[wpkg-users] WPKG Development Status

[cleitet at gmail.com]

Hi, and thank you for your feedback!

2011/3/25 <heiko.helmle at horiba.com>

> Some Ideas I carry around for a while:
>
> > - Optionally run in system tray and check for updated packages at
> > regular intervals. Inform users about updates and prompt them with
> > alternatives. (the platform is designed to be able do this)
>
> I really looking forward to this one. I have lots of users who only boot
> once a month (on MSPatchWednesday) and hibernate their PCs most of the time.
> Also there's a bunch of users who roam around with their notebooks and
> primarily use the WLAN - which is typically not started before login.
>
> > - Hopefully be able to install software at shutdown with feedback to
> > user (this is not easily achievable AFAIK, as Windows does not have
> > an API for giving information to users at shutdown)
>
> You could marry this feature with the prompt. AFAIK there's an API for
> Applications to pop up a message on shutdown (like Word with a document open
> displays Save, Don't Save, Cancel). You could pop up a dialog as well
> (install update, shutdown immediately) via the same API, but (upon "install
> update") signal the OS that the shutdown was cancelled and instead emit a
> force shutdown once WPKG has finnished.
>

The issue is that with Windows >= Vista no process is allowed to delay
indefinitely or cancel shutdown. If a user space process is trying to do
this, the black shutdown screen asking you if you want to wait for the
process, or kill it appears after a small timeout.


>
> Alternatively there must be a way for a service to prevent shutdown.
> Acronis Backup & Recovery uses this and (at least for that piece of SW) it's
> a huge headache -> Our installations of Acronis regularly fall into endless
> loops and then Windows 7 stalls at shutdown ("Actions running" is
> displayed.....)
>

Most likely this software is using a shutdown script. This could be done by
wpkg-gp as well, but without any user feedback. Alternatively, wpkg-gp
could execute wpkg.js when it receives the shutdown service signal. This can
potentially delay shutdown indefinitely, but there is no way to provide user
feedback here either. (At least no documented way, because MS software does
this, Windows Update for example).


>
> some things I'd love to see:
> - Ability for the WPKG-Script to start as a different (local) user.
> Typically WPKG runs as user SYSTEM - I had lots of problems with installers
> barfing when run as SYSTEM - especially on 64bit systems. Our WPKG-Client
> runs as a different user now (but still elevated) - no problems any more and
> saved me from repackaging quite a few installers.
>

This is possible by running the wpkg-gp service as another user :), and
should be configurable via the installer in a future version.


> - Ability to debug somehow. Some processes still make problems and show
> dialog windows (mostly errors) when run by a service (but not when run
> directly via cmdline). I know this is impossible on pre-login - but for the
> second mode (system tray call to service) - it should be possible to switch
> to the "installing desktop".


Ahh, this would actually be difficult! As the service is being run in a
hidden desktop on W7. I am wondering: Wouldn't a runas
/u:the_user_running_wpkg_service path_to_wpkg.js /switches do much the same
thing?


> And this is far fetched:
> - Security: Ability to sign the wpkg.js executable and have the signature
> checked by WPKG-GP before invocation. Of course this only makes sense if
> wpkg.js gains the ability to check its files' signatures. This way the
> wpkg-fileshare would be a bit more tamperproof.
>

Not a bad idea. I will note it down.


>
> I have a few more ideas, but those would require enhancing wpkg.js and
> being able to interact with a service.
>
> Best Regards & Keep up the great work :)
>         Heiko


Thank you

-CL
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