Microsoft Visio 2002 Resource Kit

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Chapter 5 - Deploying on Windows 2000

Microsoft Windows 2000 offers significant advantages to organizations that deploy Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1. Windows 2000 already includes the required level of system files, so Setup skips that portion of the installation process. In addition, Windows 2000 offers new management tools that centralize installation, maintenance, and upgrades of applications. Under Windows 2000, you can even install Visio remotely on new computers.

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Deployment Issues Specific to Windows 2000
Using Windows 2000 Software Installation

Deployment Issues Specific to Windows 2000

Microsoft Windows 2000 offers a number of benefits to organizations that are deploying Microsoft Visio 2002:

  • Visio requires the same level of system files as the release version of Windows 2000, so the System Files Update installation is not required.

  • Windows 2000 offers management features that allow you to centrally install and manage Visio features on users computers, and Windows 2000 automatically maintains the desired configuration.

  • By using remote installation services (RIS), you can install customized configurations of both Windows 2000 and Visio remotely on client computers.

Windows 2000 installation requirements

Requirements under Windows 2000 include the following:

  • You must have elevated privileges to install Visio under Windows 2000.

  • For more information about elevating the Visio installation, see Installations That Require Elevated Privileges in Chapter 3 of the Microsoft Visio 2002 Resource Kit.

  • To use Windows 2000 software installation, all the computers in your organization must be running Windows 2000, and you must already have implemented an Active Directory directory service and Group Policy structure.

  • Because Windows 2000 software installation works directly with the MSI file and bypasses Visio Setup.exe and Setup.ini, all customizations must be made through a transform.

  • Windows 2000 software installation deploys each package separately and in random order, so you cannot chain other packages to your Visio installation.

  • You cannot run the Systems File Update installation under Windows 2000.

To deploy Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, you must install it separately, either before or after deploying Visio.

Using Windows 2000 software installation

You use a set of Windows 2000–based technologies known collectively as Microsoft IntelliMirror to install and manage Visio by policy. IntelliMirror includes the software installation and maintenance feature, which allows an administrator to install, repair, update, or remove Visio by using Group Policy.

There are three ways to install and manage Visio applications by policy:

  • Assign Visio to computers

    Visio is installed on the computer the next time the computer starts. Users can repair Visio features on the computer, but only an administrator can remove applications.

  • Assign Visio to users

    Visio is available to all users in the designated group the next time they log on. Visio is installed the first time a user clicks the associated shortcut on the Start menu or opens a file associated with Visio.

  • Publish Visio to users

    Visio is available to all users in the designated group the next time they log on. Users install Visio through Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel or by opening a Visio document. (Note that under Windows 2000, you cannot publish a feature to a computer.)

When you use the Windows 2000 software installation, you can specify a transform to apply at the time the Visio package is assigned or published. When users run Visio Setup in maintenance mode, Windows 2000 also allows you to customize the text and options that appear in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.

For example, to prevent users from changing an installed Visio configuration, you can set the Setup property ARPMODIFY to True in the transform. When users run Visio Setup in maintenance mode, the Change button in Add/Remove Programs is unavailable.

For more information about using Windows 2000 Group Policy and software installation tools to deploy Visio, see "Using Windows 2000 Software Installation" later in this chapter.

Using Remote Installation Services

Remote OS Installation, which is based on Remote Installation Services (RIS), is an optional service in Windows 2000 Server. It provides a mechanism for computers to connect to a network server during the initial startup process, while the server controls a local installation of Windows 2000 Professional.

If all the computers in your organization are running under Windows 2000, you can use remote installation services to copy a preconfigured hard-disk image—with standardized versions of both Windows 2000 Professional and Visio—to client computers. RIS also requires that you have set up Active Directory and a Group Policy structure.

This method can significantly reduce deployment time. A remote installation of Windows and Visio together takes only slightly longer than a remote installation of Windows by itself. When clients download the disk image, Visio is fully installed on the local computer, and not merely advertised.

For more information about creating a hard-disk image for Visio, see Distributing Visio to Users' Computers in Chapter 4 of the Microsoft Visio 2002 Resource Kit.

For a detailed outline of the steps necessary to install, configure, and use RIS, see the Step-by-Step Guide to Remote OS Installation on the Microsoft Windows 2000 Web site.

