[Triel]

Just as the topic states.. I have yet to find a MS tool that assists me with a silent install of Expression Web. Does any one know how?

[neo]

Use /? switch to get advace installtion option.
 temp.jpg (16.01K)
Number of downloads: 23

[Triel]

TY very much.

There must be a difference from Beta 1 and the release since I do not have the options you have.

This post has been edited by Triel: 11 February 2007 - 06:19 PM

[Triel]

Ok, it failed to install. I think I have the path wrong.

When it states /config <config file> am I correct to assume it means exp. /config %CDROM%\Expression Web\Web Designer\config.xml to be the path to the file? Or do I have the address typed wrong?

[ajua]

i think you can save the config.xml along with the setup and just call it by its name...

[Triel]

So, let me see if I understand you correct.

All I have to do is remove it from the folder it is in (Designer.WW or something like that) and place it in the same directory as the setup.exe (which would be the root of the program)?

[ajua]

to be safe you better copy it instead of cutting it.
you may want to check the office 2007 thread to read some parameter you can write in config.xml

[Triel]

Ok, for months I have tried to look for a way to install Expression Web with an XML and other ways. I have failed in all. Even when I call the XML from the run screen I only see it start without using a bit of my XML. I tried to just let it install, after making a few changes to the setup and customizing parts on the XML, and this failed also. I was reading on other forums and websites that I am not the only one that is stuck. When I post the question on the Expression Web MS forum I got no response.

I guess I will just chalk it up to MS releasing things that do not work like advertised. I ended up just allow Office 2007 to install EW through the Admin setup MSI and told my Unattended installer to run it as an attended setup. Really hurts the time managment system to have to keep an eye on all my computers just to insert one key.

If someone has found a way, but has just not see this post yet, please assist me with this!

[blinkdt]

Quote

I guess I will just chalk it up to MS releasing things that do not work like advertised.

Yeah, or user error, which is usually the case, right?

Perhaps you are making this more complicated than need be. Just create a config.xml file and put it in the Updates directory. Then run setup, no switches required. All too easy. My config.xml file for the Academic Version of Expression Web:

<Configuration Product="WebDesigner"> 

<Display Level="Basic" CompletionNotice="No" SuppressModal="no" AcceptEula="yes" /> 

<PIDKEY Value="AAAAAAAA55AAAA5AA5A5AAAA" /> 

<Setting Id="Reboot" Value="ReallySuppress" /> 

</Configuration>

The PIDKEY value is your product key without dashes.

[Triel]

blinkdt, on Jul 28 2007, 01:55 AM, said:

Quote

I guess I will just chalk it up to MS releasing things that do not work like advertised.

Yeah, or user error, which is usually the case, right?

Perhaps you are making this more complicated than need be. Just create a config.xml file and put it in the Updates directory. Then run setup, no switches required. All too easy. My config.xml file for the Academic Version of Expression Web:

<Configuration Product="WebDesigner"> 

<Display Level="Basic" CompletionNotice="No" SuppressModal="no" AcceptEula="yes" /> 

<PIDKEY Value="AAAAAAAA55AAAA5AA5A5AAAA" /> 

<Setting Id="Reboot" Value="ReallySuppress" /> 

</Configuration>

The PIDKEY value is your product key without dashes.

I wish I could say that worked, but i would be wrong. That is the same way I have tried it in the past. I have the retail version and when I place the file in the updates directory it just acts like it is not there. When I place it in the root and command line it like this

"D:\PROGRAMS\$Done$\MS Expression Web\setup.exe" /config D:\PROGRAMS\$Done$\MS Expression Web\config.xml

nothing happens. It does not even give me the dialog box stating what the switches are. Oh yeah, I even tried the above with quotes and it just starts like I never asked it.

[blinkdt]

OK, that's because I messed up (recall my smarta$$ "user error" comment). Looks like the config.xml file that needs to be edited is located in the WebDesigner.WW directory. I made a copy of the original and then dropped mine in, overwriting the original. I am no longer pestered for the product key but still have a dialogue or two to get past. Right now I'm getting prompted to install or customize the install. I'm still poking around.

