Ontrex Software Package Atelier Teamblog

New DPD Package: Apple iTunes

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:19:22 +0000

We are proud to announce the newest software package in our “Direct Package Download” portfolio.

With iPhones establishing as Managers favourite choice of Smartphone we received many inquires from our customers to include this software as part of our direct package downloads.

We are excited to have this product now in our portfolio and and to statisfy our customers requirements.

As always the Ontrext Best Practices apply which includes:

- Deactivated AutoUpdate

- X86 & X64 Release to cover all Operating System needs. (iPhone Drivers)

Your should be able to order your DPD package from your personal SPA Portal Account as from now!

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

SPA Team

Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 client service fails to start with Symantec PGP Installed

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:01:19 +0000

Microsoft has published a new KB article which may be interesting for our customers which may want to plan to use Symantec PGP concurrently with APP-V 4.5.

According to this article the Microsoft APP-V Service wont start as long as an incompatible product is installed.

[01/11/2011 08:12:56:691 INTF ERR] {tid=C10}The Application Virtualization Client service cannot be initialized because it found an incompatible product (PGP Desktop version 10.2.0.1672). No known compatible version exists.

This is for protection purpose because otherwise a BSoD could appear.

The only solution currently available is upgrading to app-v client version 4.6 or higher.

Source: http://goo.gl/xiwiY (KB2625501)

Regards,

Fabio

New DPD Package: VLC Media Player

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:26:14 +0000

We are proud to announce the newest software package in our “Direct Package Download” portfolio.

The increased release cycle caused by recent security Vulnerabilities led to several inquires from customers.

We are excited to have this product now in our portfolio and being able to help our customers to keep their client computers safe.

As always the Ontrex Best Practices apply which includes:

- Deactivated AutoUpdate

- Configurable File Extensions

You should be able to order your DPD package from your personal SPA Portal Account as from now!

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

SPA Team

App-DNA acquired by Citrix

Stefan Hotan — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:47:31 +0000

Another breaking news did hit the Software Packaging market.

Citrix Enters into agreement to acquire App-DNA.

App-DNA will operate as a new product group in the Citrix Desktop and Apps team.

This information has been shared by an info email from Mike Welling from App-DNA.

Read the full story at http://www.citrix.com/English/NE/news/news.asp?newsID=2317537

Determine OS/User UI Language

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:24:02 +0000

Somestimes our customers require us to package the software that way that it automatically sets the language according to the Windows UI Language.

Now the big question is, which is the best way to determine the language during a windows installer “transaction”?

Here you are:

dim dezUI,hexUI,language
dezUI = GetUILanguage
hexUI = hex(dezUI)

do while len(hexUI) < 4
	hexUI = "0" + hexUI
loop

If hexUI = "0404" Then
	language = "T_Chinese"

ElseIf hexUI = "0804" Then
	language = "S_Chinese"

Elseif right(hexUI,2) = "07" Then
	language = "german"

Elseif right(hexUI,2) = "09" Then
	language = "english"

Elseif right(hexUI,2) = "0C" Then
	language = "french"

ElseIf hexUI = "0411" Then
	language = "Japanese"

ElseIf hexUI = "0412" Then
	language = "Korean"

ElseIf hexUI = "0416" Then
	language = "B_Portuguese"

Elseif right(hexUI,2) = "0A" Then
	language = "spanish"

Else
	language = "english"

End If

Session.Property("ONTX_LANGUAGE") = language

First we get the “decimal format” of the current UI language. The returned string is e.g 1033 which actually means “English – United States”.

Thats the first challenge: We usually only want to match a language and not a region at all. The next step is to convert that string into a hexdecimal value. And after that we have a value like this ’409′. This value however must be 16Bit and therefore we add leading zero’s till we have a 4 digit hex value.

Now its quiet simple: the last 2 digits always(*) represent the language and the first 2 digits are for the region.

