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Extending the DS 6.9 SP6 Console's Tools Menu 

Jan 20, 2016 04:11 PM

Hello all,

Whilst creating DS training materials (I only had a 6.1 copy and DS 6.9 SP6 still has the SP5 documentation so I had to create up-to-date material) I found a change in SP6 that maybe of use to some of you. 

In the 6.1 material and also the SP5 documentation, it states that the Tools submenus are governed by INI files and that you can also have submenus within those submenus; and that you could have a max of 8 submenus each having a max of 8 submenus, and that the main Tools menu could have additional programs added to its root. 

What I have found is that this is not true for SP6 (I cannot say if its true for earlier versions of the product either), so here is my updated material: 

 

Overview

ini1.png

You can add commands to the Tools menu on the Deployment Console to quickly access additional management applications. This lets you easily access applications commonly used with Deployment Solution.

Commands are added by modifying or adding new .INI files. You can insert commands to the root ATools.ini file for the Altiris Tools submenu or add new .INI files to create additional submenus which have their own commands.

ini2.png

You need to place these .INI files in the directory where the Deployment Console executable (eXpress.exe) is located. The default location is “INSTALLDIR\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\”.

 

ATools.ini

ini3.png

ini4.png

  1. [Application name]
  2. MenuText=<the application name displayed in the menu>
  3. Description=<the name displayed in the bottom left hand corner of the DS Console when you mouse over the menu item>
  4. WorkDir=<directory set as default when executable is run>
  5. Executable=<path to the executable files>  Relative or full paths can be used but not environment variables. 

The & character identifies which letter should be used as a hotkey function. 

 

Custom Submenus

In order to create custom submenu’s, you must create an additional INI file as well as reference that INI file within the DS’s registry. 

ini5.png

ini6.png

ini7.png

ini8.png

This example is of a second INI file called wtools.ini, and contains two programs, Internet Explorer and Acrobat Reader.

 

Maximum Submenu Items

  • A maximum of 64 programs can be created. 
  • This can be within one submenu or distributed within as many as 64 submenus.
  • A maximum of 20 programs can exist within a single submenu. 

ini9.png

Once the INI files and registry strings have been created, the DS Console must be reopened before the new menu items will be available. 

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Comments

Jan 21, 2016 03:44 AM

I like it! Nice work.

Jan 21, 2016 03:38 AM

The one tool that I have added to the ATools.ini file is Ghost Explorer. 

What useful tools have others added to their DS Consoles? 

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