The Common tab includes the following pages:
The Macros property page, shown below, displays the macros that have been defined for use with the Application object.
These macros, referred to as Application object macros, are simply variable names that are associated with values, typically string values. For example, when you create an Application object using an .AOT or .AXT file, a SOURCE_PATH macro is automatically added to the list. This macro defines the location of the source files from which the application will be installed. Many times, you must enter the source path when defining other properties for the Application object. By creating a SOURCE_PATH macro, you only need to enter %SOURCE_PATH% rather than the actual source path.
You can use Application object macros when defining the following Application object properties:
IMPORTANT: When using a macro for any of these properties, you must enclose the macro name in % characters (for example, %SOURCE_PATH%).
The Macros list displays all macros that have been defined for use with the Application object.
Click File > Find to search for specific information in the Name, Value, and Prompt fields.
Click File > Import to import macros from another Application object's .AOT or .AXT file.
Use the Add button to define an Application object macro and add it to the Macros list. You can add either a String Value macro or a Prompted macro.
A String Value macro is used to create a variable that has a string value associated with it. This lets you use the variable in multiple locations while defining the value in one location.
To create a String Value macro, click Add > String Value to display the Edit String Value dialog box. In the Value Name box, type a name for the variable > type the value for the variable in the Value Data box. Click OK to add the macro to the Macros list.
You can place macros within macros. In the following example, a special Windows macro, *WINDISK, is used when defining the TARGET_PATH macro:
Value Name: TARGET_PATH
Value Data: %*WINDISK%\Program Files
When embedding another macro in the string, you must enclose the macro in % characters, as shown in the above example. You can embed special Windows macros, NDS attribute macros, environment variable macros, login script macros, and other Application object macros. For information about these types of macros, see Macros .
A Prompted macro is used to create a macro that prompts the user to accept the default value (either a drive or string) or enter a new value.
To create a Prompted Drive macro, click Add > Prompted > Drive to display the Prompted Drive Macros dialog box. Fill in the fields as described below:
Macro Name: Give the macro any name you want. Do not use spaces.
Prompt Text: Enter the text you want presented to users. For example, "This application will be installed to your C: drive. Enter a different drive letter if desired:".
Default Value: Select the drive that will be used if the user does not enter another drive letter.
Minimum Disk Space in MB: Enter the minimum amount of free disk space required to install the application.
To create a Prompted String macro, click Add > Prompted > String to display the Prompted String Macros dialog box. Fill in the fields as described below:
Macro Name: Give the macro any name you want. Do not use spaces.
Prompt Text: Enter the text you want presented to users.
Default Value: Select the value that will be used if the user does not enter another value in response to the prompt text.
Minimum Disk Space in MB: Enter the minimum amount of free disk space required to install the application.
Maximum String Length in Chars: Enter the maximum number of characters the user can enter as a response to the prompt.
Select the macro whose information you want to modify > click Modify.
Select the macro you want to delete > click Delete.
The Drives/Ports property page, shown below, determines the drive mappings and port captures for the application. When a user launches the application (through the Application object), Application Launcher/Explorer establishes the drive mappings and port captures before launching the application.
For example, suppose you've set up a database application to run from drive W:. To ensure that W is mapped to the location of the application, you could map drive W: to the server, volume, and directory where the application exists. When Application Launcher/Explorer runs the application, it establishes the drive mapping according to the conditions defined when setting up the drive mapping.
Or, maybe users need access to a network location to store files created with a word processor. If you map a drive, the drive mapping becomes active as soon as the application runs.
By default, drive mappings and port captures are not released when the user closes the application. For Application Launcher/Explorer to release the drives and ports, you need to select the Clean Up Network Resources option (Run Options > Environment page). With this option selected, Application Launcher/Explorer releases any drives it mapped and ports it captured as long as the drives and ports are not being used by another application. If several applications use the same drive or port, then the drive mappings and port captures aren't cleaned up until the last application terminates.
The Drives to Be Mapped list displays all drives that will be mapped before the application is launched.
