[wpkg-users] Questions about offline mode and executing the wpkg service

[Dieter Scholz]

Hi,

> Probably you can tell us which versions of WPKG and WPKG client you use.
> This would probably make debugging easier but I am sure Tomasz will
> follow up here.

I'm using the latest versions from the website:

WPKG 1.0-rc8
WPKG Client 1.2-rc6
A samba server for the net share and XPSP2 inside VMware for testing.

> > Another issue:
> > Afaik it is not possible to use AutoIt scripts in my setup (correct?). Is
> > it possible to launch multiple instances of the wpkg service - one before
> > the login page and another one when a desktop is available? I assume with
> > such a configuration it should be possible to separate the normal install
> > scripts from the ones which need to execute an AutoIt script.
>
> I think we already had a similar discussion. It might not work because
> all programs are run on a restricted (hidden) desktop and therefore the
> AutoIt scripts might wait forever for a certain window to appear (or is
> it just accepting that windows on the hidden desktop?). One would have
> to try this. I know that there are lots of AutoIt scripts out there for
> silent application installation. However I was never forced to use one
> as all my applications have silent switches or support other techniques
> to deploy them silently.

I hope to avoid them, too. But it would be nice to know if it WOULD work. So 
do you say noone has tested it so far or does it plainly not work?

> However it is possible to run WPKG from your desktop - simply put a
> batch-file to the autorun folder which invokes WPKG. Warning: This only
> works if the user logging in has Administrator permissions.

Our users are no local administrators, but I've tested this for distributing 
user-specific, post-install modifications of software packages (manipulating 
registry entries inside HKCU, deploying user specific config files, ...) for 
with the rights of the user currently logged in, which works just fine for 
me.

> Recently we outlined another possibility. WPKG can be run WPKG from the
> task scheduler. It allows you to run any task when the user logs on. I
> think it's even possible to run it with different permissions (e.g. run
> as SYSTEM user).

This looks promising - I will give it a try.

Thanks.

Dieter