Distributing Applications to Handheld Devices

ZfH lets you create and distribute Application objects to individual handheld devices or to groups of handheld devices.

The following sections contain additional information:

• Creating a Handheld Application Object
• Configuring a Handheld Application Object
• Scheduling the Distribution of a Handheld Application Object

Creating a Handheld Application Object

1. In ConsoleOne^®, right-click the container where you want to create the Handheld Application object, click New, then click Object to display the New Object dialog box.

   
   

2. Click Handheld Application > click OK to display the New Application dialog box.

   
   

3. In the Name field, type a name for the Handheld Application object, then click OK.

   The Application object's name must conform to the following rules:

   • The name must be unique in the container.
   • Special characters are allowed. However, plus (+), equals (=), and period (.) must be preceded by a backslash (\) if used.
   • Uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as underscores and spaces, are displayed as you first entered them, but they aren't distinguished. For example, ZENworks_for_Handhelds and ZENWORKS FOR HANDHELDS are considered identical.

4. Click OK.

Configuring a Handheld Application Object

1. Right-click the newly created Handheld Application object, then click Properties to display the General page.

   
   

2. Type a description of the Handheld Application object, if desired.

   This description will only be available by viewing the properties of the object in ConsoleOne; the user will not see this description during distribution.

3. If desired, click the Calendar/Clock icon to specify a date and time that the application object will be available for distribution.

   If you do not change this setting, the object will be distributed according to the Application object schedule. This option lets you delay distribution to the date you specify.

4. If desired, select Expires On, the specify a date and time that the application object will no longer be available for distribution.

5. Click the Files tab.

   
   

6. Click Add, then fill in the fields:

   Path: Browse to or enter the path to the location of the application's executable file.

   Files: Browse to or enter the files that you want to include in the Handheld Application object.

   HINT:  You can use wildcard characters to specify the source files. If you use wildcard characters for the source files, you must also use them for the destination files.

   Include Subdirectories of This Path: Enable this option if you want to include subdirectories of the path.

   IMPORTANT:  If you want to access application data on a NetWare^® volume, you must install the Novell Client^TM on the ZfH server. You might be able to browse to and select application data on the NetWare volume without the Novell Client installed, but the handheld application object will not be built unless the Novell Client is installed on the ZfH server machine.

7. Click OK.

8. In the Destination box, choose a destination for the files from the drop-down list:

   • Copy the Files to a Windows CE Device: Copies the files contained in the Handheld Application object to an individual Windows CE device or to a group of Windows CE devices.

   • Copy the Files to a Palm Device: Copies the files contained in the Handheld Application object to an individual Palm OS device or to a group of Palm OS devices.

   • Copy the Files to a Temporary Location on the Sync Machine: Copies the files to a temporary location on the machine that the handheld device synchronizes with.

     Some applications require running Windows desktop routines before installation on Palm OS or Windows CE devices. If this is the case, choose Copy the Files to a Temporary Location on the Sync Machine so that users can run those routines before installing them of the handheld device. The iPAQ ROM update is an example of an application that you would use this option for.

9. If you chose Copy the Files to a Windows CE Device, you can specify the path on the Windows CE device where you want the files copied to.

   or

   If you chose Copy the Files to a Palm Device and you have a storage card installed, select Install Files on Storage Card, if desired.

   ZfH supports expansion cards in Palm OS devices running Palm OS 4.x and newer. Expansion cards are usually referred to as secure digital (SD) cards or memory sticks.

   IMPORTANT:  If you select the Install Files on Storage Card option, ZfH will install the files only to a storage card. If the storage card is not available, the installation will fail; ZfH will not install the files in the Palm OS device's main memory.

   or

   If you chose Copy the Files to a Temporary Location on the Sync Machine, specify or browse to the command to run, then select Fail Installation if Command Reports Failure, if desired.

   You can specify whether or not dialog boxes display when files contained in this Handheld Application object are installed on machines that associated handheld devices synchronize with. Click the Display tab to configure these settings. Click Help for more information on each option.

   IMPORTANT:  The Handheld Application object you configured cannot be distributed to handheld devices until you associate the object with individual handheld devices or to a group of handheld devices.

10. Click the Associations tab > click Add.

11. Select the handheld devices or groups of handheld devices you want to distribute the Handheld Application object to, then click OK.

    The Handheld Application object will be distributed to each handheld device the next time it synchronizes or according to the application object's schedule.

    If you are distributing an application, you probably do not want the distribution to recur. If you are distributing files, such as marketing information, you can schedule the distribution to recur using the Schedule page.

12. Click OK to save your settings.

13. If you chose Copy the Files to a Temporary Location on the Sync Machine in Step 8, click the Display tab.

    
    

14. Fill in the fields:

    Enable Displaying Status Dialogs: Select this option if you want informational dialog boxes to display on sync machines when application files are installed.

    Type Any Additional Informational Text to Display on the Dialog: Any information that you type in this field will display on the dialog box that will display on the sync machine. You can use this field to provide any additional information or instructions that you want users to see when the files are installed.

    Automatically Close Dialog and Begin Installation After _ Minutes: Select this option, then specify the number of minutes that you want to wait before installing the files. Using this option will enable installation of the files even if the user is away from his or her desk when the files are ready to be installed.

    When Installed, an "Installation Complete" Dialog Will Appear on the Sync Machine: Type any additional text to display on the dialog box after the files are installed.

    Automatically Close Dialog After _ Minutes: Select this option, then specify the number of minutes that you want to wait before closing the Installation Complete dialog box.

15. Click OK to save your settings.

Scheduling the Distribution of a Handheld Application Object

If your handheld application object contains files that you want to redistribute periodically, use the Schedule page to schedule its distribution.

If you want the handheld application object to be distributed only once, you do not need to schedule it; the object will be distributed the next time the handheld device synchronizes.

To schedule the distribution of a handheld application object:

1. In ConsoleOne, right-click the Handheld Application object, then click Properties to display the General page.

2. Click the Schedule tab.

   
   

3. Click Enable Automatic Updates.

   If you select this option ZfH will scan the source directory at the scheduled time for any additions or changes to the source files. If something has changed, the application will be pushed out at that time.

4. Specify an update time in the Schedule Update Time field.

5. Select a schedule from the Schedule Type drop-down list:

   • Daily
   • Weekly
   • Monthly
   • Yearly

   NOTE:  Click the Help button for detailed instructions about each schedule.

6. Specify the hours and days that you want the schedule to activate.

7. Click OK.