Installing Personal Communications Using an Initialization (response) File

Personal Communications provides an optional method of customization that allows property values and feature installation choices made during one installation to be automatically applied during subsequent installations. The initialization file (.ini) contains the properties and options for Windows Installer to use as initialization choices so that subsequent installations do not require users to provide installation input using dialogs. Then, future installations can be set to run silently using an initialization file.

Administrators create, save, and implement initialization files using command-line parameters. Personal Communications provides four command-line parameters:
  • SAVEINI
  • ONLYINI
  • USEINI
  • REMOVEINI
Each parameter, with a corresponding usage description, is described in the following sections.
Two sample initialization files are included on the Personal Communications installation image. These sample initialization files can be used during the installation if your workstation configuration matches the definitions in the sample. Personal Communications includes the following sample .ini files:
  • typical.ini installs a typical setup
  • custom.ini installs a custom setup to a user-defined path and includes the installation of French in addition to English
The samples are defined for a first-time installation of Personal Communications.

If you already have Personal Communications, AnyNet®, or Microsoft® SNA Server previously installed, the samples will not work; you will need to create a unique initialization file to match your workstation.

Note:
To ensure successful initialization file processing, use all syntax examples exactly as described.