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Changes in Wise Package Studio 8 – From Release Notes
Not much on improvements here, seems more like a service pack. The last service pack for WPS7.0 was released in April 2008 and there was a blurb about SP4 which was never released to the public. I know many of you were hoping for a big release here but this seems to be just some long overdue cleanup by Symantec and a last minute ploy to support Windows 7.
After loading the Eval copy of Wise Package Studio, everything basically looks the same as far as the GUI goes.
I guess I was hoping for more … more features, more automation, more virtualization support. If WPS8.0 throws out supporting third party deployment tie-ins, why would they support third party virtualization packages. AdminStudio supports Thinapps and others! I expected more but at least Wise Package Studio is still in the game.
Screenshot of the version I installed:
From the offical release notes:
Operating system support. We have added support for the creation of packages and scripts with the Wise Package Studio tools that run on the following operating systems:
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 SP2
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows XP SP3
Windows Vista SP1
Windows Vista SP2
Windows 7
Start menu shortcuts. The Start menu shortcuts for Wise Package Studio are in a Symantec folder instead of an Altiris folder.
Package Validation tool. When you run Package Validation from the tools menu, you can specify a single installation package file or a folder that contains multiple .MSI or .MS files. If you specify a folder, Package Validation checks all the .MSI or .MSM files in the folder. It can also check the .MSI or .MSM files in the folder’s subdirectories. When Package Validation checks multiple files, the pathname of each file appears in the list on the View dialog box and the pathname is followed by any validation issues detected for that file. When you validate multiple .MSI or .MSM files, the Correct button does not appear in the View dialog box. You can only correct issues from within Package Validation when you validate a single file. Package Validation has also been updated to use the most current version of the Internal Consistency Evaluator rules.
Wise Web Capture. Version 2.0 of the .NET Framework must be installed on the server.
Wise Connector. Wise Connector lets you import software packages and their associated metadata from a Wise Software Repository into Software Management Framework. It imports software packages from a Wise Package Studio share point directory into the Software Library. It imports the metadata that is associated with a software package from the Software Manager database into the Software Catalog. You can import software packages with their metadata on a schedule or manually. After you import software packages with their metadata into Software Management Framework, those responsible for distributing software can easily deliver and manage them. Wise Connector is a Symantec Management Platform plug-in that you install with Symantec Installation Manager. You must have Symantec Management Platform 7.0 SP3 or later to use Wise Connector. The Wise Connector plug-in for the Symantec Management Platform replaces the Wise Integration Component that had similar functionality for Notification Server 6.x.
Software Virtualization Solution. The integration of Wise Package Studio with Software Virtualization Solution has not changed with this release. Wise Package Studio supports Software Virtualization Solution 2.1, but does not support later releases of this product. Although Altiris Software Virtualization Solution has been renamed Symantec Workspace Virtualization, the Wise Package Studio documentation continues to refer to it as Software Virtualization Solution. The documentation also refers to the Altiris Software Virtualization Agent as the Software Virtualization Agent, although the agent is now referred to as the Symantec Workspace Virtualization Agent. For more information about Software Virtualization Solution (SVS), search for Workspace Virtualization on the symantec.com Web site.
Package Distribution. Package Distribution no longer supports the delivery of a package to the following distribution systems: Altiris Software Delivery Solution, IBM Tivoli, LANDesk Management Suite, Microsoft SMS, Novadigm Radia, NetInstall, Novell ZENWorks, and ON Command MSI Package Wizard.
Wise Web Capture. The following message appeared when you launched Wise Web Capture: “Windows has blocked this software … cannot verify the publisher.” This issue has been resolved.
Hotfix patch: In Software Manager, if you imported a hotfix patch, you received an error message when you tried to change its status to Available. You can now assign a hotfix patch a status of Available and the package is then copied to the Available Packages folder.
SetupCapture. SetupCapture now captures assembly information.
Check for Updates. The Check for Updates option has been removed from the Help menu and from the General tab in the Workbench Preferences dialog box.
If you used SetupCapture to capture an application that contains a service, the service was not stopped and deleted when the application was uninstalled. This issue has been resolved.
If a package was imported into Software Manager using Universal Import, the package was not moved to the Available Packages directory when the status of the package was changed to Available. This issue has been resolved.
After capturing some applications (for example Adobe Acrobat 8.12) with Virtual Package Editor, you would receive an invalid source path error when you compiled the .WVP file. This issue has been resolved.
