The process of deploying the SuperOffice Sales & Marketing Windows client in a domain can be made much easier by rolling it out using Group Policy Objects.
Using this technology consists the following steps:
1. Perform a regular server setup of SuperOffice
2. Download and prepare prerequisites
3. Create a new Group Policy Object or edit the default policy object
4. Add software packages and startup scripts to deploy prerequisites and the SuperOffice client
Preparation
- Make sure you’ve uninstalled any previous SuperOffice installations on the target clients in your domain.
- Perform a regular SuperOffice Server Setup and test your installation on a client computer to make sure everything is working as expected.
- Perform an administrative installation of SuperOffice to a folder where all clients have access: SuperOffice7.exe /a.
- Copy the MST file located in the SuperOffice Server folder into the location where you unpacked the SuperOffice files.
Prerequisites
Download the following pre-requisites:
- Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office system (version 3.0 Runtime) (x86): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=54eb3a5a-0e52-40f9-a2d1-eecd7a092dcb
- Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office System (version 3.0 Runtime) Service Pack 1 (x86): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=D8EB4921-891A-4B5E-973F-0B96E6CCF376
- For Office 2007 Microsoft Office System Update: Redistributable Primary Interop Assemblies: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=59DAEBAA-BED4-4282-A28C-B864D8BFA513
- For Office 2003 SP3 Microsoft Office System Update: Redistributable Primary Interop Assemblies https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20923
- Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x86): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29
How to deploy SuperOffice and prerequisites on logon
Since a Group Policy Object only support deploying MSI files, we need to unpack the MSI files from the prerequisites that support this:
- Unpack the Primary Interop Assemblies MSI files by running the following command (replace c:\setup\prereqs\pias with a folder that clients can access):
PrimaryInteropAssembly.exe /extract:c:\setup\prereqs\pias\
- Perform an administrative install of the Visual Studio 2008 C++ Redistributables by running the following command:
vcredist_x86.exe /a (Remember to install to a location that clients can access)
Deploying the VSTO 3.0/VSTO 3.0 SP1 packages must be performed by running them as startup scripts, since there is no way to successfully run the SP1 patch as a software package in a GPO.
- Copy the files VSTOR30.exe and vstor30sp1-KB949258-x86.exe to a location where clients have access.
Creating GPO Software packages
Each of the above prerequisites must be packed in a separate GPO, and the VSTO 3.0/VSTO 3.0 SP1 must be added as startup scripts to be run for computers in the domain. To create GPO, open the Active Directory Users and Groups MMC:
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Select Properties to open the Group Policy Object properties dialog and then press the Edit button to open the Group Policy Editor.
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In this example we will edit the Default Domain Policy.
Adding software packages for the Prerequisites
- In the Group Policy Editor, right-click and select User configuration -> Software Settings -> Software Installation -> New -> Package in the editor.
- Browse to the MSI file you want to deploy. We will create Software packages for two of the prerequisites, so repeat these steps for the Visual Studio 2008 C++ runtime files and the Primary Interop Assemblies package (p2008pia.msi and VC_RED.msi). Remember to locate these files through a share that is accessible for all client computers.
- Select “Advanced“in the first dialog:
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- In the dialog box, select the Deployment tab and change the Deployment Type to Assigned and check the “Install this application at logon”-checkbox:
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Adding startup scripts for the Visual Studio Tools for Office 3.0 packages
The VSTO 3.0 packages must be run directly from their exe-files since it was very hard to unpack and patch these files correctly without any errors:
- Open Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Scripts (startup/shutdown) and double-click on the Startup element in the right pane:
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- Press the Add… button and browse to the file vstor30.exe (remember to browse through a share that all clients has access to) and enter /q in the parameter field.
- Repeat the above step for the file vstor30sp1-KB949258-x86.exe as well. You should see the following result:
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Installing SuperOffice
The last thing to do is to create a software package for SuperOffice. Perform the same step as you did when you created software packages for the prerequisites:
- In the Group Policy Editor, right-click and select User configuration -> Software Settings -> Software Installation -> New -> Package in the editor.
- Browse to the MSI file you want to deploy. We will create Software packages for two of the prerequisites, so repeat these steps for the Visual Studio 2008 C++ runtime files and the Primary Interop Assemblies package (p2008pia.msi and VC_RED.msi). Remember to locate these files through a share that is accessible for all client computers.
- Select “Advanced“in the first dialog:
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- In the dialog box, select the Deployment tab and change the Deployment Type to Assigned and check the “Install this application at logon”-checkbox:
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Now change to the Modifications tab and browse to the MST-file (Remember to browse to the file through a location that is accessible for the client):
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- Press OK and you should be able to test this on a client by forcing a GPO-update. Open a command-line on the client and enter: gpupdate /force