Wise Package Studio - VirtualCapture. Are there alternatives?
Hello!
I got a little problem: I was ordered to research for a program that creates .msi files out of a .exe Setup, without having to use a real clean machine for every application.Wise Package Studio would have been the perfect solution for this problem thanks to its VirtualCapture function. The problem, as many of you might know, is, that Symantec ended the Package Studio and now works together with Flexera creating: "AdminStudio for Symantec".
As far as I know, AdminStudio misses the VirtualCapture function and I didn't find another programm which has something similar.
I hope you can help me!
Thanks
Ben
Answers (3)
A decision has been made, we are going to use virtual machines, thanks for all the tips and the answers!
Are you going to package the applications in your base machine? Why don't you use VMWare WorkStation/MS Virtual PC (Freeware)/Oracle Virtual Box (Freeware).. You can use snapshot method and you can revert the machine to it's initial state whenever you want..
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I already sugessted that to my boss, but he told me to continue searching, because he didn't like the idea. - Ben Morgan 12 years ago
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Eeeh! Why didn't he like the idea? Because of the cost involved for licenses?
Have a look at VirtualBox. It's free and basically the same features as VMWare.
https://www.virtualbox.org - andemats 12 years ago -
The licenses wouldn't be a problem, he is just lazy and wanted to avoid the reverting ;) . But if there is no alternative then he has to deal with it. - Ben Morgan 12 years ago
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hmmm. Want to increase productivity and save time by eliminating the extra effort. - jagadeish 12 years ago
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Hahahaha! My God! Does he even know the meaning of reverting?
Cant take more than a couple of minutes (if you revert to powered off state) to revert a VMWare. Compare that to reinstalling the machine after each installation, to have a clean machine, which is almost required to avoid issues with the packages. - andemats 12 years ago -
Actually, He has a valid point I think.. because "Couple of Minutes" X "n Times"= It's really huge time!!!!! from effort and productivity point of view.. but still packager need a break at the time of reverting his machine :)..
There is nothing wrong in using Virtual Capture
Use Virtual Capture to capture on a non-clean machine while achieving clean machine results. This eliminates the need to reimage your computer between each SetupCapture.
You also can eliminate the need to reimage a clean machine by capturing applications in a virtual software layer. While Virtual Capture requires that you create a Virtual OS, the only requirement for capturing applications into a virtual software layer is the installation of the Software Virtualization Agent, which is installed with Wise Package Studio. - jagadeish 12 years ago -
Jagadeish got the problem my boss sees perfectly right, but I still see a problem here: Wise Package Studio is no longer available for purchase and is no longer continued (thanks a lot symantec). AdminStudio doesn't have Virtual Capture as far as I know. So, I still have my problem :( - Ben Morgan 12 years ago
Allow me to point out that clean machines do not only come into play during the creation of an application package. I assume that you want one available also for acceptance of (manual) installation procedures, testing and acceptance of finished packages, both by the packager, and by the business validator.
So providing a virtual infrastructure with easily revertible machines will facilitate more than just the packaging stage of the software delivery process. I can't begin to count the times a reference machine containing a manual installation next to a package install has quickly pointed me to issues with a package.. I think you should try to get that point across to your boss..
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What I'm guessing is that his boss doesn't like to put time in reverting the machine at the time of packaging alone.. For testing anyway he has to use a virtual infrastructure with easily revertible machines.. - jagadeish 12 years ago
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well, I do believe the latest AdminStudio versions contain a tool called the Automated Application Converter that allows, amongst other types, MSI package output from legacy installers
It actually does use VM's but in an automated process flow, autonomously reverting to clean state, installing, creating MSI, reverting, etc.. - pjgeutjens 12 years ago
A decision has been made, we are going to use virtual machines, thanks for all the tips and the answers!