Using Windows 2000 Software Installation

Microsoft Windows 2000 provides new software installation and maintenance capabilities that make it faster, easier, and less expensive to deploy Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 in a homogenous Windows 2000 environment. Because many administrative tasks can be accomplished remotely or automatically, users require fewer on-site visits from technical support staff. And because users have persistent access to their applications, data, and settings, they can continue working without interruption.

When you use the software installation and maintenance features of Windows 2000 with Visio, you can help ensure the following:

  • that users have access to the Visio features they need to do their jobs whenever they log on to the network—and no matter which computer they use.

  • that computers are equipped with essential applications, such as Visio and virus protection software, whenever they start up.

  • that the Visio application is automatically installed, updated, repaired, or removed according to the rules that you define.

Relying on Active Directory and Group Policy

In a Windows 2000–based network, the Active Directory service provides the framework for centralized administration of users and computers. Active Directory stores information about objects on the network and makes this information easy for administrators and users to find and use.

Network objects in this context include users, computers, and printers—as well as domains, sites, and organizational units. A structured data store provides the basis for a logical, hierarchical organization of all directory information.

Active Directory makes it possible to manage all users, computers, and software on the network by means of administrator-defined policies, known as Group Policy in Windows 2000. A collection of Group Policy settings is contained in a Group Policy object (GPO), and the GPO is associated with an Active Directory container.

The Group Policy object can be applied at any level of the Active Directory hierarchy. You can set policies that apply to an entire site, a domain, or an individual organizational unit.

Group Policy options include the following:

  • Scripts

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer maintenance

  • Folder redirection

  • Security settings

  • Remote installation services

  • Software installation and maintenance

After you set up your Active Directory and Group Policy structure under Windows 2000, you use a set of Windows 2000–based technologies known collectively as Microsoft IntelliMirror to install and manage Visio by policy. IntelliMirror includes the following features:

  • Software installation and maintenance

    Allows an administrator to centrally manage software installation, repairs, updates, and removal.

  • User data management

    Supports mirroring of user data to the network and local copies of selected network data.

  • User settings management

    Allows an administrator to centrally define settings for users and computers. Also includes mirroring of user settings to the network.

The deployment and management tools available for Visio—including the Custom Installation Wizard—work with IntelliMirror. By using all these tools together, you can make a unique configuration of Visio available to all users or computers in a given GPO, and then rely on Windows 2000 to maintain your software configuration automatically.

Using IntelliMirror to install Visio

In Windows 2000, the Microsoft IntelliMirror software installation and maintenance feature allows you to manage Visio applications within a Group Policy object (GPO), which is associated with a particular Active Directory container—a site, domain, or organizational unit.

Within the GPO, you specify Group Policy settings to assign or publish Visio to users or computers based on their Active Directory group memberships. You set policy definitions for Visio once. After that, Windows 2000 applies them for you automatically.

There are three ways to install and manage Visio applications by policy:

  • Assign Visio to computers

    Visio is installed on the computer the next time the computer starts and is available to all users of that computer. Users can repair Visio features on the computer, but only an administrator can remove the application.

  • Assign Visio to users

    Visio is available to all users in the designated group the next time each user logs on to a computer. Visio is installed the first time a user clicks the associated shortcut on the Start menu or opens a file associated with Visio.

    Note  If you set the ALLUSERS property to 1, after an assigned user installs Visio, the application is not necessarily available to subsequent users of the computer. Instead, each assigned user's Visio configuration follows the user from computer to computer.

  • Publish Visio to users

    Visio is available to all users in the designated group the next time they log on. Users install Visio through Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel or by opening a Visio drawing. (Note that under Windows 2000, you cannot publish a feature to a computer.)

    Avoiding installation conflicts 

    Do not assign Visio to both a user and a computer. When assigned to a computer, Visio features are installed locally (based on settings in the transform). When assigned to a user, Visio features are advertised on the computer, but are not installed until the user activates them.

    Assigning Visio to both users and computers can create conflicts in which Visio features appear to be installed locally but are actually only advertised.

    In addition, if you assign Visio to both users and computers and also apply different transforms, Windows 2000 automatically uninstalls and reinstalls Visio every time the computer starts or the user logs on.

Assign Visio to computers

Assigning Visio to computers is the simplest way to use IntelliMirror to manage a package as large and complex as Visio. With this method, Visio is automatically installed the first time a designated computer is started and the software installation portion of Group Policy is applied.

Assigned applications are resilient under Windows 2000. If a user removes Visio from the computer, Windows automatically reinstalls it the next time the computer starts.

