Software Deployment

To Install an MSI with a Transform use:
msiexec.exe /I "path to package.msi" TRANSFORMS="path to transform.mst"
ex.
msiexec /i "\\server\share\directory\MyPackage.MSI" TRANSFORMS="\\server\share\directory\MyPackage.MST" /QB-!
This will provide an unattended installation not displaying any modular dialogs or errors, only the progress dialog. It will also hide the cancel button prevent any user from aborting the installation.

A transform modifies the package (msi) during installation but does not modify the actual MSI file. This is a good think ;) as if something goes wrong we have not broken the MSI. Transforms are also good for when you want different settings in the MSI during install for different clients or a whole site.

Hi AngelD

Thank's for your reply, I tried what you suggested and does not display any errors now but a box is diplayed for seconds, what that displays says is anyone's guess it's that quick. unfortunatley still does not install to my MST file settings.

Bye the way it's Adobe Reader and it installs like normal for example Icons on desktop and start menu, EULA etc... , which I want to remove.

Can you or anyone help

Winston :¬(

Hi Winston,

Don't know what packaging tool you're using so I will tell you this using ORCA which you can find in Microsoft Platform SDK.
Open the MSI using ORCA and drag'n drop the MST on the ORCA window.
On the left you will see tables and on the right side the content of any table you have selected on the left.
Find and click the Shortcuts table on the left.
The name of the shortcut(s) you will remove is located in the Name column on the right. The name in this column can be separated by a "|" character, meaning shortname on the left of the "|" character and longname on the right of it.
When you have found your shortcut you want to remove right-click that row and select drop row.
Shortcuts on desktop will have the value DesktopFolder in the Directory column (for most) and Start menu shortcuts the StartMenuFolder directory if placed in start-menu\Programs. For shortcuts on the startmenu with a directory (ex. start-menu\Programs\Adobe) you will have to find out if this is the proper shortcut to remove by find the correct directory path in the Directory table.
But for startmenu shortcuts that do not have the DesktopFolder directory or any pointing to "Quick Launch" (user profile shortcut) would be what you're looking for.
When you are done with the changes save the .MST file by selecting "Generate Transform" from the Transform menu.

In the Package Knowledge Base you can find information about tips on configurations or repackaging tips on specific applications already been done by others. Look up Adobe Reader with the proper version you're going to modify using the Transform and follow the info on how to disable the EULA and other settings of your choice.

Don't know about the quick displayed dialog you see during installation so maybe anyone else could give you the info about this.

Hope this helps and if not state what you would like to know more.

Cheers!

Hi AngelD,

I must be doing something fundamentally wrong what you suggested seems very confusing I loaded the adobe reader msi from package on network into orca then pasted in the mst but when I went into look at the shortcuts they had solid lines through them, they were already dropped??.

I then thought ok don’t need to modify this mst it's already modified when I was using adobes installshield tuner, I just need to generate transform, when I tried this it was asking me to overwrite the existing mst, is this correct???.

Anyway at this stage I stopped and decided to let you know what exactly I am trying to do.

I am trying to modify Adobe Acrobat 7.0 to remove the following.

Remove shortcuts
Remove Eula
Remove Cancel Button While Installing

Ok now you know what I am trying to do this is the software am trying to do it with.

www.appdeploy.com tutorial

Adobe install tuner

HELP :¬(

Yes, use the Adobe Tuner only.

Save over whateever you created previously.

Then run the transform as AngelD advised you.