Files

Click File > Find to search for icon and shortcut definitions that include certain information.

Click File > Import to import icons and shortcuts from another Application object. The Open dialog box defaults to *.axt for its file type display. If you are importing from a .aot file, you must change the file type display to *.aot or All Files in order to select the .aot file.

Add

Click Add to add a new program group, program group item, or shortcut. Program groups and program group items are supported on Windows 98 workstations but not on Windows 2000/XP workstations. Shortcuts are supported on all Windows versions.

IMPORTANT:  When defining the target path for a shortcut, if the application will be distributed to a Windows 2000/XP workstation you must use a UNC path rather than a mapped drive path. Long mapped drive paths are truncated on Windows 2000/XP, resulting in an invalid shortcut that does not work.

Modify

Select an icon or shortcut from the Icons and Shortcuts list, then click Modify to change the information associated with it.

Delete

Select an icon or shortcut from the Icons and Shortcuts list, then click Delete to delete it from the list.

File

This option lets you search for keys or values in the Registry Settings tree, import settings into the tree, and export settings from the tree.

Click File, then choose one of the following options:

• Find: Searches for specific keys, value names, or value data in the registry.

• Find Next: Finds the next occurrence of the key, value name, or value data previously searched for.

• Import: Imports registry settings from another Application object's .aot or .axt file, or from a registry file (.reg). The Open dialog box defaults to *.axt for its file type display. If you are importing from an .aot file or .reg file, you must change the file type display to *.aot, *.reg, or All Files in order to select the appropriate file.

• Export: Exports the registry settings to a registry file (.reg). To export the settings to an .aot or .axt file format, you must export the entire Application object using the Export Application Object option located on the Tools > ZENworks Utilities > Application Launcher Tools menu.

Add

This option lets you add registry settings to the Registry Settings tree. Only settings displayed in the Registry Settings tree are created or deleted when the application is distributed.

To add a registry key or value, select the registry folder where you want to add the key, or select the key where you want to add a value, click the Add button, then choose one of the following options:

• Key: Adds a key to the selected registry folder.

• Binary: Adds a binary value to the selected key.

• Expand String: Adds an expand string value to the selected key. The expand string setting does not exist in the Windows 98 registry; if you use this setting, it is changed to a string setting during distribution to Windows 98 workstations.

• Default: Adds a default string value to the selected key.

• DWORD: Adds a DWORD value to the selected key.

• Multi-String Value: Adds a multi-value string to the selected key. The multi-value string setting does not exist in the Windows 98 registry; if you use this setting, it is changed to a binary setting during distribution to Windows 98 workstations.

• String: Adds a string value to the selected key.

After the key or value is added to the Registry Settings tree, you can use the Distribution Options list to determine whether or not the key or value is created in the workstation's registry or deleted from the registry.

You can use a macro for a key name, value name, or value data. For information about macros, see Reference: Macros.

Modify

Select the key or value you want to modify, then click Modify.

Delete

Select the key or value you want to delete, then click Delete. When you delete a key, everything subordinate to the key is also deleted.

Item Will

In the Registry Settings tree, select the setting, then select the action that you want to occur for the setting when the application is distributed:

• Create Always: The setting is always created in the registry, even if it already exists. If it exists, the setting's current values are overwritten. For example, if PATH=C:\ already exists, PATH=C:\TEMP replaces it.

• Create If Does Not Exist: The setting is created only if it does not already exist.

• Create If Exists: The setting is created only if it already exists. The setting's current values are overwritten. For example, if PATH=C:\ already exists, PATH=C:\TEMP replaces it.

• Delete: The setting is deleted. If the registry setting has subordinate settings, Application Launcher deletes the subordinate settings also.

• Append If Exists Otherwise Create: This option applies only to string values (String, Default String, Expanded String, and Multi-Value String). The string value's data is added to the existing string as the last entry. If the string value (or its key) does not exist, it is created.

  When specifying the string value, you must include a semicolon (;) delimiter before the value if the string has existing values. For example, assume that the registry already includes a string1=value1 setting. You want to append a second value (value2). When specifying the string value, you must specify ;value2 so that the resulting string is string1=value1;value2.

