Setup Capture: Configuration Files and Templates

I have been asked many times about how to allow for multiple templates to be selected and used during the Setup Capture process within Wise Package Studio. For both Windows Installer Files (WSI & MSI) and WiseScript Files (WSE) you can use the following guide.

Unfortunately you cannot use this guide for utilizing any selectable transform for Virtual Software Projects (WVP) via Setup Capture. The Virtual Software Projects option does not follow the same conventions; you do not have options to choose a configuration file and the subsequent capture configuration options.

Configuration files control how Setup Capture works. To choose a configuration file, you are first advised to create one by configuring the settings for Setup Capture in the Setup Capture Configuration tool. Typically the resulting file will be named 'Repackage.INI' and located in the root of the Wise Share Point, but you can specify the name and location for the resulting configuration file yourself. Depending on the number of configuration files you are likely to utilize, you may want to consider creating a new folder for resulting configuration (INI) files. Note - Only share configuration files between computers that have identical software and hardware configurations, because exclusion lists and directories to watch are computer-dependent.

Location, Location, Location

Firstly you will need to have the template file(s) saved to the correct locations. Any WiseScript template must be saved under the 'WiseScript Editor\Template' folder. Any Windows Installer Template must be saved under the 'Wise Share Point\Template' folder. WiseScript templates must have .WSE and Windows Installer templates .WSI file extensions.

I would ensure that you already have a clear naming standard, making the configuration and template file names the same may also help. You may also want to consider a version control mechanism to track changes.

Screen showing the resulting configuration file location being set to a custom location / name.

Click to view.

Screen showing the General Settings, specifically the WiseScript Template, note the available Custom Template.

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Screen showing the General Settings, specifically the Windows Installer Template, note the available Custom Template.

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Once you have customised any other requirements and finished the Setup Capture configuration process you will have your configuration file saved to wherever you specified in the first Welcome dialogue.

Now you have one or more customised configuration file, with corresponding templates, you can use the correct customised configuration file and corresponding settings. Run Setup Capture and choose either WiseScript or Windows Installer as the required type, now Change the 'Configuration File Location' to 'Use configuration file located in directory below' and Browse to the correct configuration INI file.

Click to view.

Click to view.

You will now see, under the 'Settings' option, your custom template you selected during the configuration file creation process. You will notice that the templates are greyed out, as are all templates for any given configuration file. There is a one to one relationship between a configuration file and a template. Note: The greyed out nature is not a permissions issue.

I think it's worth explaining how this Setup Capture mechanism and configuration file seems to work.

When you start the Setup Capture process it will, by default, use the Local PC configuration file located at C:\Windows\WisePSSC.ini. If this local file is not present on the client machine and you keep the default 'Use configuration file from the PC' then the configuration settings will default to a preset, fairly clean, base. After the Setup Capture you will find a saved local WisePSSC.ini file with the settings you choose last. This bypasses the advantages of using a preconfigured exclusion list, even the basic one, and other standardisation settings. If the WisePSSC.ini file does exist then the properties within it are read and processed.

The Manager section in the WisePSSC.ini file and the 'Config Location' property denotes the configuration file location. The value 'Network' represents the Repackage.ini file in the root of the Wise Share Point ('Use configuration file on share point'). The UNC path below represents the custom configuration file ('Use configuration file located in directory below'). If there is no Manager section or Config Location property in the WisePSSC.ini then it will use the WisePSSC.ini file ('Use configuration file from the local PC'). So, if you want your Setup Capture client to default to a certain configuration file, ensure the local WisePSSC.ini file has the Manager section and Config Location property set correctly.

[Manager]
Config Location=Network
Config Location=\\WiseEval\Wise Share Point\Custom Template.ini

Other properties to mention include 'Template' and 'ScriptTemplate'. These properties are, as the names denote, for the WiseScript and Windows Installer templates. Typically you will see something similar to Template=Windows Application and ScriptTemplate=Empty Project. The value 'Windows Application' is referring to the file \\[ServerName]\[Wise Share Point]\Templates\Windows Application.WSI and 'Empty Project' to C:\Program Files\Altiris\Wise Package Studio\WiseScript Editor\Template\Empty Project.wse. Note: The template file extension must be .WSE or .WSI

The CaptureMethod property denotes the capture methodology to use.

0= Snapshot only
1= SmartMonitor only
2= Snapshot and SmartMonitor and
3= Virtual Capture

The HideMethodPage property hides or displays the Capture Methodology window (shown below).

0 = Checked - Don't show dialog again
1= UnChecked Don't show dialog again
not present = UnChecked Don't show dialog again.

Click to view.

You will see a dialog similar to the one below if the specified template, in the configuration file, is not found. Note: The file extension is .WSI not .MSI it appears the template has to be a .WSI file.

Click to view.