Software Deployment

Check out the TARGETDIR property.

Regards,

Spartacus

Hi nautic,
in a properly authored MSI, 'INSTALLDIR' is the property to rely on. Because the parent of it points to the Program Files folder.
TARGETDIR normally points to the ROOTDRIVE.
If you alter it, things which should go to the System Folder (just everything), will be redirected also.
Regards, Nick

Thanks for the input guys, I think I got it worked out. [:D]

NOW, I'm having a problem with a hardware Dongle. It has to present during install for app to receive, I guess, a registry key. Problem is, when I deploy this to a few dozen people, I would like for it to be done automatically with out me having to go slap a dongle on every HD each time.

So, I'm being legit with buying the licenses on the dongle and all... but is their a way to just get the info off the dongle and initiate it during auto install?

Thanks again
Anthony

You could check to see if the dongle can be shared on a server.. seems a bit odd that its not required each time the application is launched..

You're right Tone, I can opt to use a network dongle. I have to go to a license key setup menu in the application after the msi package is installed and set it to default network dongle. Any one have any ideas on how to include this step in the .msi package? Using Orca maybe???

Hi nautic,
but please, before you invest any further work, check if your license allows you to do a network install. Some vendors do that, others require a special network license.
Do you have a tool like wise InstallTailor at hand? If yes, do a capture of the install, then the needed changes should lie in the resulting transform.
Another approach would be, to check which properties are set by the according dialogs with ORCA. Use 'Tools - Dialog Preview...' to go to right dialog. The needed properties are in most cases set in a control (order the control table by dialog to find the right one).
Regards, Nick

ORIGINAL: nheim

Hi nautic,
in a properly authored MSI, 'INSTALLDIR' is the property to rely on. Because the parent of it points to the Program Files folder.
TARGETDIR normally points to the ROOTDRIVE.
If you alter it, things which should go to the System Folder (just everything), will be redirected also.
Regards, Nick


Sorry, I should have provided more detail in my original response to nautic - I meant to suggest that TARGETDIR be specified on the command line rather than authored into the Directory table directory - the following extract from the article I originally linked to clarifies this :

[font="Courier New"]Note that the value of the TARGETDIR property is typically set at the command line or through a user interface. Setting TARGETDIR by authoring a path into the Property table is not recommended because computers differ in the set up of the local drive.

My own understanding of this is that ROOTDRIVE is only used to resolve the path where TARGETDIR is not defined - see extract from same article below

[font="Courier New"]If the TARGETDIR property is undefined, the ROOTDRIVE property is used to resolve the path.

So in theory, (with the exception of Administrative installations), I wouldn't normally expect specifying TARGETDIR on the command line to interfere with the location of files intended to go in the System32 folder.

Regards,

Spartacus

OK, I got install Tailor (eval. ver. for now). I'm just playing with that now and it's pretty cool, THANKS NICK. There's still the problem with changing a setting in the application after the initial install, I havn't figured how to detect that yet with Ins. Tailor. But, I did figure out that the application looks for a nethasp.ini file when setting the network dongle (btw, my contract does license me for a network dongle too).

Now I think I've learned how to build the .ini file that tells the app where to find the network license manager, but I don't know how to attach that to the .msi file during the initial instal. I've tried the fuction setup.exe in command line, but I guess, it only works for office 2000. Do you know of a way to amend a .ini file to a .msi file? Or maybe, how to author the .msi to include the file in the location where the app looks for it?

I appreciate all the help,
Anthony

Hi Anthony,
use the built in support for that. This is done with the IniFile table.
Open your package and look for this table. If it's not there, in ORCA, choose Tables -- Add Table... and select IniFile from the list.
The table itself is explained here:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369282.aspx

Regards, Nick

Hey, I really appreciate your advice Nick. I love the Install Tailor that you suggested. I got that app to work the way I wanted and I'm working on others. This made my life a lot easier. Hope all's well with you.

Take care,
Anthony

Hi Anthony,
glad to see, it worked out the way you wanted it.
Keep MSI'ing. :-)

Regards, Nick