About Deployment Image

The deployment image is created by the system administrators for installing the application with the same installation configuration on multiple machines. The installation configuration includes the installation location, features, shortcuts, and so on. Once created, you will be able to double-click Setup.exe available in the deployment image to install the application with the set configuration without the need of any user interaction or internet connection for component downloads. The deployment image folder can also be moved to a shared location so that all users of the organization can directly execute the installation from there; the administrator can use this shared location in the Software Distribution System for installation of the product.

The deployment image can be shared in the network as a UNC path or pushed using SMS/SCCM.

Advantages of Using a Deployment Image

Conceptually, the deployment image can be considered as a pre-configured offline installer. Following are the advantages of using a deployment image:

• Internet connection is not required.
• Separate pre-requisite pack or set of packages before installing product are not required.
• The installation location can be decided and set in deployment image. Once defined, the product will be installed at the same location on all the machines.
• The components to be installed are preselected at the time of creating deployment image. This results in all machines having exactly same set of installations.

Contents of Deployment Image

The deployment image contains all the files that are packaged with the product as well as the downloadable files. The image does not analyze the system on which it is created. It simply saves all the components for installation. The deployment image also saves the installation configuration.

Before You Start

Using non-root drive - If the installation drive set in the deployment image configuration settings is other than the root directory (usually c:\), make sure that the drive exists on the machine on which the application is to be installed.

Deployment Settings

The deployment settings are displayed when you run the setup in /layout mode. Following deployment image settings are displayed in the ProStructures Installation Wizard.

• Full UI Mode - Displays all installer windows when you install using the deployment image.
• Passive UI Mode - Installs the application in passive mode from the deployment image. In this mode, the installation wizard and the progress dialog are displayed but the installation takes place automatically. The installer takes the options selected while creating the deployment image and you cannot select any options in this mode.
• No UI Mode - Installs the application in silent mode.
• Deployment Image Location - Clicking the Change button next to the deployment image location path opens the Browse For Folder dialog for selecting the folder path where you want to save the deployment image.

Back to top

To Create a Deployment Image

Following are the pre-requisites for creating a deployment image:

• Internet connection - Since the setup is running in /layout mode, internet connection is required for connection with Bentley servers to download all installable components.
• Write access to the location where the deployment image will be created.
• Minimum 2 GB disk space at the location where the deployment image will be created.

1. In the command line, go to the folder that contains the ProStructures setup executable and run the executable with the /layout command.(Setup_ProStructuresx64_10.00.00.074.exe /layout). The ProStructures Installation Wizard opens.
2. (Optional) To do Companion Installations (Companion Feature or Companion Product) along with ProStructures, do the following:
   1. Turn on the check box for the desired Companion Installation.
   2. (Optional) Click Configure for the selected Companion Installation. The Installer Wizard displays the configuration settings for the selected Companion Installation.
   3. (Optional) Make the desired configuration settings and return to the Installer Wizard main page.
3. (Optional) To make changes to the default ProStructures Configuration:
   1. Click the Configure button next to ProStructures CONNECT Edition. The Application Install Location page opens.
   2. To change the path where ProStructures is installed, click the Browse button next to the Application Path field. In the Browse For Folder dialog that opens, browse to the drive and folder where you want to install ProStructures, then click OK.
   3. Click Next. The Configuration page opens.
   4. To change the path of delivered Configuration, click the Browse button next to the Configuration Path field. In the Browse For Folder dialog that opens, browse to the drive and folder where you want to deliver the default Configuration, then click OK.
   5. To set up custom or shared Configuration, select the Custom Configuration (plus Delivered Configuration) radio button. Then click the Browse button next to the Network Configuration field. In the Browse For Folder dialog that opens, browse to the drive and folder where your custom Configuration is located, then click OK.
   6. Click Next. The Deployment Image Settings page opens.
   7. Change the deployment image setting. By default, Passive UI Mode is selected.
   8. To change the deployment image location, click the Browse button next to the Deployment Image Location path. In the Browse For Folder dialog that opens, browse to the drive and folder you want to install the product in, then click OK.
   9. Click Next. The Features page opens.
   10. In the Feature list, turn on or off the features, as desired.
   11. Click Done.
4. To read the End-User Licensing Agreement (EULA), click the Licensing Terms link. The End-User Licensing Agreement opens in a web browser.
5. After reading the license agreement, turn on the I accept the End User Licensing Terms check box if you understand and agree to the License Agreement Terms and Conditions. Note that agreeing to the license agreement is required in order to install the product. Turning on the check box displays the Configure button at the bottom of the wizard.
6. Click Layout.
7. Click Finish to exit the ProStructures Installation Wizard.

   The deployment image is created at the selected location.

Back to top

Creating Custom Packages

.msi is the preferred file format for creating custom packages. An .msi file is easy to configure at the time of installation and while the product installation is executing the installation chain, the .msi file does not need additional parameters to perform silent installation in the background.

There are many external tools that can help you create MSI, some of them are listed below:

• WiX (Windows Installer XML)
• InstallShield
• Advanced Installer
• InstallAware

Note: Bentley neither recommends nor supports any particular authoring tool for creating the MSI packages. The examples given here are just for information purpose.

Following is an example for creating a custom package using WiX installer.

