Smart Packager Product Administration Guide -...

Smart Packager

Product Administration Guide

Dependable MSI and Application Virtualization Packaging, Workflow, and Package Editing

IT Asset Management Tools for the Cloud Era

www.scalable.com

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Table of Contents Page 4 Product Basics

Welcome ........................................................................................................ 4 Licensing ....................................................................................................... 4 Why Repackage? .......................................................................................... 5 Prerequisites .................................................................................................. 5 Windows Installer .......................................................................................... 6 Smart Repackaging ....................................................................................... 7 Self Signing ................................................................................................... 9 Software ID Tags ......................................................................................... 10 Dependencies .............................................................................................. 11 App-V ........................................................................................................... 12 Virtual Machines .......................................................................................... 13

Page 14 Functions & Features

Smart Packager Overview ........................................................................... 14 Command Line Syntax ................................................................................ 14 License Key Dialog ...................................................................................... 15 Welcome Page ............................................................................................ 16 Workflow ..................................................................................................... 17 Editor Page .................................................................................................. 18 Dialogs ......................................................................................................... 19

Edit General ......................................................................................... 19 Files Add .............................................................................................. 20 Files Remove ....................................................................................... 21 Registry Add ........................................................................................ 22 Registry Remove ................................................................................ 23 Shortcuts ............................................................................................. 24 Windows Services ............................................................................... 25 Tags ..................................................................................................... 26 Advanced Windows Installer ............................................................... 27

File Dialogs .................................................................................................. 28 File Browse .......................................................................................... 28

Registry Dialogs .......................................................................................... 29 Create Registry .................................................................................... 29 Remove Registry ................................................................................. 29 Edit Registry (Strings) .......................................................................... 30 Edit Registry (Multi-Strings) ................................................................. 30 Edit Registry (Number) ........................................................................ 31 Edit Registry (Binary) ........................................................................... 31 Edit Remove Registry .......................................................................... 31

Create & Edit Shortcuts ............................................................................... 32 Create Service ............................................................................................. 33 Edit Service ................................................................................................. 35 Create Tags ................................................................................................. 37 Edit Tags ..................................................................................................... 39 Completion .................................................................................................. 41 Options ........................................................................................................ 42

Page 43 Wizards

New Package Welcome .............................................................................. 43 New Package Information ................................................................... 43 New Package Options ......................................................................... 44 New Package Finish ............................................................................ 45

Test Package Welcome ............................................................................... 46 Test Package Local ............................................................................. 47 Test Package Remote ......................................................................... 48 Test Package Finish ............................................................................ 48

Smart Packager Product Administration Guide Scalable Software, Inc. February 2013

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Table of Contents Page 50 Discovery

Overview ..................................................................................................... 50 Best Practices ............................................................................................. 51 Dependencies ............................................................................................. 52 Command Line Syntax ................................................................................ 54 License Key Dialog ...................................................................................... 55 Evaluation .................................................................................................... 56 Welcome Page ........................................................................................... 57 Package Page ............................................................................................. 58 Options Page ............................................................................................... 59 Signing Page ............................................................................................... 60 File Exclusions Page ................................................................................... 61 Registry Exclusions Page ............................................................................ 62 App-V Page ................................................................................................. 63 Sequence Page ........................................................................................... 64 Monitor Page ............................................................................................... 65 Results Page ............................................................................................... 66 Finish Page ................................................................................................. 67

Page 68 Discovery Command Line Overview ..................................................................................................... 68 Best Practices ............................................................................................. 68 Dependencies ............................................................................................. 69 DiscoC Command Line ............................................................................... 71


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Welcome Scalable's Smart Packager is a software repackager and Windows Installer (MSI) editor. It is

designed to guide the user through the process of repackaging software for distribution.

Smart Packager builds upon Scalable's extensive software repackaging knowledge and

experience. It takes the almost two decades of experience gained in the WinINSTALL line of

products and builds a new user-friendly product.

Smart Packager Product Family • Smart Packager CE

• Smart Packager Pro

Licensing The Scalable Smart Packager product is available in two main editions: Smart Packager CE

and Smart Packager Pro.

Smart Packager CE

Smart Packager CE is a free tool for repackaging most software installations. However, it will

not repackage installations based upon Microsoft's Windows Installer technology. To

repackage MSI-based installations requires the use of the Smart Packager Pro.

Smart Packager Pro

Smart Packager Pro is a licensed product designed to repackage installations of any type,

including Windows Installer. Smart Packager Pro is licensed on an annual basis. Please

contact Scalable's sales and support for purchasing details.

In addition to Smart Packager CE and Smart Packager Pro, there is an evaluation version of

Smart Packager Pro. The Smart Packager Pro evaluation is a is a 7-day trial period during

which time the repackaging of software installations based upon Windows Installer

technology is possible.

To view or change product license key information, use the License Key dialog. Start either

Discovery or Smart Packager and open the About dialog box by right-clicking on the caption

bar. The About dialog box displays the existing license key as well as product edition and

days until expiration. Click the “Change” button to set a new license key.

Copyright and Trademarks Copyright © 2013 Scalable Software, Inc. Scalable Smart Packager, Smart Packager, and all other Scalable product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Scalable Software, Inc., in the USA and other countries. Smart Packager is designed and programmed in the U.S.A.

Disclaimer The information contained in this help file is subject to change without notice. Scalable Software makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this help file, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Scalable Software shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this online help.

Helpful Tip To view or change

product license key information, use the

License Key dialog. Start either Discovery or Smart

Packager and open the About dialog box by right-

clicking on the caption bar. The About dialog box

displays the existing license key as well as

product edition and days until expiration. Click the "Change" button to set a

new license key.


Product Basics

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Why Repackage? Benefits of repackaging

The main purpose behind Scalable's Smart Packager is to facilitate creating new packages

based upon existing software installation packages, aka "repackaging." An obvious question

is why repackage. Below is a list of benefits to repackaging an existing installation:

• Create a unattended (or silent) installation. • Control what gets installed; e.g. install Word and Excel but not the rest of Microsoft

Office. • Add custom files to an installation. • Bundle multiple installations into a single package. • Convert an installation package into a Windows Installer (MSI) file. • Create a package for software that does not include a self-installer; e.g. PKZip

compressed file.

Limitations of repackaging

Packages that create a service with a specific username and password will be repackaged as

a "logon as system" service. This is because it is not possible to extract and decode the

encrypted password used to create the new service.

32-bit applications repackaged on a 64-bit operating system will not install on a 32-bit system.

This is because 32-bit applications installed on a 64-bit operating system install registry keys

into both the 32-bit and 64-bit registries. Since a 32-bit machine does not contain the 64-bit

registry keys, these packages will only install on other 64-bit operating systems

Prerequisites Operating systems

• Windows XP SP2 or greater¹ • Windows Server 2003 SP1 or greater • Windows Server 2003 R2 • Windows Vista • Windows 7 • Windows Server 2008 • Windows Server 2008 R2

¹ - Windows XP 64-bit Edition is not supported.

Additional requirements

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 version 8.0.50727.6195 [http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26347]²

• Microsoft XML services (MSXML) version 6 [http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3988]²

² - These requirements are automatically installed during installation.

Product Basics

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Schema Windows XP

Windows 2003

Windows 2003 R2

Windows Vista

Windows 2008

Windows 2008 R2

Windows 7

1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 1.1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 1.2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 1.5 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 3 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

3.1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 4 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

4.5 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 5 No No No No No Yes Yes

Natively supported by the operating system.

Supported but requires installation of Windows Install redistributable package.

Not supported.


Windows® Installer Scalable's Smart Packager creates and edits packages using the Windows Installer format,

i.e. MSI files. Windows Installer is an installation technology developed by Microsoft.

Windows Installer was first released in 1999 and is supported by all recent versions of

Microsoft Windows.

Support

Windows Installer has undergone several revisions since the initial release. Each revision

changes the schema version. Whereas most schema versions are supported across all

versions of Windows, they may require the installation of a newer Windows Installer

redistributable package. Below is a table showing the schema versions supported for each

version of Microsoft Windows.

Product Basics

Microsoft Windows Installer version 3.0 Download link (x86): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=16821

Microsoft Windows Installer version 3.1 Download link (x86): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=25

Microsoft Windows Installer version 4.5 Download link (x86 and x64): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=8483

Limitations

Although the Windows Installer is a powerful format, it does have several limitations worth

noting:

• Windows Installer does not support device drivers. Therefore, repackaging an installation containing a device driver will not work.

• Windows Installer supports installations for single user or all users, but not both. Repackaging an installation containing both per-user and all users’ files and settings may not work correctly.

• A single Windows Installer package cannot support both x86 and x64 architectures. A package must target either x86 or x64, but not both.

