Systems Management Server Installer 2.0 Tools | Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Administrators Companion (IT-Administrators Companion)

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Before we go into the details of actually using the SMS Installer utility, let's look at the tools that SMS Installer uses to create and customize the SMS Installer executable files. To create and customize the installation scripts, SMS Installer uses two interfaces: the Installation Expert and Script Editor.

Installation Expert

The Installation Expert automatically creates a basic installation script using the configuration of the reference computer. The installation script contains commands that perform the actions necessary to carry out the installation. You can modify the actions performed within the script by configuring the installation attributes; we'll discuss these attributes in the section "Installation Attributes" later in this chapter.

Once the basic script has been created, Script Editor (discussed in the next section) can be used to customize the installation script for specific end-user functions. However, you will find it much easier to generate the installation script using the Installation Expert. This technique allows you to create a basic installation script and switch between the Installation Expert and Script Editor to perform modifications. This approach also prevents potential loss of data that can occur if you initially create the installation script using Script Editor and then switch to the Installation Expert. The Installation Expert provides two methods for packaging script files: the Repackage Installation Wizard and the Watch Application Wizard. The application for which you are creating the script file will determine which of these wizards you will use. The Installation Expert also provides several other tools to test and compile the installation script and to run the installation package. We'll look at each tool in the following sections.

Repackage Installation Wizard

If the application you are attempting to install currently contains a setup file, you may need to repackage the setup file along with the source files and any other support files for distribution to the target clients. The Repackage Installation Wizard is used to accomplish this task. In a single-computer environment, installation of an application typically requires running a setup program. More often than not, during the installation you will be asked for specific input concerning the setup. For a single workstation setup, this situation is fine. When we talk about distributing these applications to hundreds of users and we want to have control over the input selection, however, we need to provide the input to the setup by some other means. The repackaging process allows us to provide the answers to installation questions and set specific configurations that will apply to all of our client machines. When we run the Repackage Installation Wizard, the reference computer is monitored for changes and a script file is generated from the changes made during setup.

Watch Application Wizard

The Watch Application Wizard can be used to create a customized installation file for those applications that do not have their own setup programs by "watching" the files used while the application is run and creating a script from them. In many cases, such as with custom or proprietary applications, a setup file has not been created for the application, and we're faced with the problem of how to successfully distribute the application to the clients. The Watch Application Wizard creates an SMS Installer-generated executable file that is used to install the program and all of its supporting components, such as DLLs. The wizard runs the existing application on the reference computer and tracks the files being used by the application. Using this list of files, an installation script is created for the application.

The Watch Application Wizard is also useful for applications that make calls for Microsoft Visual Basic support files or run-time files. The repackaging process will catch all the application files, but not necessarily those called from outside the application directory. In this case, you can use the Watch Application Wizard to look for these files and add them to the installation script for the application.

The Compiler

The SMS Installer compiler is used to create the self-extracting installation file. After you have created your installation script and made all of the necessary modifications to the installation attributes, the script file is compiled into an executable file. This SMS Installer-generated file contains the script and all of the necessary application files. It is the final file that is distributed throughout your organization.

Files created at compile time include the following:

Testapp.exe The installation executable, including the script and all necessary application files in a compressed format.

Testapp.pdf and Testapp.sms The standard SMS package definition file (PDF) used to distribute the SMS Installer-generated file to the target computers through SMS package distribution. Two versions of this file are created: one with the old .PDF extension used with earlier versions of SMS and supported in SMS 2.0, and one with the new, preferred .SMS extension adopted by Microsoft to avoid confusion with other market applications that use the .PDF extension.

NOTE
These files are created only if the Create Package Definition File option is selected on the SMS tab of the Installation Interface Properties window. For more information about the Installation Interface attribute, refer to the section "Modifying Installation Scripts Using the Installation Expert" later in this chapter.

Testapp.ipf Text version of the installation script used when making modifications to the script through the SMS Installer utility.

Testapp.wsm Additional working file used by the installation script to maintain changes made to the script before it gets compiled.

The Test Program

The Test program is used to test the installation executable file without actually installing it. By running Test from the Installation Expert, you can preview how your setup script will actually run. Are the correct menus presented? Does the installation run unattended? These are the things we can test locally before distributing the installation package.

Keep in mind that Test does not really install the application and run it. Test simply copies needed files such as help files and DLL files to the \Temp directory. As always, it is good practice to select a pilot test group for testing the installation before distributing the package to your entire organization.

The Run Program

The Run program lets you run the installation program on the reference computer. Run will test the SMS Installer-generated file exactly as it will run on the target computers. Run will install the application and make any changes to the system that are required, including registry modifications.

CAUTION
If you plan to run the installation on the reference computer, you will need to remove the application (along with any registry settings that were created or modified) that was installed during the repackaging process. Otherwise, the installation may fail when it attempts to create or write to directories needed for the installation.

Script Editor

Script Editor is used to edit the basic installation script generated by the Installation Expert. Script Editor allows you to tune the installation script for customization and optimization. You can also modify such items as file locations, registry settings, and user prompts. Many of the functions that can be manually configured through Script Editor can also be added to the script by configuring them in the Installation Expert. Some functions can be added only through the Script Editor window. For example, uninstall support can be configured using either method, but support for rollback (which enables you to remove patches rather than uninstalling the application outright) can be configured only through Script Editor. We'll discuss uninstall and rollback support in the section "Rolling Back and Uninstalling a Scripted Installation" later in this chapter.

Script Editor provides a much higher level of control over the action of the script. Learning to use this tool effectively takes a long time. It also requires an intimate understanding of how the application's installation routine works—including what files and directories are modified, what registry entries are added or configured, what external DLL support is required, whether a restart is required, and what happens as a result.

Now that you have a working knowledge of the SMS Installer tools, let's look at how to use SMS Installer to create the installation script.