Supporting knowledge workers with dedicated computers

If you are supporting a group of knowledge workers, each of whom uses a dedicated computer with consistent, high-speed connections to the network, you can assign Visio to that groups computers. The next time users start up their computers, the entire Visio package is installed. To minimize the amount of network traffic, you can apply a transform that installs a subset of Visio features on the local computer.

Supporting shared computers

If users in your organization typically share computers, you can assign a standard Visio configuration. For example, for engineers who work from different stations but perform the same tasks, you can ensure that the same Visio configuration is available to them no matter which computer they use.

Assigning to computers also minimizes potential conflicts when users who perform different jobs share the same computer. These users often need different sets of Visio features. By applying a transform when you assign Visio, you can make sure that all the Visio features required by all users are installed at the outset.

Assign Visio to users

Assigning Visio to users allows you to take advantage of additional IntelliMirror management features. This method ensures that users have access to the same Visio configuration no matter where they are or which computer they use. Their Visio installation is based on Group Policy—not fixed by their location.

When you assign Visio to users, information about the software is advertised on users computers in the Windows registry and on the Start menu or Desktop the next time the users log on. When a user clicks a Visio shortcut, Windows Installer retrieves the package from the administrative installation point and installs the application on the users computer. If you choose to activate installation by file extension, clicking a Visio drawing automatically installs Visio in the same way.

Applications assigned to users are also resilient. If a user removes Visio from the computer, Windows automatically restores the registry information and Windows Installer shortcuts the next time the user logs on.

To tell the package to install for one user, and not for all users, set the ALLUSERS property in the transform to 1.

Supporting roaming users

In many organizations, users with unique job responsibilities roam from one computer to another. If you assign Visio to users in this scenario, their Visio configuration is available to them wherever they log on. You control which Visio configuration is available to a given group of users by applying a transform when you assign the software to the GPO.

Individual Visio features are not installed until the user activates them by clicking a command. Because these users typically have consistent, high-speed network connections, the installation process takes little time.

Note   If roaming users in your organization do not have administrative privileges, and if they also share computers, Visio may not be installed correctly for every user on every computer. In this scenario, assign a standard Visio configuration to every computer.

Targeting groups of users more precisely

Assigning Visio to users allows you to target your Visio installation more precisely. For example, you can assign Visio to particular organizational units and apply a unique transform to each group.

Alternatively, you can assign Visio to users at a higher level in the Active Directory hierarchy and then filter the Group Policy settings through Windows 2000 security groups. Users who would otherwise inherit a Visio installation through their Active Directory group memberships can be prevented from installing Visio through their security group memberships.

Publish Visio to users

When you publish Visio to users, no information about the software is present in the registry or on the Start menu. However, users can click Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel and view a list of all software published to them.

If a user selects Visio from this list, Add/Remove Programs retrieves information about the Visio installation location from Active Directory, and Windows Installer installs the package on the computer and applies any transform that you have associated with the Visio package.

If you plan to have users run Visio Setup themselves (for example, if your organization routinely makes a variety of software applications available to users from an installation location on the network), consider publishing Visio to users. In this case, users in the designated group can install Visio from Add/Remove Programs anytime they choose.

Unlike assigned applications, published applications are not automatically reinstalled. If a user removes Visio after installing it from Add/Remove Programs, the shortcuts and registry information are not automatically reapplied on the computer. However, the next time the user logs on to the network, Visio is republished in Add/Remove Programs.

Apply a transform to customize Visio

You control which Visio features are available to users by applying a transform (MST file) when you assign or publish the Visio package (MSI file). Note that you can apply only one transform to a given installation of the Visio package.

Note   Transforms are applied when Visio is assigned or published. You cannot reapply a transform after Visio is installed. If you need to modify a managed Visio installation, you must remove and then reinstall Visio with a new transform.

On the Set Feature Installation States page of the Custom Installation Wizard, you set installation options for individual Visio features.

For example, when you assign or publish Visio, you can:

  • Set a feature to Not Available and hide it to prevent it from appearing on the Start menu or in Add/Remove Programs.

    To hide a feature and make it inaccessible to users, set the installation state to Not Available, Hidden, Locked—a new setting exposed in the Custom Installation Wizard.

  • Set a feature to Run from Network to store the source files on the network and allow users to run the feature from there.