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Smart Packager Administration Guide Scalable Software, Inc. February 2013

Smart Repackaging Smart repackaging is a technology developed by Scalable Software to facilitate repackaging

of Windows Installer packages. Understanding the differences between regular repackaging

and smart repackaging is key to generating the most successful packages.

In order to understand how smart repackaging works, one first needs to understand how

Windows Installer packages are installed.

On the left is the MSI file. It contains the files and registry keys to be installed, but it also

contains the UI, conditional logic, custom actions, etc.

In the middle is the Windows Installer engine (msiexec.exe) that evaluates the conditions,

displays the UI, and installs the files and registry keys.

On the right is the target computer where the package was installed. Note that not everything

contained in the MSI was installed. Only things like files, registry keys, services, etc. are

installed. The UI, conditional logic, custom actions, etc. are not installed. Also note that

additional files and registry keys not contained in the original package are installed. These

additional files and registry keys are created by the Windows Installer engine and are record

keeping about the newly installed package.

Product Basics

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Smart Repackaging (cont.)

Regular repackaging

With regular repackaging, a new package is created and only the files, registry keys,

services, shortcuts, etc. are added to the new package. The result is a package that

installs the original application but does not include the UI, thus the new package can

be installed unattended (silently).

VS.

Smart repackaging

Smart repackaging, like regular packaging, omits the UI and repackages the files,

registry keys, services, shortcuts, etc. However, it also includes the Windows Installer

record keeping that was installed. By including these additional files and registry keys

an installation repackaged using smart repackaging is able to preserve many of the

benefits of Windows Installer. Benefits of Smart repackaging • Future upgrades and patching of the product work correctly. • All product shortcuts, including Advertised shortcuts, work correctly. • Windows Installer features such as auto-repair function correctly.

Problems with Smart repackaging Smart repackaging cannot be used for MSI files intended for per-user installation. Windows Installer

packages installed per-user creates user-specific data in the machine-specific areas of the registry.

Because MSI files cannot contain both per-user and per-machine data, such installations cannot be

repackaged into a new MSI file.

When to use smart repackaging

Knowing when to use smart repackaging versus regular repackaging will allow for the greatest

success when repackaging software. Use the following guidelines to determining which packaging

mode will yield the best results.

• If the application being repackaged is not based on Windows Installer technology, then regular repackaging is recommended.

• If the application being repackaged is based on Windows Installer technology and the original package is installed per-machine, then smart repackaging is recommended.

• If the application being repackaged is based on Windows Installer technology and the original package is installed per-user, then regular repackaging must be used.

Note: if the packaging mode setting on the Options page is set to automatic then Discovery should automatically use the correct packaging mode for the software being repackaged.

Product Basics

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Self-Signing Certificate

A self-signing certificate is a certificate created by the user for use in their environment. Because the

certificate is not created from a trusted root authority (e.g. VeriSign), the certificate is not "trusted"

unless explicitly added. Self-signing certificates can be added to individual machines and/or into Active

Directory making them useful an organization to digitally sign packages. A digital signature ensures the

package is not modified or corrupted before installation.

Creating a Self-Signing Certificate

Step 1 - Windows SDK The first step is to download and install the Windows SDK from Microsoft using one of the following

links.

Download link (Web installer): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=8279 Download link (ISO image): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=8442

The Windows SDK installs the file makecert.exe that is used to create the self-signing certificate.

Step 2 - Create the certificate

Use the following command line to create the self-signing certificate:

makecert.exe -r -pe -ss StoreName -n "CN=Name" Filename.cer

StoreName : The name of the folder in the certificate store where the self-signing certificate is to be created.

Name: The name for the new self-signing certificate. This name will be used for both the "issued to" and "issued by" fields of the new certificate.

Filename : Filename used to save the new self-signing certificate.

For a full list of makecert.exe command line options see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bfsktky3%28v=vs.80%29.aspx

Examples:

makecert.exe -r -pe -ss "Self Signing" -n "CN=My Organization" MyOrg.cer

Creates a new certificate called "My Organization" and places it in the "Self Signing" certificate store. The certificate is saved in the file MyOrg.cer in the current folder.

makecert.exe -r -pe -ss "Self Signing" -n "CN=Accounting Packages"

AccountingPkgs.cer

Creates a new certificate called "Accounting Packages" and places it in the "Self Signing" certificate store. The certificate is saved in the file AccountingPkgs.cer in the current folder.

Step 3 - Viewing and trusting the certificate (optional) Use the Certificate Manager to view the certificate store by executing the command "certmgr.msc."

Using Certificate Manager you can view the certificate created in step 2 located in the store name used

when creating the certificate. To mark the newly created certificate as "trusted" on the local computer,

use Certificate Manager and select "Trusted Root Certification Authorities" and then import the .CER

file created in step 2. To mark the newly created certificate as "trusted" in the domain, use the Active

Directory tools to add the new certificate.

Product Basics

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Product Basics

Software Identification (ID) Tags Software ID Tags are an industry standard designed to assist businesses with Software Asset

Management (SAM). SAM is the practice of managing and optimizing the process of purchasing,

deploying, and maintaining software licenses in a computer network. Software ID Tags facilitate this

by creating a consistent way for installed software to indicate its presence on a machine as well as

asset management and inventory software to identify installed applications.

Smart Packager has full support for Software ID Tags (19770-2 standard). Discovery of new

packages captures any installed tags. The package editor displays any software tags and allows

the user to create, edit, or remove them.

For more information on Software ID Tags, see www.tagvault.org.

Dependencies It is very common for software to depend on a common set of files and libraries, typically referred to

as "dependencies." Often times these dependencies are available in a Merge Modules—a self-

contained Windows Installer file with all the files and logic necessary to install the dependency.

Smart Packager includes a library of over 280 of the most common merge modules for inclusion in

new packages. When Discovery detects the installation of a dependency it scans the library of

available merge modules and includes the appropriate merge modules in the new package.

The user can freely add or remove merge modules to the included library by following these simple

steps:

1. Add or remove files from the "Merge Modules" folder where the Smart Packager files were installed.

2. Delete the file "mmcache.dat." This file contains a cached list of scanned merge modules.

The file will be automatically regenerated with the updated list of available merge modules.

Issues with Merge Modules

Although merge modules are a great way to handle dependencies, their use can lead to problems

with software repackaging. Merge modules were not designed with the inclusion of multiple

modules in mind. As such, some merge modules conflict with each other. The end result is that

repackaging software that depends on multiple merge modules, especially different versions of the

same dependency, often fails. The best solution to this problem is to handle dependencies

separate from the software that requires it.

The first step is to repackage the software without any dependencies. To do this first identify all

dependencies of the software. Before running Discovery, manually install all dependencies on the

discovery computer or virtual machine. After installation a reboot may be required. Next, run

Discovery and repackage the software. Since the dependencies were previously installed, this will

repackage the software without any dependencies. The final step is to handle dependencies

manually on any machine the repackaged software is installed on to. This can be done manually by

installing the same dependencies used on the discovery computer or virtual machine. Or one can

use Discovery itself to repackage each individual dependency into a new MSI file that can be

installed on target computers.

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Product Basics

Dependencies (cont.)

Redistributable dependency installations

Below are links to redistributable installers for the most common Microsoft dependencies. These

can be downloaded and installed on computers to allow manual handling of dependencies.

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 version 8.0.50727.42 Download link (x86): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3387 Download link (x64): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=21254


Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 version 8.0.50727.4053 Download link (x86 and x64): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=14431












Microsoft XML Services (msxml) 6.0 Download link (x86 and x64): http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3988

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Product Basics

App-V Application Virtualization (App-V) is Microsoft's solution for virtualizing software applications in the

enterprise market. App-V supports all recent versions of Windows plus integrates with common IT

management software like Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).

Scalable's Smart Packager is capable of creating App-V packages while simultaneously creating

Windows Installer packages. In order to create App-V packages, the App-V Sequencer must be

installed on the same machine as Discovery.

Supported App-V Sequencer versions

• 4.5 • 4.5 cumulative update 1 • 4.5 service pack 1 • 4.5 service pack 2 • 4.6 • 4.6 service pack 1

Note: When using Smart Packager to create App-V packages, any and all limitations that apply to

App-V still apply. For example, App-V has recommendations for repackaging Microsoft Office

2010—those same recommendations must be followed when using the Smart Packager to create

an App-V package of Office 2010.

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Product Basics

Virtual Machines A virtual machine is a way to run one operating system on top of another operating system in a

completely isolated manor. The two operating systems are commonly referred to as the host (main)

system and the guest (virtual) system. With the introduction of multi-core CPUs and hardware

instructions designed to facilitate virtualization, it is now possible to run a virtual machine with only

a negligible performance impact over running on native hardware. This makes using a virtual

machine an ideal choice for software repackaging; for both capturing packages and testing.