In a locked down environment, a network client installation is now able to install the WiseDotNetStub, Signtool.exe, and Language.ini files that it could not install with 7.0 SP3.
If you captured a legacy EXE that contained a REG_MULTI_SZ key, the entire key was added to the installation instead of just the values that changed. When the installation was uninstalled, the entire key was removed, instead of just the values that were added. This issue has been resolved.
The ability to create an SOE snapshot now works on a Windows Vista SP1 computer.
What’s New in Server 2008 R2 Print Services
The following changes are available in Windows Server 2008 R2:
Print migration enhancements
Printer driver isolation
Print administrator delegation
Print Management snap-in improvements
Client-Side Rendering (CSR) performance improvements
XML Paper Specification (XPS) print path improvements
Location-aware printing
Distributed Scan Server role service
In addition, there are improvements to the Add Printer Wizard.
What does Print and Document Services do?
In Windows Server 2008 R2, Print and Document Services is a role in Server Manager that enables you to share printers and scanners on a network, set up print servers and scan servers, and centralize network printer and scanner management tasks by using the Print Management and Scan Management Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins. Print and Document Services replaces and extends the Print Services role in Windows Server® 2008. (The Print Management and Scan Management snap-ins are also available in versions of Windows® 7.)
Who will be interested in this role?
IT professionals who manage print and scan resources in a domain environment will be interested in using this role.
What new functionality does this role provide?
The following enhancements were made to this role in Windows Server 2008 R2.
Print migration enhancements
The Printer Migration Wizard (available through the Print Management snap-in) and the Printbrm.exe command-line tool were introduced in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista® to replace the Print Migrator (Printmig) utility. These enable an administrator to easily back up, restore, and migrate print queues, printer settings, printer ports, and language monitors.
Enhancements to the Printer Migration Wizard and Printbrm.exe in Windows Server 2008 R2 provide greater flexibility and better error handling and reporting—for example, you can now restore configuration information for print servers and print queues in a backup. You can also selectively back up specific print processors and print language monitors.
There is also support for print driver isolation setting migration and an option to not restore security settings for print queues during a restore operation.
Printer driver isolation
Prior to Windows Server 2008 R2, the failure of printer driver components has been a main print server support issue—the failure of a printer driver loaded onto the print spooler process would cause the process to fail, which would lead to an outage of the entire printing system. The impact of a spooler failure on a print server is particularly significant because of the number of users and printers that are typically affected.
In Windows Server 2008 R2, you can now configure printer driver components to run in an isolated process separate from the printer spooler process. By isolating the printer driver, you can prevent a faulty printer driver from stopping all print operations on a print server, which results in a significant increase in server reliability.
In addition to the benefit of improving overall printing system stability, this new feature provides a means to isolate new drivers for testing and debugging, and to identify which printer drivers have been causing spooler failures.
Print administrator delegation
On computers running Windows Server 2008 R2, the default permissions do not allow non-administrative users to perform any administrative print operations.
However, an administrator can delegate specific administrative printer tasks to non-administrative users, which reduces costs. Security risks are not introduced because non-administrative personnel are not granted system administrative rights.
Print Management snap-in improvements
Improvements to the Print Management snap-in enable you to better manage print servers, print queues, and print drivers. In Windows Server 2008 R2, the Print Management snap-in includes better support for driver management and the ability to view all print drivers installed on the network. You can now examine driver versions, driver package information, and manage driver isolation.
CSR performance improvements
In Windows Server 2008 R2, the frequency of CSR caching has been increased. Subsequently, the number of printer spooler requests that are made by applications has been reduced, which improves overall printing system performance and reduces network load.
XPS print path improvements
XPS enables Windows applications to produce rich content that can be preserved through the entire print system without costly conversions or data loss. XPS can replace a document presentation language (such as Rich Text Format (RTF)), a print spooler format (such as Windows Metafile Format (WMF)), and a page description language (such as PostScript).
In Windows Server 2008, an XPS-based print path was introduced to enhance the fidelity and performance of Windows printing. In Windows Server 2008 R2, the use of XPS in the printing system is extended and improved upon in several areas: “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) printing, improved print fidelity and color support, XPS Viewer enhancements, new rendering and rasterizing services for printer drivers, and significantly improved print performance. In addition, this functionality is now available in an unmanaged application programming interface (API) layer for application developers.
Location-aware printing
In Windows Server 2008 R2, the Default Printer setting is now location aware. A mobile or laptop user can set a different default printer for each network that they connect to. They may have a default printer set for home, and a different default printer set for office use. Their laptop can now automatically select the correct default printer, depending on where the user is currently located.