Examples:

All english languages end with 09
All french languages end with 0c
All german languages end with 07

Bear in Mind: UI Language is a per user setting and you cannot therefore “ask” the operating system for it during a initial installation. this will run in system context and will always return english as language. you can however abuse the self repair or activesetup mechanism to run this script in per user context and then write the corresponding registry key/files.

(*) No rules without exceptions, you should anyway consult the following microsoft article:

Locale IDs Assigned by Microsoft: http://goo.gl/vjjst

Additional special folders

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:00:11 +0000

(this is an english rewrite of the popular german article “Zusätzliche Special Folders”. However it includes some new findings regarding this topic)

The windows installer technology provides the most frequent needed special folder directory properties out of the box.

However sometimes you need to reference a directory which isnt directly supported (yet).

The following VBScript uses the “Shell.Application” object to get the actual path of the requested special folder. (in our example for “CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS”)

Insert this action as ““Call VBScript From Embedded Code” Action after “CostInitialize” in both “User Interface” and “Execute Immediate”.

Const CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS = &h2e

Set objShell = CreateObject(“Shell.Application”)

Session.Property(“ONTX_COMMON_DOCUMENTS”) = objShell.Namespace(CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS).Self.Path

Set objShell = nothing

Afterwards, insert the following line into the directory table:

Bear in mind to add all those properties into the “SecureCustomProperties” Property.

You may use then this property as any other known directory property (eg. SystemFolder, ProgramFilesFolder)

By following the link at the end of the article you will get all known CSIDL’s which can be used for this script.

