Distributing Software to Handheld Devices

Using ZfH software distribution, you can ensure that the latest software updates and data files are automatically distributed to your handheld devices.

ZfH software distribution allows you to distribute Handheld Application objects to handheld devices as part of software distributions. Handheld Application objects contain collections of files that you want copied to your handheld devices.

Handheld Application objects usually consist of applications to install on handheld devices, for example, .PRC files (for Palm OS devices) or CAB files (for Windows CE devices). Because Windows CE devices support different processor types, ZfH ensures that only CAB files compatible with the processor are copied to the Windows CE device when it synchronizes.If CAB files are included in the handheld application object, they will be automatically extracted and installed and then removed from the device.

For example, suppose that you want to distribute an application to your sales staff. Furthermore, your sales staff wants to be updated weekly with the most recent marketing information (competitive analysis, pricing sheets, and so forth). You can schedule a software distribution to run once a week that sends all files from the \MARKETING directory on your network to your sales staff.

The following test scenario provides an example of how ZfH recognizes changes to a Handheld Application object's source files and distributes only the changed files to individual handheld devices. The first time that the Handheld Application object is distributed, the application and all data files will be distributed to individual handheld devices. Subsequent distributions will distribute only those files that are new or changed to individual handheld devices.

To perform the preliminary tasks:

1. Determine an application and a set of files that you want to distribute to a handheld device and create a directory to store those files on the network.

2. Name the directory Marketing (or something similar).

   In addition to the application files, the files in this directory can be spreadsheets, marketing data for your sales force, and so forth. These files can be anything you need to update and distribute on a regular basis.

3. Copy all but one or two of the files you want to distribute to that directory. (You will add the other files to the directory later.)

You are now ready to create and configure a Handheld Application object to distribute to a handheld device.

To create and configure 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, then click OK to display the New Application dialog box.

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

   
   

4. If desired, type a description of the Handheld Application object.

   For this scenario, do not change the default Availability settings.

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 files.

   Files: Browse to and select the files that you want to include in the Handheld Application object.

   You can use wildcard characters (*.*) to specify the source files.

7. Click OK.

8. In the Destination box, choose the appropriate destination based on the device.

9. If you are copying files to a Windows CE device, specify the path on the Windows CE device where you want the files copied to.

   or

   If you are copying files to a Palm device, select Install Files on Storage Card, if desired.

10. Click the Associations tab > click Add.

11. Select the individual handheld device that you want to distribute the Handheld Application object to, then click OK.

    NOTE:  ZfH lets you create static groups that you manually assign devices to. You can also use the query tool to create handheld groups populated with handheld devices that have the same attributes, such as the same processor type, a specific version of an application installed, or a certain amount of RAM. Using handheld groups saves you time by using a single entity to manage multiple devices.

12. Click OK to save your settings.

13. Click the Schedule tab.

    
    

14. Click Enable Automatic Updates.

    ZfH will scan the source directory at the scheduled time for any additions or changes to the source files. If the source files have changed, the application will be pushed out at that time.

    For this scenario, do not change the default update time or schedule type. Instead of waiting for the scheduled update time, you will force an immediate update later in this procedure.

15. Click OK to save your settings.

    The Handheld Application object containing the software application and source files will be sent to the proxy service on the machine that the associated handheld device synchronizes with.

16. You should now synchronize the handheld device that you associated with this Handheld Application object so that the files will be installed on the device.

After you have distributed the Handheld Application object and synchronized the handheld device, you can view details about the distribution to verify that the files installed successfully.

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

2. Click the Application Status tab.

   
   

   The results will list the handheld device objects that are associated with this Handheld Application object, the status of each device, and the date and time that the handheld device received the Handheld Application object.

   You should also ensure that the application files and data files have been installed on the handheld device.

You are now ready to see how ZfH recognizes changes and distributes only the changed files in a Handheld Application object.

1. Copy any new or updated files to the package's source directory (\MARKETING).

   These are the files that you didn't copy to the source directory when you first created the Handheld Application object.

At the scheduled time, ZfH will scan the \MARKETING source directory and check for new or modified files. For this scenario, you should force an immediate update of the Handheld Application object instead of waiting for the scheduled time to arrive.

To force an immediate update of the Handheld Application object:

1. In ConsoleOne, right-click the Handheld Application object, click Actions, then click Update Now.

Any new or modified files are distributed to associated handheld devices. In this scenario, the software application files will not be resent because they were installed during the first distribution. The new files that you copied into the directory will be distributed.

However, if you had associated new handheld devices with the Handheld Application object, both the software application files and all files (the original and the new files) would be distributed to those newly associated devices.

After the device synchronizes, you should check the handheld device to ensure that the new files have been installed.

Benefits of Using ZfH Software Distribution

Using ZfH software distribution, you can:

• Remove the burden of having to manually install software and files on your handheld devices by automatically distributing and installing packages when you want them installed
• Install packages silently
• Use automatic updating to ensure that the applications and files are kept current with the latest revisions and updates without needing to create a new package