[wpkg-users] Question about / suggestion for wpkg.xml

[Rainer Meier]

Hi Denis,

> as far as I understand the handling of wpkg.xml, package information will be
> imported into the file when
> 1. there is a new package for the computer or
> 2. the package revision number was increased.

Correct, the information will be updated only in case the 
install/upgrade was successful. Please note that there is an 
upgrade-before-remove feature which will execute an upgrade of a package 
which is scheduled for removal. This makes sure that system 
administrators could publish/correct wrong uninstall strings before 
removing the package from clients.


> But if you for example realize that the check is to specific (works on some
> computers, on others not) or the deinstall string is wrong and increase the
> revision number to update the package information in the local wpkg.xml, the
> software will be installed again (update command).

In such case I would clearly say that the checks are wrong/incomplete 
and therefore it's absolutely the right way to update the checks and 
make them available to _all_ machines (including the ones it already worked.

So fix the checks and increase the package revision number.

If you don't specify any upgrade commands then you will have exactly 
what you request here:
- machines which already have the package installed will do nothing but 
update package information in local wpkg.xml (assuming that the new 
checks are valid for these machines as well).

- machines where the check failed before will not have any wpkg.xml 
entry yet (package installation not successful. So the fixed package is 
_installed_ -> install commands executed.

Finally all machines will have the new package installed. On the ones 
where the old one already worked nothing will be done except updating 
wpkg.xml.


> Is there a way to tell wpkg to only update the info in wpkg.xml without
> installing the software? Otherwise I would suggest adding such an option
> that the wpkg.xml-info will be updated without installing/upgrading the
> software and another one which prevents adding the info.

No. This makes no sense. Especially the checks are executed on each wpkg 
run (unless execute=once is specified for a package).
However the feature you're asking for is already there. Just re-define 
the package and do not specify any upgrade command.


> The second option would be useful e.g. for changing user passwords per wpkg
> as described in http://wpkg.org/Various_settings (at the moment the admin
> password would be logged to wpkg.xml).

An option to prevent writing to wpkg.xml is not needed. You can specify 
execute=always within the package definition. Which would have the same 
effect. Just remember that if you would prevent adding package info to 
local wpkg.xml then WPKG cannot know if it has been installed already. 
So such a package would become an execute=always package automatically.

If you would like to prevent storing passwords locally then simply do 
not add the password to the package definition - very easy ;-)
How? Just specify an install command like 
"\\server\share\change-admin-password.cmd". Then just put all the 
protected commands there. If it is on the same share as wpkg.js this 
share can even be protected by user/password (see WPKG Client 
documentation) and it it quite well-protected.


br,
Rainer