Click Add to display the Drive to Be Mapped dialog box. Fill in the following fields:
Root: Check this option to treat the path as the root of the drive.
Option: Select the type of drive to map. The available types are:
Drive: Assign a drive letter. The options are drives A through Z, or the next available drive.
Path: Enter, or browse and select, the path you want mapped to the selected drive. If you enter the path, use the following syntax:
You can also use a macro in this field. For information about macros, see Macros .
Map If Drive Mapping Doesn't Exist or Same as Existing: Select this option if you want Application Launcher/Explorer to map the drive if 1) it doesn't exist already or 2) it is the same as an existing drive mapping.
Overwrite any Existing Drive Mapping: Select this option if you want Application Launcher/Explorer to replace any mapping that uses the requested drive letter. For example, if S: is mapped to \\SERVER1\SYS\PUBLIC and you've specified the new S: drive mapping as \\SERVER1\APPS\TIMECARD, the end result is that drive S: is mapped to \\SERVER1\APPS\TIMECARD.
To identify this option in the Drives to Be Mapped list, the word FORCE is added to the mapping information.
Use the Existing Drive Mapping If Already Mapped: Select this option to use the existing drive mapping even if it is not the same as the path requested. For example, if S: is mapped to \\SERVER1\SYS\PUBLIC and you've specified the new S: drive mapping as \\SERVER1\APPS\TIMECARD, the end result is that drive S: is still mapped to \\SERVER1\SYS\PUBLIC.
To identify this option in the Drives to Be Mapped list, the word REUSE is added to the mapping information.
Select a drive mapping in the Drives to Be Mapped list > click Modify to display the Drive to be Mapped dialog box. Change the drive mapping information as needed. See the field descriptions above or click the Help button in the dialog box.
Select a drive mapping in the Drives to Be Mapped list > click Delete to remove the mapped drive.
The Ports to Be Captured list displays all ports that will be captured before the application is launched.
Click Add to display the Ports to Be Captured dialog box. Fill in the following fields:
Port: Select an LPT port to assign to the printer or queue.
Printer or Queue: Browse to select a printer or queue.
You can also use a macro in this field. For information about macros, see Macros .
Capture Flags: You can use this option to override notification, banner, and form feed settings defined on the user's workstation. Whenever a user prints from the application, the settings you defined will be used.
In the Capture Flags box, select the Override Workstation Setting box for the corresponding Capture setting you want to override. After you do this, the corresponding Capture setting becomes active. Select the setting to turn it on. Leave the setting unchecked to turn it off.
For example, if you select the Override Workstation Setting box for Notify and also select the Capture Setting box for Notify, when the user prints a document, the Novell Client displays a Notify alert panel to indicate the completion of the print job, no matter which Capture settings are on the user's workstation. However, if you select the Override Workstation Setting box for Notify but do not select the Capture Setting box for Notify, when the user prints a document, the Novell Client does not display a Notify alert panel to indicate the completion of the print job, no matter which Capture settings are used on the user's workstation.
Select a port capture in the Ports to Be Captured list > click Modify to display the Ports to be Captured dialog box. Change the capture information as needed. See the field descriptions above or click the Help button in the dialog box.
Select a port capture in the Ports to Be Captured list > click Delete to remove the captured port.
The File Rights property page, shown below, specifies the file, directory, and volume rights a user must have to run the application. A user receives these rights when his or her User object is associated with the Application object, or when a Group, Organizational Unit, Organization, or Country object of which the user is a member is associated with the Application object. The rights are removed from the user when the object is no longer associated with the Application object.
The file rights you set up are not dependent on whether the user is actually using the application. The user has continual file rights from the time the Application object is associated with the user until the time the association is removed.
If two separate Application objects give file rights to the same file, directory, or volume and the user is unassociated with only one of them, then the user loses all rights even though the user might still be associated with the other Application object.
