Administrative Director

[Badwolf]

Has anyone else had problems using the SolidWorks Administrative director? First off, we couldn't get it to install an admin image from anywhere other than actually at the server itself - Kept getting a 1315 windowa installer error. In the end, manually installed admin image and tried to use the admin director with it. Then got an error about memory could not be read. Same on Win2000 pro and XP sp1.

Has anyone had any success?

 

[SBaugh]

With the Admin image you have to be at the server to install it. There is no doubt about that.

As for the admin directory, there is a guide at SW that explains how to make and use the Admin director. The guide is the standard "Solidworks Installation guide" and the towards the bottom of the page. It's called "Microsoft Active Directory".

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[MElam]

If for some reason you can not install it directly at the server, I've heard that you can run it on your client machine, create the admin image on your local hard drive, then copy it to the network folder. I have also heard of issues if there are spaces in the path name.

If you install at the client and copy to the server, you will probably have to edit the .htm and .ini files as required.
My .htm file (I installed directly at the server)has the following lines:

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run """\\MTS\SolidWorks 2005\swsetup.exe"" /ini ""\\MTS\SolidWorks 2005\SolidWorks_2005_SP0_client_options.ini"""

where MTS is the server name. The .ini has a line pointing to the SWX .msi location.

 

[jmongan]

MElam is correct. I just finished the setup of our admin director installation this morning.

You have to install it from the local machine. I installed mine on my local HD. Then copied it to the network and shared the network drive.

Then edit the "SolidWorks_2005_xxx_client_options.ini" file and the "StartSWInstall.htm" file.

MElam has all the information you need for the edit of the htm file above.

The editing of the .ini file is self explanatory. Below are the lines that should be edited.

ADMINMSIPATH=
BEFORECMD=
AFTERCMD=
REGPATH=

Each of these four items will have a UNC path pointing to the appropriate item. I created a .bat file that is ran after the AFTERCMD=

That .bat file then calls out the install of E-drawings, PDMWorks, a couple of custom applications, it aslo copies over the toolbox.ini file so everyone is looking to the network location of the toolbox parts. Someone on another forum told me how to create the .bat files. It is very simple. For those of you like me that didnt/dont know how to create a .bat file here is what I did. Opened a notepad document, saved it, then renamed the extention to .bat Do a search on google for batch commands and you will find easily all the things you can do.

In my bat file I have the following information.

REM E-Drawings 2005 will now be installed

"\\UNC Path\E-drawings\eDrawingsProEnglish.exe"

PAUSE

REM PDMWorks 2005 will now be installed

"\\UNC Path\pdmwclient\setup.exe"

Pause

REM The Custom Properties application will now be installed.

"\\UNC Path\CP_APP\SW_Properties.msi"

Pause

REM The updated Toolbox.ini file will now be copied over your current toolbox.ini file

COPY "\\UNC Path\toolbox.ini" "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks2005\Toolbox"

REM Several files needed to run the Custom Properties application with be copied to the appropriate directories

Copy "\\UNC Path\VB5DB.dll" "C:\WINDOWS\system32"

Copy "\\UNC Path\VB5DB.dll" "C:\WINNT\system32"

REM DAO 3.5 will now be installed. This is needed to support the custom properties application

"\\UNC Path\CP_APP\DAO35\DISK1\setup.exe"

PAUSE

REM You are now finished with your installation of SolidWorks2005.


Enjoy, it works well after you get past the quirks. Sometimes the application will ask for a UNC path and you cant enter one. That is when you will locate the install to your local drive. sometime I have not been able to enter a path to run before or after the SW install. Skip those if it gives you problems because you will just edit the .ini file later anyway and add those paths then.

Hope this isnt too long for you all to read.

Josh

 

[J-C]

Josh, in case you didn't know, you can unzip the eDrawing and PDM/works exe files to a folder and use the msi file within to do silent hands-off installs like you can with Solidworks. Just open the exe files with winzip and extract.

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

 

[Standing]

What is admin director?

Bradley

 

[SBaugh]

It works with Admin images and helps setup user installed files for all the clients.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[Standing]

Thanks Scott,
Sounds like something I could use. I checked the SolidWorks help and found nothing. Where would I get directions on this?
Thanks


Bradley

 

[jmongan]

Thanks Jason I modified my e-drawings, pdmworks and custom properties routines to install hands free. For those interested here is how I modified the .bat file I discussed above.

msiexec /i "\\UNC path\E-drawings\eDrawings.msi" /qb

I added "msiexec /i" before the path, changed the path to point to the .msi file as Jason suggested, and added "/qb" after the path.

Also here is a link to a short install guide for the admin director.

http://www.solidworks.com/swexpress/pages/jul04/TT_AdminDir.html

Thanks,

Josh

 

[SBaugh]

Standard Guide for installing SW at

http://www.solidworks.com

- you have to log in with yoru serial number.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[Standing]

Thanks Scott,
If I would have read your first post here I would have seen that it was an “Administrative Image”. I use Administrative Image now and it is the a very nice improvement.


Bradley