Software Deployment

Hi claudius,
of course, it's the hard core way of doing things. :-)
create a text file named 'config.ddf'
copy the following lines into it:
.Set CabinetName1=config.cab
.Set DiskDirectoryTemplate=.
.Set CompressionType=MSZIP
.Set Compress=ON
.Set Cabinet=ON
"mms.cfg" mms_cfg

make sure your mms.cfg file lies in the same directory as config.ddf. Then do following command:
makecab /f config.ddf

This generates a cab file named 'config.cab'

Load the flash.msi in ORCA. Choose Transform - New Transform.

Go to View - Summary Information on the menu and press the 'New GUID' button. copy the newly generated GUID. Press the cancel button (very important).

Select the Component table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
Component: ConfigFiles
ComponentID: paste GUID from the memory.
Directory: 1
Attributes: 0
KeyPath: mms_cfg
Press ok.

Go to the Directory table and look for the appropriate directory property. In this particular case, its 'FLASH'.
Copy it and go back to Component table and paste it into the directory column of your newly created line.
(If the config file would go to a directory not present in the table, you would have to create a new entry for it).

Select the FeatureComponent table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
Feature_: FlashPlayer
Component_: ConfigFiles

Select the File table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
File: mms_cfg
Component_: ConfigFiles
FileName: mms.cfg
FileSize: (fill in right file size)
Attributes: 16384
Sequence: 5 (in other cases, you would have to sort the table against the sequence column, go to end and look for the highest entry. The new one will be one more).

Select the Media table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
DiskId: 2
LastSequence: 5
DiskPrompt: 1
Cabinet: config.cab

Make sure 'config.cab' lies in the same directory, when you install it.

That's it!
Good luck.
Regards, Nick

Hi,

I don't know if this is the best way, but just for contribution :

I personally deployed Flash 9 by adding a MST containing a CustomAction that simply builds the mms.cfg file at the end of the installation with a simple command line : cmd /c echo AutoUpdateDisable=1 > C:\Windows\system32\macromed\flash\mms.cfg
Worked just fine.

cladius,

I'm guessing you know it goes into c:\windows\system32\macromed\flash directory.

As your flash player is the vendor MSI, you would need to create an MST to deploy the file.

I didn't find out about the config file until after I'd deployed the player to our desktop estate, so my file is deployed by an independant package.

Thanks,

Dunnpy

Hi claudius,
if you have an Installer tool like Wise or Installshield, load the MSI to it and add the file to right directory. Write a transform and test it.
Maybe, you get errors at first, if your tool was adding 'garbage' stuff also.
If this happened, load the MSI in ORCA and apply the MST. So you see exactly what was added and can remove unneeded stuff.
Hope this helps.
Regards, Nick

Sorry, forgot to say that I only have OCRA, and don't have access to any tools like Wise or Installshield. It is possible using OCRA?

My god.. and that's why I never use Orca. hahaha

Pardon my ignorance but is there a reason why no one posts completed .MST & .CAB files?

Both in this discussion and everywhere else I search it seems that no one ever posts their finished files online. Hmmm.

Hi turbokitty,
that's why i use ORCA. ;-) This is a onetimer which went to a transform. This, i use on many different MSI's with only a few changes need here and there.
Goes at least as fast as with one of the big fat ones. :-) And no garbage, just exactly, what is needed.
Regards, Nick

Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with anyone that goes to the trouble to use Orca. Orca is very clean and you have to know a lot about the SDK and MSI to get anything done.

It's just such a tedious and time-consuming way of doing things, that I can't be bothered. I made a transform for Flash, as described above, with Installshield and it took about 30 seconds. [:D]

yes but orca is so much more fun than the other tools.

now and then I make the guys at work use it and take away tools such as Wise / or InstallShiet it makes for an good afternoons entertainment :-)

the blank looks are so much fun...

I'm using Wise for packaging but for modifications I always use ORCA for MSIs or MSTs as Wise adds their own WISE* tables into the MST (or MSI) which sometimes mess the package up. Working with ORCA will in fact learn you how the Database is structured and will add to your knowledge. Sure it takes some more time in the beginning but in the end it wil speed up and you learn alot from it.

Cheers guys. I followed the instructions, but as I was working with a admin install instead of an unpacked MSI is failed saying it couldn't find the file. I added the file uncompressed to the admin install and it worked fine.

I assume with a Admin install I don't need to go through the process of adding the file to the .cab file and then adding the cab file to the Media table?

Hi,

simply, because the former appdeploy system couldn't handle file uploads.

AND: Resourecting such an old thread for comment like this? Hm...