The benefits of using a virtual machine to repackage software include:

• Capturing and testing the new package on a clean system. It is a best practice in software

repackaging to perform the capture on a clean system. This includes both clean of excess

software as well as the target application has never been installing on the system. By

using virtual machines it is relatively simple to maintain a library of clean virtual images

and copy each image before use. It is also a good idea to test the package on a clean

system. This reduces the chance of software conflicts as well as problems caused by

package dependencies.

• Capturing and testing in an isolated environment. With the proliferation of viruses and

malware, it is a good idea to capture and test suspect packages on virtual machines

isolated from the main network. By working in an isolated environment this ensures the

main network is safe until such time as a package can be verified as free from viruses and

malware.

• Virtual machines provide a quick and convenient way test on different operating systems.

By maintaining a library of virtual machines representing all physical machines in a

corporation's environment, one can quickly and easily test a package on multiple

operating systems without having to track down various hardware and software

combinations.

• A requirement of Microsoft App-V is only one sequencing job can be run on a machine.

After that initial sequencing job App-V will inform the user the machine is not clean. As a

result, anyone using Smart Packager to sequence App-V packages may want to use

virtual machines to make easy to always sequence on a clean machine.

Below is a list of some of the more common software virtualization products:

• Microsoft offers both free and commercial virtual machine software such as Virtual PC, Windows XP Mode, and Windows Server with Hyper-V.

• VMWare offers both free and commercial virtual machine software including VMWare Player and VMWare Workstation.

• Oracle offers the free product VirtualBox.

Virtual machines provide a quick and

convenient way to test

on different operating systems.

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Smart Packager Overview Smart Packager is a tool to guide the user through the process of repackaging, modifying,

and testing software for distribution. Smart Packager works with any software package

created using the Windows Installer technology. Creation and management of software

packages has three main areas.

Package Discovery

Discovery generates new packages based upon changes to the system using a low-level

device driver to monitor for all changes. Use Discovery to repackage existing installations into

new unattended installations or create installers for software not shipped with an installation

program. Discovery can also be used to create packages based upon changes to the system

other than those from a product setup includes user and system settings.

Packaging Workflow

The workflow page is at the heart of Smart Packaging and guides the user through a common

packaging workflow process. After the package has been discovered, typically the package

will undergo a series of modifications and testing to verify the changes. Once the package

has been successfully modified and passed verification it is ready for wide-scale use and is

moved out of the workflow into package maintenance.

Package Maintenance

Once a package has successfully undergone the workflow process, the package is moved to

the editor page. The editor page maintains a list of all managed packages and facilitates

future changes and additions to the package through the package editor.

Command Line Syntax

SmartPackager.exe

/w:<package path> Adds the specified package to the list of packages on the Workflow page.

/e:<package path> Adds the specified package to the tree of packages on the Editor page.

Examples:

SmartPackager.exe /w:"C:\Packages\libre_office.msi"

SmartPackager.exe /e:"C:\Program Files\Scalable\SmartPackager\Packages\firefox.msi"

Smart Packager is a tool to guide

the user through the process of

repackaging, modifying, and testing

software for distribution.


Functions & Features

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License Key Dialog This dialog displays the Smart Packager license key as well as allows the user to enter a new

license key. For more details see Smart Packager licensing.

Existing License Key

Displays the existing license key (if any), as well as product edition and the date and day count

until expiration. If no license has been entered the product functions as Smart Package CE.

New License Key Enter a new license key for the Smart Packager.

Validate Click this button to validate the license key to ensure the key was typed correctly into the product.

After validation it will display the date and day count until expiration. Click OK to accept the new

license key or Cancel to retain the existing key.


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The workflow page allows

the user to graphically

see the workflow of one or more

packages currently

being worked on.

Welcome Page The welcome page is the introduction to the Scalable Smart Packager. From the welcome page

the user can easily navigate to common and recent tasks.

Common tasks: Discover a new package

Click on this link to start Discovery to perform the capture of a new package

Common tasks: Create a new package

Click on the link to run the package wizard. This wizard allows the user to create a new package

from scratch.

Common tasks: Edit an existing package

Click on this link to display the editor page. The editor page contains a list of all packaged currently

managed by the Smart Packager.

Recent tasks

The recent tasks list shows the last three tasks performed by the current user. Clicking on any task

will return the user to that area and allow them to continue where they left off. This allows users to

resume working in the package without having to remember what they were last working on.

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The workflow page allows

the user to graphically

see the workflow of one or more

packages currently

being worked on.

Workflow The workflow page allows the user to graphically see the workflow of one or more packages currently

being worked on. The list at the top of the page shows the packages currently in some phase of workflow

management. It shows the package name, current status, a progress bar of the current status, and the

time and user who last edited the package. In the upper right corner of the list are buttons to add or

remove packages from the list.

Selecting a package from the list enables the controls at the bottom of the page. This includes a graphical

overview of the workflow progress as well as general package properties. The user can click on

Discovery, Modification, Testing, and Completion to change the package's status in the workflow process.

Discovery

A package in the "discovery" phase that has been recently discovered. A package in this phase may

require modification and/or testing before it can be marked as completed and ready for wide-scale use.

Modification

A package in the "modification" phase is undergoing package editing. Editing includes adding additional

files to the package, changing files and settings installed by the package, removing files from the

package, etc. Click on the "modification" graphic to open the package in the package editor.

Testing

A package in the "testing" phase is being validated. The package should be tested on multiple platforms

to ensure it functions correctly. Click on the "testing" graphic to open the package testing wizard. If the

package passes all tests it can be moved onto the completion phase. If the package fails one or more

tests it can be moved back to the modification phase.

Completion

A package in the "completion" phase has been modified and successfully validated. The package can

remain in the workflow list as a placeholder, or the package can be moved to the package editor page.

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Editor Page The package editor page allows maintenance on packages that have already gone through

the workflow process. Packages can be grouped into folders for convenient management. In

the upper right corner of the tree are buttons to add or remove managed packages as well as

create new folders.

Selecting a package from the tree displays the high-level package properties on the right.

Clicking "Edit Package" opens the package in the package editor for modification.


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Functions & Features:

Dialogs

Edit General Dialog This page displays and allows for the editing of general Windows Installer properties.

Path

Displays the full path to the Windows Installer file. This field cannot be changed.

Architecture

Displays the target architecture for the package. This field cannot be changed.

Title

This field shows a brief description of the type of package. Typical values include "Installation

Database," "Transform," and "Patch."

Subject

This field shows the name of the product installed by this Windows Installer package.

Author

This field shows the name of the author of the package; typically the company or

manufacturer's name.

Comments

This field shows the comments associated with this package. The value is typically "This

installer database contains the logic and data required to install product."

Last edited by

Displays the username of the last person to edit this Windows Installer file using the Smart

Packager. This field cannot be changed.

Last edited on

Displays the last time this Windows Installer file was edited using the Smart Packager. This

field cannot be changed.

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Dialogs

Files Add Dialog This page displays files and folders installed by this package. Folders are displayed in a tree on the

left and individual files in a list on the right. Folders may be displayed as variables, e.g.

[ProgramFilesFolder] instead of "C:\Program Files."

Files and folders

Displays files and folders installed by this package.

Add

Click this button to add new files and/or folders for installation by this package. If the tree on the left

has focus then a new folder will be added. If the list on the right has focus then the browse files dialog

will be displayed to add one or more files.

Remove

Click this button to remove files and/or folders from installation by this package. If the tree on the left

has focus then the selected folder and all files and folders under that folder will be removed. If the list

on the right has focus then all selected files will be removed.

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Dialogs

Files Remove Dialog This page displays files and folders removed by this package during installation. Folders are

displayed in a tree on the left and individual files in a list on the right. Folders may be displayed as

variables, e.g. [ProgramFilesFolder] instead of "C:\Program Files."

Files and folders

Displays files and folders removed by this package during installation.

Add

Click this button to add new files and/or folders for removal by this package during installation. If the

tree on the left has focus then a new folder will be added. If the list on the right has focus then the

browse files dialog will be displayed to add one or more files.

Remove

Click this button to remove files and/or folders from installation by this package. If the tree on the left

has focus then the selected folder and all files and folders under that folder will be removed. If the list

on the right has focus then all selected files will be removed.

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Registry Add Dialog This dialog allows the user to add a registry value to the package.

Key & Values

Displays the registry key where the new value will be added.

Add

Click this button to add new keys and/or values for installation by this package. If the tree on the left

has focus then a new key will be added. If the list on the right has focus then the Create Registry

dialog will be displayed to add a registry value.

