WPI and AutoIt

[kornboy82]

Hi there,

I used WPI for a long time since the begin of it's developpement.

Today, I started using it with some AutoIt scripts to automate my installations and settings.

So I tried simple install, it works perfectly. I use WPI to launch my AutoIt scripts for simple installation like Office 2003 or an Antivirus software and my AutoIt script (converted into an exe) do the rest like launching all the setup.exe in each apps folders.

Here comes my problem...

I started to include Registry Tweaks into my AutoIt scripts. When I launch the script manually by double-clicking on the exe, the script goes perfectly. When I ask WPI to launch the script I see the registry tweak start and then... it says that I don't have administrator rights to install the reg file or it's corrupted...

I don't understand a thing... Does Windows Vista detects if the script is launch manually or by an application ?

Also, another problem I found is when I start a setup that needs other files in the same folder to advance, suddenly, an error popup and says that the setup can't find the other files. When I run manually the AutoIt script again, everything goes perfectly. It seems like the PATH or something is messed up. I tryed many things like asking my AutoIt script to launch a batch file, that didn't work. Asking WPI to launch a batch file that starts my AutoIt script too gets some errors. Is WPI started as an administrator when you launch it ? I disabled the user control and my account IS administrator of my computer...

I don't understand why... And is there a known PATH problem with WPI and Vista ?

Is some of you uses AutoIt combined with WPI and has runned into that type of error and found a solution, can you give me a clue ? Thanks.

[kornboy82]

Okay I figured out something.

In WPI, it assumes that %wpipath% equals to the place where wpi.hta is. So, in a command, "%wpipath%\WPI\Install\something.bat" is not the correct form to use. You should remove manually the WPI written there and use "%wpipath%\Install\something.bat" instead.

Also, in AutoIt, there is a function that you can use to start files. So, I placed Run("something.exe") in each of my AutoIt script to run the setup and start simulating clicks on the questions of the program.

This way is not good to use because AutoIt assumes that the "something.exe" file is placed in the same folder as the script itself so the PATH is set to the same folder. WPI assumes that the PATH is where the wpi.hta file is. So, AutoIt and WPI where confused about where to take the default PATH.

One correct way to use WPI helped with AutoIt is to forget starting apps from AutoIt and always start files with a batch file.

So, in my WPI config, I placed the line "%wpipath%\Install\StartScriptGoogle.bat" to start my main batch file. And, in my batch file, I use the lines :

start install\ScriptGoogleStartup.exe

start install\WindowsTweaks\IEHomePage.reg

Remember that WPI assumes the folder where is wpi.hta to be the PATH. The setups are in the install folder so we must point to the right folder from where WPI.hta is.

And using start before each in a batch file means that you want to start the two apps at the same time instead of file by file like it is without the start command.

So my first line starts the automated click exe generated with AutoIt who waits for the registry popup before clicking and my second line starts the registry file to start the popup AutoIt waited for. If it wasn't of the "start" command, my AutoIt would have waited forever and my batch file paused forever because the AutoIt script would never had completed.

Sorry if it's not understandable, I answered my question myself and wanted to describes what kind of problem I had before.

[chaoticyeshua]

I use AutoIT scripts for a LOT of different things combined with WPI. Out of curiosity, give me the directory structure of something that's not working correctly and its corresponding AutoIT script. I might be able to help solve your problem. You shouldn't need batch files for anything.

Edited April 28, 2009 by chaoticyeshua

[kornboy82]

Okay, thank you for your reply. I will make it clear.

WPI.hta

Install --- AutoItScripts (Where I launch the scripts)

----------- Office

----------- Other Setup Folders (Each setup are sorted in a different folder)

----------- RegFiles

I tried different things like placing the AutoIt scripts in each setup folder or placing them at the Install root...

Each of them gave different types of errors especially when it's related to registry modifications or patching something. Some setup launched by AutoIt are working too when they do not have to interact with extern files like the setup of Office.

By exemple, if the AutoIt is placed on the Install root, I would use the following command to launch a setup :

Run(@ScriptDir & "\Office\Setup.exe")

But for registry, Run("REGEDIT \RegFiles\Reg.reg") will start the reg file but give right or file corrupt error when automating clicking. Same thing using REGEDIT /S parameter.

So, basically, if I understand well, WPI takes all files and assumes that the PATH si always the same folder as WPI.hta, so I should change my AutoIt lines from Run("REGEDIT \RegFiles\Reg.reg") to Run("REGEDIT \install\RegFiles\Reg.reg") right ?

But again, if I start the AutoIt script by clicking on it, the setup starts and everything goes well. When I start it with WPI, here comes all the problems.

