Silent Installs using spec files

[Jordan N.]

I want to deploy LV 8.2, CVI, Signal Express, and the toolkits.  Can't use AD Group Policies because the NI MSI files are not true MSI files.

I have worked out a batch file to silently install however in the spec files I put in the userinfo section the following:

[UserInfo]
Name=John Doe
Company=ACME Inc..
SerialNo=99999999

Since I have to deploy this to several people as well as serveral debug machines how do I handle the different user information?  On something like a silent install of MS Office you can leave this information blank and it will prompt you for the registration on the first run.  Is there something similar in LV or do I have to create spec files for every user?

[Daniel_E]

Hey, the article below has a lot of good information about installing NI installers with batch files. 

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/B2640E34C4654F7B86256D07006D843D

I am not saying you are doing this at all but I do want to say for the record that the LabVIEW license agreement is for one user on three different computers or three different users on one computer.

Hope this helps!

[Jordan N.]

Thanks, but that is just instructions on how to create batch files.  I already created my batch file.  I just need to know how to handle this for different user information for each install.  I have 3 developers and 5 debug licenses so sitting at these machines for a few hours at a time for each install can take up two or three days of my time.

As I said before, Office and other apps will let you fill in the user information and key codes on first run if you deploy the app.  What are my choices when it comes to LV.

[TCPlomp]

The link supplied had some info on using command line commands:

---

Using Command line Arguments:
Command line arguments are parameters which follow the program to be launched at the command prompt.  For instance, lets say my batch file is called example.bat.  At a command prompt, I might type:
 
Example.bat John Smith
 
Here, “John” is the first command line argument and “Smith” is the second.  My Batch file then might appear as:
 
@echo off
cls
echo My first name is %1
echo My Last name is %2
pause
echo on
 
The %1 and %2 act as place holders for the command line arguments. 

---

This should work in your case.

I had the feeling it was possible to build a menu with batch files, but am not totally sure.

Ton

[Jordan N.]

I know how to build advanced batch files and I could build one with a menu system and all sorts of things in it however I am not looking for an answer on how to write a batch file.  I am looking for an answer on how to silently install LV and supporting apps and whether or not I can do it without having to write spec files for each computer I am installing it on.

If the spec files for the applications would accept the command line parameters from the batch file that would be a good second alternative because I could write something like this:

installthis.bat  John Doe  999888777

Setup.exe myspecfile.txt

Setup2.exe myspecfile2.txt

Setup3.exe myspecfile3.txt

Unfortunately I can't pass command line arguements %1 %2 and %3 into the spec file like this:

User Name=:%1 %2

Company=MyCompany

SerialNumber=%3

My goal is to have my single batch file setup so I can run it remotely manually or by some sort of automation so that I only need to enter the User Information and KeyCode after the install.

Right now it would seem the only way I can do it for the 8 computers is to create 8 different spec files for all the apps where each one has the username and keycode.  That is no good.

What do companies that have 25, 50, or 100 Labview users do.  I can't imagine that their IT Departments run around with CDs and sit at these computers for two to three hours at a time.

[Daniel_E]

This is the recomemded way to install NI software silently.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/AA2371E815A418DD86257169005F2D99?OpenDocument

Hope this helps!!

[Jordan N.]

Thanks, but as I said, I already know how NI can be installed silently and I already know how to create batch file to do it.  The problem is with the user information and the keycode for each workstation.

In http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/AA2371E815A418DD86257169005F2D99?OpenDocument it shows that in the silent install I will need to add the following:

[UserInfo]
Name=John Doe
Company=ACME Inc..
SerialNo=99999999

What about Jane Smith, Paul Jones, Joan Brown, etc and their install keycoded?  What about all my debug stations registered under the Network Administrators name and those keycodes?  Do I need spec files for each of them for each application on my Developer's Suite?  Just for John Doe now I have spec files for LV 8.2, CVI 8.0.1, Toolkits, Measurement Studio, and I believe one or two more.

I don't want to have to create 5 or 6 spec files for every user then make a batch file that has a long decision tree that references the appropriate spec file for each user for each app.

What do reasonably large companies do to deploy NI software?  I find it hard to believe that any company with more that 5 or 10 licenses has techs sitting at these workstations feeding CDs in for 2-3 hours per computer or developing batch file decision trees for each user/license number combinations.

I have my network setup so that when I get a new computer I can just boot of the network card and it will install Windows XP, All the latest patches, MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, Solidworks, Ansys DesignSpace, Visual Studio.NET, .Net Framework 1.1 and 2.0, eDrawings, DWGEditor, and the 5 or 6 programs we develop in house plus other misc programs all without touching the computer other than first turning on the switch and entering network password and entering these application key codes when complete.  That takes me two minutes to start and in an hour I can come back and the computer will be all set.  Then I have to sit at the computer doing nothing but feading disks for about 2-3 hours to install Labview and supporting apps because of these hoaky installs.