• Prepend If Exists Otherwise Create: This option applies only to string values (String, Default String, Expanded String, and Multi-Value String). The string value's data is added to the existing string as the first entry. If the string value (or its key) does not exist, it is created.

  When specifying the string value, you must include a semicolon (;) delimiter after the value if the string has existing values. For example, assume that the registry already includes a string1=value1 setting. You want to prepend a second value (value2). When specifying the string value, you must specify value2; so that the resulting string is string1=value2;value1.

Track Distribution Per User

If you have implemented roaming user profiles, use this option to ensure that particular registry settings are distributed to each workstation a user logs in to. You should enable this option for all registry settings that are not saved as part of roaming user profiles.

In the Registry Settings list, select the desired registry modification, then select the Track Distribution Per User check box.

Distribute Always

By default, Application Launcher distributes the registry modifications defined in the Registry Settings list only at the following times:

• The first time the application is launched on a workstation.
• The first time the application is launched after the application's version number (Distribution Options tab > Options page) has been changed.

To force Application Launcher to distribute a registry modification each time the application is launched, select the registry setting in the Registry Settings list, the select the Distribute Always check box.

If the user has a NAL cache directory on his or her local machine, Application Launcher uses the setting information stored in the NAL cache directory to modify the registry. If the user does not have a NAL cache directory (for example, the user is running Application Launcher through a terminal server client session) or if writing to the cache has been disabled for the user (User object > ZENworks tab > Launcher Configuration page > Enable Writing to Cache option), Application Launcher uses the setting information stored in eDirectory.

File

This option lets you search for items in the Application Files list and import files and directories into the list.

Click File > choose one of the following options:

• Find: Searches for specific items in the list. You can search for text in the Name, Target Directory, or Source fields. For example, you could search for all files and directories that are being installed under the Program Files directory.

• Find Next: Finds the next occurrence of the item specified by the initial search.

• Import: Imports application files and directories from another Application object's .aot or .axt file. The Open dialog box defaults to *.axt for its file type display. If you are importing from an .aot file, you must change the file type display to *.aot or All Files in order to select the .aot file.

Add

This option lets you add files or directories to the Application Files list. Only files and directories displayed in the Application Files list are installed to, removed from, or copied to the workstation during distribution.

• File: To add a file to the list, click Add, then click File to display the Edit Files dialog box.

  In the Source File field, specify the file to be used as the source of the installation. You can use a mapped drive, UNC path, or macro, or you can browse and select the file (for example, \\server1\vol1\bookmarks\bookmark.htm or %SOURCE_PATH%\bookmark.htm). The source file can be a single file that is copied, multiple files (for example, %SOURCE_PATH%\*.*), or a snAppShot^TM application source (.fil) file.

  If you are deleting a file from the workstation, leave this field blank.

  In the Target File field, specify the file on the workstation where the source file will be copied (for example, c:\program files\novell\browser\bookmark.htm). You can also substitute a macro for the target path (for example, %TARGET_PATH%\bookmark.htm). If you are copying multiple files using a wildcard (*.*), specify the destination directory only (for example, c:\program files\novell\browser\).

  If you are deleting the file from a workstation, enter the full path for the file from the perspective of the workstation, then select the Target File to Be Deleted check box.

• Directory: To add a directory to the list, click Add, then click Directory to display the Edit Directory dialog box.

  In the Source Directory field, specify the directory to be used as the source, if you are copying the directory. You can use a mapped drive, UNC path, or macro, or you can browse and select the directory (for example, c:\program files\novell). You can also substitute a macro for the directory path (for example, %DIRECTORY_TARGET_PATH%\novell).

  If you are creating or deleting a directory, the Source Directory field is disabled.

  In the Target Directory field, specify the directory to create or delete, or you can specify the directory on the workstation where the source directory will be copied (for example, c:\program files\novell). You can also substitute a macro for the directory path (for example, %DIRECTORY_TARGET_PATH%\novell).

  Select Create Directory to create the directory on the workstation.

  Select Delete Directory to delete the directory from the workstation.