CSLID	Hex Value	Description
CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS	0×0030	The file system directory that is used to store administrative tools for an individual user. The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) will save customized consoles to this directory, and it will roam with the user.
CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP	0x001d	The file system directory that corresponds to the user’s nonlocalized Startup program group. This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself no longer exists.
CSIDL_APPDATA	0x001a	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data. This CSIDL is supported by the redistributable Shfolder.dll for systems that do not have the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 integrated Shell installed.
CSIDL_BITBUCKET	0x000a	The virtual folder that contains the objects in the user’s Recycle Bin.
CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA	0x003b	The file system directory that acts as a staging area for files waiting to be written to a CD. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning.
CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS	0x002f	The file system directory that contains administrative tools for all users of the computer.
CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP	0x001e	The file system directory that corresponds to the nonlocalized Startup program group for all users. Valid only for Microsoft Windows NT systems. This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself no longer exists.
CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA	0×0023	The file system directory that contains application data for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data. This folder is used for application data that is not user specific. For example, an application can store a spell-check dictionary, a database of clip art, or a log file in the CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA folder. This information will not roam and is available to anyone using the computer.
CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY	0×0019	The file system directory that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop. Valid only for Windows NT systems.
CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS	0x002e	The file system directory that contains documents that are common to all users. A typical paths is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents. Valid for Windows NT systems and Windows 95 and Windows 98 systems with Shfolder.dll installed.
CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES	0x001f	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for favorite items common to all users. Valid only for Windows NT systems.
CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC	0×0035	The file system directory that serves as a repository for music files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music.
CSIDL_COMMON_OEM_LINKS	0x003a	This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself is no longer used.
CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES	0×0036	The file system directory that serves as a repository for image files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures.
CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS	0×0017	The file system directory that contains the directories for the common program groups that appear on the Start menu for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs. Valid only for Windows NT systems.
CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU	0×0016	The file system directory that contains the programs and folders that appear on the Start menu for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu. Valid only for Windows NT systems.
CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP	0×0018	The file system directory that contains the programs that appear in the Startup folder for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. Valid only for Windows NT systems.
CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES	0x002d	The file system directory that contains the templates that are available to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates. Valid only for Windows NT systems.
CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO	0×0037	The file system directory that serves as a repository for video files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Videos.
CSIDL_COMPUTERSNEARME	0x003d	The folder that represents other computers in your workgroup.
CSIDL_CONNECTIONS	0×0031	The virtual folder that represents Network Connections, that contains network and dial-up connections.
CSIDL_CONTROLS	0×0003	The virtual folder that contains icons for the Control Panel applications.
CSIDL_COOKIES	0×0021	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Cookies.
CSIDL_DESKTOP	0×0000	The virtual folder that represents the Windows desktop, the root of the namespace.
CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY	0×0010	The file system directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop (not to be confused with the desktop folder itself). A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop.
CSIDL_DRIVES	0×0011	The virtual folder that represents My Computer, containing everything on the local computer: storage devices, printers, and Control Panel. The folder can also contain mapped network drives.
CSIDL_FAVORITES	0×0006	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for the user’s favorite items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Favorites.
CSIDL_FONTS	0×0014	A virtual folder that contains fonts. A typical path is C:\Windows\Fonts.
CSIDL_HISTORY	0×0022	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items.
CSIDL_INTERNET	0×0001	A virtual folder for Internet Explorer.
CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE	0×0020	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for temporary Internet files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files.
CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA	0x001c	The file system directory that serves as a data repository for local (nonroaming) applications. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data.
CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS	Use CSIDL_PERSONAL	The virtual folder that represents the My Documents desktop item. This value is equivalent to CSIDL_PERSONAL.
CSIDL_MYMUSIC	0x000d	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for music files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\My Music.
CSIDL_MYPICTURES	0×0027	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for image files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Pictures.
CSIDL_MYVIDEO	0x000e	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for video files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Videos.
CSIDL_NETHOOD	0×0013	A file system directory that contains the link objects that may exist in the My Network Places virtual folder. It is not the same as CSIDL_NETWORK, which represents the network namespace root. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\NetHood.
CSIDL_NETWORK	0×0012	A virtual folder that represents Network Neighborhood, the root of the network namespace hierarchy.
CSIDL_PERSONAL	0×0005	The virtual folder that represents the My Documents desktop item. This is equivalent to CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS.
CSIDL_PRINTERS	0×0004	The virtual folder that contains installed printers.
CSIDL_PRINTHOOD	0x001b	The file system directory that contains the link objects that can exist in the Printers virtual folder. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\PrintHood.
CSIDL_PROFILE	0×0028	The user’s profile folder. A typical path is C:\Users\username. Applications should not create files or folders at this level; they should put their data under the locations referred to by CSIDL_APPDATA or CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA. However, if you are creating a new Known Folder the profile root refered to by CSIDL_PROFILE is appropriate.
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES	0×0026	The Program Files folder. A typical path is C:\Program Files.
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON	0x002b	A folder for components that are shared across applications. A typical path is C:\Program Files\Common. Valid only for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP systems. Not valid for Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me).
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86	0x002c
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86	0x002a
CSIDL_PROGRAMS	0×0002	The file system directory that contains the user’s program groups (which are themselves file system directories). A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs.
CSIDL_RECENT	0×0008	The file system directory that contains shortcuts to the user’s most recently used documents. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Recent Documents. To create a shortcut in this folder, use SHAddToRecentDocs. In addition to creating the shortcut, this function updates the Shell’s list of recent documents and adds the shortcut to the My Recent Documents submenu of the Start menu.
CSIDL_RESOURCES	0×0038	Windows Vista. The file system directory that contains resource data. A typical path is C:\Windows\Resources.
CSIDL_RESOURCES_LOCALIZED	0×0039
CSIDL_SENDTO	0×0009	The file system directory that contains Send To menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\SendTo.
CSIDL_STARTMENU	0x000b	The file system directory that contains Start menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu.
CSIDL_STARTUP	0×0007	The file system directory that corresponds to the user’s Startup program group. The system starts these programs whenever any user logs onto Windows NT or starts Windows 95. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
CSIDL_SYSTEM	0×0025	The Windows System folder. A typical path is C:\Windows\System32.
CSIDL_SYSTEMX86	0×0029
CSIDL_TEMPLATES	0×0015	The file system directory that serves as a common repository for document templates. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Templates.
CSIDL_WINDOWS	0×0024	The Windows directory or SYSROOT. This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment variables. A typical path is C:\Windows.