Edit

Click this button to change the selected registry value. The edit dialog varies depending on the type of

registry value; strings, multi-strings, number, or binary.

Remove

Click this button to remove keys and/or values from installation by this package. If the tree on the left

has focus then the selected key and all keys and values under that key will be removed. If the list on

the right has focus then all selected values will be removed.



Dialogs

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Registry Remove Dialog This page displays registry keys and values removed by this package during installation. Keys are

displayed in a tree on the left and individual values in a list on the right.

Key & Values

Displays the registry keys and values removed by this package during installation.

Add Click this button to add new keys and/or values for removal by this package during installation. If the

tree on the left has focus then a new key will be added. If the list on the right has focus then the

Remove Registry dialog will be displayed to add a registry value.

Edit

Click this button to change the selected registry value. The edit Remove Registry dialog will be

displayed to change the value.

Remove

Click this button to remove keys and/or values from removal by this package during installation. If the

tree on the left has focus then the selected key and all keys and values under that key will be

removed. If the list on the right has focus then all selected values will be removed.



Dialogs

24


Shortcuts Dialog This page displays shortcuts installed by this package.

Shortcuts

Displays shortcuts installed by this package.

Add

Click this button to add a new shortcut for installation by this package. The create shortcut dialog

will be displayed to add a shortcut.

Edit

Click this button to change the selected shortcut. The edit shortcut dialog is displayed to change the

shortcut.

Remove

Click this button to remove a shortcut from installation by this package.


Dialogs

25

Windows Services Dialog This page displays Windows services installed by this package.

Services

Displays services installed by this package.

Add

Click this button to add a new service for installation by this package. The create service dialog will be

displayed to add a service.

Edit

Click this button to change the selected service. The edit service dialog is displayed to change the

service.

Remove

Click this button to remove a service from installation by this package.



Dialogs

26

Tags Dialog This page displays software identification tags installed by this package. For more details see software

identification tags.

Tags

Displays tags installed by this package.

Add

Click this button to add new tags for installation by this package. The create tags dialog will be

displayed to add tags.

Edit Click this button to change the selected tags. The edit tags dialog is displayed to change the tags.

Remove

Click this button to remove tags from installation by this package.



Dialogs

27



Dialogs

Advanced Windows Installer Dialog This page displays and allows for the editing of advanced Windows Installer properties.

Installation mode

Select the installation mode used for the package; per-user, per-machine, or automatic.

per-user: The new package is installed for a single user.

per-machine: The new package is installed for all users.

automatic: The new package is installed per-machine if possible, but if that fails the

package is installed per-user. This setting increases the reliability of the

package by ensuring installation even when the user lacks full install privileges.

Compression mode

This setting controls how the package is to be compressed; uncompressed, partially compressed,

or fully compressed.

uncompressed: The files to be installed are uncompressed and stored external to the

MSI file.

partially compressed: The files to be installed are compressed into one or more CAB files. The

CAB files are stored external to the MSI file.

fully compressed: The files to be installed are compressed into one or more CAB files. The

CAB files are stored internal to the MSI file. This option makes the MSI

file a single self-contained installation program not requiring additional

files for installation.

Reboot mode

This setting controls whether the package reboots after installation; never, prompt if necessary,

or always.

never: After installation the computer never reboots even if a reboot is

necessary. Note: a reboot may still be required to complete the

installation.

prompt if necessary: If a reboot is necessary to complete the installation it will prompt the

user. This is the default setting.

always: The installation will always prompt the user to reboot the computer.

28



Dialogs

File Browse Dialog This dialog allows the user to add a single new file to the package.

File

Displays the full path of the new file to be added.

Browse Click this button to search for and select a file on the local computer.

Install location

The folder where the new file will be placed when this package is installed. Use the drop-

down to select an existing folder or type a new folder location.

Files Browse Dialog This dialog allows the user to add one or more files to the package.

Files Displays the relative path of the new file(s) to be added.

File browse

Click this button to search for and select one or more files on the local computer for inclusion.

Folder browse

Click this button to search for and select a folder on the local computer. All files and folders

under the selected folder will be added to the list.

Remove Click this button to remove the selected file from the list of files.

Install location

The folder where the new file(s) will be placed when this package is installed. Use the drop-

down to select an existing folder or type a new folder location. The final install location for

each file will be the relative path in the list above appended onto this install folder.

29

Create Registry This dialog allows the user to add a registry value to the package.

Key

Displays the registry key where the new value will be added.

Name

The name of the registry value.

Type

The type of the new registry value.

REG_SZ: A string REG_EXPAND_SZ: A string that contains unexpanded references to environment variables; e.g.

“%PATH%.” REG_MULTI_SZ: A sequence of strings. REG_DWORD: A 32-bit number. REG_BINARY: Binary data in any form.

Data

The data for the new value. This data field varies depending on the selected data type. For

example, for REG_DWORD only a number can be entered.

Remove Registry This dialog allows the user to add a registry value to be removed by the package during installation.

Key

Displays the registry key where the value will be removed.

Name

The name of the registry value to be removed during installation. The type of registry data does not

matter, the value will be removed so long as the name and key match.



Dialogs

30



Dialogs

Edit Registry (Strings) This dialog allows the user to edit an existing registry string value in the package, i.e. REG_SZ and

REG_EXPAND_SZ.

Key

Displays the registry key where the value will be added.

Name


Data

The data for the value. This data can be any string value.

Edit Registry (Multi-Strings) This dialog allows the user to edit an existing registry multi-string value in the package, i.e.

REG_MULTI_SZ.

Key


Name


Data

The data for the value. This data can be one or more strings.

31



Dialogs

Edit Registry (Number) This dialog allows the user to edit an existing registry number value in the package, i.e.

REG_DWORD.

Key


Name


Data

The data for the value. This data can be any 32-bit number.

Decimal

Display the data using decimal (base 10). The valid range is 0 to 4,294,967,295.

Hexadecimal

Display the data using hexadecimal (base 16). The valid range is 0 to 0xFFFFFFFF.

Edit Registry (Binary) This dialog allows the user to edit an existing registry binary value in the package, i.e. REG_BINARY.

Key


Name


Data

The data for the value. This data can be any binary data.

Edit Remove Registry This dialog allows the user to edit an existing registry value to be removed by the package during

installation.

Key

Displays the registry key where the value will be removed from.

Name The name of the registry value to be removed during installation.

32



Dialogs

Create Shortcut This dialog allows the user to add a shortcut to the package.

Existing file

Select this option to create a new shortcut pointing at an existing file in the package.

New file

Select this option to create a new shortcut pointing at a new file. The new file will be added to the package.

Browse

Click this button to search for and select a file from the local computer.

Name

The name of the new shortcut.

Location

The folder where the shortcut will be placed when this package is installed. Use the drop-down to select an

existing folder or type a new folder location. Typically shortcuts are installed to either [ProgramMenuFolder]

for the Windows Start menu or [DesktopFolder] for the desktop.

Description

The description is displayed when viewing the installed shortcut's properties or by a popup tool tip.

Edit Shortcut This dialog allows the user to edit the properties of an existing shortcut.

Target Displays the full path to the target of the shortcut.

Name

The name of the shortcut.

Location

The folder where the shortcut will be placed when this package is installed. Use the drop-down to select an

existing folder or type a new folder location. Typically shortcuts are installed to either [ProgramMenuFolder]

for the Windows Start menu or [DesktopFolder] for the desktop.

Description

The description for the shortcut. The description is displayed when viewing the installed

shortcut's properties or by a popup tool tip.

33

Create Service This dialog allows the user to add a service to the package.

Existing file

Select this option to create a new service pointing at an existing file in the package. Use the drop-

down to select the target file.

New file

Select this option to create a new service pointing at a new file. The new file will be added to the

package.

File browse

Click this button to search for and select a file from the local computer.

Display name

The name of the new service.

Internal name

The internal name of the new service. This name is not viewable to the end user and is only used to

access the service programmatically.

Description

The description for the new service. The description is displayed when viewing the installed

service's properties using Windows Control Panel.

Startup type

Specifies how the new service will start; automatic, manual, or disabled.

automatic: The service starts up automatically every time the computer is booted. manual: The service only starts on demand for another program or service. disabled: The service is disabled and cannot be started.



Dialogs

34



Dialogs

Create Service (cont.) Local system account

The service runs as the local system authority account.

This is the typical setting for most services.

Specified account

The service runs as a specified user account. Use this setting if the service requires a specific

account to gain access to network resources.

Username

Enter the username for this service. Typically the account will be specified as "Domain\Username."

This option is only enabled if "specified account" is selected.

