Customizing How Setup Runs

Specifying Values in the Setup Settings File

In addition to using options specified on the command line, Setup also reads the options specified in the settings file, Setup.ini. The settings file allows you to set the same options as the command line.

Note   Some logging options behave differently in the Setting file and on the command line. The /l command-line option enables only Windows installer logging. By contrast, the Logging section of the settings file enables both Setup and Windows installer logging and provides you with more flexibility in naming the log file.

The settings file is divided into five sections that contain keyword and value pairs, much like a standard Microsoft Windows® INI file. The five sections are as follows:

• MSI section

  Specify an alternative Windows installer package (MSI file). The file must be in the same folder as Setup.exe.

• MST section

  Specify the full path to a Windows installer transform (MST file).

• Display section

  Specify the level at which Setup interacts with the user. You can specify levels from full user interaction (the default) to a completely quiet installation.

• Logging section

  Specify log files and options for Setup and the Windows installer.

• Options section

  Specify values for one or more Setup properties.

For example, you can include the following entries in the settings file:

[Display]
Display=Basic
CompletionNotice=Yes

[Logging]
Path=c:\
Template=office9.txt
Type=*+

[Options]
COMPANYNAME=Northwind Traders

These entries customize Setup in the following ways:

• Setup does not prompt the user for information, but displays progress indicators and a completion message as it installs Office. Setup installs the same Office features as it would if the user ran Setup and clicked Install Now.
• The Windows installer logs all information and any error messages, appending this information to the file C:\Office9.txt on the user’s computer.
• Setup sets the default organization name to Northwind Traders.

Toolbox   You can find a description of the format of the Setup settings file in a worksheet in the Setup Reference workbook (SetupRef.xls). For information about installing the Setup Reference workbook, see Office Information.

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How to distribute the Setup settings file

When you edit the default settings file (Setup.ini), users can run Setup without using command-line options to install Office with your customizations. (Be sure to back up the original Setup.ini file before modifying it.)

To create multiple custom installations that use different Setup options, you can create several custom settings files that have different names and store them in the main folder of the administrative installation point. Users must specify the name of a settings file by using the /settings Setup command-line option. You can simplify this process for your users by creating an MS-DOS batch file or Windows shortcut that contains the appropriate /settings command-line option.

If you run Setup from a network logon script or through a systems management tool (such as Microsoft Systems Management Server), then you must edit the Setup command line in the script or deployment package to refer to the appropriate settings file using the /settings option.

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When to use the Setup settings file

When a user double-clicks Setup.exe, Setup reads your customizations from the Setup.ini file automatically. Use the Setup settings file when you do not want to require users to enter a complicated command line when they run Setup or when you do not want to create a batch file or shortcut.

The settings file is also useful when you want to set options that are awkward to include in a command line. The settings file organizes Setup options in an easy-to-read format that you might find more helpful than creating a long command line.

The settings file also differs from the Setup command line in that the settings file provides more flexibility for installation logging. The Setup /l command-line option initializes only Windows installer logging. By contrast, the Logging section of the settings file initializes both Windows installer and Office Setup logging. The settings file also provides you with more flexibility in naming the log file.

You can create multiple settings files for different groups of users. Users specify the settings file they want to use by using the /settings Setup command-line option. You can also specify Setup command-line options along with a custom Setup settings file. If you specify a command-line option that conflicts with a value in the settings file, Setup uses the command-line option.

For example, you can create two settings files for your Engineering and Accounting departments. Users in each department run Setup by using one of the following command lines:

• setup.exe /settings off9engr.ini
• setup.exe /settings off9acct.ini

Suppose, however, that you want these two departments to use a common set of custom options, except that each needs a different organization name. You can customize the default settings file (Setup.ini) with the standard options, and then you can have your Engineering and Accounting departments use the following command lines to run Setup:

• setup.exe companyname="Engineering Department"
• setup.exe companyname="Accounting Department"

Setup uses the options defined in the settings file and sets the organization name according to the command line.

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See also

For a complete description of the features available in the Office Setup program, including information about how to perform administrative and client installations, see Office Setup Program.