Edited April 28, 2009 by kornboy82

[chaoticyeshua]

First off, using the Run function could be a bad idea when combining it with WPI. If you call the AutoIT script with WPI, the RUN function does not wait for the install to finish before it continues with the next command, so WPI could continue to the next installer before Office is even finished installing. Replace Run with RunWait.

As for changing the path within the AutoIT script try this:

RunWait(@ScriptDir & "\path\to\OfficeSetup")

The @ScriptDir changes the working directory to the folder the script is being run from. This should fix the majority of your problems entirely.

As for regedit not working, it could be due to the path being weird again, so try the @ScriptDir for that as well. So:

RunWait("Regedit /s " & @ScriptDir & "\path\to\RegistryFile.reg")

This calls regedit with the silent switch, changes the directory to the script directory, and you supply the rest of the path as above with the Office example.

If you're running WPI in Windows Vista, however, and UAC is still enabled, you may run into some issues. To fix this, just make sure you right click WPI.hta and select Run As Administrator. If UAC is disabled, you shouldn't need to do that though.

Just in case this is a little confusing, here are a couple examples from scripts that I actually use. These scripts are located in the same directory as what I'm needing to call.

This checks the operating system version and applies the tweaks for the one I need:

If @OSVersion="WIN_XP" Then
	RunWait("regedit /s " & @ScriptDir & "\Tweaks-XP.reg")
EndIf

If @OSVersion="WIN_VISTA" Then
	RunWait("regedit /s " & @ScriptDir & "\Tweaks-Vista.reg")
EndIf

This checks if Office 2003 is installed first, then runs the command if it's not.

If not FileExists(@ProgramFilesDir & "\Microsoft Office\Office11\WINWORD.EXE") Then
	RunWait(@SystemDir & "\msiexec /i " & '"' & @ScriptDir & "\PRO11.msi" & '"' & " TRANSFORMS=Unattended.mst /norestart /qb")
EndIf

The above RunWait() is more or less this batch command: 'msiexec /i "PathToScript\PRO11.msi" TRANSFORMS=Unattended.mst /norestart /qb'

---

EDIT:

From the directory structure you provided me, I was a little confused... Are your scripts located in their own folder, i.e. "\WPI\Install\AutoItScripts\" or did you mean that your scripts are actually IN the Install folder?

If they're in their own directory then you can do this in each script to get the right path to the Install folder:

Add this variable at the top of the script. This would trim the @ScriptDir path that is provided from the RIGHT by 13 characters, making the path "\WPI\Install\" instead:

$Directory=StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir,13)

AutoItScripts is 13 characters. From then on, instead of @ScriptDir you could use $Directory instead, so something like this:

RunWait($Directory & "\Office\setup.exe")

As you can see, it's easier to just have each individual script located in the same directory with the setup you're wanting it to call.

Edited April 28, 2009 by chaoticyeshua

[kornboy82]

Thanks for the reply.

Okay I don't clearly understand right so i'll put a directory structure with an image done with Microsoft Office Visio 2003 to show what I want to mean. And i'm not yet advanced as you in AutoIt scripting. My knowledge is limited in starting apps and clicking on buttons for now on.

My workaround way :

I place batchfiles in the Install folder and the batch file launch the AutoItScript and setup. Here is the code of one of my batch files :

@ECHO OFF
start install\AutoItScripts\ScriptGoogleStartup.exe 
install\RegTweaks\IEHomePage.reg
exit

And here is the code I use for the ScriptGoogleStartup.exe

WinWaitActive("Éditeur du Registre", "Oui")
ControlClick("Éditeur du Registre", "Oui", "Button1")
Sleep(1000)

WinWaitActive("Éditeur du Registre", "OK")
ControlClick("Éditeur du Registre", "OK", "Button1")

And here is the line that launch this in WPI.

"%wpipath%\Install\StartScriptGoogle.bat"

I know there are better ways like you explained. My problem was when I was trying to launch the reg file within AutoIt like this :

RunWait("regedit " & @ScriptDir & "\RegTweaks\IEHomePage.reg")

WinWaitActive("Éditeur du Registre", "Oui")
ControlClick("Éditeur du Registre", "Oui", "Button1")
Sleep(1000)

WinWaitActive("Éditeur du Registre", "OK")
ControlClick("Éditeur du Registre", "OK", "Button1")

This code don't work. Note that when I was trying launching apps with AUtoIt, I placed all the exe in the Install folder at the same place as the batch files i'm using now.

And I tryed to do what you said an it don't work too. My UAC si disabled, I used this reg to diable it and I checked if it was diabled manually too.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"EnableLUA"=dword:00000000

And it's called LUA not UAC

[Kelsenellenelvian]

OK why the autoit for regtweaks?