The File Rights list displays all files, directories, and volumes to which rights will be given. When you select a file, directory, or volume, the rights that have been granted are displayed in the Rights box. You can grant or remove rights by checking or unchecking the appropriate boxes.
Click Add > browse for and select the file, directory, or volume you want to add > click OK to display it in the list.
Select the file, directory, or volume you want to delete from the list > click Delete. Any users associated with the Application object will lose rights to the file, directory, or volume.
Select the file, directory, or volume (in the File Rights list) for which you are establishing users' rights > check the appropriate boxes.
The Reporting property page, shown below, specifies the application events that you want Application Launcher/Explorer to report on and lets you specify the method of reporting.
Reports contain the following information: event type, date and time, user distinguished name, workstation distinguished name, workstation address, application distinguished name, application global unique identifier (GUID), application version string, and event strings.
For information about setting up reporting, see Reporting on Application Management Events .
Select the events (distribution, launch, filtering, and uninstallation) that you want reported and the destination where you want the events sent. You can send events to a database, to a management console via an SNMP trap, or to a text log file. If necessary, you can send events to multiple destinations (for example, both a database and a text log file).
If you selected a log file as the destination for any of the event reports, enter (or browse to and select) the location and name for the log file.
The Properties property page, shown below, lets you override the public property values contained in the .MSI package and add new public properties.
The .MSI package contains the property values that were defined during the administrative installation of the application. These property values determine the way the Microsoft Windows Installer installs the application to the user's workstation. In some cases, you may want to change one or more of the property values. For example, a property value may define the default location for a user's work files. By adding the property to the Properties list and changing the property's value, you can override the default location defined in the .MSI package.
If necessary, you can add public properties that were not included in the .MSI package. When doing so, you should be careful to add only those properties that are valid for the package.
To override a property value, you change the property value and add the property to the Properties list so that Application Launcher/Explorer knows to use that property value rather than the one defined in the .MSI package. To do so, click Add to display the Select Property to Add dialog box. In the Value Name field, select the property whose value you want to override > enter the new value in the Value Data field > click OK to add the property to the Properties list.
To define a new property that is not already included in the .MSI package, click Add to display the Select Property to Add dialog box. In the Value Name field, enter the new property's name > enter the property's value in the Value Data field > click OK to add the property to the Properties list.
To modify a property that is in the Properties list, select the property > click Modify to display the Edit String Value dialog box > modify the value data > click OK.
To delete a property from the Properties list, select the property > click Delete. Deleting the property causes future installations of the application to use the property value defined in the .MSI package.
The Transforms property page lists the transforms that Microsoft Windows Installer will apply to the .MSI package during distribution. A transform adds, deletes, or changes properties in the .MSI package to enable customizing of the installation for different groups of users.
Transforms are applied in the order they appear in the Transform List. If two transforms modify the same package property, the property retains the value applied by the last transform.
For information about creating transforms for your .MSI package, see the documentation you received with the software application.
Click Add > browse to and select the transform file (.MST file) you want added to the Transform List > click OK to add it to the list. If the transform file is in the same location as the .MSI package, you can simply enter the filename in the Transform Path field.
Select a transform from the Transforms List > click Delete to remove it from the list.
Select a transform from the Transform List > click the up-arrow to move the transform up in the list or click the down-arrow to move it down in the list. Application Launcher/Explorer applies the transforms in the order they are listed, from top to bottom.
The Imaging property page, shown below, lets you create an image file for the Application object. You can use the image file as an add-on image to a base image file so that the application will be delivered to a workstation during imaging of the workstation.
During the imaging process, the add-on image is applied after the base image. Applying the add-on image results in the application files being added to the imaged workstation's NALCACHE directory, located on the workstation's Windows drive (typically C:). When Novell Application Launcher/Explorer starts, it reads the NALCACHE directory and displays the application's icon. After the user double-clicks the icon, the distribution process occurs and then the application is launched.
IMPORTANT: On Windows NT/2000/XP, users who do not have administrative rights to their workstation must be given Full Control access to NALCACHE directory. Otherwise, Application Launcher/Explorer will not be able to read the cache and display the application.
This field displays the size of the Application object. This includes all Application object information (.AOT or .AXT file) as well as application source files (.FIL files).
These fields let you specify a location and filename for the image and ensure that the disk to which you are saving the image has sufficient free space.
Specify the location and filename for the image. You may want to save it in the same location as the base image file. The filename does not need to have a particular filename extension, although .ZMG is used as the default.
After you've entered a location for the file, these fields display the amount of space on the disk, the amount of available free disk space, and the amount of used disk space. Verify that the Application object will fit in the amount of free disk space.
IMPORTANT: In addition to the image location, the ConsoleOne workstation's NALCACHE directory, located on the workstation's Windows drive (typically C:), is used temporarily to store the application's source files (.FIL files) and the Application object's settings (.AOT/.AXT file). The size of the source files will vary; the size of the settings file is typically less than 200 KB. Make sure that the workstation's Windows drive has sufficient disk space for these files.
After you've defined the image location and selected the image associations (see Image Association Location ), click the Create Image button to create the image. A dialog box will appear that lets you select from the following compression options:
None: Creates the image file but does not compress it. This will result in the largest image size produced by any of the compression options.
Optimize Compression Time: Applies the lowest level of compression. This minimizes the time required to compress the image file, but results in a larger file size than could be achieved by using the Balance Compression Time and Image Size option or Optimize Image Size option.
Balance Compression Time and Image Size: Applies a medium level of compression in order to balance the amount of time required to compress the file against the size of the image file.
Optimize Image Size: Applies the highest level of compression. This decreases the image file size but increases the time required to compress the image file as compared to the Optimize Compression Time option and Balance Compression Time and Image Size option.
Specify the association characteristics for the Application object. These will be enforced when the image is applied to the workstation.
Runs the Application object as soon as Application Launcher/Explorer or Workstation Helper starts and the Application object is available.
You can use the Force Run option in conjunction with several other settings to achieve unique behaviors. For example, if you use the Force Run option with the Run Application Once option (Run Options > Applications page), as soon as the Application object is distributed it will run one time and then be removed from the workstation. Or, suppose that you want to run the Application object immediately one time at a pre-determined time. If so, select Force Run, select the Run Application Once option on the Application page (Run Options tab), and define a schedule using the Schedule page (Availability tab).
If you want to force run several applications in a specific order, mark each of them as Force Run. Then give each Application object a numeric order by using the Order Icon Display option on the Icon page (Identification tab).
Adds the Application object's icon to the Application Launcher/Explorer window.
If the workstation is running Application Explorer, this option adds the Application object to the Windows Start menu. The Application object will be added to the top of the Start menu, unless you assign the Application object to a folder and use the folder structure on the Start menu. See the Application object's Folders page (Identification tab).
If the workstation is running Application Explorer, this option displays the Application object's icon on the Windows desktop.
If the workstation is running Application Explorer, this option displays the Application object's icon in the Windows system tray.
Displays the Application object's icon on the Windows Quick Launch toolbar.
Forces the application source files and other files required for installation to be copied to the workstation's cache directory. The user can then install or repair the application while disconnected from NDS. The files are compressed to save space on the workstation's local drive.
The Sources property page, shown below, specifies additional network locations that contain installation packages from which Application Launcher/Explorer can distribute the application. If the Application object was created from a .AOT or .AXT file, the installation packages must be snAppShot packages (.AOT, .AXT, and .FIL files). If the Application object was created from a .MSI file, the installation packages must be Microsoft Windows Installer packages (.MSI files). The source list is used only if the original source location is unavailable, in which case Application Launcher/Explorer begins with the first location in the list and continues down the list until an accessible package is found.
Before you can define additional source locations, you need to make sure to copy the original package to the new source locations. For snAppShot packages, copy the .AOT, .AXT, .FIL, and .TXT files. For Windows Installer packages, copy the administrative installation folder and all subfolders.
