1. John Strano
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. Friday, 25 February 2022 17:14 PM UTC

*** Can any of the with/without service versions of the CloudAppLauncher_Installer.MSI

be enhanced to allow us to designate an alternate location to the  Users’ AppData location that will work for all Users

with which we can configure in advance in a default virtual desktop image?

 

***THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED***

 

Alternatively...  in the short term...

Can we make Registry modifications to move an installed version of App Launcher to a non-AppData location

that is discoverable by subsequent PowerBuilder/PowerClient applications installations and updates to be able to detect that

the Launcher is already installed in this alternate location?

 

Here are the Registry Keys I've discovered while searching for "Launcher".

 

For the most part, I'll not include these Keys' Value Names or their Value Data.

 

Is this roster of Registry Keys comprehensive?

Do you have a manifest that is better that you can share?

 

Thank you.

***CloudAppLauncher Registry Keys - Discovered To-Date***

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Appeon\CloudAppLauncher_withoutservice\21.0

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\cloudapp

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\cloudapp\DefaultIcon

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\cloudapp\shell\open

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\cloudapp\shell\open\command

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 21.0\PB210.exe.ApplicationCompany

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 21.0\PB210.exe.FriendlyAppName

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{3271CCE4-9C04-4CAD-99B8-902E2AF90F5E}

{3271CCE4-9C04-4CAD-99B8-902E2AF90F5E} is the "ProductGuid"

*** S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102

- Subsequently found in multiple HKEY_USERS Keys

- First discovered in...

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\Deployment\AppExtension\com.microsoft.edge.extension\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102

...then in...

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\Deployment\Package\*\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102

...should it rather be somewhere in?...

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\Deployment\Package\*\AllUsers

 Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Appeon\CloudAppLauncher_withoutservice\21.0

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Classes\cloudapp

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Classes\cloudapp\DefaultIcon

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Classes\cloudapp\shell\open

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Classes\cloudapp\shell\open\command

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 21.0\PB210.exe.ApplicationCompany

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 21.0\PB210.exe.FriendlyAppName

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{3271CCE4-9C04-4CAD-99B8-902E2AF90F5E}

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\Common\PowerBuilder\Runtime 21.0.0.1506\CloudAppInstall\default\WithoutService\CloudAppLauncher_Installer.msi

L:\Users\<USERID>\AppData\Roaming\InstallShield Installation Information\{3271CCE4-9C04-4CAD-99B8-902E2AF90F5E}\LauncherSetup_withoutservice.exe

L:\Users\<USERID>\AppData\Roaming\OnColl21_Cloud_Launcher_Installer\21.0.0.1506\OnColl21CloudLauncher_Installer21.0.0.1506\CloudAppLauncher_Installer.exe

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102_Classes\cloudapp

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102_Classes\cloudapp\DefaultIcon

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102_Classes\cloudapp\shell\open

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102_Classes\cloudapp\shell\open\command

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-194615465-271151529-2465100908-281102_Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 21.0\PB210.exe.ApplicationCompany

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 21.0\PB210.exe.FriendlyAppName

 

Accepted Answer
John Strano Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Tuesday, 1 March 2022 15:53 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # Permalink
I've successfully been able to have the CAL be installed in a non-User-AppData locale
on the client and have all its Registry key values reflect this by
running the CAL's MSI OR a customized CAL's install EXE while temporarily changing
one of the Registry key values for User Shell Folders to the desired folder.
 
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Local AppData = %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local
...to...
Local AppData = C:\<DesignatedFolderName>
 
This leads to the question of, how will the CAL on the client be upgraded for post-1506 v2021 builds/runtimes.
I'll break that out into a new thread to accommodate the branch of the discussion's detail.
 
Thanks to Mark Goldsmith for the advice of using MSIEXEC to create an installation output log for the CAL's MSI.
This revealed that the MSI (and the CAL EXEs) make shell calls to get the User Shell Folders values.
Comment
  1. Mark Goldsmith
  2. Wednesday, 2 March 2022 00:14 AM UTC
Thanks for the update John and glad to hear what I provided, albeit indirectly, assisted in your being able to find a workaround. I'll be interested to see Engineering's response to your new post re upgrading of the CAL when installed in a non-User-AppData locale.
  1. Helpful 1
  1. Mark Goldsmith
  2. Wednesday, 2 March 2022 16:17 PM UTC
Thanks Armeen!
  1. Helpful
There are no comments made yet.
Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 25 February 2022 17:30 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 1

Hi John;

  Have you looked at the CAL generation options for this?

Regards ... Chris

Comment
There are no comments made yet.
John Strano Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 25 February 2022 17:55 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 2

Yes.

We have this working nicely for the PowerBuilder Applications being installed.

However, the Cloud App Launcher is still being installed under the current User's AppData folder.

We need it to be installed in a location that...

- Is configured for all Users

- Is detected by the installation/update process of the PowerClient-deployed PowerBuilder applications.

 

We've tested the Launcher's *.MSI file, but that also installs to the current User's AppData folder/dir.

with no opportunity to redirect.

 

Thank you.

Comment
There are no comments made yet.
Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 25 February 2022 18:35 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 3

Hi John;

   You mean something like ...