  • Set a feature to Installed on My Computer to install it locally.

    (This option applies only if you assign to computers or publish to users. When you assign to users, features are not installed locally until a user clicks the Windows Installer shortcut.)

    Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit Toolbox   The Office XP Resource Kit includes the Custom Installation Wizard, which is installed when you run the Office XP Resource Kit Setup program. For more information, see "Custom Installation Wizard" in the Office XP Resource Kit Toolbox.

Installation scenarios

Suppose you want to make Visio available to all users in the marketing department. Using Group Policy and IntelliMirror software installation, you can assign the package to either all the computers or all the users managed by the marketing GPO.

Assign to computers

In this scenario, Visio is advertised on every computer managed by the marketing GPO. The first time the computer starts, Windows Installer installs the Visio package locally (based on the feature installation states specified in the transform), and the application is accessible to anyone who uses that computer.

A user can remove Visio from this computer through Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. However, the next time the computer is started, Visio is reinstalled based on the Group Policy settings.

Assign to users

In this scenario, Visio is advertised to every user in the marketing GPO. The next time each user logs on, the Windows registry is updated and the appropriate Windows Installer shortcuts appear on the Start menu.

Although Visio is now available, it is not installed. However, users in the marketing department probably start Visio as soon as they log on. At that point, the following events occur:

  • A background Windows service calls Windows Installer.

  • The minimal set of files required to run Visio is downloaded from a distribution point on the network and installed on the user's computer.

  • Visio starts.

If the user receives an e-mail message with an attached Visio drawing and double-clicks the drawing shortcut, Windows Installer is called to install Visio.

A user in marketing can delete an assigned Visio solution through Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. But because the assigned Visio solution is managed under IntelliMirror, the installation information that advertises Visio in the Windows registry and that adds shortcuts to the Start menu is immediately reapplied. The next time the user logs on, the solution is assigned again without intervention from the administrator.

Tip IntelliMirror tools can affect large groups of users, and inadvertent errors or conflicting settings can cause considerable inconvenience. Before you use IntelliMirror to install Visio throughout your organization, it is highly recommended that you test your deployment scenario in a controlled setting.

How to assign or publish Visio features

Before you assign or publish Visio in a Windows 2000–based environment, you must perform the following steps:

  1. Plan and set up your Active Directory structure and Group Policy and security group memberships.

  2. Determine which users need which configuration of Visio.

  3. By default, Group Policy settings apply to all Active Directory containers lower in the hierarchy, so it is usually best to assign Visio at the highest possible level. Then you can filter Group Policy through Windows 2000 security groups to target users more precisely.

  4. Install Visio on an administrative installation point by running Setup with the /a command-line option.

  5. Use the Custom Installation Wizard to customize your Visio installation, and store the transform (MST file) on the administrative installation point.

  6. Give users read-access to the network share that contains the administrative installation point.

Then you are ready to use the Software Installation snap-in to assign or publish Visio to users or computers.

Open the Software Installation snap-in

In Windows 2000, the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) provides a consistent interface for using administrative tools called snap-ins. After you set up Group Policy in your organization and install Visio on an administrative installation point, you can use the Software Installation snap-in to specify Group Policy settings for users or computers managed by a particular GPO.

There are several ways to open the Software Installation snap-in, which is an extension of the Group Policy snap-in. If you are applying Group Policy to a domain or organizational unit (as opposed to a site), the best place to start is with the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

To open the Software Installation snap-in 

  1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

  2. In the console tree, right-click the domain or organizational unit for which you want to set Group Policy.

  3. Click Properties, and then click the Group Policy tab.

  4. To create a new GPO, click New and type a name for the GPO; then select the new GPO and click Edit.

    or

    To edit an existing GPO, select the GPO in the Group Policy Objects Links box, and then click Edit.

  5. To assign or publish software to users, click the User Configuration node.

    or

    To assign software to computers, click the Computer Configuration node.

  6. Expand the Software Settings node, and then click the Software Installation node to open the Software Installation snap-in.

The following illustration shows the Group Policy Software Installation snap-in for a GPO in which Visio has been published to users.

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General tab

When you publish or assign the Visio package, relevant information about the package is automatically displayed on the General tab.

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Deployment tab

On the Deployment tab, you specify whether to publish or assign Visio. Note that if you open the snap-in under Computer Configuration, the Published option is unavailable.