User browse

Click this button to search for and select a user account from the local computer or domain. This

option is only enabled if "specified account" is selected.

Password

Enter the password for the specified user account. This option is only enabled if "specified account"

is selected.

Confirm password

Reenter the password for the specified user account. This option is only enabled if "specified

account" is selected.

NOTE: Windows Installer files do not encrypt the username and password. Therefore any service

marked "specified account" will have the username and password viewable as clear text within the

MSI file.

35

Edit Service This dialog allows the user to edit the properties of an existing service.

Target

Displays the full path to the target of the service.

Display name

The name of the service.

Internal name

The internal name of the service. This name is not viewable to the end user and is only used to

access the service programmatically.

Description

The description for the service. The description is displayed when viewing the installed service's

properties using Windows Control Panel.

Startup type

Specifies how the service will start; automatic, manual, or disabled.

automatic: The service starts up automatically every time the computer is booted. manual: The service only starts on demand for another program or service. disabled: The service is disabled and cannot be started.

Local system account The service runs as the local system authority account. This is the typical setting for most services.

Specified account

The service runs as a specified user account. Use this setting if the service requires a specific

account to gain access to network resources.

Username

Enter the username for this service. Typically the account will be specified as "Domain\Username."

This option is only enabled if "specified account" is selected.

User browse Click this button to search for and select a user account from the local computer or domain. This

option is only enabled if "specified account" is selected.



Dialogs

36

Edit Service (cont.) Password Enter the password for the specified user account. This option is only enabled if "specified account"

is selected.

Confirm password

Reenter the password for the specified user account. This option is only enabled if "specified

account" is selected.

NOTE: Windows Installer files do not encrypt the username and password. Therefore any service

marked "specified account" will have the username and password viewable as clear text within the

MSI file.



Dialogs

37



Dialogs

Create Tags

This dialog allows the user to add software identification tags to the package. For more details see

software identification tags.

Location

The folder where the tag file (.SWIDTAG) will be placed when this package is installed. Use the

drop-down to select an existing folder or type a new folder location. Typically tags are installed to

[CommonAppDataFolder] for all versions of Windows.

Title

The name or title of the software.

Version

The version of the software. This is specified in the form of <major>.<minor>.<build>.<revision>.

Software Creator Name

The name of the company, organization, or individual that created the software.

Software Creator RegId

The registered identification of the company, organization, or individual that created the software.

See below for formatting notes.

Licensor Creator Name

The name of the company, organization, or individual that licensed the software. Typically this is

the same as the software creator, but can be different if the licensing body is not the same as the

software's creator.

Licensor Creator RegId

The registered identification of the company, organization, or individual that licensed the

software. Typically this is the same as the software creator, but can be different if the

licensing body is not the same as the software's creator. See below for formatting notes.

38

Create Tags (cont.) Tag Creator Name

The name of the company, organization, or individual that created the software tags.

Tag Creator RegId

The registered identification of the company, organization, or individual that created the software

tags. See below for formatting notes.

Unique ID

The unique identification for the software. This can be any string that uniquely identifies the

software. This field is combined with Unique RegId to create the tag filename, so only characters

valid in a filename can be specified in this field.

Unique RegId

The unique registered identification for the software. Typically this is the same as the tag creator

regId. This field is combined with Unique Id to create the tag filename, so only characters valid in a

filename can be specified in this field. See below for formatting notes.

Entitlement Required

Specifies whether the software requires an entitlement. An entitlement is a guarantee of access to

benefits based on established rights.

Registered Identification (RegId) Formatting

RegIds must follow strict formatting guidelines to ensure consistent unique results. The format must

be "regid.YYYY-MM.domain" where domain is the company, organization, or individual's Internet

domain name (specified in reverse order), and MM and YYYY are the month and year when that

domain was registered. For example, the regId for Microsoft Software is "regid.1991-

06.com.microsoft" and Adobe Software is "regid.1986-12.com.adobe".



Dialogs

39

Edit Tags

This dialog allows the user to edit the properties of existing software identification tags. For more

details see software identification tags.

Location

The folder where the tag file (.SWIDTAG) will be placed when this package is installed. Typically

tags are installed to [CommonAppDataFolder] for all versions of Windows.

Title

The name or title of the software.

Version

The version of the software. The first version field is a user-friendly version string. This can be a

number like "12.0" or another version string like "2009." The second version field is used by

software to identify the exact version of the software. This field is specified in the form of

<major>.<minor>.<build>.<revision>.

Software Creator Name

The name of the company, organization, or individual that created the software.

Software Creator RegId The registered identification of the company, organization, or individual that created the software.

See below for formatting notes.

Licensor Creator Name The name of the company, organization, or individual that licensed the software. Typically this is

the same as the software creator, but can be different if the licensing body is not the same as the

software's creator. Smart Packager Administration Guide Scalable Software, Inc. February 2013


Dialogs

40

Edit Tags (cont.) Licensor Creator RegId

The registered identification of the company, organization, or individual that licensed the software.

Typically this is the same as the software creator, but can be different if the licensing body is not

the same as the software's creator. See below for formatting notes.

Tag Creator Name The name of the company, organization, or individual that created the software tags.

Unique Id

The unique identification for the software. This can be any string that uniquely identifies the

software. This field is combined with Unique RegId to create the tag filename, so only characters

valid in a filename can be specified in this field.

Unique RegId The unique registered identification for the software. Typically this is the same as the tag creator

regId. This field is combined with Unique Id to create the tag filename, so only characters valid in a

filename can be specified in this field. See below for formatting notes.

Entitlement Required

Specifies whether the software requires an entitlement. An entitlement is a guarantee of access to

benefits based on established rights.

Registered Identification (RegId) Formatting

RegIds must follow strict formatting guidelines to ensure consistent unique results. The format must

be "regid.YYYY-MM.domain" where domain is the company, organization, or individual's Internet

domain name (specified in reverse order), and MM and YYYY are the month and year when that

domain was registered. For example, the regId for Microsoft Software is "regid.1991-

06.com.microsoft" and Adobe Software is "regid.1986-12.com.adobe".



Dialogs

41

Completion

This is a confirmation dialog before moving the selected package to the completion phase.

Move this package to the Package Editor If selected the package will be removed from the Workflow page and added to the Editor page, else

the package will remain in the workflow list as a placeholder. The package can be moved to the

editor page at a later time.



Dialog

42

Options Dialog This dialog offers settings that affect how the Smart Packager operates.

Cleanup package files when saving a compressed package When this option is checked, Smart Packager will delete the uncompressed files from a

package when the package is saved. If this option is not checked, the uncompressed files

are not deleted when the package is saved. This includes when the package is saved as

either partially or fully compressed. Note: that adding or removing files to a compressed

package requires the package to first be uncompressed. Therefore if this option is not

checked and a compressed package is saved, it will expand the package and not remove the

uncompressed files.



Dialogs

43


Wizards:

New Package

Wizards New Package Welcome The welcome page is the introduction to the New Package wizard. Use the New Package wizard to

create a new package from scratch.

New Package Information

This page shows the new package information such as name and folder.

Package name

Enter the name for the new package. This is the name of the package (e.g. Firefox) not the

filename. Smart Packager will automatically append the ".msi" extension to the package name for

the new package filename.

Output folder Enter the output folder for the new package and supporting package files. The folder will be

created if it does not exist.

Browse

Click "Browse" to search for and select a folder on the local computer.

44


Wizards:

New Package

Wizards New Package Options This page allows the setting of options for the new package.

Architecture

Enter the target architecture for the new package. Select "x86" for a 32-bit package and "x64" for a

64-bit package.

Language

Select the language for the new package from the list of available languages. By default the

package will be created using the locale of the current user.

MSI schema version

The Windows Installer schema version to use for the new package. The default is the schema

corresponding to the version of Windows Installer installed on the currently machine, up to version

4.5. It will not default to version 5.0 since there is redistributable to support such packages on older

versions of Windows. For more see Windows Installer.

Installation mode

Select the installation mode used for the new package; per-user, per-machine, or automatic.

per-user: The new package is installed for a single user. per-machine: The new package is installed for all users. automatic: The new package is installed per-machine if possible, but if that fails the

package is installed per-user. This setting increases the reliability of the package by ensuring installation even when the user lacks full install privileges.

installed per-user: This setting increases the reliability of the package by ensuring installation even when the user lacks full install privileges.

45


Wizards:

New Package

Wizards New Package Finish The finish page shows a brief summary of the information before the new package is created. Click

"Finish" to create the new package.

Add package to the workflow page Select this item to add the newly created package to the Workflow page of the Smart Packager.

Add package to the editor page

Select this item to add the newly created package to the Editor page of the Smart Packager.

