CANCOM Packaging PowerBench

Background info installation logging

As known from DSM, the PackageDeployment module from the Packaging PowerBench "remembers" which packages have been installed. For this purpose, the machine and user part of a package are saved separately in the registry of the clients, whereby the logging of the user part requires that the package has been configured as a package with user part.

The path is located below HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER and is "Software\CANCOM\Package Deployment\Installed Apps" with a subkey of the package GUID for each installed package. It contains information about the package, the installation time, installation status and return value, and much more.

Custom Package logging

Starting with version 4.1 of the PPB, it is possible to customize the registry path under which logging takes place. This ensures that the registry values are saved consistently at a defined location in the registry, regardless of product name, manufacturer and other external conditions. To adjust the path under which the corresponding values are created, proceed as follows:

• Open the configuration file PackagingPowerBench.exe.config in the PPB installation directory with any text editor.
• Search the settings-entry NewPackagesInstalledAppsRegistryKey.
• In the value of the setting, enter the registry path in which the package logging should take place. Omit the root keys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. The package GUID is also appended to the key specified here.
  Example: You could specify a valid value like SOFTWARE\Solys\Software Distribution\PPB Apps.
• Save the configuration file and then open the Packaging PowerBench for the changes to take effect.

The machine parts of the packages are automatically logged under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, the user parts - if available - under HKEY_CURRENT_USER.