Installation: New vMedia Client and Upgrade: Existing vMedia Client

Purpose

The Workstation_Setup program and the related wss_push.msi program provide configuration of vMedia on the computer.

Individual Client (Computer/Workstation) Installation

A one-time client installation must be completed on every computer and terminal server.

Task 1: Selecting the client installation mode:

The vMedia client can be installed using Workstation_Setup.exe or by using wss_push.msi. Each method accomplishes a client installation using a different technique and has different features and requirements. Both methods can be used interchangeably within the organization and within an individual computer. Please refer to the table below to decide on the appropriate method for each workstation.

Regarding the Complete Installation Feature:

The wss_push.msi installer is self-contained with no dependencies to support Windows Installer and other methods where access to the network is not available during installation. As a result of this limitation, this installer cannot update the network configuration file. Therefore, this method cannot be used by itself to install vMedia on a computer that does not already have an older version of the vMedia client installed. To use the wss_push method on a new installation, the following additional steps need to be taken:

1.       At least one other computer on the network must have already been configured for the same Machine ID as the computer being installed using wss_push.msi.

2.       For file size reasons, the Kofax Runtime component is not included in the wss_push.msi package. The Kofax runtime is required for vMedia and may be installed separately either before or after the vMedia setup.

The limitations above do not apply for computers being upgraded from an existing version of vMedia.

Upgrading Existing Installations

When upgrading existing installations, the software will be installed and upgraded in the currently installed location on the client workstation. This behavior is to prevent different versions of related components from being installed in different locations on the same computer. If it is desired to install the client software in a different location, uninstall the existing version completely by using the Add/Remove option in Programs and Features (or Apps and Features) of the Windows Control Panel. Then, proceed with a new client installation using any of the available methods.

Standard graphical wizard based installation using Workstation_Setup.exe

This option is best for sites that have a small number of computers. It can be started from a standard user login, but a privilege elevation will be required to complete the installation.

Step 1: Run the Workstation_Setup.exe module from the network mapped drive or UNC share selected for the vMedia software during initial vMedia installation.

If there is already an existing vMedia Workstation Client installed (as would be the case of an upgrade from an existing version) a prompt will be shown offering to read the existing settings.

If vMedia was not previously installed on the computer, the prompt will not be shown and the default values for a new computer will be pre-selected.

Step 2: Accept the license agreement on the license agreement screen. [Next] to continue.

 

Step 3: If the vMedia client is not already installed, the Select Destination screen will be shown. Select the location for the local client software. This location should be on a local drive, not on the network. The default is compatible with 3^rd party programs such as Collection-Master, but any local folder is acceptable for vMedia. [Next] to continue.

This page is only shown if the vMedia Workstation client is not already installed. Otherwise, this page will not be shown, and the software will be re-installed in the same location where it is currently installed. To change the vMedia Workstation Client installation location, uninstall the existing version completely by using the Add/Remove option in Programs and Features (or Apps and Features) of the Windows Control Panel.

Step 4: The vMedia Configuration ID page will be shown. Using the usage guidelines displayed, select the desired Machine ID for this workstation using the dropdown provided. If there are no other computers currently using the selected ID, the new ID will be added to the vMedia configuration. If other computers are currently using the selected ID, the settings selected will be shared by all the computers with the same ID. See the vMedia Help Manual on which settings are shared and which settings are private to the computer. [Next] to continue.

Step 5: The Scanner Driver Selection page will be shown. If the computer will be utilizing either a locally connected, or in some cases a networked or virtually connected paper scanner, select the interface type on this screen. This is a shared configuration parameter. If multiple computers will be sharing a machine ID but only some of them have access to a scanner, be sure to select the correct interface type for the scanner make and model being used. [Next] to continue.

Note: Multiple scanners can only be on a shared ID if all are an identical make and model. If any are different a separate ID must be selected for each make and model.   

Step 6: The Select Components page will be shown. On this page the appropriate components will be automatically selected based on (a) any settings.ini file specified, (b) an existing configuration was found and the option to read the existing settings was chosen, and (c) the internal configuration defaults. In most cases, no modification to the selected components should be made. However, in certain cases it may be beneficial to exclude the installation of certain features or apply settings that affect the software behavior.

If needed, scroll the page using the scroll bar to see components that are further down in the list. [Next] to continue.

Step 7: Depending on the components selected, an additional page may be shown with configuration options for the components. After choosing appropriate values, [Next] to continue.

Step 8: The final wizard screen will display a summary of the options chosen. This is the last opportunity to confirm that the selections are appropriate before the installation begins. Select “Install” to install the vMedia client software on the computer.

The installation should complete in just a few minutes depending on the selected components. Detailed installation progress will be shown throughout the installation. A reboot may be required at the conclusion of the installation. The reboot may be deferred but must be performed prior to using any vMedia software.

Installation complete.

Configuring an INI file to Pre-select the Desired Components and Options.

