Creating an Application's Installation Package

An installation package consists of the files and information needed to install the application on a workstation. The following sections explain the options available to you to help you create an application's installation package:


Manually Creating an Installation Package

Some applications require few files to be copied to the workstation and few (or no) changes to the workstations configuration (registry, INI files, environment variables, and so forth). The installation package for these applications may very well consist of a one or two files only. In this case, you can copy the files to a network directory. After creating the NDS object for the application, you can configure the Application object to instruct Application Launcher/Explorer to simply run the application from the network directory or to first copy the files to the workstation and then run the application locally. You can also configure the Application object to modify any workstation settings required by the application.

To manually create an installation package:

  1. Create a network directory for the application's files.

  2. Copy the files to the network directory.


Creating a snAppShot Installation Package

Some applications require many files to be installed and many changes to be made to the workstation. This can require a complex installation package.

ZENworksTM for Desktops (ZfD) Application Management includes the snAppShotTM utility to automate the process of creating complex installation packages. You run snAppShot on a workstation that has never had the application installed to it. SnAppShot records the workstation's state (files and configuration) before you install the application and after you install the application. From this information, snAppShot creates an installation package consisting of an Application object template file (.AOT or .AXT file) and the application's files (.FIL files). This installation package is saved to a network directory you specify. When you create the NDS object for the application, the .AOT file is used. When Application Launcher/Explorer distributes the application to a workstation, it uses the .FIL files as well as the configuration information (registry changes, INI file changes, and so forth) stored in the Application object.

To use snAppShot to create an installation package:

  1. Set up a "clean" workstation. This needs to be a workstation to which the application has never been installed.

  2. Run snAppShot (SNAPSHOT.EXE) from the SYS:\PUBLIC\SNAPSHOT directory.

  3. Follow the on-screen prompts to create the installation package. For more detailed information about snAppShot, see SnAppShot.


Creating a Microsoft Windows Installer Package

Microsoft* Windows* 2000 (and patched versions of Windows 95/98 and Windows NT* 4.0) include an installation and configuration service referred to as Microsoft Windows Installer. Microsoft Windows Installer, similar to Application Launcher/Explorer, installs applications to a workstation from an installation package consisting of a .MSI file and various support files.

ZfD Application Management enables you to distribute applications that are installed through Windows Installer. Rather than using a snAppShot .AOT/.AXT file when creating the Application object, you simply use the application's .MSI file. Distributing .MSI applications through Application Launcher/Explorer enables you to control who has access to the application while still gaining the benefits associated with the Windows Installer (such as on-demand installation, transforms, and source resiliency).

To use a Windows Installer package:

  1. Create the installation package in a network location by running the application's setup program using the administrative option. For more information, see you application's installation documentation.

    or

    Copying the application's preconfigured .MSI files and supporting files to a network location (if this method is supported by the application).