error_function_failed on addon.cfg

[akonecny]

aka, where is the Formativ Runtime Guide?

when trying to deploy the Formative Runtime with the new GroupWise 7 client, I keep getting the error_function_failed message as long as I have the Formativ dir in the clientwin32addon directory

I feel that it is just something simple wrong in my addon.cfg file, but I’ve not been able to find any further docs or examples for the formativ addon.cfg
Specifically, the Parameters= part
what is the delimter between parameters? no space? a space? a comma? something else?

does this look like a well formated line? or am I way off for making a silent install that feeds a serial number (naturally this one’s mungled)
Parameters=/s/r-3158761238477-2394873

thanx in advance

Topic

[Support 3]

If the Formativ Runtime is installed then you should be able to access the guide from Start – All Programs – Advansys Formativ Runtime. See the Formativ Distribution Resources (http://www.advansyscorp.com/formativ_distribution_kit.htm) for more information. Please see below a sample AddOn.CFG file:

quote:

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Using the GroupWise Add On Directory

GroupWise 5.5 and 6.x users can take advantage of the GroupWise Add On Directory facility to install Formativ Studio, Creator and Runtime as part of a standard GroupWise client installation.

To use this facility, you must create an ADDON.CFG file. The ADDON.CFG file is an ASCII text file that supports extended ASCII characters. The GroupWise client setup program uses the ADDON.CFG file to install additional components on users’ workstations, such as Formativ. The ADDON.CFG is specific to each program being installed. The required program files and the associated ADDON.CFG file must be copied to a subdirectory under software_distribution_directoryCLIENTWIN32ADDONS.

During client installation, the GroupWise setup program will search the subdirectories under the ADDONS directory for any ADDON.CFG files. The setup program will then execute the installation program for that component using the settings specified in the ADDON.CFG. If an entry is missing in the ADDON.CFG file, the installation program will prompt the user for the required information.

Full details regarding the use of the Add On directory can be found in the Novell GroupWise documentation.

Sample AddOn.CFG file

Two sample AddOn.CFG files are available for download from the Formativ Installation Resources Web page.

The Runtime version is shown below. You may need to edit this file to suit your own requirements. Please see the Novell GroupWise setup documentation for full details on the use of the AddOn.CFG file. For full details on usage of the Formativ installer command line parameters, please see Command Line Switches.

; This section is used by the GroupWise client setup program.
;
[GroupWiseAddon]
; Install – Install executable, you should not change this
;
Install=formativruntime.exe
; Parameters – Parameters which can be passed to install (see Formativ Distribution documentation)
;
;/s Silent mode (must be first parameter)
;/r-<Code> Register application during installation
;/ro-<Code> Register application only without software installation
;/u Unregister application
;/i-<config file> Use the given config file to override default settings
;
;Command Line Notes:
;
;The /u (unregister) switch takes precedence over all other switches. If this switch
;is present all others are ignored and the product is simply unregistered. No other files are installed.
Parameters=/s
; Silent – You should not change this, it will
; be automatically appended to the parameters when a silent client install
; is performed
;
Silent=
; Size – Installed size of the addon in kilobytes
;
Size=6770
; Workstation – Yes=Allow for a workstation install
; No=Do not allow for a workstation install
;
; The shipping default for Workstation is: Workstation=Yes
;
Workstation=Yes
; Default – Yes = Default checked in list of components
; No = Default unchecked
;
; The shipping default for Default is: Default=Yes
;
Default=Yes
; Hide – Control whether addon shows in list of components
; Yes=Hide option, uses Default to install or not
; No=User can choose to install or not
;
; The shipping default for Hide is: Hide=No
;
Hide=No
; If this addon appears in the client setup for user selection, this is the
; name that will appear
;
[Name]
US=Advansys Formativ Runtime
; If this addon appears in the client setup for user selection, this is the
; description that will appear
;
[Description]
US=Advansys Formativ Runtime provides the ability to run Encoded and eDirectory based Formativ Applets

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Regards,
Advansys Support

[akonecny]

Main question still unanswered, which is
How to properly concatenate/list the ‘Parameters=’ list of parameters so that they actually work without generating the error listed as the subject of this Thread.

The Formativ Runtime Guide is not direcctly available to the typical installer of Formativ since they typically have the Studio or Creator installed, and if they aren’t manually deploying the Runtime, won’t typically have it installed. The references to that Runtime guide should relect this as it is not reasonable jump in context to expect everyone to make.
Therefore the documentation refering to this guide should have a pointer to where it is and/or a link to the on-line version.
Once I was able to find it, it still didn’t answer my questions, as it only lists the parameters as OR operations, with no provision as to how to AND them.