With Application objects that use a .MSI file rather than a .AOT or .AXT file, this source list can be extremely important. Because Windows Installer supports on-demand installations (installation of files as the user requests certain features or components), the source list can provide source resiliency for installations that occur after the initial installation. If the original installation source is no longer available and no source list has been established, the on-demand installation will fail. However, if you create additional source locations and define them in the source list, the on-demand installation will have a better chance of succeeding.
IMPORTANT: If you have used the SOURCE_PATH macro (Common > Macros page) in any of the Application object's property fields, you should verify that you used all uppercase letters and no lowercase letters. If the original source location is referenced through the SOURCE_PATH macro and Application Launcher/Explorer cannot access the location, it will use the package sources in this list only if the SOURCE_PATH macro is all uppercase.
The Package Source List displays the additional package source locations that have been defined for the application. When the application is distributed to a workstation, Application Launcher/Explorer will use these locations, in the order listed, if the original source location is unavailable.
When distributing applications that use the Windows Installer, Application Launcher/Explorer passes the source list to the Windows Installer, which then uses the list for the locations from which to install the application files.
To add a source location to the list, click Add > browse to and select the directory that contains the installation package > click OK.
To remove a source location from the list, select the location > click Delete.
The Uninstall property page, shown below, enables the application to be uninstalled and determines the behaviors associated with uninstalling the application.
Check this option to enable the application to be removed from the workstation. The other uninstall options are available only if this option is enabled.
Check this option to enable users to remove the application from their workstations. If this option is not enabled, only you or other administrators can remove applications.
Check this option to prompt users before removing the application from their workstations. If users answer "No" to the prompt, the application will not be removed.
Check this option to ensure that Application Launcher/Explorer terminates the application (if the application is running) before it begins uninstalling the application files.
Check this option to automatically remove the application if the user has not run it within the specified number of days (the default is 30).
Click Files > check the attributes you want to use to determine whether or not an application file is removed. The attributes correspond to the attributes listed on the Application Files page (Distribution Options tab). By default, the options are configured (Copy Always, Copy if Does Not Exist, Copy if Newer) to ensure that a file is removed only if it was installed when the application was installed and not at an earlier time by another application that also needs the file.
Click Shortcuts > check the attributes you want to use to determine whether or not the application's shortcuts are removed. The attributes correspond to the attributes listed on the Shortcuts/Icons page (Distribution Options tab).
Click INI Files > check the attributes you want to use to determine whether or not an INI setting is removed. The attributes correspond to the attributes listed on the INI Settings page (Distribution Options tab). By default, the options are configured (Create Always, Create if Exists, Create or Add to Existing Section) to ensure that a setting is removed only if it was created when the application was installed and not at an earlier time by another application that also needs the setting.
Click Registry > check the attributes you want to use to determine whether or not a registry setting is removed. The attributes correspond to the attributes listed on the Registry Settings page (Distribution Options tab). By default, the options are configured (Create Always, Create if Exists) to ensure that a setting is removed only if it was created when the application was installed and not at an earlier time by another application that still needs the setting.
This option allows you to select two specific registry hives, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER, to include or exclude when removing the registry settings that were added by Application Launcher/Explorer during distribution of the application to the workstation. The default settings cause Application Launcher/Explorer to remove settings from the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive but not from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive.
The purpose of this option is to help you ensure that no Windows system settings are removed during the uninstall. This is particularly important if you used snAppShot to capture the application's installation. When snAppShot captures an application's installation, it includes all settings that are changed during the installation. If the application's installation program causes the workstation to reboot during the installation process, these changes can include not only settings that apply to the application but also settings that apply to the Windows system. Removing Windows system settings may cause the workstation to encounter problems when starting up. It is strongly recommended that you remove these settings only if you are positive that they will not affect the workstation's ability to function properly.
NOTE: If you want to use this option, you should examine the registry settings that will be removed from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER hives and delete any settings that apply to anything other than the application. The registry settings are displayed on the Registry Settings page (Distribution Options tab).