To enable consistent settings across multiple computers, and to allow for unattended batch mode deployment, a text based INI file containing the responses from the wizard pages can be utilized. A template INI file containing default settings is contained in the vMedia MODULES\Installer\ folder. This file can be copied to a suitable location and edited to match the desired configuration.

The wss_push.ini template INI file contains detailed descriptions of each configuration setting and the allowable values. Most settings can be left at their defaults. The vMediaLocation setting has no valid default and must be customized for each vMedia installation site:

vMediaLocation= path to the vMedia network folder (mapped drive or UNC)

Save the INI file in a location that can be reached by the installer. Workstation_Setup.exe and wss_push.msi both read the identically formatted INI file to automate the installation.

Testing an INI file Using Graphical Wizard Based Workstation_Setup.exe

This option can be used to verify that the INI file is properly formatted. A complete installation can also be performed to verify the desired operation. It can be started from a standard user login, but a privilege elevation will be required in order to complete the installation.

Step 1: Open an administrator CMD prompt (to avoid the privilege elevation).

Step 2: Run the Workstation_Setup.exe module from the network mapped drive or UNC share selected for the vMedia software during initial vMedia installation using the following command line parameters:

/Settings=”path\filename of ini file”

When started using this option, the standard wizard based setup will be shown. However, on each wizard page the values will be pre-selected to match the values specified in the INI file. Any settings omitted from the INI file will revert back to the installation defaults.

Step through each wizard page, confirming that the values displayed are correct. At the final summary page the installation can be canceled and the INI file used in automated installations, or a full run-through can be performed to verify correct operation.

Standard unattended installation using Workstation_Setup.exe

This option is best for sites that have a larger number of computers. It can be started from a standard user login, but a privilege elevation will be required in order to complete the installation.

Step 1: Open an administrator CMD prompt (to avoid the privilege elevation).

Step 2: Run the Workstation_Setup.exe module from the network mapped drive or UNC share selected for the vMedia software during initial vMedia installation using the following command line parameters:

/Settings=”path\filename of ini file” /SP /VerySilent /SuppressMsgBoxes

When started using these options, no wizard screens will be displayed. All warning dialogs are suppressed and will select their default actions if triggered. The installation will start immediately and complete silently without any user intervention (except elevation, if required).

Troubleshooting Client Installation

In any of the installation methods presented, an additional command line parameter can be added to aid in troubleshooting attended and unattended client installation issues. A log will be created in the specified path that can be sent to Vertican Client Success. In order to enable this feature, append the following command line option to the end of the Workstation_Setup shortcut or command line:

/Log=”fully qualified path and file name of the log file to create”

Where the quotation marks are required, and the fully qualified file name must be on a device that is writable by the elevated user that is executing the setup program.

Advanced MSI Based Local Client Installation

This option is best for sites that have a larger number of computers. It can be started from Windows Update or other centrally deployed software distribution systems. It does not require access to the network during installation. It must be run from an elevated or system account.

Step 1: Preparation. The wss_push.msi file can be found in the network vMedia MODULES\installer\ folder. Copy both the wss_push.msi and the settings INI files configured in the “Configuring an INI file to pre-select the desired components and options” section to any suitable location that the installation account will have read access to. This location can be a network folder, share, software distribution repository, local folder, or even removable media such as a memory stick.

Step 2: Install the wss_push.msi component using the invocation method required by the software distribution system from the location chosen in Step 1. Include the following msiexec arguments:

WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS="/Settings=""path\filename of ini file""”

For portability, if the ini file is located in the same folder as the msi file, the [SourceDir] variable can be used:

WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS="/Settings=""[SourceDir]wss_push.ini"""

Note: Pay close attention to the syntax concerning quoted parameters. The WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS has a set of quotation marks around the entire parameter set, and each internal argument as a starting and ending pair of double quotation marks. That means there will be three quotation marks at the end.

This installation is designed to operate similarly to the “Standard unattended local client installation”. There is no user interaction nor any user interface. An exit code will be provided at the completion of the installation.

The installation is small and should complete in just a few seconds. No reboot is required.

Installation complete.

Troubleshooting MSI Based Client Installation

1.     The standard MSIEXEC logging switches can be used to generate a log from the MSI process. This is typically invoked by adding /l* ( Slash, lowercase L, asterisk) and the name of a log file to the end of the installation invocation.

Example: Msiexec /i wss_push.msi WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS=”…” /l* logfilename.txt

2.    Internal setup logging can be enabled by combining the /Log= parameter and /Settings parameters inside the WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS statement.

Example: Msiexec /i wss_push.msi WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS="/Settings=""[SourceDir]wss_push.ini"" /log="" fully qualified path and file name of the log file to create """

(Note: The double quotes before the log file and the triple after are required.)

This example creates the log file in the same location that the msi file is located (Note: The location must therefore be writable).

Example: Msiexec /i wss_push.msi WRAPPED_ARGUMENTS="/Settings=""[SourceDir]wss_push.ini"" /log=""[SourceDir]filename of the log file to create """

(Note: the double quotes before the log file and the triple after are required.)