  Select Copy Directory to copy the directory to the workstation. When you select Copy Directory, the Include Subdirectories option becomes available. Click the Include Subdirectories check box if you want to copy the subdirectories of the directory listed in the Source Directory field.

Modify

Select the file or folder you want to modify, then click Modify.

Delete

Select the file or folder you want to delete, then click Delete to remove it from the Application Files list.

Item Will

Select a file in the Application Files list > select one of the following options from the Item Will list:

• Copy Always: Copies the file regardless of whether the file currently exists on the workstation.

• Copy if Exists: Copies the file only if the file currently exists on the workstation.

• Copy if Does Not Exist: Copies the file only if the file does not currently exist on the workstation.

• Copy if Newer: Copies the file only if its date and time are newer than the existing file's date and time, or if the file does not currently exist on the workstation.

• Copy if Newer and Exists: Copies the file only if it already exists on the workstation and has an older date or time.

• Copy if Newer Version: Copies the file only if its internal version is newer than the existing file's version (if version information is present). This is useful if you want to update the version of an EXE or DLL file based on the compiled version information.

• Request Confirmation: Prompts the user to verify that the file should be copied.

• Copy if Different: Copies the file if its date, time, or size is different than the existing file's date, time, or size.

• Delete: Deletes the file from the workstation.

Select a folder in the Application Files list, then select one of the following options from the Item Will list:

• Create: Creates the directory on the workstation.

• Delete: Deletes the directory from the workstation.

Track Distribution Per User

If you have implemented roaming user profiles, use this option to ensure that application files are distributed to each workstation a user logs in to. You should enable this option for all application files that are not saved as part of roaming user profiles.

In the Application Files list, select the desired application files, then select Track Distribution Per User.

Distribute Always

By default, Application Launcher distributes the file and folder modifications defined in the Application Files list only at the following times:

• The first time the application is launched on a workstation.
• The first time the application is launched after the application's version number (Distribution Options tab > Options page) has been changed.

To force Application Launcher to distribute a file or folder modification each time the application is launched, select the file or folder in the Application Files list, then select Distribute Always.

If the user has a NAL cache directory on his or her local machine, Application Launcher uses the information stored in the NAL cache directory to install or remove the file or folder. If the user does not have a NAL cache directory (for example, the user is running Application Launcher through a terminal server client session) or if writing to the cache has been disabled for the user (User object > ZENworks tab > Launcher Configuration page > Enable Writing to Cache option), Application Launcher uses the information stored in eDirectory.

Shared File

Use this option to mark a file as a shared file (that is, one that is used by more than one application). Shared files are usually Windows DLL files. SnAppShot detects shared files when it discovers application installation changes on a workstation.

File

This option lets you search for files, sections, or values in the INI Settings tree, import settings into the tree, export settings from the tree, or view a file's INI settings.

Click File > choose one of the following options:

• Find: Searches for specific files, sections, or values.

• Find Next: Finds the next occurrence of the item specified by the initial search.

• Import: Imports INI settings from another Application object's .aot or .axt file, or from a .ini file. The Open dialog box defaults to *.axt for its file type display. If you are importing from a .aot file or .ini file, you must change the file type display to *.aot, *.ini, or All Files in order to select the appropriate file.

• Export: Exports the settings to an .ini file. To export the settings to an .aot or .axt file, you must export the entire Application object using the Export Application Object option located on the Tools > ZENworks Utilities > Application Launcher Tools menu.

• View File: Displays the INI settings for a specific file that are modified when the application is distributed. You must select the file from the INI Settings tree before you click File > View File.

Add

This option lets you add INI settings to the INI Settings tree. Only settings displayed in the INI Settings tree are created or deleted when the application is distributed. You can add a file to the tree, a section to a file, or a value to a section.

To do so, select the appropriate item in the tree, click the Add button, then choose one of the following options:

• File: Adds a file to the INI Settings tree. In addition to providing a file name, you can specify the target location for the file. By default, the %*WINDIR% macro is used, which represents the workstation's Windows directory (typically c:\windows or c:\winnt). After you name the file, you can begin adding sections to it.

• Section: Adds a section to the selected file. After you name the section, you can begin adding values to it.