All the Sample Addon.cfg I’ve been able to find are all ‘blank’ samples, but none of them are samples with dummy data showing how they are used in practice. i.e. showing mulitple parameters in use. We do need both to learn how to use the tools.

[Support 3]

Our engineer attending GWAVAcon-Dallas this week so we may not be able to answer your question until early next week. We will look into this issue and get back to you once we have an answer.

Regards,
Advansys Support

[Support 3]

Could you please let us know the build date of the GroupWise 7 client (see Help – About GroupWise).

We have reported few bugs (OnOpen events not working) to Novell for the GW 7.0.1 (prior to 14/12/2006 build). Novell also confirmed, they also found few issues prior to 14/12/2006 build. Novell also looking at the recent bug we found when opening a shared folder message. The installation issue when using the addon.cfg may not be related to the bug we found. However we recommend to use latest point release of the GroupWise client.

Regards,
Advansys Support

[Support 3]

We have tested the GroupWise Add On Directory installation. We can install and register the Formativ Runtime with GroupWise 7.0.1 installer. Please see below the steps we followed:

• GroupWise installer we used: gw701ce-ir1 (build date 20/12/2006).
• Create a subdirectory “formativ” under the ADDONS directory (i.e. gw701ce-ir1CLIENTwin32addonsformativ)
• Place the “formativruntime.exe” into the subdirectory (i.e. gw701ce-ir1CLIENTwin32addonsformativformativruntime.exe).
• Save the sample ADDON.cfg (http://www.advansyscorp.com/formativ/addon.cfg) file into the subdirectory (i.e. gw701ce-ir1CLIENTwin32addonsformativADDON.cfg).
• Open the ADDON.cfg file and edit the following switch. Please note a space required between /s and /r parameters.
  Parameters=/s /r-xxx51FRxx-29xx6Dxx
• Save the ADDON.cfg file.
• Start the setup.exe from “gw701ce-ir1CLIENTwin32” folder.

Hope this helps and Look forward to hear from you.

Regards,
Advansys Support

[akonecny]

We will try this on Monday
we were just using the orginal 7.01 client so I guess we were hitting those bugs
thank you for the clairification on the parameters= usage. Perhaps putting that example into the sample addon.cfg (in the comments) would be most useful to many others.

Thank you

Andy in Toronto

[Support 3]

Thanks for your feedback. We will add your suggestions into our enhancement database for future release.

Regards,
Advansys Support

[akonecny]

We now have a successful install of GW 7.01 build 553 with successful addon installation of both the runtime and presentation pack.
The only snag is that the Presentation Pack just has to have a Different parameter for registering it. <sigh> Why do they have to be different? its this sort of thing that just drives people into Microsoft’s servitude, umm I mean, arms.

It would be worth putting a line with the list of the common registry parameters in the sample addon.cfg so that someone using this only sample has at least that heads up on the issue.

now that we have this working, we are finding that the export tools that we have found aren’t quite what we need here. Which of these forums is the best place to post those needs to see if someone is already working in that particular direction.

[Support 3]

quote:

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Presentation Pack just has to have a Different parameter for registering it. Why do they have to be different?

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Different switches uses (i.e /s, /i, /r, etc) in Registration utilitiy to identify the product types (i.e Formativ, presentation packs, etc) and perform specific action. Formativ Users Guide explain more information about all the command line switches. Thanks for your suggestions, we will update the ADDON.cfg file to provide more examples about the switches.

quote:

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we are finding that the export tools that we have found aren’t quite what we need here. Which of these forums is the best place to post those needs to see if someone is already working in that particular direction.

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Depending on the solutions (commercial/free), you can post questions in the following forums. Please make sure to search the forums to check if a similar question has been answered already.

• Commercial Formativ solution by Advansys (http://www.advansyscorp.com/forums/forum/3634089931-2/6634089931-2/)
• Free Solutions from GroupWise Cool Solutions or Advansys (http://www.advansyscorp.com/forums/forum/3634089931-2/6494075512-2/): Download free Formativ solutions from GroupWise cool solutions (http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/9485.html) to keep expanding the functionality of your GroupWise client. Please read the disclaimer prior to use the free Formativ solutions.

Regards,
Advansys Support

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