Under Deployment options, select check boxes to specify when and how Visio is installed on users computers. You can set any of the following options:

  • Install Visio automatically when users open a file associated with Visio. This setting is turned on by default.

    For example, when Visio is assigned to a user and the user double-clicks a Visio drawing, Windows 2000 installs Visio.

  • Automatically remove Visio when the computer or the user moves to another GPO that does not manage Visio.

    Administrators can choose whether Visio is removed in this circumstance or whether the package remains installed but is no longer managed by Group Policy.

  • Prevent Visio from appearing in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.

    You can set this option to hide critical features from users and display only optional (published) features. This option can also be useful when Visio is assigned to multiple users who share one computer. It prevents one user from changing the Visio configuration and removing a feature required by another user. (You can achieve the same result by assigning Visio to the computer, rather than to users.)

Under Installation user interface options, you specify how much of Visio Setup is displayed to users during the installation process. The recommended setting (and the default) is Basic, which installs Visio unattended and requires no user interaction. (The Basic setting corresponds to the /qb- command-line option.)

Tip   If you want users to be able to choose an installation location for Visio and set some Setup properties for themselves, you can use IntelliMirror and still run Setup with a full user interface. To give users this access, you set the Windows Installer system policy Enable user control over installs. In the Group Policy Editor, you find this policy in the Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Installer folder.

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To set additional deployment options, click Advanced. In the Advanced Deployment Options dialog box, you can:

  • Specify that Windows 2000 install Visio even if the Visio installation language differs from the Windows 2000 installation language.

  • Remove unmanaged Visio installations when you deploy Visio through Group Policy software installation and maintenance.

    If you have already deployed Visio in your organization and are making the transition to Window 2000, select this option to remove and then reinstall Visio in a managed state on users computers. This scenario is described later in this chapter.

Upgrades tab

If you are already managing a Visio installation under Windows 2000, you can use the Upgrades tab to deploy a new version of the product. This upgrade scenario is described later in this chapter.

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Categories tab

Associating Visio with a category can make Visio easier for users to find in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. However, you must already have set up categories for your organization in Active Directory. In that case, you can use the Categories tab to assign the new Visio package to an available category.

Modifications tab

You use the Modifications tab to apply a transform (MST file) to your Visio installation. Click Add, select your transform, and then click Open to add it to the Modifications tab.

Note that you can add multiple transforms, but you can apply only one transform to a given Visio installation, and you can apply the transform only when you assign or publish Visio. If you assign or publish the Visio package to several GPOs, however, you can add a unique transform to each one.

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Security tab

The Security tab displays standard Windows 2000–based security options. You can fine-tune your Visio deployment by filtering the Group Policy software installation settings through Windows 2000 access control lists (ACLs). To do this, click Advanced, and then click the Permissions tab.

Tips for managing Visio through Group Policy

You can assign unique configurations of Visio to different GPOs within your organization. For example, if the engineering and marketing departments are managed by separate GPOs, you can include the Electrical Engineering solution in the engineering transform and substitute the Flowcharts solution in the marketing transform.

In a properly designed Group Policy structure, Group Policy applies policies by precedence. As long as you give each transform a unique name, users receive the Visio configuration designed for them.

Remember that you cannot change settings in a transform after you deploy Visio through Group Policy. If you make changes to the installation later on—for example, if you try to apply a new transform—Windows 2000 automatically uninstalls Visio and reinstates the configuration set by Group Policy. To change the Visio configuration without uninstalling and reinstalling Visio, you must use another deployment mechanism that can run a new command line, such as Systems Management Server or a log-on script.

How to maintain Visio under Windows 2000

After you establish an Active Directory structure and install Visio by using Group Policy, Windows 2000 maintains your installation automatically. But new organizational needs, upgrade schedules, or software updates might require some administrative intervention.

Bring an unmanaged installation into a managed state

In some circumstances, you may need to bring an unmanaged Visio installation into a managed state under Windows 2000. Any installation scenario that does not use Group Policy and IntelliMirror software installation and maintenance results in an unmanaged Visio installation.

For example, the following scenarios install Visio in an unmanaged state:

  • You upgrade to Visio 2002 under Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, and subsequently you upgrade your operating system to Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional.

  • You install Visio by using Microsoft Systems Management Server—even in a homogenous Windows 2000 environment.

  • You install Visio by distributing hard-disk images on a CD.

