Silent Installation Instructions - Working Papers 2010 and Lower

This solution applies to Working Papers version 2010 and lower.

If you are using Working Papers 2011 or higher, click here for instructions.

Follow the steps below for Working Papers 2010 and lower to create a silent installation. For Working Papers 2010 patch installations ensure to read all notes marked "Patch Note".

Creating the response file

A normal (non-silent) installation receives the necessary input from the user in the form of responses to dialog boxes.  However, a silent installation does not prompt the user for input.  A silent installation must get its user input from a different source.  That source is the Silent Response File (setup.iss file).

A response file contains information similar to that which an end user would enter as responses to dialog boxes that appear during a normal setup.  InstallShield reads the necessary input from the response file at run time.

The format of response files resembles that of a .ini file, but response files have .iss extensions.  A response file is a plain text file consisting of sections containing data entries and can be viewed with any text editor such as Notepad.

Recording a response file

Run your Setup with the /r command line switch.  All your installation choices are recorded in Setup.iss file which will be created in the C:\Windows folder.

1. Open the Run Command, select Start | Run


2. In the Open textbox field, enter the following:
   
        "C:\Installation_files\Setup.exe" /r
   
   Where, Installation_files, represents the pathname of the directory where Setup.exe resides.
   Patch Note: Ensure to extract your files in a folder whose path contains no spaces. Prefix the /a switch for patch installs. For example, "C:\Installation_files\Setup.exe" /a /r.
   

Running the Silent installation

Copy the response file from your Windows folder to the shared location of the Setup files and run your Setup with the /s command line switch.  When running an installation in silent mode, be aware that no messages are displayed.  Instead, a log file named Setup.log captures installation information, including whether the installation was successful.  You can review the log file using Notepad and determine the result of the installation.

eDelivery Installation

For 2010 eDelivery users you must explicitly specify the pathname of the setup.iss file (regardless of whether the file is present in the shared location or not).   Use the /f1 command line switch with setup.exe to specify the path of the response file.

1. Open the Run Command, select Start | Run


2. In the Open textbox field, enter the following:
   
        "C:\Installation_files\Setup.exe" /s /f1"C:\Installation files\Setup.iss"
   
   Where, Installation_files, represents the pathnames of the directories where Setup.exe and Setup.iss reside (if they are in different directories).
   Patch Note: Prefix the /a switch for patch installs. For example, "C:\Installation_files\Setup.exe" /a /s /f1"C:\Installation_files\Setup.iss".
   

Note:

• The /SMS command line switch has been deprecated as of InstallShield 2010.   You do not have to specify the /SMS switch because setup.exe now stays in memory until the installation is complete.

Using the Setup.log to Check for Errors

Setup.log is the default name for the silent installation log file, and its default location is in the same folder as Setup.exe.  You can specify a different name and location for Setup.log using the /f2 parameter with Setup.exe (see the example below).  A log file is a plain text file consisting of sections containing data entries and can be viewed with any text editor such as Notepad.

1. Open the Run Command, select Start | Run


2. In the Open textbox field, enter the following:
   
        "C:\Installation_files\Setup.exe" /s /f2C:\temp\filename.log
   
   Where, Installation_files, represents the pathname of the directory where Setup.exe resides.
   Patch Note: Prefix the /a switch for patch installs. For example, "C:\Installation_files\Setup.exe" /a /s /f2C:\temp\filename.log.
   

A value assigned to the ResultCode keyname in the [ResponseResult] section indicates the result of the installation: