[wpkg-users] Using bat files for remove procedure

[Rainer Meier]

Hi Charles,

Charles Gargent wrote:
> If I specify a bat file as the remove command and then change the bat
> file before the package has removed on all hosts where it is
> installed, what happens when the hosts that havent yet run the remove
> command try and run the remove command that essentially contains a
> different bat file.

For sure the file is simply fetched when it is executed. If you alter it then
all remaining clients will of course fetch the version on the server at that time.


> Has anyone got a neat solution to this problem? I was going to version
> my bat files or pass an arguement to the bat file or something becuase
> the line that calls the bat file for the remove sequence will be taken
> from the local wpkg.xml database.

Yes, the remove command is taken from the local package. However if you do an
update to the package (which might refer to another batch file) then WPKG will
first do an upgrade to the latest version and then remove it. This allows you to
fix broken packages and assure that they remove smoothly.

So let's assume you have an uninstall script and it does its job well. Then a
part of your client use this script to remove the package.

Now you update the package (update the batch script and increase package version
number). Then WPKG will first upgrade to the latest version (which should then
be compatible to your new batch file) and then use it to remove the package.

If you like you might also think about copying the batch file to a local
directory during installation. Personally I am also using different directories
for new versions.
e.g.
\\server\share\software\Firefox v.3.0.10\
\\server\share\software\Firefox v.3.0.11\

So in this case each package refers to its own batch files within this
directory. However for remove the upgrade-before-remove feature should help in
any case. Assuming that a client uses Firefox 3.0.10 and then you remove the
package from the node (but on server-side already 3.0.11 exists) then WPKG will
first upgrade the client to FF 3.0.11 and then remove the package.

So just make sure the latest package you defined uninstalls properly.

br,
Rainer