• Value: Adds a value to the selected section. You must specify the value name and value data.

After you've added a value to the INI Settings tree, you can use the Distribution Options list to determine whether or not it is created or deleted from the workstation. If the value needs to be created but the file or section does not exist, Application Launcher creates the file or section before adding the value.

You can use a macro for a section name, value name, or value data. For more information about macros, see Reference: Macros.

Modify

You can modify a file's name, a section's name, or a value's name and data. Select the file, section, or value you want to modify, then click Modify.

Delete

Select the file, section, or value you want to delete from the INI Settings tree, then click Delete. When deleting a file or section, everything subordinate to it is also deleted.

Item Will

Use this option to determine whether a setting is created or deleted when the application is distributed. Select a value in the INI Settings tree, then select one of the following options from the Item Will list:

• Create Always (Default): Creates the value regardless of whether the value currently exists in the section.

• Create if Does Not Exist: Creates the value only if the value does not currently exist in the section.

• Create if Exists: Creates the value only if the value currently exists in the section.

• Create or Add to Existing Section: Creates the value if the value does not currently exist in the section. If the value exists, it adds this value to the section in addition to the one that already exists. This is useful, for example, if you need multiple values of the same type, such as two "DEVICE=" values.

• Create or Append to Existing Value: Creates the value if the value does not currently exist in the section. If the value exists, it appends the data for the new value to the existing value. The first character in the value data needs to be the separator character, such as a space.

• Delete: Deletes the value from the section.

• Delete or Remove From Existing Value: Deletes the value from the section, or, if the value has multiple data entries, removes this value's data entry from the value. For example, suppose the following setting is in the win.ini file: Run = sol.exe calc.exe. Using this option, you can remove just calc.exe, leaving the following: Run = sol.exe. The first character in the value data needs to be a separator character, such as a space.

Move Up / Move Down

Use these options to position sections and values in the order in which you want them to be created, modified, or deleted.

In the INI Settings tree, select the section or value to move, then click Move Up or Move Down.

Distribute Always

By default, Application Launcher distributes the modifications defined in the INI Settings list only at the following times:

• The first time the application is launched on a workstation.
• The first time the application is launched after the application's version number (Distribution Options tab > Options page) has been changed.

If the user has a NAL cache directory on his or her local machine, Application Launcher uses the information stored in the NAL cache directory to make the INI modification. If the user does not have a NAL cache directory (for example, the user is running Application Launcher through a terminal server client session) or if writing to the cache has been disabled for the user (User object > ZENworks tab > Launcher Configuration page > Enable Writing to Cache option), Application Launcher uses the information stored in eDirectory.

To force Application Launcher to distribute an INI modification each time the application is launched, select the INI setting in the INI Settings list, then select Distribute Always.

NOTE:  After you save the Application object and open it again, settings that you mark as Distribute Always are grouped after settings that are not marked Distribute Always, regardless of their creation order or their forced order (by using the Move Up and Move Down arrows).

For example, if you have a section with two Distribute Always values (DAValue1 and DAValue2) and two non-Distribute Always value (Value3 and Value 4), the values are listed in the following order: Value3, Value4, DAValue1, DAValue2.

You can use the Move Up and Move Down arrows to change the order within the two groupings, but the Distribute Always group is always listed second. For example, using the previous ordering (Value3, Value4, DAValue1, DAValue 2), you could change the order of the first two values and the order of the second two values to get the following order: Value4, Value3, DAValue2, DAValue1. However, if you change the order to list the Distribute Always values first (DAValue2, DAValue1, Value4, Value3), when you save the Application object the order reverts to Value4, Value3, DAValue2, DAValue1.

Track Distribution Per User

If you have implemented roaming user profiles, use this option to ensure that particular .ini file settings are distributed to each workstation a user logs in to. You should enable this option for all .ini file settings that are not saved as part of roaming user profiles.

In the INI Settings tree, select the setting you want to track, then select Track Distribution Per User.

File

This option lets you search for files or text in the Text Files tree and import files into the tree.

Click File, then choose one of the following options:

• Find: Searches for specific files or information in the Text Files tree.

• Find Next: Finds the next occurrence of the item specified by the initial search.

