[wpkg-users] Can WPKG install packages while user is at desktop - Lets move on the 2nd problem

[Steve Handy]

Sorry Andrew for the late response. I used the /force flag in conjunction with the /synchronize /quiet command-flag and it WORKED!!!! Leon helped me

From: wpkg-users-bounces at lists.wpkg.org [mailto:wpkg-users-bounces at lists.wpkg.org] On Behalf Of Adam Williams
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 7:15 PM
Cc: 'wpkg-users at lists.wpkg.org'
Subject: Re: [wpkg-users] Can WPKG install packages while user is at desktop - Lets move on the 2nd problem

did you add the /synchronize /quiet flags?

Steve Handy wrote:

Well I uninstalled the Firefox, rebooted the computer, and then disconnected the network cable to prevent WPKG from installing Firefox on reboot. When I arrived back to desktop, I connected the network cable. I then ran the cscript \\Store1\WPKG\wkpg.js and still the WPKG DID NOT install the firefox package. There is no execute ="once" in my package xml file.  The reboot should have cleaned the system, but it's still not working.



The reason I am beating this is that if a situation should arise where a user removes some software, I would want the WPKG to reinstall it on next scheduled execution of the script if they have NOT REBOOTED. This way I am so trying to make this work.



-----Original Message-----

From: Rainer Meier [mailto:r.meier at wpkg.org]

Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 4:18 PM

To: Steve Handy

Cc: 'Adam Williams'; 'wpkg-users at lists.wpkg.org<mailto:wpkg-users at lists.wpkg.org>'

Subject: Re: [wpkg-users] Can WPKG install packages while user is at desktop - Lets move on the 2nd problem



Hi Steve,



Steve Handy wrote:



One more thing though. Why is it that when I uninstall the firefox, and then run the cscript \\.... /sync.., the program doesn't install.





As written already many times either you used execute="once" or the

checks still evaluated true. In case (parts) of an application is still

running it is quite common that the uninstall entry is not entirely

removed until the next reboot (when uninstall is finished, files are

removed and uninstall entry is cleanded). So WPKG might still find the

uninstall entries unless you reboot and therefore thinks the application

is still installed.







Let's move on Rainer:



 So basically what I have I good. Great. Okay, now here is the 2nd dilemma.



We have employees here at my organization. They have offsite laptops. Currently they use the Windows PPTP VPN client to connect to the company from outside. When they initially boot, they DO NOT HAVE a network connection established. (So  WPKG will NOT install software at this point). When they arrive at their respective desktops, they establish a network connection via Sprint broadband air cards they have. They then click the VPN icon to establish a VPN connection into the company.





 > Here is where WPKG comes in, I need the WPKG to execute the cscript

\\Store1\WPKG\wkpg.js /Synchronize /quiet and check for packages that

need to be installed. (and install if necessary).

 >

 > How do I make this happen?



Well, you don't need WPKG to invoke itself as you wrote. You need to

configure your VPN software to run WPKG when the connection is up and

running. I know that some VPN clients (OpenVPN for sure) allows you to

define some scripts to be run after connection establishment. There you

can simply add a batch script to execute WPKG.



Today I wrote already as an answer to another request that you might

simply run the WPKG service from command line instead of manually

invoking the wpkg.js script. Of course this only applies if you

installed WPKG client and the service is available. If yes, then you

might use the command



net start WpkgService



to run the WPKG service again. This works perfectly fine if you

configure WPKG client to terminate after wpkg.js terminated (see

configuration). If not, then you might need to execute 'net stop' before

to terminate the still running service:



net stop WpkgService

net start WpkgService





NOTE: The user executing this commands needs privileges to start/stop

Windows services.



Alternatively you might execute WPKG on a regular base using the Windows

task scheduler (twice per day? up to you...).

WARNING: If you run wpkg.js manually (using 'cscript ....' then all

variables defined in WPKG client are not defined. You need to write a

small batch script which is doing this part of WPKG client if you like

to do so. Something like:



@echo off

set SOFTWARE=...

cscript ....\wpkg.js /synchronize







In addition we are now eliminating the PPTP VPN client method and using a SSL VPN method where our employees are taken to a webpage via a public url https://portal.callglobalcom.com and thru active x components are brought "inside the company" How can WPKG work in this scenario? The SSL VPN is created by a Sonic Wall device.





Again, you need to ask your VPN provider how to implement a

post-connection script where you can run WPKG. Or just run it regularly

using the task scheduler.



Most VPN solutions should support such a requirement. If not then you

can go for the task scheduling option or ask users to execute the

software update manually after connection (which is the last option I

would go for).

If you need to use the task scheduler you can (AFAIR) create a task

which is run as the SYSTEM user. Just execute the 'net start

WpkgService' command as described above by such a task. If you do this

twice a day it will not affect users too much. Recent versions of WPKG

client also allow you to check server connectivity first. So if WPKG

client (invoked by 'net start WpkgService') discovers that your

'server.companydomain.local' does not exist, then it will even not try

to invoke wpkg.js and terminate immediately.





HTH,

Rainer





HTH,

Rainer


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