Open package for modification

Select this checkbox to open the newly created package in the editor. This allows for immediate

editing of the new package; e.g. adding files.

46


Wizards:

Test Package

Wizards Test Package Welcome The welcome page is the introduction to the Test Package wizard. This page shows a brief

summary of the package to be tested. The package can be tested by performing an installation on

the local machine or a remote machine.

Install locally on this machine

Select this item to test the package by performing an installation on the current machine.

Install remotely on another machine

Select this item to test the package by performing an installation on another machine.

47


Wizards:

Test Package

Wizards Test Package Local This page is used to test the package by performing the installation and optionally uninstallation on

the current machine. After the package has been installed on the current machine, please verify

the package was installed and functions correctly. Removal of the package can also be tested and

verified.

Note: This wizard page only appears if "Install locally" is selected on the Test Package Welcome

page.

Install

Click "Install" to begin the installation. If the package is already installed on the current machine it

will prompt to uninstall first.

Uninstall

Click "Uninstall" to remove the package.

48


Wizards:

Test Package

Wizards Test Package Remote This page is used to test the package by performing the installation on another machine. Because

of network security, installing a package onto a remote computer often fails. Therefore the user

must manually go to the remote test machine and perform the installation. Copy the Windows

Installer package to the remote machine and begin installation by double-clicking on the package.

The use of a virtual machine is a convenient way to test packages. After the package has been

installed on the remote machine, please verify the package was installed and functions correctly.

Note: This wizard page only appears if "Install remotely" is selected on the Test Package Welcome

page.

Package path

The full path to the package to be tested. This package should be copied to the test computer

before installation.

49


Wizards:

Test Package

Wizards Test Package Finish The finish page allows the workflow status of the package to be changed depending on the

success or failure of the package. If the package failed installation, the user may wish to move the

package back to the modification phase. If the package installation was a success; however,

additional testing is required, the package should remain in the testing phase. If the package

installation was a success and no additional testing is required, the user may wish to move the

package to the completion phase.

Move this package back to the modification phase Select this item to set the package's workflow status back to the modification phase.

Keep this package in the testing phase

Select this item to keep the package in the testing phase.

Move this package onto completion

Select this item to set the package's workflow status to the completion phase.

50

Discovery Overview Discovery is a tool used to generate a new package based upon changes to the system.

Discovery uses a low-level device driver to monitor the system for all changes. These

changes are then packaged into a new Windows Installer (MSI) file. See DiscoC for a

command line driven version designed for automated scripting of the repackaging process.

The following are typical changes to a system that a user might want to repackage using

Discovery:

• Installation of one or more Windows Installer based setup packages • Installation of one or more setup packages not based upon Windows Installer

technology. • Manual copy or moving files; e.g. “installation” of a program that does not include a

setup installer such as those distributed in a compressed file. • Changing of user or system settings.


Discovery

51

Best Practices The following are the best practices in software repackaging. They yield the best possible

results while minimizing the post-capture modification of the package. • Close all non-essential applications. This helps to ensure the changes added to the

new package are only those changes made by the desired application and not other

programs that were active on the system at the time of capture.

• Use a clean system. Many applications do not fully uninstall, therefore subsequent

reinstallations will not create the full set of files and registry keys associated with the

package.

• Stop anti-virus and other similar programs. It is not uncommon for anti-virus software

to block applications from making changes to the system which would result in an

incomplete repackaging.

• Disable Windows update and other auto-updating programs.

• Ensure the system is not busy performing other tasks, e.g. search indexing.

• After installation is complete, wait a few seconds before stopping the monitoring

process. Some installations continue modifying the system even after the installation

program has completed. Non-MSI installations can spawn child processes which can

continue to modify the system. Even MSI-based installations can use the Windows

Installer Service to perform installation tasks after the initial setup has completed.

• Perform the capture on a system that is very similar to the final target systems. For

example, for an organization that uses Windows XP SP3 with .NET 4.0, do not

perform the capture on Windows 7 SP1.

• Consider handling dependencies separately from main applications.

• Consider the use of a virtual machine as the machine on which the package is

captured. For more details see virtual machines.


Discovery

52


Discovery

Dependencies It is very common for software to depend on a common set of files and libraries, typically

referred to as "dependencies." Often times these dependencies are available in a Merge

Modules—a self-contained Windows Installer file with all the files and logic necessary to

install the dependency. Smart Packager includes a library of over 280 of the most common

merge modules for inclusion in new packages. When Discovery detects the installation of a

dependency it scans the library of available merge modules and includes the appropriate

merge modules in the new package.

1. The user can freely add or remove merge modules to the included library by following these simple steps:


Delete the file "mmcache.dat." This file contains a cached list of scanned merge modules.


Issues with Merge Modules

Although merge modules are a great way to handle dependencies, their use can lead to

problems with software repackaging. Merge modules were not designed with the inclusion of

multiple modules in mind. As such, some merge modules conflict with each other. The end

result is repackaging software that depends on multiple merge modules, especially different

versions of the same dependency, often fails. The best solution to this problem is to handle

dependencies separate from the software that requires it.

The first step is to repackage the software without any dependencies. To do this first identify

all dependencies of the software. Before running Discovery, manually install all dependencies

on the discovery computer or virtual machine. After installation a reboot may be required.

Next, run Discovery and repackage the software. Since the dependencies were previously

installed, this will repackage the software without any dependencies. The final step is to

handle dependencies manually on any machine the repackaged software is installed on to.

This can be done manually by installing the same dependencies used on the discovery

computer or virtual machine. Or one can use Discovery itself to repackage each individual

dependency into a new MSI file that can be installed on target computers.

53


Discovery

Dependencies (cont.) Redistributable dependency installations

Below are links to redistributable installers for the most common Microsoft dependencies.

These can be downloaded and installed on computers to allow manual handling of

dependencies.
















54


Discovery

Command Line Syntax

SmartPackager.exe

/w:<package path> Adds the specified package to the list of packages on the Workflow page.

/e:<package path> Adds the specified package to the tree of packages on the Editor page.

Examples:

SmartPackager.exe /w:"C:\Packages\libre_office.msi"

SmartPackager.exe /e:"C:\Program Files\Scalable\SmartPackager\Packages\firefox.msi"

Discovery.exe

/u Sets the default installation mode for the new package to "per user." This option

cannot be specified with /m.

/m Sets the default installation mode for the new package to "per machine." This option

cannot be specified with /u.

/r Sets the default packaging mode for the new package to "regular." This option

cannot be specified with /s.

/s Sets the default packaging mode for the new package to "smart repackaging." This

option cannot be specified with /r.

/c- Creates the new package uncompressed. By default new packages are created fully

compressed.

/r- Prevents creation of the results HTML files. By default a results HTML file is

generated with details of the newly created package.

/d Enables diagnostic mode. When diagnostic mode is enabled, Discovery does not

cleanup the temporary files used to create the package.

Examples

Discovery.exe /m /c-

Discovery.exe /d

Note: For a greater control and scripted use of Discovery, see the DiscoC command line

options.

55


License Key Dialog This dialog displays the Smart Packager license key as well as allows the user to enter a new

license key. For more details see Smart Packager licensing.

Existing License Key

Displays the existing license key (if any), as well as product edition and the date and day count

until expiration. If no license has been entered the product functions as Smart Package CE.

New License Key Enter a new license key for the Smart Packager.

Validate Click this button to validate the license key to ensure the key was typed correctly into the product.

After validation it will display the date and day count until expiration. Click OK to accept the new

license key or Cancel to retain the existing key.

Discovery:

Dialog

56


Discovery:

Dialogs

Evaluation In accordance with the licensing agreement, Smart Package CE will not repackage installations

based upon the Windows Installer. This dialog is displayed allowing the user to evaluate Smart

Packager Pro for 7 days. Please fill out the form and a new license key will be emailed to the email

address supplied.

First name

Enter your first name.

Last name

Enter your last name.

Organization

Enter your organization's name.

Email Enter your email address. A new license key will be sent to this address.

Phone

Enter your phone number.

Note: Your privacy is important to us. We will not sell, transfer, or otherwise disclose your personal

information to any third party.

57


Discovery

Welcome Page

The welcome page is the introduction to the Discovery wizard. This is a good time to ensure all

non-essential programs are closed before beginning the repackaging process.

The user can also view the best practices to ensure the most reliable results when repackaging.

58


Discovery

Package Page

This page shows the new package information such as name and folder.

Package name

Enter the name for the new package. This is the name of the package (e.g. Firefox) not the

filename. Discovery will automatically append the ".msi" extension to the package name for the

new package filename.

Output folder Enter the output folder for the new package and supporting package files. The folder will be

created if it does not exist.