• Import: Imports text files from another Application object's .aot or .axt file. The Open dialog box defaults to *.axt for its file type display. If you are importing from a .aot file, you must change the file type display to *.aot or All Files in order to select the .aot file.

Add

This option lets you add text file modifications to the Text Files tree. Only the modifications displayed in the Text Files tree are made when the application is distributed.

• File: To add a text file to the tree, click Add > File to create the file entry. You can type the filename or the path and filename (for example, autoexec.bat or c:\autoexec.bat). Only local workstation drives, UNC server paths, and macros are valid.

  You should specify a path if possible. If you enter only the filename, Application Launcher searches all directories specified in the workstation's PATH environment variable. If it does not find a matching filename, it assumes the file doesn't exist and creates it in the first directory specified in the PATH variable.

• Change: To add a change to a file that is in the Text Files list, select the file, click Add > Change to display the Edit Text File dialog box. Make the desired changes. Click Help in the Edit Text File dialog box for information about each of the dialog box fields.

  You can add multiple modifications to a text file. For example, you might want to make one modification that replaces text in the file and another modification that adds text to the end of the file. Each modification you add is displayed beneath the text file in the Text Files list.

  IMPORTANT:   If you make changes to a text file (adding text, for example), you can add only one line at a time. If you press Enter to create a line break, your change saves.

Modify

To change the name of a text file, select the file in the Text Files tree, click Modify, then specify the new name.

To edit one of the text file's modifications, select the modification in the Text Files tree, click Modify to display the Edit Text File dialog box, then make the desired changes. Click Help in the Edit Text File dialog box for information about each of the dialog box fields.

Delete

In the Text File tree, select the text file or text file modification you want to delete > click Delete.

No Reboot Needed If Modified

This option appears only when you have selected a text file. Check this option if you don't want users to reboot after you make changes to the selected text file. The Reboot and Prompt Reboot options on the Distribution Options > Options page override this setting.

Move Up / Move Down

These options appear only when you have selected a text file modification. Click Move Up or Move Down to position the modification according to the order in which you want it applied.

Distribute Always

By default, Application Launcher distributes the text file modifications defined in the Text Files list only at the following times:

• The first time the application is launched on a workstation.
• The first time the application is launched after the application's version number (Distribution Options tab > Options page) has been changed.

If the user has a NAL cache directory on his or her local machine, Application Launcher uses the information stored in the NAL cache directory to make the modification. If the user does not have a NAL cache directory (for example, the user is running Application Launcher through a terminal server client session) or if writing to the cache has been disabled for the user (User object > ZENworks tab > Launcher Configuration page > Enable Writing to Cache option), Application Launcher uses the information stored in eDirectory.

To force Application Launcher to distribute a text file modification each time the application is launched, select the modification in the Text Files list, then select Distribute Always.

NOTE:  After you save the Application object and open it again, modifications that you mark as Distribute Always are grouped after modifications that are not marked Distribute Always, regardless of their creation order or their forced order (by using the Move Up and Move Down arrows).

For example, if you have a file with two Distribute Always modifications (DAMod1 and DAMod2) and two non-Distribute Always modifications (Mod3 and Mod4), the modifications are listed in the following order: Mod3, Mod4, DAMod1, DAMod2.

You can use the Move Up and Move Down arrows to change the order within the two groupings, but the Distribute Always group is always listed second. For example, using the previous ordering (Mod3, Mod4, DAMod1, DAMod 2), you could change the order of the first two modifications and the order of the second two modifications to get the following order: Mod4, Mod3, DAMod2, DAMod1. However, if you change the order to list the Distribute Always modifications first (DAMod2, DAMod1, Mod4, Mod3), when you save the Application object the order reverts to Mod4, Mod3, DAMod2, DAMod1.

Track Distribution Per User

If you have implemented roaming user profiles, use this option to ensure that particular text file modifications are distributed to each workstation a user logs in to. You should enable this option for all modifications that are not saved as part of roaming user profiles.

In the Text Files list, select the desired modification, then select Track Distribution Per User.

None

Use this option to indicate no schedule. The application is pre-installed as soon as the application is associated with a user or workstation (Associations page).

