B8C-11D1-8461-00A024ABDD54}-DlgOrder]
Dlg0={0C7168B8-9B8C-11D1-8461-00A024ABDD54}-SprintfBox-0
Count=1
[{0C7168B8-9B8C-11D1-8461-00A024ABDD54}-SprintfBox-0]
Result=6
[{E9FA6528-920D-11D3-A9B9-0060089703CC}-DlgOrder]
Count=0
Any help would be appreciated
Rating comments in this legacy AppDeploy message board thread won't reorder them,so that the conversation will remain readable.