Software Deployment

Hmmm...been using AppDeploy for 2 years and have somehow missed the advice that self-registration is The Work of Satan. Nice to know our efforts aren't wasted.

Anyway...moving on...you can often answer questions like this yourself by simply monitoring or snapshotting what the application does. ProcMon is (IMV) the de facto standard for monitoring in real-time. For snapshots, I like the simplicity of InstallWatch but have used In Control in the past.

I have used InstallWatchPro 2.5 as well as Wise Package Studio to watch the installs of other products. When I captured an install of IQS, it also needed ActiveX enabled for the product install. I had to create a couple of double word values to allow it to work. Here's a code snippet:

'
' Constants required for Registry Changes for IQS unsigned ActiveX controls
'
Const Zones = "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\2\"
Const dwValue0 = 0
Const Download_Unsigned_ActiveX_Controls = "1004"
Const Initialize_and_Script_ActiveX_Controls = "1201"
strKeyPath = Zones
rc = objReg.SetDWORDValue(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath,Download_Unsigned_ActiveX_Controls,dwValue0)
rc = objReg.SetDWORDValue(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath,Initialize_and_Script_ActiveX_Controls,dwValue0)

Hopefully this helps. These forums have been a major help for me; maybe this will start a pay back.

Right I have now solved this packaging issue....Hopefully some of the detail here will be able to help others with ActiveX packaging issues. The information I got from various sources, with some registry settings on one post and more information on other posts, so if i post all in one it may prove useful.....well only if it works for others [;)]

If there is anything in this package that is actually not required I would happily take some advice.

In the package I include the .DLL, .INF and the .CAB for reference (again may not be required, but is reference in one of the Keys I entered) The files I put in a source folder which deploys with the package. The Cab and the INF file I copy to a newly created folder in the Common Files area. And the DLL I put into Downloaded Program Files as I want the file to be visible in Windows Explorer not just Command Prompt for testing verification

The Reg Keys I add are

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\CLSID-Got from INF file]
"Installer"="MSICD"

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\CLSID\Contains]

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\CLSID\DownloadInformation]
"CODEBASE"="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Siebel Systems\\Name_of_Cab_File"
"INF"="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Siebel Systems\\Name_of_INF_File"

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\CLSID\InstalledVersion]
"(Default)"="Version of File"

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\PreApproved\CLSID

The key for the Preapproved is added so that the file is "enabled" when shown in Manage Add Ons in IE