Regards, Nick

Hi claudius,
you got it. That's exactly behaving like this.
Regards, Nick

claudius, have you been working on Flash for 3 months? I hope you get paid by the hour...

[:D][:D][:D]

Seems like you left out a couple things to make it work correctly..

"Feature" table wouldnt you need to specify FlashPlayer that you created for FeatureComponents?

Feature: FlashPlayer
Title: Config files
Description: Config files install
Display: 4
Level: 1
Directory_: INSTALLDIR
Attributes: 0

also in Media table... if you compiled the cab file why is it Binary.config.cab
I tried this and it gave me errors so i switched it to config.cab and everything worked great.

Thanks for the lesson though it made me figure out what was wrong..

Hi Paul,
no, thats simply not true... And i tell you why.
1. The feature "FlashPlayer" is already there, how do you want to create a second feature with the same name? ;-)
2. To put the config.cab into the Binary table had it's reasons. It was used in a other project and doesn't belong here...
It's now corrected.
Place the config.cab in the same directory as the main MSI and then call "config.cab" in the media table.
Regards, Nick

wierd cause i didnt see FlashPlayer in the Feature table in the msi. Group policy kept erroring out so i couldn't install or have it working correctly till i added this entry into the Feature table...

But I am just beginning with msi creation and packaging so maybe im a little unaware but i only had 2 entries in feature table.. I am doing this for product version 10.0.12.36 flash player.

But the only thing i had in Feature table was:

Feature: FlashPlayerAXInstaller
Title: Adobe Flash Player 10
Description: Install Adobe Flash Player
Display: 4
Level: 1
Directory_: INSTALLDIR
Attributes: 0

That was it, so it was throwing errors everytime i tried to install and it would never work.. till i added the FlashPlayer entry in the Feature table. Now it works without a problem. Maybe its a different version?

Hi Paul,
this comes from a change, Adobe did with version 10.
In V10 the name of the single feature has changed to "FlashPlayerAXInstaller".
So, the easiest way would be, to change the line in the FeatureComponent table, to look like this:
Feature_: FlashPlayerAXInstaller
Component_: ConfigFiles
This is the only change, which is needed for v10.
Regards, Nick

Hi Nick,

I'm using ORCA and really struggling with adding the mms.cfg to Flash 10.

Following your steps, I hit an issue with the New GUID being greyed out, but I think I managed to get around it (but then again, maybe not). To cut a long story short I have an MST, but when the package installs I get the following error:

Source: MsiInstaller
EventID: 10005
Description: Product: Adobe Flash Player 10 Active X -- Error 2753. The File 'FP_AX_MSI_INSTALLER.exe' is not marked for installation.

All I want to do is copy the mms.cfg without writing a vbscript like I've done for previous versions (MST looks for more elegant).

Any ideas on what this error means to an Orca newbie?

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Mark,
this sounds quite strange to me.
Please redo the hole thing.
The greyed out summary info can be worked around by starting ORCA a second time only with a MSI file, but without a transform applied.
Be aware, that you have to work the changes from post #16 into post #4 in this thread.
Regards, Nick

Hi Nick,

Same problem. I had already tried getting the New GUID without having the transform loaded, but thought maybe because I wasn't following the instructions correctly.

In Post #4 you said "Go to the Directory table and look for the appropriate directory property. In this particular case, its 'FLASH'.
Copy it and go back to Component table and paste it into the directory column of your newly created line. "

Do I just copy the 'Directory' cell (ie the word FLASH)?

Also, in the File table should the file size be entered by bytes (decimal value)?

From Post #16, I have two entries for FlashPlayerAXInstaller:
One reads FP_AX_MSI_INSTALLER.exe and the other ISRegistryComponent

I overwrote the first one (as I did in my first attempt).

Suddenly the vbscript is looking good [;)]

I really want to get this working as I may be able to use similar theory to other applications in the future.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Mark,
i see two problems here:
#1
Don't overwrite a line in the FeatureComponents table!
You need to add the following line:

FlashPlayerAXInstaller ConfigFiles


#2
The directory entry has changed too from version 9!
Use "INSTALLDIR" as directory entry for the new "ConfigFiles" component.

Regards, Nick

Brilliant! Works a treat.

Thanks Nick [:D]

Hi nheim,

I just wanted to thank you. I didn't know how to bundle a file with an msi install so you have taught me something very useful. I've tested it with my flash player 10 activex install and it works great. I might even have a use for this in the future too with other programs.

I want to pick your brains on a couple of small things though so I can understand it better.