Regards ... Chris

Comment
  1. Chris Pollach @Appeon
  2. Friday, 25 February 2022 19:06 PM UTC
Hi John;

Yes, I think that you are correct and this does not affect the "deployment" location. Same thing when running the "CloudAppLauncher_Installer.exe" (As Admin) from it's generated location or even from it's uploaded IIS location. It still wants to install where it wants to install.

I am now thinking that your should open a Support Ticket for this CAL folder install location as an enhancement request.

Regards ... Chris
  1. Helpful
  1. John Strano
  2. Friday, 25 February 2022 20:00 PM UTC
OK.



This is an immediate need. Looking for options that don't entail waiting for the next MR.

If no patch for the MSI is possible, would politely insist that engineering provide roster of Registry keys necessary to perform modifications of Launcher installation location.



Thank you,

John
  1. Helpful
  1. John Strano
  2. Friday, 25 February 2022 20:13 PM UTC
This manifest of Registry entries and other config settings must already exist.

We hope that in that this already exists with no additional development time required

on the Appeon team's part that this can be made available fairly quickly.



Thank you again.



- John
  1. Helpful
There are no comments made yet.
Mark Goldsmith Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 25 February 2022 20:16 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 4

Hi John,

Assuming I'm understanding what you'd like to be able to do, you may be able to redirect to an install location of your choice if you launch the MSI via MSIEXEC. If you're able to do so then the command would look something like the following:

msiexec /i "C:\LauncherMSIFolder\CloudAppLauncher_Installer.MSI" TARGETDIR="C:\AlternateLocation" /qb

Depending on how the MSI is created (EG WIX, other?) what version and the parameters Appeon has used, you may have to substitute TARGETDIR with any of INSTALLDIR, INSTALLLOCATION, APPLICATIONFOLDER, INSTALLFOLDER, OTHER?. One way to determine this is to run msiexec with the respective MSI and add the /lv parameter (EG /lv "C:\my_msi_results.log") to generate a log file via which you should then be able to determine which keyword is being used for the install location.

HTH...regards,

Mark

Comment
  1. John Strano
  2. Tuesday, 1 March 2022 15:38 PM UTC
>> ..."IMPORTANT: If you want to set a different path as the default path instead of %AppData%\PBApps, you should NOT include...



Right. This refers only to the path into which the PowerBuilder applications are installed, not the location of where on the client the CAL is installed.
  1. Helpful
  1. John Strano
  2. Tuesday, 1 March 2022 15:46 PM UTC
Mark:



Running the MSI with MSIEXEC was very helpful in leading to the workaround which may suffice until PowerBuilder 2022 comes around which Armeen says will natively support this need.

In short, the MSIEXEC outpiut log showing the MSI uses the SHELL32 led to me temporarily changing the User Shell Folder registry key values only during install-time.

This seems to work for changing the CAL's location on the client.

It's Achilles' heel may be if CALs need to be upgraded with post-1506 builds/runtimes of PowerBuilder 2021.



I'll break this workaround into another post/thread to accommodate detail.
  1. Helpful
  1. Mark Goldsmith
  2. Wednesday, 2 March 2022 00:16 AM UTC
Glad to hear John and thanks again for the feedback.
  1. Helpful
There are no comments made yet.
Miguel Leeuwe Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 25 February 2022 22:00 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 5

If Mark's method of seeing if you can do set any installdir parameter when running the MSIExec from the commandline doesn't work out, you could maybe try this:

If you want to find out which changes have been done exactly by the install you could use this tool on a CLEAN machine (I'd use any VM with a fresh windows install): https://www.nirsoft.net/windows_registry_tools.html 

Take snapshots of before and after install and then compare with a tool like winmerge. That should give you exactly the registry entries that have been added and give you the information you'd need to create some script and copy things to another location and modify the needed registry entries.

(Make sure little time passes between the first and second snapshot, as windows messes around with the registry constantly.)

Of course there's no guarantee it'll work. Maybe there's also things on the GAC that might be affected, etc.

regards

 

Comment
  1. John Strano
  2. Monday, 28 February 2022 15:16 PM UTC
Thank you, Miguel.



While promising, Mark's MSIEXEC utilization suggestion did not play out.

We may very well need to explore determining a comprehensive "diff" to the registry, then perform "manual" mods to the registry.
  1. Helpful 1
There are no comments made yet.
Armeen Mazda @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Tuesday, 1 March 2022 04:38 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 6

Hi John, This is not supported in PowerBuilder 2021 so hopefully you can find a workaround.  We plan to support this in PowerBuilder 2022.

Comment
  1. John Strano
  2. Tuesday, 1 March 2022 15:34 PM UTC
Thanks, Armeen. Looking forward to it very much.



I've found a workaround that I'll post here today.

It peels back another layer of the issue onion that may be made moot by PowerBuilder 2022.
  1. Helpful
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Tuesday, 1 March 2022 15:44 PM UTC
Great, thanks!
  1. Helpful
There are no comments made yet.
Hannu Pikkarainen Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Wednesday, 24 April 2024 11:27 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 7

Hi,

I have same problem with the latest version of PB (2022 R3 build 3289). I can't redirect program or cloud app launcher path.

I can't even modify these settings with a program that is going to be provided with only client install (NO Power server), I need to change application to a PowerServer application to change these settings.

BR, Hannu

 

Comment
There are no comments made yet.
  • Page :
  • 1


There are no replies made for this question yet.
However, you are not allowed to reply to this question.