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Remote SCM Installation

You can create a self-contained SCM installation executable that you can provide to remote users to install the SCM on their client computer. When creating the install file, you can specify options regarding the SCM user interface language, the inclusion of players and accessibility support, and specify the client program path. You can make this executable available to users via the network or CD-ROM.

To create the installation executable, you use the gendist.bat file located in the <install dir>\Web\client\utilities folder. You can use one of the two following methods to perform this task:

  • Open a MS-DOS window and use MS-DOS commands.
  • Click the Start button on the Windows screen, select Run, and enter the command.

The script requires that you specify the following options:
gendist.bat [directory] [language] [include players] [include 508] [registry entries]

  • directory: The directory where the install will be placed on the client pc.
  • language: The language code of the SCM to be installed.
  • include players: [yes/no] to include all players in the install.
  • include 508 support: [yes/no] to include the accessibility support.
  • registry entries: [yes/no] to create registry entries during installation.

*IMPORTANT! The option for Registry entries should always be set to yes, especially if you are a SkillPort user. Contact SkillSoft Software Support for more information.

For example:

C:\SkillSoftLib\Web\client\utilities>gendist.bat "C:\Program Files\SkillSoft" en

This would create an executable to install the English version of the SCM with all the content players, accessibility support, including registry entries into: C:\Program Files\SkillSoft\ of the client pc.

Note: Language codes are specified by the locale subdirectories in the client directory of the web server. Invalid codes are not supported. The include players and include 508 arguments are either "yes" or "no" and are case-sensitive. Prior to generating a distribution verify that the OCM.ini file reflects the distribution being created. For example, if accessibility support is enabled, the OCM.ini file must contain the line: Enable508=true.

Running Gendist.bat from a MS-DOS prompt:

  1. Navigate to the content installation directory and to the folder web\client\utilities.
  2. Enter the gendist.bat command followed by the required options. The batch command will not work unless all the options are specified.

    For example:

    gendist.bat "C:\Program Files\SkillSoft" en yes yes yes

    Note: Make sure you insert a space between the options and surround the path name in quotes.

The script produces an executable with the name dist_<language code>.exe. Using the example above, the executable file would be called dist_en.exe. You can distribute this file directly to users.

Running Gendist.bat within the Windows Run dialog:

  1. Within Windows, click Start->Run.
  2. In the Run dialog box, enter the entire script including the full path name.
    For example: C:\SkillSoftLib\Web\client\utilities>gendist.bat "C:\Program Files\SkillSoft" en
  3. Click OK.

    The batch file compiles the installation executable in a MS-DOS window and names the file dist_<language code>.exe. Using the example above, the executable file would be called dist_en.exe. You can distribute this file directly to users.

  4. On the client machine, the user can run the executable simply by double-clicking it. The SCM files will be installed in the specified folder and an icon placed on the desktop. After the local installation is complete, the user can delete the dist_<language code>.exe file.