Ontrex SPA YouTube Channel

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:36:02 +0000

We are happy to announce our newest service addition for our customers.

The Ontrex SPA Software Packaging Channel

As from now we are excited to publish free youtube tutorials/casts in several packaging disciplines/tools like AdminStudio, APP-V & Wix.

We will also cover any topics about the recent EOL announcement of Wise Package Studio including but not limited to “Migration to AdminStudio” casts.

Regards,

SPA Team

Symantec announces End of Life of Wise Package Studio

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:26:41 +0000

Symantec has entered a partnership with Flexera Software, introducing a new solution, “AdminStudio for Symantec”, based on Flexera’s industry leading technology.

Flexera AdminStudio for Symantec includes integration with Symantec technologies and full support for all of the latest Windows operating systems and installation-related technologies, including the ability to capture both 32-bit and 64-bit applications. In addition, AdminStudio Virtualization Pack, an optional add-on pack, offers advanced packaging support for the application virtualization technologies from Microsoft (App-V), VMware (ThinApp) and Citrix (Xen App).

A Wise Package Studio 8.0 maintenance release is planned for late 2011 or early 2012. The release is expected to include critical bug fixes, and 64-bit support for the WiseScript Editor and SetupCapture tools. Flexera plans to add the enhanced WiseScript Editor to AdminStudio for Symantec and will continue to develop and support the tool going forward.

Therefore as of November 7, 2011, all versions of Wise Package Studio and the Wise Connector, including any Maintenance Packs and/or patches for each version, in all released languages will reach their End of Life (EOL).

Please visit www.wise-migration.com for more details!

Regards,

SPA Team

Adobe Flash Player 11 now available!

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:10:15 +0000

Adobe Flash Player 11 has just been released this morning and is even already available on our DPD Software Portal.

The release higlights are:

Stage 3D – a new architecture for hardware accelerated graphics rendering
Native x64 Plugin – Use flash in any x64 Browser

As always our DPD package features the following additional features:

Auto Update Mechanism disabled
2-In-1 MSI Package, ActiveX & Mozilla Plugin in one Package

The x64 variant is currently released as seperated addon package to the x86 package due to MSI technology limitations. As long as you dont use any native x64 Browser there is no need to install this additional package.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

SPA Team

Windows 8 – Rumors and more from around the web

Fabio Di Lorenzo — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:24:54 +0000

the official release of the developer build version of Windows 8 led to many concerns regarding the future of the “software deployment” as we know it.

This article should help you to address these concerns in a Q&A style:

Whats new in Windows Installer for Windows 8?

Regarding to Bob Arnson (http://goo.gl/yZRi1) nothing signifant has changed in the Windows 8 Window Installer Header Files. The only major change seems to be the support of “ARM” as an Architecture Flag.

What is Metro?

Metro is the new “ typography-based design language” (Wikipedia) which will be featured on top of our well known windows desktop. It is basically an UI style & Application Framework which is optimized for Tablet PC’s.

Together with Metro Microsoft is introducing the new “Windows Runtime” which will be used together with those new Metro Style Apps.

(Source: http://goo.gl/13PUi)

Whats is AppX?

AppX is the new deployment/packaging format for Windows 8 Metro Style Apps. AppX Packages can only be deployed by using the Windows Store which will be introduced with Windows 8.

Enterprise Customers however will be able to sideload AppX apps (http://goo.gl/fIez6)

Will AppX supersede Windows Installer?

No. AppX can only be used for deploying Metro Style Apps. Windows Installer will stay the primary solution for “classic desktop applications.”

Will there be any packaging software for AppX?

Probably not. Visual Studio 2012 already includes all required tools to produce an AppX Container/Package. Microsoft is trying to simplify the deployment process for metro style apps and did therefore e.g not include any sort of “custom actions” in it. The package creation is part of the development process in Visual Studio.