Syntax Conventions - WINNT.SIF

[therube]

Syntax Conventions - WINNT.SIF

Are there any syntax conventions for WINNT.SIF / UNATTEND.TXT?

REF.CHM, setupmgr.exe, web code examples all show differently.

Section Headers [Data], usually left justified.

Individual entries, either left justified or indented.

Entry Names sometimes followed by a space, then an = sign.

Sometimes no space.

Entry Values sometimes preceded by a space (after the = sign).

Sometimes no space.

Entry Values sometimes quoted, sometimes not.

Sometimes the same Value shows quoted in one place & not in another.

; are used a comment indicators.

Is it ok to have them intermingled throughout the .SIF file?

Sometimes one of two particular Values are listed, yet elsewhere one might see an * or a 0 in place of either of the designated values.

Are there any rules to this, or is it anything goes?

[ponghy]

Indentation only is for readability purposes.

Spaces to separate tokens are optional (again for readability purposes).

Quotes only are needed with values containing spaces. For example "This value requires quotes" (note: The product key does NOT require quotes. Many people think quotes are required for this value, but not really, because it does not contain spaces).

You can place comments in any place of the file (use the ';' symbol to begin a comment until the end of the line).

Asterisk '*' is an special value to indicate null or default (depending of the directive), but only is recognised in some directives (for example AdminPassword = *, to assign a blank password to Administrator).

Some directives only recognises a 0. For example, MsDosInitiated = 0 (value "1" is ignored). Other directives recognise "Yes" or "No".

Values and directives are case-insensitive.

Hope this helps.

Edited May 20, 2007 by ponghy

[therube]

Yes, that helps. Thanks.