I thought my previous method worked, but in retrospect I was probably just installing/uninstalling on a single machine and leaving behind data in the registry. I need to get this working on a clean install soon myself, will post back with any results.

The ONLY information I could find re this topic was HERE. Looks like the config.xml file might need a reference to an .msi /q combination to install silent?

Edit: Looks like that's the config.xml file to be working with: I can enter the product key, user and company name, bypass the EULA, etc., but I keep getting stopped by the "Install Now/Customize" dialogue. Guess I could AutoIt . . . but it would be nice to .xml the whole show.

Edit/Edit: I punted and went with AutoIt (too easy). I edited the config.xml script found in the WebDesigner.WW directory as per above and then ran the following script from the root directory:

Run( @ScriptDir & "\setup.exe")
WinWaitActive("Microsoft Expression Web", "" )
Sleep(2000)
Send('!i')
Sleep(5000)
ProcessWaitClose('setup.exe')

Here's my script, place it next to setup and run it: COMPILED SCRIPT
If you encounter issues, use Task Manager to kill the "install.exe" process and PM me with any gripes or suggestions.
The script runs setup without any switches (it's looking to the config.xml file in WebDesigner.WW by default, so please ensure it has been edited as per above) then waits for the Install/Customize dialogue. When the dialogue appears the Install button is clicked after a two second delay. The script next pauses for five seconds to ensure that setup has begun, then waits for setup to finish before exiting. There are four (4) Office 2007 critical updates related to the Expression Web install as of this writing that get installed along the way by extracting the .msp file from the update and placing each in the "updates" directory (KB934391, KB934062, KB932080, AND KB934393). You need to implement that. Works just fine now, if you don't mind the default installation.

This post has been edited by blinkdt: 06 August 2007 - 01:38 AM

[blinkdt]

Just to follow up on this, I recently laid hands on my school's volume license version (locked in a safe for the past year or more) and placed the config.xml file copied from WebDesigner.WW alongside setup.exe in the directory root, customized it, and everything worked fine. No need for switches, nada. My config.xml looks like this:

<Configuration Product="WebDesigner">

	<Display Level="basic" CompletionNotice="no" SuppressModal="no" AcceptEula="yes" />
	
	<!-- <Logging Type="standard" Path="%temp%" Template="Microsoft Expression Web Designer Setup(*).txt" /> -->
	
	<PIDKEY Value="AAAAABBBBBCCCCCDDDDDEEEEE" />

	<!-- <USERNAME Value="Customer" /> -->
	
	<!-- <COMPANYNAME Value="MyCompany" /> -->
	
	<!-- <INSTALLLOCATION Value="%programfiles%\Microsoft Expression" /> -->
	
	<!-- <LIS CACHEACTION="CacheOnly" /> -->
	
	<!-- <SOURCELIST Value="\\server1\share\Expression;\\server2\share\Expression" /> -->
	
	<!-- <DistributionPoint Location="\\server\share\Expression" /> -->
	
	<!-- <OptionState Id="OptionID" State="absent" Children="force" /> -->
	
	<Setting Id="Reboot" Value="ReallySuppress" />
	
	<!-- <Command Path="msiexec.exe" Args="/i \\server\share\my.msi" QuietArg="/q" ChainPosition="after" Execute="install" /> -->

</Configuration>

Nice.

[radix]

blinkdt, on Aug 11 2008, 07:53 AM, said:

Just to follow up on this, I recently laid hands on my school's volume license version (locked in a safe for the past year or more) and placed the config.xml file copied from WebDesigner.WW alongside setup.exe in the directory root, customized it, and everything worked fine. No need for switches, nada.

I follow your new method, but installation is in default mode. In the past I used your previous method with the next script to install full:

; Run the installer
Run("setup.exe")

; Choose the installation you want
WinWait("Microsoft Expression Web", "")
Sleep(2000)
WinActivate("Microsoft Expression Web", "")
ControlClick("Microsoft Expression Web", "", "NetUIHWND_CatalystFlexUI1", "left", 1, 304, 274)

; Customize how Microsoft Expression Web will run
WinWait("Microsoft Expression Web", "")
WinActivate("Microsoft Expression Web", "")
Send("{ENTER}")
Send("{DOWN}")
Send("{ENTER}")
ControlClick("Microsoft Expression Web", "", "NetUIHWND_CatalystFlexUI1", "left", 1, 545, 450)
Sleep(5000)
ProcessWaitClose("setup.exe")

Sleep(2000)

; Delete MSOCache folder
DirRemove(@HomeDrive &"\MSOCache", 1)

Any chance to install full using the config file only?

