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Advertised shortcut to network path/file?

Hi all,

Wondering whether this is actually possible/concievable at all, or pushing the boundaries of what is viable with MSI/Windows Installer.

We are generally using user-assigned apps deployed through Group Policy Software Installation to push MSI's - we are configuring them as 'assigned', but not 'auto-install' because it creates the rather nice 'placeholder icon' (advertisement), which the user can then fire if they want that particular app, it goes away, installs, and runs automatically.

This works fine for most apps, as they are installed locally to the workstation - and the shortcut points to the 'key file' executable as part of the package.

We have a few that have a mixture of both locally installed components, but still run primarily from a network path/exe.

Is there anyway to make a network-based file as the key file, or to configure the advertisement in some way so that it installs and run the exe from the network location?

When I change 'Advertised = Yes' in the Adminstudio Editor, it removes the Target I specify (e.g. [APPPATH]\Program.exe), and gives me the Component Warning.

Anybody had the same requirement and got a workaround - perhaps a fiddle with the Feature/Component, INSTALL/TARGETDIR or VBScript in a custom action?

Ta in advance,
Steph
(2) Replies
I realise I could just have a locally-installed bat file that then, in turn, called the network-based exe file, but that just seemed 'a bit 1995' and cludgy....

Steph
Hi,

I always create a shortcut (lnk-file) to the network and then include this as a file in the installdir. Then create a advertised shortcut to the lnk-file.

If you want to install it on different computers (likely) then you should use a vb-script to create the shortcut. How to do this can be found somewhere in the microsoft-site. (Don't no where exactly anymore)

P.S. I tought it didn't work for shortcuts to folders. :confused: