Another project that I have been working on. The aim is to create an application to aid in creating an efficient Windows installation point, form which RIS\CD based installations of Windows can be performed. The App lets you import hotfixes and applications in to it; final version will take all of the informaton that you provide and create a;; the scripts required on the fly to make your custom installation work.
Again, some of this works, some of it doesn't. Im looking for people who can give advice and test the existing functionality to help me out. Comments are really welcomed.

A link to the download is provided here: http://www.geocities.com/paulicl/Windowsbuilder.zip

You will also need to have version 2.x of the dotnet framework installed.

Thanks again
Paul Davey

Paul,

Firstly I like what you are trying to do with this tool!

I keep on receiving a unhandled exception error when trying to add patches into my exisiting disitribution point.

"Could not find file C:\temp\i386\$oem$\$1\Patches\kbxxxx.exe"

I created the Patches folder and now I receive a new error.

"Could not find file C:\temp\i386\$oem$\$1\Patches\patch.xml"

Are you planning on releasing a tool that would do the same for Office Administrative Install Points?

Wayne

Wayne,

Sorry I should have stated that the open distribution mechanism currently only supports distributions created with this tool. Im working on an import function at the moment.

Paul

Not a problem.

When I get time next week I will attempt to create a Windows XP SP.2. Distribution and add the patches I need to it.

Wayne

Paul,

I have been playing with your application.

I  am curious to find out more about the "Add Application to Distribution Point".

How is the application added. At what point is it installed during a build process etc..

Any feedback would be great.

Wayne

Paul,

I created a distribution point from a Windows XP Pro with SP.2. CD. This process worked with no issues.

 I then attempted to  add a patch to the distribution. This process failed with the below area.

Could not find a file "C:\XPSP2DIST\i386\$OEM$\$1\Patches\patch.xml'.

My actual Distribution Point is C:\XPSP2DIST which is essential the i386 folder.

I've not had time to do much else.

Wayne

 

Wayne,
Sorry I have not gotten back to your post until now - as I said recently on my blog I havent had much time for the site in the past couple of weeks due to a few things going on at home.

The patch.xml file should be included in the download that I posted on the site - whenever a patch is added to the distribution point the relevent informtion required to install the patch is added to the xml file.

I will have some time tonight and tommorow night (UK time) to have a look in to this, so I will see why it is not working and post the fix to the site. Can you just double check that the file is not sitting in a wrong directory somewhere?
Thanks
Paul

I still have some work to do witht he applications side of things. Like the patching the install line and relevant information is stored in an xml file.

When you compile your build (to come later) various scripts (VB) are set to run after the GUI part of Windows has completed. These scripts parse through the application xml file (and patch xml) and install the applications using the information in the xml file.

I am going to be adding a section in so that you can change install order of the applications after they have been added to the distribution point, and hopefully a dependency section. (i.e. if Acrobat 7.0.7 fails to install report it, and dont try to install the Acrobat 7.0.9 patch, but continue with the other applications).

HTH

Paul