~mkw

Creating Unattended installs of VS 2005 Beta 2

Performing unattended or "silent" installs in VS 2005 Beta 2 was surprisingly easy. Last night I downloaded the team suite iso from MSDN Subscriber downloads and then extracted the iso to a folder on my computer. In the root of the image there are 4 folders, one of which is the VS folder. Inside VS we find lots and lots of cabinet files, several folders and a setup.exe and vs_setup.msi folder. These launch a guided installer which includes MSDN but in my case I just wanted to automate the settings for my VS installs.

Inside the VS folder there is also a setup folder which contains the exe we want to launch from. If we look at the command line argument help for this exe we see options for creating an unattend file, using a specific unattend file, turning off event logging, turning off error logging and creating a transform file (I tried this first as it seemed similar to the way I automate Office installs but had no luck launching an automated installs with the mst file)

I found it easiest to launch the setup program inside the setup folder with the following syntax: "setup /CreateUnattend MyVSInstall.ini"
This launched the administrative mode setup which allowed me to walk through the setup process and make my selections and rather than immediately perform the install it created an ini file with my information.

I then went back and launched setup passing the UnattendFile argument with the path to my install file and without any other switches VS installed itself silently and without any user prompts.

Very nice guys, thanks for making this easier.

Once again, the quick version

1. Launch setup from inside the vs\setup folder with the /CreateUnattend yourfilenamehere.ini argument.
2. Go through the setup process and make your custom selections
3. Launch setup from inside the vs\setup folder with the /UnattendFile yourfilenamehere.ini argument.

Voila, you have done it.

Now you see it, now you dont...

Beta 2 bits were on MSDN Subscriber downloads this morning and now they seem to have disappeated. What is the story, why the pull?

Update: I see it, I just get "Content Not Available" for any of the selections.

Update Again: OK, I am moving now - about 90K/sec

Peter Blum breaks out version 3

Almost anyone who uses my web application notices the slick client side validation as well as other various goodies. Most of this stuff comes from an excellent set of validation and input control developeed by Peter Blum.

Peter's controls are a textbook example of the excellence that can be produced by one focused individual with a specifc goal. These are bar none the best controls I have ever purchased for any purpose.

I wrote some details about my early experience with this controls here.

With version 3 Peter has rolled a lot of his packages under one umbrella including his Visual Input Security product.

Check out his stuff, there are upgrade specials right now and even at full price you will find no better value for your money.

...And version 3 will be compatible with ASP.NET 2.0

Fox’s 24 and Microsoft

If you don’t watch 24 on Fox you don’t know what you are missing. In a world of predictable shows and boring writing it just stands out above the rest; I think Microsoft should sponsor some elements of the show 24, here is what I am thinking…

Product placement is not a new thing, it has been done in movies and television for decades but it has gotten a bit more prominent lately. In the first couple seasons of 24 all CTU agents drove nice Ford trucks of SUVs and the cameras would make it a point to get that Ford emblem in the shot at least once an episode. CTU was also loaded with hardware from Apple. That brings up another point, have you ever noticed the disproportionate use of Apple technology on television shows and movies? If I was studying American consumerism through television and movies I would think Apple was the one with the 90% market share.

OK, back to my point – Microsoft should sponsor 24 not only with a different type of commercial but with product placement, even through “script injection”. 24 is not the highest rated show on television but it is highly coveted amongst advertisers because of the demographics wherein it is strongest, namely young men 18-35 and in fact quite affluent young men.

Implementation plan…

There are effectively two sets in 24, CTU and everywhere else. CTU is the dark conclave full of computers, computer geeks and CTU agents. For the longest time you saw Apple everywhere; last night however I did catch them isolating an HP logo for a minute. Microsoft is obviously not in the hardware business like Apple or HP but something needs to be done about Hollywood’s fascination with making up bogus user interfaces and writers who just don’t have a clue. Microsoft should pay to inject realistic technology lingo into the script – ie my “script injection” idea. It would not affect the story line any to change

“Zoe could you please load up the blah blah blah protocol”
to
“Zoe could you please install blah blah blah assembly into the GAC”

Or change

“Get Edgar to do it, he knows that system better than anybody”
To
”Get Edgar to do it, he knows C# better than anybody”

Now I know that such interjection of technical jargon will not help MSFT in a traditional sense but as part of a full throated approach it can be an element. Microsoft could also try to have some reign over the bogus user interfaces Hollywood creates. Show off the Aero UI in these cases, show off the Microsoft fingerprint reader hardware when someone logs into a workstation. And for God sake get a commercial on the air during a show like 24 that makes me believe that you make software and not kites for little girls to fly so they can reach their potential.