WiX is free open-source tool set. WiX itself does not provide an IDE (Integrated Development Environment), but there are many free and commercial IDEs that can be used with WiX to develop MSI packages. Some of the IDEs are listed below:

• MSI Factory
• Microsoft Visual Studio
• WiXEdit

While creating MSI packages, files need to be identified in one or all of following categories:

1. Program files for ProStructures - These are the set of files that need to be delivered in ProStructures's Program directory. The location will look similar to C:\Program Files\Bentley\ProStructures\ directory. These are generally configuration (.cfg) files.
2. WorkSet files for ProStructures- These are the set of files that need to be delivered in ProStructures Configuration. The location will look similar to C:\ProgramData\Bentley\ProStructures\. These are generally additional data files or WorkSet files.
3. Miscellaneous files - These files can link with any product. These are just distributed along with ProStructures. For example, common libraries, or files that can be used by other products.

Files in each of the above categories should be arranged in correct directory hierarchy. The Directory Identifier (refer Directory Table) for the top most node of each category should be a Public Property of MSI package, that is, the Directory Identifier should be in uppercase. Following are examples for configuring files under Directory Identifiers as per their types:

• Program Files (.cfg files): MyCompanyPolicy.cfg and MyCompanyWorkSet.cfg. This file type needs to be delivered in ProStructures's program directory. Hence, let us put this set under directory with identifier MYCOMPANY_CONFIGURATIONFILES.
• DGN files (WorkSet files): MyWorkSetLibrary.dgn and MyPartnerWorkSetLibrary.dgn. This file type needs to be delivered in ProStructures's Configuration directory. Hence, let us put this set under directory with identifier MYCOMPANY_CONFIGURATION.
• A set of files that can be delivered anywhere on the machine. Hence, let us put this set under directory with identifier MY_EXTRAFILES.

This kind of separation of files as per delivery location will allow easy configuration of the package. It is not necessary to have all file types in same package. It is a good practice to package related file types in one package, which allows installation and maintenance to work as single unit for that package.

Back to top

Command Line Parameters

As soon as an MSI is selected, ProStructures setup knows the configurable directory identifiers. Hence, when you start editing in the Command Line Parameters window, a list of possible identifiers in displayed.

Following is an example of command line parameters:

• INSTALLFOLDER_CONFIG_FILES and INSTALLFOLDER_WORKSET_FILES - The location where ProStructures will be installed is set at install time as per Windows Standard Directory paths. Hence, the installer will try to help in setting path relative to ProStructures directories or Windows Standard Directories. For these command line parameters, the configuration files can be installed in Config\System folder by setting the value [InstallDirectory]MicroStation\config\system\. Similarly, WorkSet files can be installed in WorkSet location by using the path [ConfigurationDirectory]Configuration\Workspaces\MyCompany\. The standard properties like [InstallDirectory] and [ConfigurationDirectory] will be available through drop-down list as possible relative paths, along with Windows Standard Directories.

The command line parameter name and it's value should be separated by a "=".

To add another directory identifier, press <space> and then enter the directory identifier.

To Add a Custom Package to the Deployment Image

1. With the installation wizard in the deployment image mode, click Add Package in the Feature page.
2. Click the Browse button next to the Select the package to add field. The Browse for Folder dialog opens.
3. Select the desired .msi or .exe file and click Open.
4. In the Command-line parameters for package text box, enter the command line parameter as follows:

For .msi file, enter the command line parameter name, followed by "=" and then the value of the command line parameter. As you start entering the parameter name, all the available parameter names in the MSI package will be listed below the text box. You can select the desired parameter name from the list. Possible values in terms of system properties or ProStructures properties are also listed. Select the desired value or enter your own value. For example:

INSTALLFOLDER_CONFIG_FILES=[InstallDirectory]<product_name>\config\system\

or

For .exe file, enter the command line parameter name.

Note: When an .exe file is added to the deployment image, it is necessary to provide the command line parameters that would avoid any kind of restart of machine. Also, it is recommended to add command line parameters that will force the executable to run in silent mode. Otherwise, the UI of added executable may hold the installation, unless the user of the deployment image takes action to complete installation for the added .exe package.

5.  (Optional) Press <Space> and then enter another command line parameter.

6.  Click Ok.

The installable is added to the Features list.

Back to top

Windows Standard Directories List

Following is the list of Standard Windows Directories, which is used by the setup internally for setting the relative paths at install time. The description of CSIDL (Constant Special Item ID List) description is available here.

Property Name	Property Description
[AppDataFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_APPDATA
[CommonAppDataFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA
[CommonFilesFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86
[DesktopFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_DESKTOP
[FavoritesFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_FAVORITES
[FontsFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_FONTS
[LocalAppDataFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA
[MyPicturesFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_MYPICTURES
[PersonalFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_PERSONAL
[ProgramFilesFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86
[ProgramMenuFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_PROGRAMS
[SendToFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_SENDTO
[StartMenuFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_STARTMENU
[StartupFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_STARTUP
[SystemFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_SYSTEMX86
[TempFolder]	well-known directory temp location
[TemplateFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_TEMPLATES
[WindowsFolder]	well-known directory CSIDL_WINDOWS
[CommonFiles64Folder	well-known directory CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON
[ProgramFiles64Folder]	well-known directory CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES
[WindowsVolume]	well-known directory, the Windows volume

To Install the Application Using the Deployment Image

1. Open the UNC path where the deployment image is stored.
2. In the deployment image folder, double-click the Setup_<product_name>_<version>.exe file.

Depending on the setting, the installation setup wizard opens and the installation starts either in full user interface mode and opens the ProStructures Setup dialog or in reduced installation mode and opens the ProStructures Setup wizard.

      3.  (Optional) For Full UI Mode, follow the steps given in the To Install ProStructures topic for settings in the ProStructures Installation wizard.

      4.  Click Finish.

Back to top

See Also

communities.bentley.com/.../creating-a-deployment-image