1) I just wondered. Is there a reason for making the mms.cfg file appear as mms_cfg when in the cab?
2) Also, for the filesize property in the File Table. I assume this is the bytes of the original file before it is put in the cab? Is this the size or size on disk? I put in 22 as my mms.cfg was 22 bytes in size before it was put in the cab and it seemed to install ok. Does this entry really have a significance?
3) I also changed the sequence to 2 as there was only 1 other entry in the File table with the sequence number of 1 for flash player 10. I assume this is ok as I took your advice on this point about taking the next one in the sequence.

Would be really grateful if you can help me work this out.

Cheers again,

Cellardoor.

I also notice it will not overwrite the mms.cfg file if it already exists. I tested this by opening the file up, adding another line, uninstalling flash and then installing it again. If I remove the file and install it again it drops it in there fine.

Do you know of any extra parameters that can be configured to do a replace or is it limitation?

Cheers,
Cellardoor

I cannot remember how version 9 was designed but in version 10 there is inly the legacy installer included as a file which will be executed through a custom action to do the actual installation of the ActiveX (flash player).
The File.File=mms_cfg column value is only a primary key, the actual FileName column is the actual name of the file after it has been installed by the InstallFiles atcion. You can name the primary key whatever you like as long as it's uniq in that table.

If you are unsure about the FileSize and Version column values you could just use InstEd (same as ORCA but with some nice feature), right-click the File.File=mms_cfg entry and select the "Retrieve file details from external path" (http://www.instedit.com/workingwithfiles) option for these tables to be update correct, same for the MsiFileHash table entry.
There is also a "feature" to build cabinets, have a look at http://www.instedit.com/help-workingwithcabs

I also notice it will not overwrite the mms.cfg file if it already exists. Replacement of unversioned files is evaluated on date/time so, if the existing file's date/time-stamp is later that that in the CAB, the existing file won't get overwritten.

Hi Cellardoor,
thanks for the flowers. :-)
You got the answers for p1+2 from Kim.
The sequence in the file table is related to the LastSequence column in media table and very important to the CAB-file if it is compressed.
About overwriting mms.cfg: Here are the rules that apply:
http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/08/30/458295.aspx
If you need to make sure, that you deploy the version in the MSI, you could do a entry in the RemoveFiles table.
Regards, Nick

Cheers Kim, VBScab and nheim! I now understand it much better.

Kim, InstED sounds interesting. Looks like the site is out of bandwidth today though. I'll try again tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Cellardoor

Thanks for the contribution Alan!

That's another way of doing it, just make sure the CA executes during install & repair.

I like your solution, Alan, but I have no idea how to do it. I was trying to create a custom action with command line; I am not sure what to put into Action, Type, Source and Target. [I was asked for custom action type. I tried with type 38 and put command line string into target, but that didn't work.

Thanks,

Newb

Hi Iva,

Thanks for appreciating my solution, but you must know that it is the lazy way of doing it.. [:)]
Indeed looking back to that solution I believe it is not "a best practice" way of doing it. Because if it works at install, it gets complicated on reparing and I need to add another custom action to delete it.

I'm no real expert but, I think the best way, is to deploy directly the file mms_cfg ( modified version) . You can compress it using Nicks solution (not the easyest way, but you learn alot this way.. ;-)) , or leave it flat next to your msi.
The idea is to create a custom mst, with a new feature containing a new component with the file. (You could of course use the flashplayer feature and build a new component.. it's as you like.)

Just to answer your question (even though I dont really recommend this way of doint it) here's how I had it to work using a custom action
Custom Action Name : DisableAutoUpdate
Custom Tye Action : 114
Source : cmd.exe
Target : /c echo AutoUpdateDisable=1 > C:\Windows\system32\macromed\flash\mms.cfg

Then make it run in your InstallExecute sequence table right before InstallFinalize for example, with a NOT Installed condition (to have it run only at installation)
This worked perfect for me. But again I believe it's not the best way ;-)

I hope to have helped you a bit.

I'm trying to follow nheim's instructions (post #4). I can get the mms.cfg portion working with v10. However, trying to take it to the next level, I would like to create the Global FlashPlayerTrust folder as described in the Flash Player 10 Administration Guide. Using Orca, I've tried to create a transform that adds a row to the Directory table. I've been using these values for the added row:
Directory: FLASHPLAYERTRUST
Directory Parent: MACROMED
DefaultDir: .:FlashP~1|FlashPlayerTrust

When I use the transform to install FlashPlayer 10, the directory is not created. Am I missing something? Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Hi JCO,
it needs a little more, than just building another directory!