Distributed Scan Server role service
As more scanners become network enabled, administrators need a way to manage these devices on their network without having to use the applications from different hardware vendors. Additionally, scanners need to be part of an organization’s document workflow process.
In Windows Server 2008 R2, Distributed Scan Server is a new role service in the Print and Document Services role. You can use Distributed Scan Server to monitor Web Services on Devices (WSD)–enabled network scanners and create and manage scan processes. Distributed Scan Server makes it possible to easily use scanners to integrate paper-based information into corporate computer-based networks more effectively.
A scan process is a rule or set of instructions that defines how a document is scanned, where or who it is delivered to, and what users and groups are allowed to apply the rule to their scanned documents. A user selects a scan process at the front panel of a scanner that supports WSD at the time the document is scanned.
Scan settings include image resolution settings, color format settings, and file types. These settings are defined as part of the scan process rules. These settings can also be validated to make sure the settings are compatible with the scanner associated with the particular scan process. You can configure the scan process so that a user can override the scan settings at the scanner. Scanned document images can be sent to a network shared folder, a Windows SharePoint Web site, e-mail recipients, or any combination of these.
Which editions include this role?
The Print and Document Services role is available in all editions of Windows Server 2008 R2, except for Windows Web Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems. Although the Print and Document Services role is available for the Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2008 R2, the associated snap-ins are not available for Server Core installations.
Additional Detail around Print as well as Scanning can be found here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878502(WS.10).aspx
Wise Package Studio 8
Wise Package Studio 8 will be launched at Packaging Event 2009
Source: Packaging Event 2009
Event Date is October 8th, 2009
Official Release Date for WPS 8 is October 29th, 2009
Symantec will present the Wise package Studio 8 edition during the Keynote session.
What’s new in Wise Package Studio 8:
• Support for Windows 7, including Windows 7 Migration Toolkit
• Support for Windows XP SP3
• Support for Windows Vista SP1
• Support for Windows Server 2008 R2
• Support for Windows Server 2008 SP2
• Support for SQL Server 2008
• Support for versions 3.0 and 3.5 of .NET framework
• Redistributable support for Windows Installer 4.5
• Support for new Internal Consistency Evaluation (package validation) rules from Microsoft
• Updates to Virtual Package Editor
Webinar: Time to Say Goodbye to Repackaging? – Hosted by AppDeploy
I know we have had some discussions at work around our recent move to virtualization around whether we would continue to repackage applications. Repackaging won’t immediately be dismissed but is it time to make it the second option? Virtualizing applications is getting better by the minute and as more tools get released, easier as well. So I think AppDeploy picked the perfect time to take this subject to greater depths and without the vendors.
AppDeploy.com is hosting a discussion around the Pros and Cons of Virtualization in the IT World. I don’t want to miss this one! So tune in on Thursday, September 17, 2009 10:00 a.m. PT/ 1:00 p.m. ET
Source: http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/
Sign-up here: https://kace.webex.com/kace/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=823287019
Wise Package Studio ?? (Windows 7?)
We haven’t seen any updates to Wise Package Studio 7 since April 2008. Is Wise Package Studio dead on the vine? I have seen some recent posts on various sites around concerns whether Wise Package Studio has a future.
Well I am proud to say I heard it from the horse’s mouth, Symantec/Altiris will be releasing a version of Wise Package Studio soon that will support Windows 7. The release will be out near the end of October possibly early November. It wasn’t clear whether it is an update or full product release, but I will post an update once I know more.
Simple Script to find MSI errors
Here’s a simple PowerScript to pull out MSI errors out of the EventViewer and the MSI logs.
Baiscally the script first clears the log file then clears everything out of the Temp directory. Next the script prompts for the admin to start the installation, once you are done installing the program click ok to continue. The script will then collect the error messages from the MSI logs and the last three windows installer entries from the EventViewer. If there are no errors then it will return sucessful installs entries from the Event Viewer and nothing from the logs. In short this script is just a time saver from having to dig though the event logs and the temp directory for the msi logs and then having to go through those long MSI logs. Troubleshooting the error codes will still need to happen outside of the script.
Be sure to enable Windows Installer logging before beginning. This can be set with the following PowerShell command line.