<<--See Next Post--> 

[Jordan N.]

Here is the batch file for installing LV 8.2, CVI, Toolkits, and Drivers (ignore the hyperlink format).  Notice that some of these don't use spec files as command line parameters and some do.  There are three different sets of command line switches for these items as well.  Some of the toolkits just don't install silently.  This one developers suite uses 4 different methods of installation.

I really don't think that an easy install is to much to ask for a program that costs $4000 per seat and $1000 per year.

(BTW, in this version of the bat file I used /passive so I can see what is causing some issues, normally it would be /quiet)

@Echo Starting Labview 8.2 Installation
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\LV8.2\setup.exe \\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\LV8.2\Bin\JohnDoe.txt /r:n /q /AcceptLicenses yes

@Echo Starting CVI 8.0.1 Installation
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\CVI8.0.1\setup.exe \\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\CVI8.0.1\support\JohnDoe.txt /r:n /q /AcceptLicenses yes

@Echo Starting Signal Express 1.1.1 Installation
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\SignalExpress1.1.1\setup.exe \\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\SignalExpress1.1.1\Bin\JohnDoe.txt /r:n /q

@Echo Starting Toolkit Installations

@Echo ---- Starting Advanced Signal Processing
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Advanced Signal Processing\setup.exe" "\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Advanced Signal Processing\supportfiles\JohnDoe.txt" /q /r:n

@Echo ---- Starting Digital Filter Design
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Digital Filter Design\setup.exe" "\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Digital Filter Design\supportfiles\JohnDoe.txt" /r:n /q

@Echo ---- Starting Database Connectivity
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Enterprise\Database Connectivity\Setup\lv_dbtools.msi" /passive /norestart

@Echo ---- Starting Internet kit
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Enterprise\Internet\InternetToolkit6.0.msi" /passive /norestart

Echo    **** Labview SPC Toolkit can not be installed silently ****
Echo    ****         You will need to install manually         ****

@Echo ---- Starting Express VI Development
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Express VI Development\ExpressVIDev\ExpressVIDev.msi" /passive /norestart

@Echo ---- Starting PID Control
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\PID Control\setup\lv_pid_6.msi" /passive /norestart

@Echo ---- Starting Report Generator
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\Report Generation\lvoffice\lvoffice.msi" /passive /norestart

@Echo ---- Starting State Diagram
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\State Diagram\StateDiagTK.msi" /passive /norestart

@Echo ---- Starting VI Analyzer
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabVIEW\VI Analyzer\setup.exe" /q /r:n

Echo    **** CVI SPC Toolkit can not be installed silently ****
Echo    ****       You will need to install manually       ****

@Echo ---- Starting SQL Kit
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabWindows CVI\Enterprise\SQL\Sql2.msi" /passive /norestart

@Echo ---- Starting PID for CVI
"\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabWindows CVI\PID Control\setup.exe" /q /r:n /AcceptLicenses yes

@Echo ---- Starting Signal Processing for CVI
"\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\ToolKitSoftware\LabWindows CVI\Signal Processing\Setup.exe" /passive /norestart

@Echo Toolkit Installations Completed...  Please install manual components.

@Echo Starting NIDaq 8.3, NIMotion 7.4, NIVisa 4, etc... Installation
\\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\DCD-Nov06-1\setup.exe \\MyServer\MyShare\LV-10-06\DCD-Nov06-1\spec.ini /r:n /q /AcceptLicenses yes

@Echo Installation Complete......

[Coal_Man]

Jordan,

Most large corporations that want to install LabVIEW and it's associated toolkits use the Volume License Manager to create the network installer.  Here is more information on the volume license manager program.

NI Volume License Program

Getting Started with NI Volume License Manager

Creating Network Installers for User-Based and Computer-Based Seats in VLM

Other than using VLM, you would probably need to create different files for each computer. 

[Andrew W]

Hello Jordan,

You can create a spec file and leave out the [UserInfo] section completely.  You can then install the product silently.  Upon first launch of the software, the end user will see that the software has been installed in "evaluation mode", and will be prompted to evaluate, activate, or purchase the software.  "ss1.jpg" attached shows what this dialog will look like when a user first launches LabVIEW 8.2.1.  If they choose to activate the product from this screen, our activation wizard will appear.  The user can follow one of many methods to activate.  If they choose the "automatically activate using an internet connection..." method (recommended), they will be prompted for their serial number and some user information.  I've attached "ss2.jpg" which shows the dialog prompt for entering in user information.  Once the user has entered in their serial number and user information, the product will activate and be fully functional.

Please let me know if you have further questions.

Regards,
Andrew W