Here ist the receipt to add a custom trusts config file (it assumes, that you already have done the part for the config file):

Add the line at the end to 'config.ddf'
.Set CabinetName1=config.cab
.Set DiskDirectoryTemplate=.
.Set CompressionType=MSZIP
.Set Compress=ON
.Set Cabinet=ON
"mms.cfg" mms_cfg
"customtrusts1.cfg" customtrusts1_cfg

make sure your mms.cfg + customtrusts1.cfg files lie in the same directory as config.ddf. Then do following command:
makecab /f config.ddf

This generates a cab file named 'config.cab'

Load the flash.msi in ORCA. Choose Transform - New Transform.

Go to View - Summary Information on the menu and press the 'New GUID' button. copy the newly generated GUID. Press the cancel button (very important).

Select the Component table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
Component: CustTrustFiles
ComponentID: paste GUID from the memory.
Directory: 1
Attributes: 0
KeyPath: customtrusts1_cfg

Press ok.

Go to the Directory table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
Directory: FLASHPLAYERTRUST
Directory Parent: MACROMED
DefaultDir: .:FlashP~1|FlashPlayerTrust

Copy the directory property on this new line and go back to Component table and paste it into the directory column of your newly created line.


Select the FeatureComponent table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
Feature_: FlashPlayerAXInstaller
Component_: CustTrustFiles

Select the File table, go to right pane and select 'Add Row' from the context menu.
Use the following parameters to fill in:
File: customtrusts1_cfg
Component_: CustTrustFiles
FileName: CUSTOM~1.CFG|customtrusts1.cfg
FileSize: (fill in right file size)
Attributes: 16384
Sequence: 5
Important: Change the sequence of the "mms.cfg" line to "4".

Good luck.
Regards, Nick

CODE tags, please, gentlemen...

Thanks Nick. I had to tweak your instructions just a touch (had to add an entry in the Media table for the customtrusts1.cfg file). Everything worked.

Thanks again!

Hi JCO,
my intention was to have just one CAB-file.
However, everything that produces the desired results, will be ok.
Good to hear, it worked out for you.
Regards, Nick

Hi there,

This is the process I used for creating a new Data1.cab, replace the existing CAB file, and have the MMS.CFG replaced during install. It doesn't take long to set up.

I like my project folder to have a short path, just to make some of the command lines a little easier. Regarding this, you'll see me reference c:\Flash.

You'll need Windows Installer SDK and CABARC (I have CABARC in system32).

Copy the MSI to the project folder

Install Flash Player

go to the folder %temp%

Copy the FP_AX_MSI_INSTALLER.EXE (or FP_PL_MSI_INSTALLER.EXE if using the plugin installer) to the project folder.

Either copy an existing MMS.CFG or create a new one into the project folder

open Command Prompt and change directory to C:\Flash

Create CAB by typing CABARC N Data1.cab FP_AX_MSI_INSTALLER.EXE MMS.CFG (or CABARC N Data1.cab FP_PL_MSI_INSTALLER.EXE MMS.CFG)

close Command Prompt

Copy the WiStream.vbs from your Windows installer SDK folder to the project folder. (My SDK path is C:\Program Files\Windows Installer 4.5 SDK\SAMPLES\SCRIPTS

Remove the current Data1.cab from the installer by running this command
C:\Flash\WiStream.vbs C:\Flash\install_flash_player_10_active_x.msi /D Data1.cab

Add your new Data1.cab
C:\Flash\WiStream.vbs C:\Flash\install_flash_player_10_active_x.msi C:\Flash\Data1.cab

Edit the MSI with Orca

Component Table
Add Row
Component mms.cfg
Directory INSTALLDIR
Attributes 8
KeyPath mms.cfg
Right-click on the new mms.cfg line and paste new GUID.

FeatureComponents Table
Add Row
Feature FlashPlayerAXInstaller
Component mms.cfg

File Table
Add Row
File mms.cfg
Component mms.cfg
FileName mms.cfg
FileSize 1
Version 65535.0.0.0
Language 1033
Attributes 16384
Sequence 2
Whilst Version and Language are not compulsory, for some reason if they are not filled in, the RemoveFile request is ignored. The info I have put in there, I have added from the other file in the table.

Media Table
On the only line that should be there, change the LastSequence to 2

RemoveFile Table
It's more than likely this table is missing, you can add it by going to Tables menu, Add Table... put a tick in its box and press OK
Add Row
FileKey mms.cfg
Component mms.cfg
DirProperty INSTALLDIR
InstallMode 1
Leave the FileName box blank
I have chosen to replace the mms.cfg on install by chosing InstallMode 1. If for any reason the application is upgraded manually by the user, the MMS file will still exist and apply any particular policies that you have for the app.