The most straightforward method of making the transition to a managed state is to remove your original Visio installation and reinstall Visio from a new administrative installation point by using IntelliMirror software installation and maintenance—particularly if you upgrade to Windows 2000 after your initial Visio deployment. (By default, Visio Setup removes previous versions of Visio.)

For example, suppose that you installed Visio in an unmanaged state, and you are now installing Visio under Windows 2000. In this scenario, use the following procedure to assign the new Visio package and remove the original unmanaged Visio installation.

To reinstall Visio in a managed state 

  1. Open the Software Installation snap-in for the target GPO, and assign or publish the new Visio package, as described earlier in this topic.

  2. In the Microsoft Visio 2002 Properties dialog box, click the Deployment tab, and then click Advanced.

  3. Select the Remove previous installs of this product for users, if the product was not installed by Group Policy–based Software Installation check box, and then click OK.

  4. Configure any other options you want in the Microsoft Visio 2002 Properties dialog box, and click OK.

    Cc751059.ch05_06(en-us,TechNet.10).gif 

If you know that you will eventually manage Visio by using IntelliMirror tools, you can install Visio in such a way that you avoid having to remove and reinstall it later.

To bring Visio into a managed state under Windows 2000 

  1. Create an administrative installation point for Visio, and install the Visio package (MSI file) when you assign or publish the Visio transform (MST file) at that location.

  2. Install Visio on users computers from this location by using Systems Management Server or any other distribution method.

  3. Upgrade to Windows 2000, and create your Active Directory and Group Policy structure.

  4. Using the same administrative installation point, assign Visio to the appropriate GPO.

    You must use the identical package and transform from the original administrative installation point.

  5. Move the computers that have your original Visio configuration to the Active Directory container that includes the GPO from step 4.

    The next time users start their computers, Windows 2000 detects the Visio configuration and manages the installation from that point forward.

Caution  If the Visio configuration you assign by using Group Policy differs in any respect from your original Visio installation, Windows 2000 automatically removes and reinstalls Visio. You must use the same package (MSI file) and apply the same transform (MST file) with no modifications. IntelliMirror ensures that an approved Visio configuration is installed on the computer, and it removes any installation that differs from that configuration—even if the differences are minor changes in the transform.

Distribute service releases and upgrades

After you complete your Microsoft Visio installation under Microsoft Windows 2000, you may need to deploy updates to the original package. These updates include quick-fix engineering (QFE) fixes and service releases. You can use Microsoft IntelliMirror software and installation to manage these interim updates to Visio, along with full-scale product upgrades.

Note  Be sure to test all software updates in a controlled setting before modifying your administrative installation point or deploying the new version throughout your organization.

To deploy a QFE fix or service release 

  1. Apply the update or patch (MSP file) to the original Visio administrative installation point.

  2. Open the Software Installation snap-in within the Group Policy Object (GPO) that you are using to manage the existing Visio installation.

  3. In the details pane, right-click the Visio package, point to All Tasks, and click Redeploy application.

    The next time the Group Policy is applied to the designated users or computers, the Visio MSI file is re-cached locally, and only the updated files are copied to users' computers.

Note  You can redeploy a package only if it is being managed by Group Policy—that is, only if you originally installed it by using IntelliMirror software installation and maintenance or if you brought it into a managed state under Windows 2000.

Distribute product upgrades

You can use Microsoft IntelliMirror software and installation to manage full-scale product upgrades. You can also use IntelliMirror to deploy future upgrades of Visio—that is, a new package with a new product code.

To deploy a product upgrade 

  1. Install the new package (MSI file) and transform (MST file) on a new administrative installation point.

  2. Open the Software Installation snap-in within the Group Policy object (GPO) that you are using to manage the existing Visio installation.

  3. In the details pane, right-click the original Visio package, click Properties, and then click the Upgrades tab.

  4. Click Add.

  5. In the Add Upgrade Package dialog box, click Browse to locate the new Visio package that you want to deploy, select it, and then click OK.

  6. To reinstall with the new version, click Uninstall the existing package, then install upgrade package, and then click OK. This option completely removes the previous version and installs the new version as a new product on the computer.

    or

    To upgrade the existing Visio installation, click Package can upgrade over existing package, and then click OK.

    Note that if you are upgrading from Visio 2000 and you have assigned Visio to users, you must remove Visio 2000 before you deploy the new package. For more information, see "Upgrade from Visio 2000 to Visio 2002" later in this chapter.