WPI still has regedit built in.

Edited April 29, 2009 by Kelsenellenelvian

[kornboy82]

At first, it was only for testing purpose because I used all my scripts without WPI and I wanted to have something more "portable" that I can travel around in a USB key or a burned DVD so I wanted to start my already done AutoIt scripts with WPI.

[chaoticyeshua]

OK why the autoit for regtweaks?

WPI still has regedit built in.

I like to maintain my ability to use unattended setups whether I'm installing 30 apps using WPI or one not using WPI.

[chaoticyeshua]

@kornboy82

Sorry, when I told you the StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir, 13) I was wrong. It's actually 14. I didn't take into account the "\" which needed to be trimmed also.

I created this directory structure:

\WPI\Install\AutoItScripts\Office_Installer.exe

\WPI\Install\Office\setup.exe

The contents of my script that is in the AutoItScripts folder is this:

$Directory = StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir,14)
RunWait($Directory & "\Office\setup.exe")

The StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir,14) takes the @ScriptDir path of \WPI\Install\AutoItScripts and trims it 14 characters from the right, so you're left with:

\WPI\Install

Using this, it calls the setup.exe in the Office folder whether I'm running it inside or outside of WPI.

Oh, and also, if you're wanting to automate button clicks, then you can't use RunWait. Use Run like you were doing originally. I didn't know that was your intention when I told you to use RunWait, so I apologize for the confusion.

I hope this helps.

Edited April 29, 2009 by chaoticyeshua

[kornboy82]

And for regedit you suggest me to add the /s parameter as the script is loaded without user action right ?

[chaoticyeshua]

Yep, that's what I'd do. It's a lot simpler, and faster as well.

[kornboy82]

Okay !

Thanks a lot !

As for now, all of my setups are working perfectly in every folders and conditions too. I've embeded the Do and While commands for having a better clicking result with many different computers configurations.

Later on, I will ask about using an external .CMD file that calls .dll i'm having problems with too after I finish updating all my other scripts.

Also, I found another bug like when in a setup, you have to reboot the computer and continue with the next command.

I know that we can use :

{REBOOT} 5

To restart the computer like in 5 seconds. But when WPI resumes after the reboot and explorer.exe is not yet launched, the path seems to have changed. But this bug was only with my old scripts not modified. I didn't tried it yet with the new method.

An example is I launch a .cmd script done by someone else who uses files in the same folder. If i do it with WPI without reboot, the script finds all the needed files but after a reboot, when WPI resumes, the script can't find the files. I'll post this example like tomorow.

Edited April 30, 2009 by kornboy82

[kornboy82]

Okay, here is the thing i'm having problems with.

I want to run a little application that only popup computer BIOS information to the user.

$Directory = StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir,14)
Run($Directory & "\BIOSTool\BIOS.exe")

This line popup an error that says "Could not locate BIOS.inf in current directory. Aborting..." The file BIOS.inf is stored in the same directory as BIOS.exe

I also tryed doing this :

$Directory = StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir,14)

FileCopy($Directory & "\BIOS\BIOSTool.exe", @HomeDrive, 1)
FileCopy($Directory & "\BIOS\2.dat", @HomeDrive, 1)
FileCopy($Directory & "\BIOS\3.dat", @HomeDrive, 1)
FileCopy($Directory & "\BIOS\BIOS.dll", @HomeDrive, 1)
FileCopy($Directory & "\BIOS\BIOS.inf", @HomeDrive, 1)

Run(@HomeDrive & "BIOSTool.exe")

The same error happend "Could not locate BIOS.inf in current directory. Aborting..." and the files are copied at the root of my c:\ with all the rights to read and write them. If I launch the app manually, it runs file but if I launch the AutoIt script alone or combined with WPI, the error is there.

What could be the problem ?

I want to know what could be the problem source for this if I run into that kind of problem in the future.

Eventually, I will delete all the file after they are runned from the HomeDrive. Oh ! And it's the same type of error i'm having with the .CMD file I talked about before. So the solution for this problem will certainly be the same for the other one.

Edited April 30, 2009 by kornboy82

[kornboy82]

Okay nevermind... I did a better search and found the ShellExecute command.

So,

$Directory = StringTrimRight(@ScriptDir,14)
ShellExecute ( $Directory & "\BIOS\BIOSTool.exe", "" ,$Directory & "\BIOS\", "open" )

this command works as the BIOSTool.exe file needs to be in it's own shell. When you click on it, it's done by itself because you're not in the AutoIt Shell.

Well thanks anyway, that's the solution for my 2 problems. I'll post agin if I run in a problem again.