AdminStudio

Course Overview
The AdminStudio course will teach you to use AdminStudio to repackage traditional setups into Windows Installer packages and customize those packages to meet specific needs.

Learning Format: Classroom

Instructor training delivered as onsite or through public courses

In this course, you will also gain experience in creating transforms for existing third-party MSI packages and identifying and resolving conflicts between packages before deploying your applications.

Objectives
In this class you will learn:
  • How to prepare your development systems, test systems and documentation for the application-migration process
  • How to use AdminStudio's Repackager to convert traditional setups to Windows Installer setups
  • How to enhance and customize repackaged setups and to correct validation errors
  • How to use AdminStudio's ConflictSolver to identify and resolve potential conflicts between Windows Installer setups before deployment into your desktop environment
  • How to use AdminStudio's Tuner to customize the installation of existing Windows Installer setups—such as third-party installations—to meet your company-specific requirements
  • How to use AdminStudio's Process Workflow tool to create workflows to track and manage any pre-deployment process
Course Prerequisites
Previous AdminStudio experience is not required; however, you should be comfortable with the following:
  • Using Windows Explorer and the command prompt to create and manage files and run executables
  • Basic Windows terminology (e.g. DLL, Control Panel, etc.)
Course Delivery
The following course sections and topics will be covered in the class. If you have a specific area that you think might need extra attention, mention it to your instructor on the first day of class.  

Introduction and Overview

  • AdminStudio Tools
  • Overview of the Application Migration Process
  • Windows Installer Background
  • Features and Benefits of Windows Installer
  • Format of a Windows Installer Installation
  • Windows Installer Concepts and Terminology
  • Process Assistant

 Preparing for Application Migration  

  • Creating the Storage Structure
  • Defining Your Standard Images
  • Project Documentation
  • Copying Repackager to a Network Drive
  • Global Exclusion Lists

Creating Workflow Templates and Projects

Repackaging

  • Repackager Best Practices
  • Using the Repackager IDE
  • Repackager IDE Tools Menu
  • Using Installation Monitoring to Repackage an Application
  • Repackager Output
  • Reviewing the Repackaged Data
  • Running Repackager in Snapshot Mode
  • Repackaging InstallScript MSI Installations
  • Working with Repackaging Projects 

Testing the Repackaged Installation  

  • Running MSI Installations
  • Testing Guidelines
  • Commonly Performed Tests
  • QualityMonitor
  • Predeployment Test

InstallShield Editor  

  • Overview
  • Setting Editor Options
  • General Information
  • Working with Application Data
  • Path Variables
  • Shortcuts
  • Registry Data
  • INI Files
  • Environment Variables
  • Per-Application Paths
  • Conditions
  • Building Releases
  • Validating the MSI Package
  • Creating Templates
  • Building a Citrix Profile
  • Building a ThinApp Application

Advanced Editor Topics  

  • Searching for Files
  • Direct Editor
  • Handling Locked-Down Environments
  • COM Registration 

Custom Actions  

  • Windows Installer Sequences
  • Custom Action Scheduling Options
  • The Custom Actions and Sequences View
  • Common Custom Action Types

Creating a Windows Installer Transform 

  • Introduction to Tuner
  • Creating a Response Transform
  • Editing the Transform Using Tuner
  • Applying a Transform

Application Management

  • Application Catalog
  • Importing Merge Modules
  • Working with Groups
  • Creating and Importing OS Snapshots
  • Importing Windows Installer and Virtual Packages
  • Scanning Dependencies
  • Validating Imported Packages
  • Sharing Application Catalog Data
  • Command-Line Options

Software Repository  

  • Enabling the Software Repository
  • Importing Packages
  • Using the Software Repository

Conflict Solving 

  • Steps in Conflict Solving 
  • Application Consistency Evaluator (ACE) Rules
  • Identifying Conflicts Using the Conflict Wizard
  • Resolving Conflicts

Testing and Best Practices Application Isolation  

  • Application Isolation Techniques
  • Using the Application Isolation Wizard
  • Building an Isolated Version of a Windows Installer Package Using Repackager

Distribution Packages  

  • Distribution Types
  • License Management

Upgrading Products 

  • Preparing for Major Upgrades 
  • Defining the Upgrade Settings
  • Deploying a Major Upgrade

Automated Application Converter

  • Benefits
  • Opening/Creating a Project
  • Performing Automated Conversion
  • Launching for Testing
  • Publishing Converted Packages

Additional Topics

  • Analyzing the Impact of Installing Microsoft Operating System Patches
  • Workflow Manager, Report Center, Job Manager 
  • Using PackageExpert to Identify and Resolve Package Errors