HOW TO

Create a Windows Installer Transform (*.MST) file for ArcInfo Workstation setup

Last Published: September 23, 2020

Summary

Note:
This article pertains to ArcGIS versions 9.x and 10.0 only. Later versions of ArcGIS may contain different functionality, as well as different names and locations for menus, commands and geoprocessing tools.

Instructions provided describe how to create a basic transform for the ArcInfo Workstation setup using ORCA, a free tool available from the MSI SDK.

Other tools are available that use a wizard to create transform files, for example, Wise for Windows Installer and InstallShield Admin Studio.

For more information on deploying managed ArcGIS setups, see the links in the Related Information section below.

Procedure

Transform (*.MST) files are used to customize setups created using Microsoft Installer (MSI) technology. An .MST file can be used to install ArcInfo Workstation with pre-determined parameters without a Graphical User Interface or user interaction. The .MST file customizes the properties of the ArcInfo Workstation MSI package; this includes the installation location, license manager, and features to install.

The bullet points below include information on changing the installation location, license manager, and features to install using ORCA. Use any or all of the parameters as needed.

See the Related Information section below to download ORCA. ORCA requires Windows Installer SDK v.2.0.

To install Windows Installer SDK v.2.0.
  1. Download and install the Windows Installer SDK v. 2.0.
  2. Navigate to the installation location and launch Orca.msi from the \bin folder.
  3. The Orca.msi launches the Orca setup program. Once the setup program is complete, an Orca shortcut is added to the Start Menu.

Instructions

  1. Open the setup.msi in ORCA.
  2. On the main toolbar, navigate to Transform > New Transform.
  3. Customize the transform using the information from the following bullet points:
    • To change the default installation location.

For version 9.3 and 10:

  1. In the Property table, add a row. The values for the fields are:
  • Property: INSTALL_LOC
  • Value: [WindowsVolume]\Workstation
Note:
[WindowsVolume] is the drive where ArcInfo Workstation should be installed. Workstation is the name of the installation folder. For example, C:\WS.
  1. In the Custom Action table, find the custom action called SET_INSTALLDIR.
  2. Set the Target field for this custom action to [INSTALL_LOC].
  3. In the CustomAction table, add a row. The values for the fields are:
  • Action: SET_INSTALLDIR_SILENT
  • Type: 35
  • Source: INSTALLDIR
  • Target: [INSTALL_LOC]
  1. In the InstallExecuteSequence table, add a row. The values for the fields are:
  • Action: SET_INSTALLDIR_SILENT
  • Condition: NOT Installed
  • Sequence: 1236
Note:
Workstation should not be installed to a directory with spaces as it does not work when installed to a directory with spaces. Install it to another directory on the C:\ drive that does not contain spaces.
For versions 9.0, 9.1 and 9.2:
  1. In the Property table, add a row. The values for the fields are:
    • Property: INSTALL_LOC
    • Value: [WindowsVolume]Workstation
Note:
[WindowsVolume] is the drive where ArcInfo Workstation should be installed. Workstation is the name of the installation folder. For example, C:\WS9.
  1. In the Custom Action table, find the custom action called SET_INSTALLDIR.
  2. Set the Target field for this custom action to [INSTALL_LOC].

To specify the license manager to use for the ArcInfo Workstation applications:

  • In the Property table, change the value of LICENSESERVER from @ to @<name of a valid ArcGIS license manager>.

To change the features selected for installation:

  • To add features, in the Feature table, select the features to install and change the Level from level 4 to level 3.
Note:
The primary feature of any sub-features also must be specified to be installed. For example, to install the TIN extension, the CoreArcInfoExtensions feature also needs to be changed from a level 4 to a level 3.
  • To remove features, in the Feature table, select the features not to be installed and change the Level from level 3 to level 4.

Article ID:000007731

Software:
  • Legacy Products

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