We have a exe (executable) file link on our website which a user has to download.
BUt, in most of places exe downloading is blocked. IS there any other better way except sharing it as a zip file?
The corporate standard for deployment is the MSI file (Windows Installer - check the link for details on the major advantages).
I am not sure how a direct download of an MSI in the last versions of browsers will behave since every new browser version tends to add new problems, but if you deliver an MSI file you will at least provide a product better suited for corporate deployment (so far as you follow best MSI practice).
Related
I am trying to install DB2 ibm data server client(version 11.1), silent install in my windows server. i am using response file for the installation. I gave the path in response file to install in D drive, but still it is installing in C drive only. the command i was using is: msiexec /i "MSI path" /q /l*v "log file path" RSP_FILE_PATH="response file path".
Check the following:
Installing Db2 products and features using a response
Some notes on MSI customization in general below.
And a link to the most commonly used library of packaging tips contributed by packagers:
https://www.itninja.com/software-library/company/ibm
Different Designs: The exact mechanism used to redirect a folder like that depends on the design of the application and the setup from the vendor, they often do something very non-standard so reverse engineering their solution fully or slightly is usually neccessary.
Itninja.com: Maybe have a look if you can find the software here in the itninja.com "software tips" section: https://www.itninja.com/software-library/company/ibm - this is a collection of comments people have made who have packaged and deployed the software in question - either unsuccessfully or successfully. I can't really tell what the exact product name is, please check.
Download: If you have a download link that is publicly accessible I can have a quick look at the MSI to determine how it is set up. Please be aware that it is much better to install an MSI directly via normal configuration mechanisms (setting public properties and / or creating a transform - sample here) than to run a setup.exe with response file (which sometimes is the only possibility depending on the overall deployment design).
How to make better use of MSI files
A couple of quick overviews:
How to parameterize msi file from electron builder
MSI Repackaging - free tool
And some further links for reference:
Change the value of a MSI property loaded from a DLL using a MSI transform
How to run an installation in /silent mode with adjusted settings
I have created a GUI and Database for my company. I am trying to alpha test the program. I made the program so that everyone would place it on their C drive so that the file paths would stay consistent. When I email the zip folder to everyone it adds an extra folder that is causing errors to the file path (I believe the error occurs during extraction?). Does anyone know a good way to prevent this from happening? Thanks!
Although "xcopy deployment" is a valid method to deploy programs, it can come with complications, as you have discovered. Instead, you can create an actual installer program which is much more versatile.
For a lead-in on making an installer you can read Create MSI installer in Visual Studio 2017.
Make sure that the program uses locations as given in the Environment.SpecialFolder Enumeration so that it is automatically adapted for any (properly-configured) Windows installation.
Other installers are available, e.g. Inno Setup, which may offer simpler or more detailed configuration of some options like replacing or keeping older files, or installing prerequisites like a required framework version.
I have created a WPF application. I want to make installer file (exe) for this application.
This application also uses some other 3rd party files (bat files); which i have zipped.
I want to unzip this file while installing and set the path of unzipped dir in Path variable also.
I got a link http://www.msdotnet.co.in/2012/06/how-to-create-setup-fileexe-file-from.html#.U3GT7YGSzxp
which tells how to create a installer file.
How to achieve unzipped part and setting environment vairable while making installer?
Thanks
Take a look at wix from Microsoft.
It can be run standalone, but is great run from within visual studio. You write a small xml file detailing what you want installed, and it does the rest.
To run a zip command, use a CustomAction.
Search for Install-shield. It is old tool but having good scripting capability like what you are expecting (i.e) Unzipping the folder and dealing with path environment variable
Use Inno Setup (http://jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php) or NSIS (http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page).
Both are free (open source) installation systems with many possibilities and huge community around (even here on SO).
They are really easy to use (especially Inno) and they are powerful so it is easy to achieve your required functionality.
Take a look at Stall:
https://github.com/jamesqo/Stall
It's an OSS project that lets you install your app from the command line, no configuration required.
Example Usage:
stall path/to/YourApp -e YourApp.exe -i YourApp.exe
This installs your app straight to the user's computer without having to make an intermediary MSI.
If you have to unzip files as well, you may want to just consider a simple batch files that downloads the binaries + unzips the contents + runs Stall.
For Linux packages, specifically RPMs with stored checksums, we always can check two things: the contents of package is ok and the installation from this package is ok. When someone modifies parts of the installation he shouldn't, we can see it by running rpm -Vp my-precious-package. In our busyness it is not only recommended, but obligatory to provide our packages with tools for this purpose and for Linux these are just simple bash scripts.
Now I have to do something similar for Windows. Basically what I want is to provide some batch file by running which one can get assured, the installation is the same as it meant to be in the package. I'm using InstallShield for packaging, and yet it has some great visual tools, I still haven't found a way to verify package checksums in the command line.
Is it even possible, or should I reinvent the wheel writing my own checking utils?
Take a look at MakeCat and SignTool from Microsoft, both in SDK
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa386967%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa387764%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
Windows Installer has a feature called resiliency that supports auto repair of products and there are ways to call it for self checks only. (This is assuming by InstallShield you mean Windows Installer based projects.)
Here's a couple links to read to get you started:
INFO: Description of Resiliency in Windows Installer
Resiliency
Application Resiliency: Unlock the Hidden Features of Windows Installer
MsiProvideComponent function (See dwInstallMode flags)
This also assumes all files are key files. Companion files are not managed by the installer. Also changes performed by custom actions outside of the installer aren't managed.
I'm looking to build some functionality for a content management system for the editing of files stored on the server.
I'd like to provide users the ability to easily download files locally to their computer, open the file for editing, and save it back to the server. The process should be as seamless as possible.
Here's the steps today:
Click the link to download the file (say a PSD) in a web browser
Save it to disk
Find the file, open it for editing in Photoshop
Make changes, save the file
Go back to the browser,navigate to the file that was downloaded.
Click "replace file"
Find the file, upload it back to the server.
Here's what I want:
Click the link to open the PSD file
File is downloaded, Photoshop launches
Make changes, save the file
File is uploaded back to server, replacing the original file
Those who have used Sharepoint know that this works (using WebDAV) but only with the Office applications (PPT, DOC, XLS). I'd like it to work with all file types.
This will take some kind of software to be installed locally - perhaps a separatly installed application with a mime type registered, a signed java applet, or a firefox extension.
This seems like a problem that should have been solved. Has anyone seen this done before?
Windows client OS has a WebDAV redirector and has had for a long time, so
a) you shouldnt need a client piece and b) it's not specific to Office files.
The fun bit is the server end, implementing a WebDAV server.
WebDAV isnt supported on client OSs like Vista (IIS5.1 has support, 6.0 doesnt), only on Servers (2K3, 2K8...)
There is goo/examples/frameworks (cant recall which from when I researched it) available for implementing a WebDAV server, but it requires a server OS [so I had to discount it as the host in my case could potentially have been Vista/7, not server/XP).
The site WebDAV Resources includes a link to at least one open-source server implementation. I haven't used this software, I'm just citing the reference.
It appears that Apache has deprecated or dropped support for server-side WebDAV since the Jakarta Slide project has been retired.