Specified Days

Use this option to select specific dates when you want to pre-install the application. You cannot select more than 350 specific dates.

• Date Range: The Date Range list displays all dates when the application can be pre-installed. To add a date, click Add, select the date you want, then click OK to display it in the list.

• Time for Selected Dates: Select the availability start time and end time. The times apply to all dates in the Date Range list.

  NOTE:  The time increments in 5 minute intervals, with the earliest available start time being 00:00 (12:00 a.m.) and the latest end time being 23:55 (11:55 p.m.). This means there is always a 5-minute time period from 11:55 p.m. to 12:00 midnight when the application is unavailable. If you want the application to be available the entire day, you need to use the Range of Days schedule type. For more information, see Range of Days.

• Spread from Start Time (in Minutes): The Spread from Start Time option spreads out user access times over the number of minutes specified so the application doesn't become available to all users at the same time. If you anticipate all users launching the application as soon as it becomes available and the application is being distributed or run from the network, you can use this option to avoid possible network overload.

  For example, if you have a moderate number of users to whom the application is to be distributed (say about 100), you might specify a one-hour (60 minute) block of time (starting at the scheduled start time) to randomly distribute the application: thus all users will gain access to the application some time during the first sixty minutes after the scheduled start time.

  If you want to substantially ease the load on your servers caused by the application distribution, or if you have bandwidth concerns, you might want to make the application distribute randomly throughout the time of availability. To spread out access times across the entire time (Specified Days and Time for Selected Dates) that the application is available, use the total availability time specified for that application in terms of minutes. This will require that you make the maximum time available for each day you specify. For example, if an application is configured for a typical business day in the United States (9 hours per day: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), you calculate the total time of availability for that application like this:

  Number of Specified Hours x 60 minutes per hour = Total Availability Time per day

  Using this equation, the example above would be calculated like this:

  9 x 60 (minutes per hour) = 540 minutes of availability

  In this example, when you enter 540 minutes in the Spread from Start Time field, the application is distributed randomly for the entire 540 minutes that you have made it available on that scheduled day. Note that this might not be suitable for applications that must be distributed in a timely fashion, such as anti-virus updates.

  Remember that the Time for Selected Dates setting makes the last five minutes of a day unscheduleable, so you need to consider these five minutes if the application schedule ends at 11:55 p.m. for that day.

Range of Days

Use this option to select a range of days to pre-install the application. You can also use this option to pre-install the application only on certain days of the week within a given range of dates.

• Date Range: To define the range of days, select a start date and an end date > select the days (Sunday through Saturday) within the established date range. By default, all days are selected; a day is selected when the button appears to be pressed in.

• Time for Selected Range: Select the availability start time and end time. This option works differently depending on whether the date range includes one day, multiple days, or all seven days. If the date range includes one to six days (but not all seven days), the application is available between the start and end times on those days. For example, if you make the application available on Monday between 8:00 and 5:00, it is available during those hours. However, if the date range includes all seven days, the times are ignored and the application is available every day, 24 hours a day.

• Spread from Start Time (in Minutes): The Spread from Start Time option spreads out user access times over the number of minutes specified so the application doesn't become available to all users at the same time. If you anticipate all users launching the application as soon as it becomes available and the application is being distributed or run from the network, you can use this option to avoid possible network overload.

  For example, if you have a moderate number of users to whom the application is to be distributed (say about 100), you might specify a one-hour (60 minute) block of time (starting at the scheduled start time) to randomly distribute the application: thus all users will gain access to the application some time during the first sixty minutes after the scheduled start time.

  If you want to ease the load of the application distribution on your servers or if you have bandwidth concerns, you might want to make the application distribute randomly throughout the time of availability. To spread out access times across the entire time (Date Range and Time for Selected Dates) that the application is available, use the total availability time specified for that application in terms of minutes. For example, if a workstation-assocated application is configured for an entire 24-hour day, three-shift week, you can calculate the total time of availability for that application like this:

  Number of Days in Date Range x Time of Availability per day = Total Availability Time

  Using this equation, and making sure to convert hours to minutes, the example above would be calculated like this:

  7 (days) x 24 (hours) = 168 hours of availability

  168 x 60 (minutes per hour) = 10,080 minutes of availability

  When you enter 10800 minutes in the Spread from Start Time field, the application is distributed randomly for the entire10800 minutes that you have made it available. Note that this is not suitable for applications that must be distributed in a timely fashion, such as anti-virus updates.

