Technical Notes

Creating and Deploying Transforms and Companion Packages Using the Attachmate Customization Tool
Technical Note 2369
Last Reviewed 21-Nov-2008
Applies To
Reflection for IBM 2008
Reflection for UNIX and OpenVMS 2008
Reflection Standard Suite 2008
INFOConnect Enterprise Edition version 9.0
Reflection for Secure IT Windows Client version 7.0 or higher
Reflection for Secure IT Windows Server version 7.0 or higher
Reflection X 2008
Verastream Transaction Integrator
Summary

Using the Attachmate Customization Tool, you can create standard MSI transforms that modify the primary installer database or companion install packages to install any files that are not installed with Reflection (for example, settings files, custom map files and themes, or access files created with Permissions Manager). This technical note describes how to create and deploy transforms and companion packages using the Attachmate Customization Tool. It also describes how to chain an installation to run companion packages automatically before or after the primary installation.

Note: The information in this note applies to all of the products listed in the Applies To section above; however, this technical note includes links to the product guide for Reflection 2008 products.

This note is organized into the following topics:

Before You Begin

Before you proceed, note the following recommendations:

• The steps in this note assume you have set up an Administrative Installation. For more information about creating an administrative installation, see the "Perform an Administrative Installation" topic in the product guide for Reflection 2008: http://docs.attachmate.com/Reflection/2008/R1/Guide/en/user-html/admin_install_image_pr.htm.

• The Attachmate Customization Tool can be run from the command line or you can create a shortcut to point to it.

1. Right-click on the Setup.exe file and choose Create Shortcut.
2. Right-click on the shortcut and choose Properties.
3. In the Target field, add /admin to target line.
4. Rename the shortcut as desired.

Transforms

Customize Reflection to specify the way you want it to install, look, and act on the end user's computer by creating a transform. As defined by Microsoft, "a transform is a collection of changes applied to an installation. By applying a transform (*.mst) to a base installation package, the installer can add or replace data in the installation database."

To create an installation transform

1. Open the Attachmate Customization Tool.
2. Select Create a new Setup customization file for the following product, and then click OK.

3. Select items from the list in the left panel to open configuration panels on the right, and then make your customizations.

4. From the File menu, choose Save As.

To modify an existing installation transform

1. Open the Attachmate Customization Tool.
2. Select Open an existing Setup customization file or Companion installer, and then click OK.
3. In the Open dialog box, browse to the location you selected when you created your transform file, and select the <your_transform_name>.mst file.
4. Select items from the list in the left panel to open configuration panels on the right, and then make your customizations.

5. From the File menu, choose Save As.

Deploying the transform

After you create the transform, you must include it in the install. Transforms can be used with any install started with setup.exe or with command-line installs (used by many deployment tools). The installer can only apply transforms during an installation.

To add the transform to an install started with setup.exe

To use a transform file with SETUP.EXE, follow these steps.

1. Open the Attachmate Customization Tool.
2. Select Open an existing Setup customization file or Companion installer, and then click OK.
3. In the Open dialog box, browse to the location you selected when you created your transform file, and select the transform_name.mst file.
4. From the User interface panel, select "Use this customization with interactive installs using setup.exe."

5. From the File menu, click Save. (If Save is grayed out, click Exit and you will be prompted to Save the file.)
6. The transform can now be deployed to end users via the Setup.exe file. (Users can run Setup.exe or the Setup.exe file can be called from a script or initiated from a command line.)

To add the transform to a command-line install

Alternately, you can add the transform to a command-line installation. Use the following command line syntax:

Note the following:

• Running Setup.exe from the command line will automatically use the correct language transform and apply any necessary prerequisites (for example, installing Microsoft .NET Framework or uninstalling an older version of EXTRA! or Reflection).
• Deploying the Msiexec.exe file from the command line will install the product in English unless the correct language transform is also specified on the command line.
• If the .mst file is not in the same location as the .msi file, then you'll need to include the path to the .mst file.

Companion Packages

Create a companion install package (also called a "companion database") to install any files that are not installed with Reflection. A companion package is a standalone MSI file that is independent of any Reflection installer package. By creating companion installations, you can install files that configure Reflection, or any additional files that are useful to your organization.

Because companion files are installed independently of Reflection, you can upgrade the product without removing these support files. You can also deploy additional support files without re-installing the product.

If you want to install these files with Reflection, you can add one or more companion packages to your initial installation. You can also create and install packages at any time after the initial installation. Companion packages show up as independent entries in the Windows list of installed applications, and can be installed or uninstalled independently of Reflection.

To create a companion install package

To create a companion install package, follow these steps.

Note the following:

• Files that are opened by Reflection, such as settings files, must be installed in trusted locations. Before you add these files to the companion database, make sure you know which folders on user workstations are designated as trusted locations.
• If you are creating a companion package in Reflection 2008 that contains permission (*.access) files, see Technical Note 2396 for information about editing the Setup.ini file before proceeding with these steps.

1. Open the Attachmate Customization Tool.
2. From the Select Customization dialog box, select Create a new Companion installer (or Open an existing Companion installer), and then click OK.
3. From the navigation pane, choose the relevant options to create and edit your Companion installer. For more details about these navigation pane options, see the topic, Panels for Creating and Editing Companion Installations, (http://docs.attachmate.com/Reflection/2008/R1/Guide/en/user-html/admin_install_custom_companion_cs.htm) in the product guide for Reflection 2008.
4. When you have finished creating your companion package, click File > Save. (If Save is grayed out, click Exit and you will be prompted to Save the file.)
5. The transform can now be deployed by itself or with Reflection (by chaining the installation).

How to Chain Installations

For administrators who want to install both an Attachmate product with changes (using a transform, *.mst) and deploy session or other files (using a companion package, *.msi) at the same time, you can chain installations. This option sets up an install to run companion install packages automatically before or after the primary installation. You can also specify to run other scripts or programs.

To chain installations and programs, follow these steps:

1. Open the Attachmate Customization Tool.
2. Select the customization option, "Open an existing Setup customization file or Companion installer." Click OK.
3. Select your transform (*.mst) file, and click Open.
4. From the Attachmate Customization Tool navigation pane, choose Add Installations and Run Programs.
5. Click Add.

6. In the Target list, browse to the folder where the companion package (*.msi) file (or program .exe file) resides. For example:

7. To specify when to run the program, select either Run this program after base product has been installed, or Run this program before the base product has been installed.

8. Repeat these steps to add other programs, scripts, or MSI files.
9. To change the execution sequence, use the arrows next to Move (at the bottom left area of the pane); to remove a program from the list, select it in the list and click Remove.
10. Click File > Save. (If Save is grayed out, click Exit and you will be prompted to Save the file.)
11. To deploy, instruct users to install using Setup.exe.

Additional Resources

For more information about customizing and deploying Reflection 2008, see the product guide for Reflection 2008: http://docs.attachmate.com/Reflection/2008/R1/Guide/en/user-html/admin_ch.htm.

Documentation for other Attachmate products: http://support.attachmate.com/manuals/

Related Technical Notes

1999	Reflection for Secure IT Technical Notes
2396	Unable to Create a Companion Installer Containing Permission Files in Reflection 2008 Using the Attachmate Customization Tool (ACT)
9913	Technical Notes for INFOConnect
9985	Technical Notes for Reflection 2008