  7. On the Upgrades tab, select the Required upgrade for existing packages check box to make the upgrade mandatory for all users in the GPO.

  8. To close the Microsoft Visio 2002 Properties dialog box, click OK.

  9. In the details pane, right-click the Visio package, point to All Tasks, and click Redeploy application.

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Important   To avoid a series of removals and reinstallations when you upgrade, make sure that you create an upgrade relationship between the new package and all previous versions of the product on the Upgrades tab. For example, establish an upgrade relationship between Visio 2002 and Visio 2000.

Upgrade from Visio 2000 to Visio 2002

If you are upgrading from a managed Visio 2000 installation, you can use Group Policy and the options in the Software Installation snap-in to manage the transition to Visio 2002. You begin by creating an administrative installation point for Visio 2002 and by creating any transforms you want to apply. Then you open the Software Installation snap-in in the GPO and add the new package. The steps you take after that depend on whether you assign Visio to computers or to users.

  • If you assign Visio to computers, you get the most benefit from creating an upgrade relationship between Visio 2000 and Visio 2002. On the Upgrades tab, select the Package can upgrade over existing package option.

  • If you assign Visio to users, however, and you choose to upgrade over Visio 2000, the old applications and shortcuts might not be properly removed from users' computers. In this case, the recommended method is to remove Visio 2000 before you deploy Visio 2002. When you deploy the Visio 2002 package, select the Uninstall the existing package, then install upgrade package option on the Upgrades tab. This option completely removes the previous version and advertises Visio 2002 as a new product on the computer.

Note  When you remove Visio 2000 and then assign Visio 2002, users may experience a significant delay the first time they log on.

Because Visio is not truly upgraded in the second scenario, some automatic migration behavior does not occur.

Deploy Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 using Active Directory

You can deploy an upgrade of Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 using Active Directory. Using Active Directory you can:

  • Create a new administrative installation point for deployment.

  • Apply an upgrade of Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 to an existing administrative installation point.

  • Deploy to a custom installation path.

To create a new administrative installation point for Microsoft Visio 2001 SR-1 

  1. Create a new administrative installation folder for Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1.

  2. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

  3. Right-click the package in the Group Policy, and select All Tasks, and then click Remove.

  4. Select Immediately uninstall software from all users and computers.

    Doing this also removes any custom settings users may have associated with Microsoft Visio 2002, such as a custom dictionary.

  5. Create a new distribution package using the updated Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 MSI file with any associated transforms.

Note  When creating a new installation point, do not use spaces in the upgrade path name should contain no spaces. Path names with spaces will cause the installer to uninstall the previous version of Microsoft Visio and then attempt to install the new version. For example:\\sever\share\VisioSR1 is a correct path name; the upgrade will work correctly. However: \\severname\sharename\Visio SR1 contains spaces within the Visio SR1 portion of the path name; the upgrade will not work.

Create a new transform file for an upgrade to Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1

If you’re upgrading your deployment of Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 through Group Policy using Active Directory, you’ll first need to create a new transform file using the Custom Installation Wizard. On the Modify Setup Properties window of the Custom Installation Wizard, add the following properties and their values:

Name

Value

REINSTALL

ALL

REINSTALLMODE

vomus

UPGRADEWITHCACHE

TRUE

RESIGNEDPC

TRUE

In addition, if you’re deploying Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 to a custom installation path on users computers, you’ll need to add an additional property listed in the following steps below for specifying a custom installation path.

To apply the upgrade to an existing administrative installation point of Microsoft Visio 2002 

  1. Using the MSP file, upgrade your existing administrative installation point with the MSP file.

  2. Open the Group Policy snap-in and navigate to Software Settings to start this process. For information on accessing and changing Group Policy, see "Open the Software Installation Snap-in" earlier in this chapter.

  3. Right-click the package in Software Settings, and select All Tasks, and then select Redeploy Application.

    The updated files are copied to the users who have Microsoft Visio 2002 installed. In addition, Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 is re-advertised to everyone who was granted access to Microsoft Visio 2002.

    For both existing users and new users of Microsoft Visio 2002 on the same network share, will have their applications will be upgraded to Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1. Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 will automatically install for any new users from this network share. To have the upgrade take effect, users must shut down and then restart their computers.

To specify a custom installation path

  1. After upgrading the Microsoft Visio 2002 installation point, open the Custom Installation Wizard and navigate to the Microsoft Visio 2002 SR-1 MSI file.