• Use this Schedule in GMT for All Clients: The schedule is based on the workstation's time zone. If your network spans different time zones and you schedule an application to run at 1:00 p.m., it runs at 1:00 p.m. in each time zone. You can select this option to have workstations run applications at the same time regardless of their time zones (for example, 1:00 p.m. Rome time and 4:00 a.m. Los Angeles time).

Distribute Always

By default, Application Launcher makes the distribution changes associated with the Application object at the following times:

• The first time the application is launched on a workstation.
• The first time the application is launched after the application's version number has been changed.

To force Application Launcher to redistribute the application each time it is launched, check Distribute Always.

This option is useful to ensure that all application settings and files are updated every time the application runs. If the user has a NAL cache directory on his or her local machine, the files and settings are distributed from the NAL cache directory. If the user does not have a NAL cache directory (for example, the user is running Application Launcher through a terminal server client session) or if writing to the cache has been disabled for the user (User object > ZENworks tab > Launcher Configuration page > Enable Writing to Cache option), the application files and settings are updated from eDirectory. To force a distribution from eDirectory even if the user has a NAL cache directory on his or her local machine, you need to change the application's version number or have individual users right-click the Application object and click Verify.

If you need only specific files or settings to be distributed each time, you can update these on a case-by-case basis. For example, if you want to always distribute a particular registry key and value, you can set the Distribute Always option on the Registry Settings page (Distribution Options tab) for that particular key and value.

Because this setting causes all application files and settings to be distributed each time, it overrides the Distribute Always option on the Registry, INI Settings, Application Files, Icons/Shortcuts, and Text Files pages (Distribution Options tab).

Prompt Before Distribution

Select this option to prompt users to accept the distribution. Users are prompted the first time they click the application icon; all subsequent times they are not prompted. To better help users make a decision about installing the application, the prompt includes the text you've entered in the Description page (Identification tab).

Distribute in Workstation Security Space if Workstation Associated

This option is available only for MSI applications. It applies only when the MSI application is workstation associated.

By default, workstation-associated MSI applications are distributed in the user security space, meaning that Application Launcher uses the user's credentials and file system access.

Enable this option to instruct Application Launcher to distribute the application in the workstation security space. Application Launcher turns over distribution to the NAL Workstation Helper, which runs in the system space and uses the workstation's credentials. Using this option enables you to 1) do a lights-out distribution of the application and 2) better secure the application's source .msi files by giving the workstation, not the user, access to the source .msi files. Consider the following examples:

• You want to associate the application with a workstation and have it distributed before the user launches it. This is referred to as a lights-out distribution. To do so, you associate the application with the workstation on the Associations page (Associations tab), set the distribution schedule on the Pre-Install Schedule page (Distribution Options tab), and then enable this option. As long as the workstation is running at the scheduled distribution time, the NAL Workstation Helper distributes the application using the workstation security space rather than the user space normally used for installation of MSI applications.
• You want to distribute the application to a workstation but you don't want to give the user rights to the application's source files on the network. To do so, you associate the application with the workstation on the Associations page (Associations tab) and then select this option. When the user launches the application, Application Launcher calls NAL Workstation Helper. Workstation Helper distributes the application using the workstation security space.

It is important to remember that Application Launcher uses the workstation's credentials, not the user's credentials, to distribute the application. This means that you must assign the workstation the appropriate file system rights to access the network location where the source .msi files reside.

Not all MSI applications can be installed using this option. Some MSI applications have dependencies on a logged-in user (for example, to read and write to the HKCU hive in the Windows registry). In this situation, you must deselect this option in order to have the distribution occur in the user security space and not the workstation security space.

NOTE:  If an application requires a reboot during installation, you must select Reboot if Needed or Reboot Always in the Reboot group box and Don't Prompt in the Prompt for Reboot group box.