Software Deployment

I'm not really deploying it, but rather doing an unattended install script 'cause we install it very often here.

Crystal's website says that the v8.5 MSI commands should work fine.. So here's what I tried for CR 9.0 Developer:

msiexec /i scrdev.msi /qr pidkey=xxxxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxxxx installlevel=1000

But... I found out that doing the installlevel=1000 wasn't working!!! (It only appeared to be installing the typical options). Anyway, since Seagate doesn't support their MSI's, I decided to make a transform with Installshield tuner.. That worked OK.

Hello smithbe,

Yes, I have ended up doing this in the mean time. But really wanted to get it deployable through Active Directory, as this is how we deploy all our software.

Its a pain - you would think an enterprise software product like Crystal Reports (who are now owned by BusinessObjects.com) would have this sort of thing sorted by now!!

bloody hell!!!!

Hi folks,

so what's the consensus on CR 9 now ?

I for myself need to deploy it via On Command CCM, and CCM (running the native setup) handles those trees with choices pretty awkwardly. I would love to go via silent options or mst file. Or at least a way to pre-check my choices. Suggestions ?

We don't own a repackaging Software, yet. Is InstallShield's Tuner recommendable for this ?

Cheers,

Konstantin

So I ventured on and made my .mst with InstallShield Tuner.

BUT: In my German Crystal Reports I get a popup from a registration agent, which seems to not be controlled from within the msi.

Anybody has a suggestion on how to automatically enter my Registration Number ?

Your registration number can be easily entered from the command line (MS-DOS) with a .reg file using regedit /s.

Make a file called CR9Serial.reg with the following info:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Crystal Decisions\9.0\Crystal Reports\Keycodes\CR Pro]
"Serial"="XXXXXXXXXX"


where XXXXXXXXXX is your registration number. (This is NOT the cd-key that you pass to the msi installer with pidkey=XXXXX-XXXXXXX-XXXXX)

Then on the command line you would do:

regedit /s CR9Serial.reg

Now launch Crystal Reports and voila, No registration prompts [:D]

Does anybody know how to tell crystal reports 9 setup not to reboot using msiexec? What happens is that if I install the ODBC drivers prior to CR9 then the setup for CR9 will reboot the computer and finish the install after reboot.

HTH,

Diego

I havent seen version 9 yet but if you set a property

REBOOT = ReallySuppress

thats stops a reboot occurring.

If you have the Enterprise version....Then look on the CD for the tool that allows you to make CR runtimes for Enterprise deployment. You can make all sorts of runtime installs depending on your needs.

Hi,
I Just got this to work with distribution via Group Policy. Here is the issue. When you enter the CD Key during install, Crystal Reports adds Line Feed characters to the CD key value. The Line Feeds are not properly imported or exported with Regedit. The registry path is here: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Crystal Decisions\9.0\Crystal Reports\Keycodes\CR Pro]. What I did was create a transform with Installshield Tuner. After creating the .MSI, I used Tuner and I Cut and Pasted the value for the Default string (which should be your CD key plus some squares, the line feeds, and some extra characters) into the Direct Editor --> Regitry --> SOFTWARE\Crystal Decisions\9.0\Crystal Reports\Keycodes\CR Pro field. Save the Transform and create your new Group Policy.

Ben, nice solution- thanks for sharing the details!

Funny all this really.....

I was never having the problem about the registration because the solution to that was posted on the Business Decisions website.

The problem I had was getting the actual MSI & MST into Active Directory itself.

I resolved this by removing the Reboot properties in the actual MSI itself.


Anyways.........

ORIGINAL: dijuremo

Your registration number can be easily entered from the command line (MS-DOS) with a .reg file using regedit /s.

Make a file called CR9Serial.reg with the following info:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Crystal Decisions\9.0\Crystal Reports\Keycodes\CR Pro]
"Serial"="XXXXXXXXXX"


where XXXXXXXXXX is your registration number. (This is NOT the cd-key that you pass to the msi installer with pidkey=XXXXX-XXXXXXX-XXXXX)

Then on the command line you would do:

regedit /s CR9Serial.reg

Now launch Crystal Reports and voila, No registration prompts [:D]

Does anybody know how to tell crystal reports 9 setup not to reboot using msiexec? What happens is that if I install the ODBC drivers prior to CR9 then the setup for CR9 will reboot the computer and finish the install after reboot.

HTH,

Diego


I've included such key in the MST file. But... it doesn't work for all users on the machine. It works only for user from which account installation has been made.

Any ideas?

I was observing HCKU key and what happened when User registration is performed (Serial is entered) but nothing changed in the registry. It's really strange! What is the solution for that problem?

ok i didn't see this covered above so i'll revive the thread. I have the transform created for crystal reports 9 pro. I have also changed the admin options to not reboot. When i do an install using the transform, it goes through fine, but when the computer is rebooted it wants to pickup and finish the crystal installation. Any ideas?

mmmm, I never experienced this issue.

Is it "continuing" the installation, or doing a self-repair?
Check in the application event log...