  2. In the Specify Default Path and Organization dialog box, accept the default installation path. You can, however, enter your Organization name.

  3. Continue to fill in the information on each of the Custom Installation Wizard dialog boxes.

  4. In the Modify Setup Properties dialog box, Add the property and value for the installation location:

    Name

    Vaue

    INSTALLDIR

    pathname, where pathname indicates the location where you want Microsoft Visio installed. For example, you might indicate the pathname as C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Visio_Professional_SR1.

    Note   When creating a new installation point, do not use spaces in the upgrade path name should contain no spaces. Path names with spaces will cause the installer to uninstall the previous version of Microsoft Visio and then attempt to install the new version.

  5. After you have finished, run the newly created setup file from either a command prompt or deploy through Group Policy using Active Directory.

Deploy Microsoft Visio Web add-ins

Add-ins downloaded from the Microsoft Web site can be deployed using many of the same deployment methods Microsoft Visio supports.

To deploy an add-in downloaded from www.microsoft.com 

  1. When prompted to open or save the downloaded file, select Save This File to Disk.

    Doing this saves the package, which includes the MSI database for the add-in, to the location you specify.

  2. Extract the MSI from the executable by running it at the command prompt with a /C parameter.

  3. Select the location where you want to save the MSI file.

  4. Deploy the MSI as you would Microsoft Visio.

Note  Add-ins are not supported in the Custom Installation Wizard.

Deploying add-ins when running from the source

Running from the source requires additional steps, and you must do it from an administration installation point. If you have not already created that installation point, do so following the steps in a preceding section. The administrative installation point must be located in the same base folder where your Microsoft Visio administrative installation is located.

To install Run from Source via passed properties

On the command line, pass the following two parameters to the installer:

RUNSOURCE=1 DDSOURCE=ALL.

For example, enter Msiexec /I d:\addin.msi RUNSOURCE=1 ADDSOURCE=ALL, where d:\addin.msi is the MSI file for the add-in you downloaded from the Microsoft Visio Web site.

To install Run from Source with an edited package 

  1. Open the MSI with an MSI editor, such as Orca, which is available for download from Microsoft Developer Network.

  2. Click File, and then click Open. Navigate to the MSI you want to modify.

  3. After opening the MSI, from the Tables column, click Property. 

  4. Click the Tables menu item, and then click Add Rows.

  5. Add the following Property and Value elements in the new row, and then click OK:

Property

Vaue

RUNSOURCE

1

  1. From the Tables column, select Feature, and in the Features column, select the name of the MSI.

  2. In the Attributes column, click the number 48 twice to edit it and change the Attribute number from 48 to 49.

  3. Point to File, then click Save to save the changes made to the MSI, and then exit the editor.

  4. Deploy the add-in as you would using Active Directory Users and Computers.

When to use other installation technologies

IntelliMirror software installation and maintenance offers significant benefits to organizations that are deploying Visio 2002 and other applications under Windows 2000. Not only does IntelliMirror allow administrators to centrally manage software installation, it also allows them to maintain and preserve users settings and files.

By itself, however, IntelliMirror is not the most efficient or cost-effective choice for deploying Visio in all circumstances. For example, IntelliMirror does not provide the following:

  • Support for clients running any version of Windows other than Windows 2000.

  • Hardware and software inventory and reporting.

  • A licensing mechanism.

  • Reports for failed installations.

  • Precise control over the timing of Visio 2002 installations.

Because assigned applications are installed on start up or on first use, all users might try to install new applications from the network on the first day of the workweek. By contrast, users who do not regularly log off and on the network might not see assigned or published applications at all.

If you need additional capabilities, you can use either Windows 2000 remote installation services or Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 instead of, or in combination with, IntelliMirror software installation and maintenance.

See Also

For a general introduction to the new management services in Windows 2000, see the documentation on the Management Services page of the Microsoft Windows 2000 Web site.

For information about planning your Active Directory structure and setting up Group Policy, search for Software Installation preparation checklist on the Windows 2000 Server Help page, which is available on the Microsoft Windows 2000 Web site.

For more information about how Windows 2000 technologies and SMS work together, see Understanding the Value of IntelliMirror, Remote OS Installation, and Systems Management Server on the Microsoft Windows 2000 Web site.

The Windows 2000 Technical Library on the World Wide Web contains detailed, step-by-step guides for using the new installation tools and technologies, including the following:

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