Software Deployment

In addition, if using Microsoft's Custom Maintanence Wizard as a possible solution, would setting Install on First use possibly work?


Also, say a user click son a power point file when Install on First USe is set, and they already have a PP Viewer installed, is the full version going to be installed?


What the client is trying to achieve is that all icons are available, but if the application isn't required, then as long as the user doesn't click the icon it isn't installed. Basically to save paying for licences that they don't need.

So you want to be able to deploy only Word to some users, only Excel to others etc?
If so, I would make a copy of the existing transform, one for each deployment scenario. Then I would use the Office Resource Kit to modify each transform to only install Word/Excel/etc. You can either set them to never install, or to install on first use. With install on first use, you get the shortcuts on the start menu/desktop, but doesn't install the programs. Then just apply the different transforms depending on what you want to install.

As for your powerpoint view'er question, it really depends on which application is set to open powerpoint files, i.e. which one is registered on the powerpoint extension. If the viewer is registered, then the full version will not be installed. But if the full version is registered, then Windows Installer will notice that it is not installed, and start installing it.

As for the licenses, I thought that 1 office license included word/excel/access/powerpoint, and that you could install all of them. Have you checked up on that?

Answered everything I need to know there.


I though that I could get around the viewer problem by having it associated with the particular file extension.


That's a good point about the licencing, I'll check that up.


Thanks.

Ok, going to try and use the original MSis from the CDs, along with MSTs to get the apps packaged.


I will file associate .xls, .ppt and .doc with the viewers, then allow the associations to be chaged when the full application is installed.


For Office 2000 one licence covers all applications, but for 2003 they will require each app to be installed seperately as the licenses cover each app seperately.