Set-ItemProperty -path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer” -name “Logging” -value voicewarmup
Here’s the final code:
MSIErrorExtractor.ps1
Clear-Content errors.txt get-Childitem $env:Temp | remove-Item -force $a = new-object -comobject wscript.shell $b = $a.popup("Please run installation and click ok once installation is complete",0,"Waiting for MSI Installation and User Input",1) Get-EventLog Application | ? {$_.Source -eq "MSIInstaller" } | Select-Object TimeGenerated,Source, EntryType, Message -First 3| Format-List | out-file errors.txt #-and $_.EntryType -eq "Error" filter finderrors { if ($_.contains("Error")) {$_}} Get-Content $env:temp\MSI*.log | finderrors | Out-File -Append errors.txt | notepad errors.txt |
Modifying the MS Print webpage for Internet Printing
By default the Internet Printing web-page only displays 10 printers at a time. In our environment we have over 1600 printers and it would take forever to find the printer you need. By modifying a single line in the following file you can change the maximum number or printers to display per page.
C:\WINNT\Web\Printers\ipp_0001.asp
Change the following line to any number that fits your need.
Const iPrinterLength = 2000
Additionally I removed the Status Column to speed up the time to process the webpage
A section of the orginal ipp_0001.asp looked like this…
For Each objPrinter In objPrinters
If i > iRevEnd Then Exit For
If i > iRevStart Then
iPrinters = iPrinters + 1
ReDim Preserve rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ATTRIBUTES, iPrinters)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_STATUS, iPrinters) = objPrinter.Status
If Err.Number = &H80070005 Then ‘Access Denied
Err.Clear
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_NAME, iPrinters) = objPrinter.Name
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ACCESS, iPrinters) = PRINTER_ACCESS_DENIED
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_LOCATION, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_MODEL, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_COMMENT, iPrinters) = “<a href=”"ipp_0001.asp?v=1&startid=” &_
CStr (iStart) & “&endid=” & CStr (iEnd) & “”">” & L_AccessDenied_Text & “</a>”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_JOBS, iPrinters) = 0
Else
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
Err.Clear
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_NAME, iPrinters) = objPrinter.Name
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ACCESS, iPrinters) = PRINTER_OPENING
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_LOCATION, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_MODEL, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_COMMENT, iPrinters) = L_Opening_Text
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_JOBS, iPrinters) = 0
Else
dwStatus = objPrinter.Status
If objPrinter.Attributes And &H400 Then dwStatus = dwStatus Or &H80
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_NAME, iPrinters) = GetFriendlyName (objPrinter.PrinterName, strServerName)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_STATUS, iPrinters) = dwStatus
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_LOCATION, iPrinters) = strCleanString (objPrinter.Location)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_MODEL, iPrinters) = strCleanString (objPrinter.Model)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_COMMENT, iPrinters) = strCleanString (objPrinter.Description)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_JOBS, iPrinters) = objPrinter.JobCount
If Err Then Exit Function
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ACCESS, iPrinters) = PRINTER_OK
End If
End If
End If
i = i + 1
Next
After removing the Status lines this was the final code of that section looked like this…
For Each objPrinter In objPrinters
If i > iRevEnd Then Exit For
If i > iRevStart Then
iPrinters = iPrinters + 1
ReDim Preserve rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ATTRIBUTES, iPrinters)
If Err.Number = &H80070005 Then ‘Access Denied
Err.Clear
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_NAME, iPrinters) = objPrinter.Name
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ACCESS, iPrinters) = PRINTER_ACCESS_DENIED
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_LOCATION, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_MODEL, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_COMMENT, iPrinters) = “<a href=”"ipp_0001.asp?v=1&startid=” &_
CStr (iStart) & “&endid=” & CStr (iEnd) & “”">” & L_AccessDenied_Text & “</a>”
Else
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
Err.Clear
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_NAME, iPrinters) = objPrinter.Name
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ACCESS, iPrinters) = PRINTER_OPENING
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_LOCATION, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_MODEL, iPrinters) = “”
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_COMMENT, iPrinters) = L_Opening_Text
Else
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_NAME, iPrinters) = GetFriendlyName (objPrinter.PrinterName, strServerName)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_LOCATION, iPrinters) = strCleanString (objPrinter.Location)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_MODEL, iPrinters) = strCleanString (objPrinter.Model)
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_COMMENT, iPrinters) = strCleanString (objPrinter.Description)
If Err Then Exit Function
rgPrinters(ADSI_PRINTER_ACCESS, iPrinters) = PRINTER_OK
End If
End If
End If
i = i + 1
Next
For the cause
Links