Browse Click "Browse" to search for and select a folder on the local computer.

Show advanced options

Select this item to show additional options during package creation. If this item is not selected then

the Discovery wizard will be greatly simplified and package creation will use the default options.

59


Discovery

Options Page

This page allows the setting of advanced options for the new package.

Note: This wizard page only appears if "Show advanced options" is selected on the Package page.

Create compressed MSI package

Create a fully compressed Windows Installer package. If this item is not selected the new package

will be uncompressed. The default is to create a fully compressed package.

MSI schema version

The Windows Installer schema version to use for the new package. The default is the schema

corresponding to the version of Windows Installer installed on the currently machine, up to version

4.5. It will not default to version 5.0 since there is redistributable to support such packages on older

versions of Windows. For more see Windows Installer.

Generate results HTML file

Generate an HTML results during package creation. This results file contains all packaging settings

used, plus a full list of files, folders, registry keys, and registry values.

Packaging mode

Select the packaging mode used when creating the new package; regular, smart repackaging, or

automatic.

regular: Create an entirely new package based upon the monitored changes to the system.

smart repackaging: The new package is generated in such a way as to preserve Windows Installer features such as auto-repair and patching. This is the recommend setting when repackaging a Windows Installer installation. For more information see smart repackaging.

automatic: Discovery automatically uses the best packaging setting depending on what is being repackaged. If a Windows Installer package is being repackaged it will use smart repackaging, otherwise it will use the regular packaging mode.

Installation mode

Select the installation mode used for the new package; per-user, per-machine, or automatic.

per-user: The new package is installed for a single user. per-machine: The new package is installed for all users. automatic: The new package is installed the same as the original package. If

the original package installs per-user the new package will be created per-user, and the same with per-machine. However, some installation packages may install both per-user and per-machine files, in this case "automatic" attempts to determine the best setting for the new package.

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Discovery

Signing Page

Use this page to optionally add a digital signature to the new package. If an organizations has a

code-signing certificate, then they can use that certificate to sign the new package. The package

can also be "self-signed." For more details see creating a self-signing certificate. All certificates,

regardless of the type, must be added to the current machine's certificate store to be accessible for

package signing.


Sign package with a digital signature

Select this item to apply a digital signature to the new package.

Signing Certificate

Shows the name of the certificate that will be used to digitally sign the new package.

Browse Browse the current machine's certificate store to select the certificate. It will only show certificates

installed in the certificate store available to the current user and local machine.

Time Server Enter the URL of an Internet time server. The dropdown is pre-populated some several of the most

common code-signing time servers. This field is optional but recommend to ensure valid signing.

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Discovery

File Exclusions Page

This page allows files and folders to be excluded from the monitoring process. Discovery monitors

all file and folder activity except files and folders listed here. These files and folders will be

excluded from the new package. Discovery comes pre-populated with exclusions that omit typical

background Windows activity thereby preventing normal Windows operations from being added to

the new package. Some users may need to add additional exclusions to this list.

Depending on the type of software being repackaged, some of the existing exclusions may need to

be removed. For example, by default Discovery excludes Internet Explorer activity. However, to

correctly capture a package that installs an Internet Explorer plug-in may requires one or more of

these filters to be removed.

Exclusion filters can be one of 4 types; begins with, ends with, contains, and exact match.

begins with: Items will be excluded if they begin with the same path as this filter. ends with: Items will be excluded if they end with the same path as this filter. contains: Items will be excluded if any part of the path matches this filter. exact match: Items will be excluded if they are an exact match with this filter.


Exclusion list

Shows the current list of file and folder exclusions.

Add

Adds a new file exclusion to the list.

Remove Removes the selected exclusion(s) from the list.

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Discovery

Registry Exclusions Page

This page allows registry keys to be excluded from the monitoring process. Discovery monitors all

registry key activity except keys listed here. These keys will be excluded from the new package.

Discovery comes pre-populated with exclusions that omit typical background Windows activity

thereby preventing normal Windows operations from being added to the new package. Some users

may need to add additional exclusions to this list.

Depending on the type of software being repackaged, some of the existing exclusions may need to

be removed. For example, by default Discovery excludes Internet Explorer activity. However, to

correctly capture a package that installs an Internet Explorer plug-in may requires one or more of

these filters to be removed.

Exclusion filters can be one of 4 types: begins with, ends with, contains, and exact match.

begins with: Items will be excluded if they begin with the same path as this filter. ends with: Items will be excluded if they end with the same path as this filter. contains: Items will be excluded if any part of the path matches this filter. exact match: Items will be excluded if they are an exact match with this filter.


Exclusion list

Shows the current list of registry key exclusions.

Add Adds a new registry key exclusion to the list.

Remove

Removes the selected exclusion(s) from the list.

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Discovery

App-V Page

Discovery can simultaneously create both a Windows Installer package and a Microsoft Application

Virtualization (App-V) package. Creating an App-V package requires that the App-V Sequencer is

installed on the local computer. For more details see App-V.

Note: This wizard page only appears if "Show advanced options" is selected on the Package page

and if the App-V Sequencer is installed on the local machine.

Create App-V package

Select this item to create an App-V package in addition to a Windows Installer package.

Output Folder

Enter the output folder for the new App-V package files. The folder will be created if it does not

exist.

Browse

Click "Browse" to search for and select an existing folder.

Create compressed App-V package Create a compressed App-V package. If this item is not selected the new App-V package will be

uncompressed.

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Discovery

Sequence Page

On this page the package will be installed during which time all changes to the computer will be

recorded. From this data the new repackaged installation will later be created.

Note: This wizard page only appears if "Show advanced options" is selected on the Package page

and if the App-V Sequencer is installed on the local machine.

Package to install

Enter the path to the installation package. The path can be to an executable file (.EXE, .BAT, etc.)

or a Windows Installer MSI file.

Browse

Click "Browse" to search for and select an installation package on the local computer.

Start Discovery Click "Start Discovery" to begin the repackaging process. The specified setup will be launched and

the changes from that package will be captured. After installation is complete, Discovery will

automatically stop the live system capture. In order to capture the installation of multiple packages

while using App-V, you must place all the setup packages into a single batch file and specify that

file in the "Package to install" field.

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Discovery

Monitor Page

On this page the package will be installed during which time all changes to the computer will be

recorded. From this data the new repackaged installation will later be created. Repackaging an

installation is a three step process.

Step 1: Click "Start Discovery" to start monitoring the system for changes. Step 2: Modify the computer with the files, settings, and actions that are to be packaged.

Typically this involves installing one or more applications. However, Discovery will repackage anything including system and user settings, deleting files, uninstalling programs, etc.

Step 3: Click "Stop Discovery" to stop monitoring the system for changes.

Start Discovery

Click "Start Discovery" to begin monitoring the system for changes.

Stop Discovery After the package is installed and all changes are complete, click "Stop Discovery" to stop

monitoring the system for changes.

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Discovery

Results Page

This page shows the results of the system monitoring. All new, modified, and deleted files, folders,

and registry keys and values are displayed. Folders are shown in the left pane and individual items

are shown in the right pane. The user can view the results and optionally remove items to prevent

them from being added to the new package.

Modified Files Select this tab to view the newly created and modified files and folders.

Deleted Files

Select this tab to view the deleted files and folders.

Modified Registry

Select this tab to view the newly created and modified registry keys and values.

Deleted Registry

Select this tab to view the deleted registry keys and values.

Remove

Removes the selected item so it will not be added to the new package. If the selected item is a

folder or registry key it will perform a recursive delete.

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Discovery

Finish Page

The finish page shows a brief summary of the information before the new package is created. Click

"Finish" to begin the package creation.

Add new package to the Smart Packager

Select this checkbox to automatically add the newly created package to the Smart Packager

Workflow page.

Open package folder after creation

Select this checkbox to open a Windows Explorer window in the directory of the newly created

package.

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Overview Discovery Command Line version (or DiscoC) functions like Discovery in that it generates a

new package based upon changes to the system. However, it has no user interface and is

driven entirely from the command line. This allows for automated scripting of the repackaging

process. DiscoC uses a low-level device driver to monitor the system for all changes. These

changes are then packaged into a new Windows Installer (MSI) file.

The following are typical changes to a system that a user might want to repackage using

DiscoC:

• Installation of one or more Windows Installer based setup packages. • Installation of one or more setup packages not based upon Windows Installer

technology. • Manual coping or moving of files; e.g. "installation" of a program that does not

include a setup installer such as those distributed in a compressed file.

Best Practices The following are the best practices in software repackaging. They yield the best possible

results while minimizing the post-capture modification of the package. • Close all non-essential applications. This helps to ensure the changes added to the

new package are only those changes made by the desired application and not other

programs that were active on the system at the time of capture.

