Is there a way to make the execution of an installation script silent ?

[ravisunny2]

Hi,

I am completely new to AuoIt.

I have started reading the documentation.

I did the WinZip Tutorial. It worked great.

I realize that I need to spend more time reading the documentation.

Here is the question regarding automating installation:

After we have debugged/checked a script, is there any way we can make the execution silent ?

Thanks

[PsaltyDS]

That depends on what you are installing. Many installers have built in switches for silent install, like "Setup.exe /s". The first thing to try might be "setup.exe /?" to get a list of available command line options.

[ravisunny2]

Hi PsaltyDS,

I am using AutoIT v3.3.6.0 to automate the installation of some stubborn applications.

These applications do not seem to have any silent switches, hence the need to use AutoIt.

I have been using AutoIt for the last couple of days, and it is fantastic.

Just a feedback/wishlist :

1) I had problems till I turned off Comodo Firewall. I must have missed that in the FAQ/Help/Tutorial.

2) While it is wonderful and exciting to see the automated install screen flashing, it would be nice to turn off the display (make silent), after the script was debugged.

In my previous post I had referred to the latter point.

Thanks.

[JLogan3o13]

Hi, Rav. I believe what PSalty is getting at is we need to know exactly what the applications are. Every application is different (on the surface anyway) depending on how it is packaged. An MSI embedded into an InstallShield or Wise .exe will behave differently than a stand alone executable with simple .bin files. Having an example of the application is helpful in scripting the installation.

edited to correct spelling

Edited January 20, 2011 by JLogan3o13

[Newb]

I think you should look at these commands

GuiCtrlSetState binded with @SW_MINIMIZE option, will minimize a window.

ControlSend, will send a click to a control, even if minimized I think.

Using both of those, you can minimize and keeping clicking the installation doing whatever you want in the meantime.

The help says about ControlClick:

Some controls will resist clicking unless they are the active window. Use the WinActivate() function to force the control's window to the top before using ControlClick().

If this happens to you, ask me and I'll post here a script made by user Insolence, who click on all kind of windows, minimized or not.

To find what are the name of the windows (You should have learnt it with the winzip tutorial though) use Au3Info.

Bye

[ravisunny2]

Thanks folks.

The applications are quite varied, with various different installers.

Inno Setup, Nullsoft, InstallShield 2003, Wise are the nice ones (with some exceptions, like MyDefrag, CPUMon).

Windows Installers are okay too, at least the new ones.

The custom installers like APC Powerchute, Avast, Comodo etc are the ones I am talking about.

Maybe I'll try to mask the display using a colour change (foreground=background).

Ravi

[JLogan3o13]

It's all in how they're packaged for delivery:

• For Powerchute, I know you have to do an admin install first (<agent path>setup.exe -r). This creates a setup.iss file and extracts the install files. You add the .iss file and can then run <agent path>setup.exe -s for a silent install.
• From the Avast website: "The latest version of Avast, both free and Pro, on both 32 and 64bit, supports silent installation. You simply call the /Silent switch."
• Haven't looked at Comodo in-depth, but it appears to be extracting all the files to the %TEMP% directory, and then running the install. The installation appears to be an MSI, so you'd just have to pull all the files out of the temp directory to your installation source. You should then be able to call the MSI with the typical /qn /noreboot switches.

Absolute worst case scenario, download something like EMCO MSI Package Builder and turn the installations into an MSI package. Then you can deliver much more easily. Edited January 21, 2011 by JLogan3o13

[kubie]

It's all in how they're packaged for delivery:

• For Powerchute, I know you have to do an admin install first (<agent path>setup.exe -r). This creates a setup.iss file and extracts the install files. You add the .iss file and can then run <agent path>setup.exe -s for a silent install.
• From the Avast website: "The latest version of Avast, both free and Pro, on both 32 and 64bit, supports silent installation. You simply call the /Silent switch."
• Haven't looked at Comodo in-depth, but it appears to be extracting all the files to the %TEMP% directory, and then running the install. The installation appears to be an MSI, so you'd just have to pull all the files out of the temp directory to your installation source. You should then be able to call the MSI with the typical /qn /noreboot switches.

Absolute worst case scenario, download something like EMCO MSI Package Builder and turn the installations into an MSI package. Then you can deliver much more easily.

Keep in mind that once you are silent, UAC prompts will not be displayed.

[ravisunny2]

It's all in how they're packaged for delivery:

• For Powerchute, I know you have to do an admin install first (<agent path>setup.exe -r). This creates a setup.iss file and extracts the install files. You add the .iss file and can then run <agent path>setup.exe -s for a silent install.
• From the Avast website: "The latest version of Avast, both free and Pro, on both 32 and 64bit, supports silent installation. You simply call the /Silent switch."
• Haven't looked at Comodo in-depth, but it appears to be extracting all the files to the %TEMP% directory, and then running the install. The installation appears to be an MSI, so you'd just have to pull all the files out of the temp directory to your installation source. You should then be able to call the MSI with the typical /qn /noreboot switches.

Absolute worst case scenario, download something like EMCO MSI Package Builder and turn the installations into an MSI package. Then you can deliver much more easily.

Powerchute Personal Edition for XP has problems. I already tried the admin install.

But, one big oops regarding Avast. I hadn't tried that silent install with avast5. I had used it with avast4.

I had read on the net that there were problems with silent install of avast5.

The modern windows installers are very friendly.

BTW, silent install don't always give what you want. SpyBot is one case. Nice silent install, but the SDHelper & TeaTimer get installed by default.

Anyway, the unattended part is far more important than the silent part to me.

So far AutoIt has handled every thing I have thrown at it.

[ravisunny2]

Yes. Avast5 install just fine with /Silent.

Thanks.