Testing and Compiling the Installation Script

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Now that we’ve verified and modified our installation settings, we’re ready to test and finally compile—or recompile, as the case may be—the installation script. To accomplish this, follow these steps:

  1. In the Installation Expert interface, shown previously in Figure 14.7, click the Test button. (You can also click the Test button from the Installation toolbar in the Script Editor interface.)

  2. If you haven’t already saved the script, a Save As dialog box will appear, prompting you to provide a name for the script (.IPF) file that will be created during the test run of the installation.

  3. The SMS Installer–generated script should now run successfully, displaying any dialog boxes you defined. The Test program will notify you of any syntactical problems within the script. If an error is encountered, you can open the Script Editor interface, with the offending line highlighted and waiting to be edited. Correct any problems and continue to retest the script until it runs without error.

  4. After you have successfully tested the script file, you can run the installation script in much the same manner as you did when you tested it. The significant difference in running the script is that it will actually perform the installation. Recall that to avoid potential conflicts, you might want to remove the version of the application that was installed during the repackaging process.

  5. To run the script file from the Installation Expert interface, click Run. You can also click the Run button from the Installation toolbar in the Script Editor interface.

  6. The script will run completely and, as with the Test program, will prompt you with any syntactical errors that are found, giving you the option to correct them. Correct any errors, and repeat the run process until no errors are found.

  7. After the installation script has run successfully, click the Compile button to create the SMS Installer–generated executable file. You can also click the Compile button from the Installation toolbar in the Script Editor interface. Once again, any errors will be noted and should be corrected. In addition, when an error in the script is encountered, you’re given the option of opening the Script Editor interface so that you can immediately fix the error. If you choose this option, not only is the Script Editor opened, but also the problem line in the script is highlighted and its properties dialog box is displayed.

    Tip 

    Remember to recompile the script after each change you make, either through the Installation Expert or through Script Editor. You might also want to make a copy of the old script before modifying and recompiling it.

After the final testing has been completed, the SMS Installer–generated executable is ready to distribute to your target systems. Using SMS or any other method of distribution, our scripted package is ready to be rolled out to the client computers.



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Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Administrator's Companion
Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Administrators Companion (Pro-Administrators Companion)
ISBN: 0735618887
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 178

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