• Use a clean system. Many applications do not fully uninstall, therefore subsequent

reinstallations will not create the full set of files and registry keys associated with the

package.

• Stop anti-virus and other similar programs. It is not uncommon for anti-virus software

to block applications from making changes to the system which would result in an

incomplete repackaging.

• Disable Windows update and other auto-updating programs.

• Ensure the system is not busy performing other tasks, e.g. search indexing.

• After installation is complete, wait a few seconds before stopping the monitoring

process. Some installations continue modifying the system even after the installation

program has completed. Non-MSI installations can spawn child processes which can

continue to modify the system. Even MSI-based installations can use the Windows

Installer Service to perform installation tasks after the initial setup has completed.

• Perform the capture on a system that is very similar to the final target systems. For

example, for an organization that uses Windows XP SP3 with .NET 4.0, do not

perform the capture on Windows 7 SP1.

• Consider handling dependencies separately from main applications.

• Consider the use of a virtual machine as the machine on which the package is

captured. For more details see virtual machines.

Discovery Command

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Discovery Command

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Dependencies It is very common for software to depend on a common set of files and libraries, typically

referred to as "dependencies." Often times these dependencies are available in a Merge

Modules—a self-contained Windows Installer file with all the files and logic necessary to

install the dependency. Smart Packager includes a library of over 280 of the most common

merge modules for inclusion in new packages. When Discovery detects the installation of a

dependency it scans the library of available merge modules and includes the appropriate

merge modules in the new package.

1. The user can freely add or remove merge modules to the included library by following these simple steps:


Delete the file "mmcache.dat." This file contains a cached list of scanned merge modules.


Issues with Merge Modules Although merge modules are a great way to handle dependencies, their use can lead to

problems with software repackaging. Merge modules were not designed with the inclusion of

multiple modules in mind. As such, some merge modules conflict with each other. The end

result is repackaging software that depends on multiple merge modules, especially different

versions of the same dependency, often fails. The best solution to this problem is to handle

dependencies separate from the software that requires it.

The first step is to repackage the software without any dependencies. To do this first identify

all dependencies of the software. Before running Discovery, manually install all dependencies

on the discovery computer or virtual machine. After installation a reboot may be required.

Next, run Discovery and repackage the software. Since the dependencies were previously

installed, this will repackage the software without any dependencies. The final step is to

handle dependencies manually on any machine the repackaged software is installed on to.

This can be done manually by installing the same dependencies used on the discovery

computer or virtual machine. Or one can use Discovery itself to repackage each individual

dependency into a new MSI file that can be installed on target computers.

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Discovery Command

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Dependencies (cont.) Redistributable dependency installations

Below are links to redistributable installers for the most common Microsoft dependencies.

These can be downloaded and installed on computers to allow manual handling of

dependencies.
















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DiscoC Command Line DiscoC.exe

/Config:<filename.ini> Specifics the configuration file containing all the settings for repackaging. See below for the

config file syntax.

Examples

DiscoC.exe /Config:"FirefoxRepackage.ini"

Configuration INI File Settings

The config INI file follows the standard syntax for Windows INI files. Below are the valid

sections and values.

[General]

PackageName=Firefox

The name for the new package. This is the name of the package (e.g. Firefox) not the

filename. DiscoC will automatically append the ".msi" extension to the package name for the

new package filename. This setting is required.

PackageFolder=Packages\Firefox

The output folder for the new package and supporting package files. The folder will be

created if it does not exist. The path can be specified relative (as shown here), a full path

(C:\Packages\Firefox), or as a UNC path. If this setting is omitted DiscoC will default to the

"Packages" folder under the folder containing DiscoC.exe.

InstallPackage="C:\Install\Firefox Setup.exe"

Specifies the program to be installed or executed for repackaging (executable file, MSI file, or

batch file). Do not add command line options to this field. In order specify command line

options for installation, create batch file containing the command line and options and specify

that file in this field. This setting is required.

Compressed=0

Specifies whether the output package is to be fully compressed or uncompressed. Values

are 0 for uncompressed and 1 for fully compressed. If omitted the default value is 1 (fully

compressed).

Results=0

Specifies whether to create a results HTML file during package creation. This results file

contains all packaging settings used, plus a full list of files, folders, registry keys, and registry

values. Values are 0 for no log file and 1 to create a log file. If omitted the default is 1 (create

a log file).

MsiVersion=300

The Windows Installer schema version to use for the new package. Values are 300, 400,

405, and 500 for MSI versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 respectively. The default is the schema

corresponding to the version of Windows Installer installed on the currently machine, up to

version 4.5. It will not default to version 5.0 since there is redistributable to support such

packages on older versions of Windows. For more see Windows Installer.

Discovery Command

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DiscoC Command Line (cont.) PackagingMode=Smart

Specifies the packaging mode used when creating the new package. Values are Regular, Smart,

and Auto.

regular: Create an entirely new package based upon the monitored changes to the system.

smart: The new package is generated in such a way as to preserve Windows Installer

features such as auto-repair and patching. This is the recommend setting when repackaging a

Windows Installer installation. For more information see Smart Repackaging.

auto: Discovery automatically uses the best packaging setting depending on what is being

repackaged.

If a Windows Installer package is being repackaged it will use smart repackaging, otherwise it will

use the regular packaging mode.

InstallMode=Machine

Specifies the installation mode used for the new package. Values are User, Machine, and Auto.

user: The new package is installed for a single user.

machine: The new package is installed for all users.

auto: The new package is installed the same as the original package.

If the original package installs per-user the new package will be created per-user, and the

same with per-machine. However, some installation packages may install both per-user and

per-machine files. In this case, "automatic" attempts to determine the best setting for the new

package.

EnableMergeModules=0

Specifies whether the merge modules folders will be used during repackaging. Since some Merge

Modules conflict with each other, this setting allows all merge modules to be ignored. Values are 0

to disable merge modules and 1 to enable merge modules. If omitted the default value is 1(enabled

merge module support).

DiagMode=1

Enables diagnostic mode. When diagnostic mode is enabled, DiscoC does not cleanup the

temporary files used to create the package. If omitted the default value is 0.

[AppV]

Capture=1

Enables the simultaneous creation of an App-V package. Values are 0 to only create a Windows

Installer package or 1 to also create an App-V package. The default value is 0. Creating an App-V

package requires that the App-V Sequencer is installed on the local computer. For more details see

App-V.

PackageFolder=C:\Output\AppV

Specifies the output folder for the new App-V package. DiscoC will append the package name to

the path (e.g. C:\Output\AppV\Firefox) and will create the folder. If the folder already exists it will be

overwritten. The path can be specified relative (as shown here) or a full path (C:\Packages\Firefox).

If this setting is omitted DiscoC will default to the current user's desktop.

Discovery Command

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DiscoC Command Line (cont.) Compressed=0

Specifies whether the output App-V package is to be compressed or uncompressed. Values are 0 for

uncompressed and 1 for compressed. If omitted the default value is 0 (uncompressed).

AdditionalParams=/MSI

Specifies additional parameters for the App-V Sequencer. Any additional parameters will be passed

to App-V without validation, so check the App-V Sequencer command line syntax for valid options.

[MergeModuleFolders]

0=Merge Modules

1=C:\MMCache

2=\\server\share\MSMs

Specifies the location of one or more merge module cache folders. The folders can be specified a

relative path, full path, or a UNC path. These folders are scanned and an index file named

"mmcache.dat" is created. If the file mmcache.dat exists, the merge module folders are not

rescanned. So if there is a change to the merge module folders delete the file mmcache.dat to ensure

the new folders are scanned.

[FileFilter.Add]

0=0,C:\Files

1=3,C:\DiscoC.ptl

2=2,\Temp\

This section specifies additional file exclusion filters.

The syntax is "<type>,<filter>"

Type can be: 0 = Begins with

1 = Ends with

2 = Contains

3 = Exact match

So "2,Adobe\Temp" is any path which contains "Adobe\Temp"

[FileFilter.Remove]

0=0,C:\Windows\Temp

1=3,C:\Windows\system32\perfc009.dat

This section specifies default file exclusion filters to be removed. The syntax is the same as the

FileFilter Add section.

[RegFilter.Add]

0=0,HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers

1=2,\ControlSet002\

This section specifies additional registry exclusion filters. The syntax is the same as the FileFilter.Add

section.

[RegFilter.Remove]

0=0,HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SessionInformation

1=0,HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SECURITY

This section specifies default registry exclusion filters to be removed. The syntax is the same as

FileFilter.Add section. Smart Packager Administration Guide

Scalable Software, Inc. February 2013

Discovery Command

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2013TD00102

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