Save

Hope this has helped.

Cheers, Hinge

Hi all, I'm pretty newby in this work and I'm trying to solve the autoupdate problem for Flash Player 10 in my company.
I'm trying to follow nheim's instructions but I get this error during installation

Error 1309.Error reading from file: c:\users\myusername\AdobeFlash10\System32\Macromed\Flash\mms.cfg
Verify that the file exists and that you can access it.

I thinks I've done all fine but surely there is something wrong... but what???
Thanks in advance for any generous help.
Greetings to all

Sorry, the right error message refers to this directory: (I've forgotten 'Desktop')

C:\Users\myUsername\Desktop\FlashPlayer10\System32\Macromed\Flash\mms.cfg.

for some reason the installer does not search the file in the correct path
C:\Users\myUsername\Desktop\FlashPlayer10 but adds to the path the installation dir reference (%windir%\System32\Macromed\Flash\mms.cfg.)

Best regards

It sounds like your transform is trying to access an external uncompressed file rather than one from an external CAB. Either have the file sourced on a network share (alongside the MSI - in a suitable folder structure, of course - is an obvios choice) or make sure you have your media options set properly so that the CAB gets created on compilation of the transform. Remember to copy that CAB to the MSI's containing folder.

Hi VBScab,
I'm very grateful for your response. My source directory isn't on a network share, it's on my desktop on the local machine (the source directory is C:\Users\myUsername\Desktop\FlashPlayer10). I've set Media options in this way:

DiskId: 2
LastSequence: 5 (why 5?? what is this?)
DiskPrompt: 1
Cabinet: config.cab

Rather, I'm not sure about settings of the File table. Because I only have one entry in the table I put 2 as sequence number instead of 5. In his example nheim put 5 but maybe I did not understand his explanation.

Please, sorry for my english... I try to do the best I can ;)

LastSequence: 5 (why 5?? what is this?)

If you go to the file table and sort that by the Sequence column, LastSequence is the last file for which this line of the Media table is valid.

For example, you can have an MSI with 10 files, first 5 in a CAB file and next 5 uncompressed besides the MSI. You would then have 2 lines in the Media table, one with LastSequence 5, for the first 5 files (so 1-2-3-4-5), one with LastSequence 10 (6-7-8-9-10) for the next 5 files. You should always make sure there's a line in the Media table that has a LastSequence (greater than or) equal to the highest number in the Sequence column in the File table. Otherwise Windows Installer will not know for every file in your package where to find the source.

PJ

Hi Andrea,
my instructions apply for the v9 series of the flashplayer.
For V10, it needs some small changes.
See post #17 of this thread: http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/fb.asp?m=41410
Regards, Nick

Pieter and Nick... thanks for your valuable guidance
Now everything works perfectly
I'm very glad, you've solved my problem ;)

thank you again

Ciao

OMG! Talk about sledge hammer to crack a nut.

I cannot believe how difficult some people make things. What is wrong with this:

"%~dp0install_flash_player_10_active_x_10.1.82.76.exe" -install
xcopy "%~dp0mms.cfg" %windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\ /r /v /y

Little control
No logging
No rollback in the event of failure
Can't be used in GP deployments (other than by some horrific kludge with start-up script)

Other than that, spot on.

ORIGINAL: VBScab
Little control

What does that even mean?
ORIGINAL: VBScab
No logging

Wrong; %WinDir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\install.log + windows event log
ORIGINAL: VBScab
No rollback in the event of failure

You have the EXACT same ability or lack of in the event that the installation succeeds and you want to uninstall, or the installation fails and you want to debug
ORIGINAL: VBScab
Can't be used in GP deployments (other than by some horrific kludge with start-up script)

If you are not confident amending a logon script, you should change your username! ;)

But granted, I would not recommend using a batch file with either group policy or logon script.

Finally tested the whole thing (with the cab file) and I'm amazed to see that it still works with version 12. The only thing I don't like: mms.cfg stays there when you uninstall. But that's not really an issue. Thanks

What to start off by saying that I'm learning ORCA on the fly. I'm doing the same process for version 11 and was able to create MSI package and MST file with no errors or issue. But when I ran the installer, it install Flash as normal without the configuration set in MST file, seem like the MST file was not trigger. But when I ran install via command prompt to use the MST file it works flawless. Any suggestion on how to tie the MST and MSI file together?

I'm installing Flash 11.1.102.55.

Thanks in advance!

Truong