[blinkdt]

@radix: That's exactly what I did.

1. Locate the config.xml 'answer file' file found in the WebDesigner.WW directory.
2. Copy it to the root, alongside Setup.exe.
3. Modify it. Use THIS as a guide.

Now you don't need to specify a path to the config.xml. In the past, when I put the config.xml in the "Updates" directory it didn't work at all. Keeping it in WebDesigner.WW did not work completely unattended (I used AutoIt to click one button). Placing it alongside Setup.exe did the trick. Now just run Setup.exe, no switches required. And remember: I'm using a volume license version now, not my single install retail disk. Hope that helps.

[radix]

blinkdt, on Aug 13 2008, 09:48 AM, said:

@radix: That's exactly what I did.

It works fine, but doesn't install full (run all from my computer).
I changed one line to disable the cancel button (X from upper right):

<Display Level="Basic" CompletionNotice="No" SuppressModal="No" NoCancel="Yes" AcceptEula="Yes" />

Thanks.

[blinkdt]

OK, I understand what you're saying now. I just checked my Expression Web install in "Uninstall a program" and choose the "Change"option --> "Add or Remove Features." Expression Web is set as "Run from my computer" and NOT "Run all from my computer." So I set it to "Run all from my computer," but when I return it still has "Run from my computer" set as the option. So I don't know. I haven't played with the program extensively so I can't say which features might be missing with the default install. Perhaps some more investigation of the config options is in order? But I'm good for now.

Since this program uses shared Office Tools and such, I wouldn't be surprised if it can be installed WITH Office and modified using the Office Resource Kit.

@Radix below: NICE ONE! Thank you for taking the time to investigate fully and arrive at that. I will use your modifications and post back if any issues arise, but I sure don't anticipate any. Again, excellent!

This post has been edited by blinkdt: 14 August 2008 - 04:47 PM

[radix]

@blinkdt
Adding this code to config.xml:

<OptionState Id="AlwaysInstalled" State="Local" Children="force" />
	
<OptionState Id="Gimme_OnDemandData" State="Local" Children="force" />
	
<OptionState Id="ProductFiles" State="Local" Children="force" />

solved the problem. Now Expression Web 2007 is installed full.
I have used WinINSTALL LE 2003 to capture all installation.
With the above code, installation have 644 MB and without it have 613 MB.

[BrianLarsen]

The installation cd I downloaded from Microsoft did not support the /Config flag. The only options I got from the setup.exe was the flag -q (quiet installation). The only problem is that when the installation was finished and you started the program the first time it asked for a serialkey!? If I install the program manually the installation do not ask for a key at all.
So had to do some digging to understand the problem.

When you install the program it makes a temp subfolder under the user that you logged in as. If you logged in as Administrator the folder would be something like this C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\XSetup_Web_2008_11_17_21_12_21 (where 2008_11_17_21_12_21 is the date and time the installation started ). In that folder the program creates about 10 new subfolders where the installation downloads files from the internet. One of these folder holds the installation that support the /Config flag. In my case the folder name was 438d1ac8_d88e_46eb_ba69_11fef34cce74 (don’t know if is the same on others computer).
But you have to copy the folder some were else before the installation is done, because it deletes the folder when it is finished. But now you have an installation point that you can use with the /Config flag. Just place the config.xml file in the root (same place as the setup.exe). If you don’t have a Config.xml file you can just use the one the program creates.

Hope this helps. It worked for me.

Brian

[x-Shadow-x]

That was a 3 month bump there mate. Please look at the last date when posting.

This post has been edited by x-Shadow-x: 17 November 2008 - 05:23 PM

[BrianLarsen]

x-Shadow-x, on Nov 18 2008, 12:23 AM, said:

That was a 3 month bump there mate. Please look at the last date when posting.

So what? The problem is still the same.