Creating Software Package where Prerequisites must be installed before the actual program

[pbalderos]

Hello All

I am hoping for some guidenece / advise on this project I am working no for work. We are in the process of deploying a new program to about 14 computers

and I have been asked to deploy this new program. The issue I am running into is that this program requires some prerequests before installing the actual

program (.exe). Here are the prereques:

* Install .NET Framework 3.5

* Install 32 BIT Crystal Reports For QTask software

 

Below are the istructions I got from the vendor provided it would have been a non SCCM deployement.

Once the Prerequisites are installed, follow the remaining instructions:

1. Download the following zip file 2. Unzip the file to C:\QTask (or to another directory if you already use this)

3. Create a Shortcut to the Launch QTask, place the Shortcut in your preferred location.

5. Run QTask.exe from your shortcut
(console window will appear, files will be copied)

6. QTask should auto launch,

 

From my limited expericne I should do the following

Prestage the software in our software sources directory

Create the software package

Create the program

Create a task sequence

Distribute to DP

Also I will be using the UDI wizard to make this availbe in the Task Sequence as we do with all of our apps. Sorry to sound so lost but I have been working towards this cert

for a couple months and have just been handed this project.

[Rocket Man]

You could manually install this on a machine then get the required files needed i:e the files in the C:\QTask after the unzip, get the shortcut also and put all in a package.

A batch file could easly create the QTask folder for you and also copy the files into it and it could also copy the shortcut to the public desktop folder or to where ever is preferred.

 

Your batch file could look like this:

 

@Echo

Start /wait "" %~dp0dotNet.exe /q

md C:\QTask

xcopy ".\*.*" "C:\QTask" /D /E /C /I /Q /H /R /Y /S

copy %~dp0Shortcut.lnk "C:\Users\Public\Desktop"

@Exit

 

The above will also copy the batch file that is running the command, So a workaround could be to get all your files from the unzip and create a source folder for them within your package and name it as you like i:e QTask, have your other files outside this i:e dotNET and the shortcut and then the batch file could look like this:

 

@Echo

Start /wait "" %~dp0dotNet.exe /q

md C:\QTask

copy %~dp0QTask "C:\QTask" /y

copy %~dp0Shortcut.lnk "C:\Users\Public\Desktop" /y

@Exit

 

This one will only copy the contents of whatever is in the QTask folder within the package and not everything that is in the folders including the batch file that executes this!

 

Try it out manually first by removing the %~dp0 from anywhere it is in the batch file and run it locally to see if it works. This is a quick guess so it may just work as is, or you may have to adjust it some!

[pbalderos]

Thanks Rocketman!

 

 

 

Would I place this in the Data Source location when I create the package? I don't have much experience works with batch files but as I grow into this role I know it's something I will need to learn.

[Rocket Man]

Yes you do indeed and the command line parameter to execute the package would be nameofbatchfile.bat

[pbalderos]

Thanks!

 

 

I ended up putting together a wrapper.xml from a template we use for our software packaging. I configured it to do the following in order as required by the software install

 

Enable .Net 3.5 from the command line

Install Crystal Reports Redestributable

In stall the actual applicant (vendor)

And also add a shortcut to the desktop

 

I was able to add create it as a program package and deploy it via SCCM to several clients with no problem.

 

Thanks again for your help!

 

 

Phil