This document details the recommended steps to distribute the application in a managed environment. The instructions below assume a working knowledge of your preferred distribution method (Group Policy Software Installation, Systems Management Server, etc.) and therefore do not provide specifics regarding those environments.
Three steps are required in order to push out our desktop install: configure a customization .ini file, retrieve the latest odbc.ini from your shared configuration folder and apply a transform.
Step 1 - Create customization .ini file
The .ini file should be named "LucityCustom.ini" and contain a single section name of "[Custom]" followed by two or more values (example below):
[Custom]
LUCITY_CONFIGDIR=\\myserver\apps\Lucity\config\
LUCITY_DBTYPE=SQL Server
LUCITY_MSNGRAUTOSTART=ENABLED
Currently, LUCITY_CONFIGDIR must be a UNC path during a managed install. The primary reason is that installations are often pushed out while a system is booting (prior to a user logging on and mapping drives). We may allow mapped drive specifications in the future, but currently anything but a UNC path will cause a managed install to fail. Note: This is a required parameter.
LUCITY_DBTYPE simply let's the installer know what db platform you are using for Lucity. Valid values are "SQL Server" and "Oracle" (do not specify double quotes in the .ini file). Note: This is a required parameter.
LUCITY_MSNGRAUTOSTART determines whether or not the Lucity Messenger application will be added to the computer's startup menu and is only applicable for a desktop install. The application will always be installed - this just determines whether or not you want the messenger application to automatically start every time the computer boots. This is an optional parameter. If you omit this parameter or specify a value of anything other than "ENABLED", the messenger application will not be set to auto-start.
LUCITY_ORADRVRNAME is an optional value for Oracle customers and should only be used under specific circumstances – in most cases you will NOT need to specify this value. Oracle allows its client to be multi-homed (i.e. – you can have several clients independently installed on the same host). Multi-homing also extends to Oracle ODBC drivers. By default, the installers will use the first Oracle ODBC Driver found in the registry when creating Oracle DSNs. If you only have one Oracle ODBC driver installed, this is not an issue. However, if multiple Oracle ODBC drivers are present and the driver you wish to use is listed alphabetically after other Oracle ODBC drivers on the system, that driver will not be chosen. To specify an explicit Oracle ODBC Driver name, you would add the following value to your LucityCustom.ini file:
LUCITY_ORADRVRNAME=MyOracleODBCDriverName
where “MyOracleODBCDriverName” is the name listed in the ODBC Data Source Administrator utility for the driver you wish to use (e.g. – Oracle in OraClient10g_home1). You do not need to place quotes around the driver name even if it contains spaces. Please note that for this value to work properly, all of your clients would have to be using identical Oracle ODBC Driver names.
Once you have created the LucityCustom.ini file, place it in the same directory where you will be distributing the .msi from on your network.
Step 2 - Copy latest ODBC.ini file from Config
After you have upgraded your server (i.e. - shared configuration files) to the latest version but before you begin to deploy the desktop install, copy the "ODBC.ini" file from your config directory to the same directory where you will be distributing the .msi from on your network. This step should be repeated any time that you upgrade to a new release or if you add additional databases mid-release. The ODBC.ini file contains the information that the desktop installer needs in order to generate DSNs.
Step 3 - Apply transform to base .msi
As part of the managed installation process, you will also need to apply a transform to the base .msi so that the installer knows this is a managed installation. This transform (LUCITY_MANAGED.mst) has already been created for you and is located on the CD under the ...\MSI\Transforms\ directory. Copy this file to the same directory where you will be distributing the .msi(s) from on your network. Finally, be sure to apply this transform at installation time by using the appropriate syntax/methodology for your deployment solution.
Notes
Useful Links
Windows Installer Command-Line Options
Complete Windows Installer Documentation
How Group Policy Software Installation Extension Works