Which application formats can I install using Desktop Central and how do I install them?

Summary

Desktop Central supports a wide range of application-formats that can be installed using the Software Deplyment feature in Desktop Central. This document provides information about the type of application extensions that can be installed and the silent switches that are used while installing each of them.

Description

The table below provides information about the application extensions that can be installed using Desktop Central and the installation commands tha you would use in each case.

Application Formats and Extensions	Installation Command
.exe files	Enter the complete path to the executable file with the application specific silent switches. For example, \\share\IE8\ IE8-WindowsServer2003-x86-ENU.exe. /quiet /passive /update-no /norestart
.msi files	Enter the complete path to the .msi file. You need not specify the silent switches for .msi files; they are added automatically by Desktop Central. For example, \\share\skype\skype.msi.
Batch files: .cmd, .bat	Enter the complete path to the batch file. For example, \\share\scripts\installitunes.bat
InstallShield Setup Parameters or Answer files: .iss	For example, \\share-server\Software\winvnc\Setup.exe /s /f1"\\share-server\software\Winvnc\silentinstall.iss" For more details about creating and using .iss files, see How to use .iss files while deploying software applications?
VbScript files: .vbs (applicable to .vb, .js, .jse, .vbe, .vbs, .wsf, .wsc and .wsh files)	Specify the path to the vbscript engine to which the script is passed as an argument. For example: %windir%\system32\cscript.exe "checkIE8Installed.vbs".
Windows Installer Patch files: .msp	Specify the path to mixexec to which the .msp file is passed as the argument along with its silent switches. For example, %windir%\system32\msiexec.exe /update "\\share\xyz.msp" /qn
Windows Patch files (for Windows Vista and later versions)	For example, wusa.exe "\\server\sharename\Windows6.0-KB934307-x86.msu" /quiet /norestart
AutoIt scripts (.au3)	Specify the AutoIt executable to which the auto it script is passed as an argument. For example, AutoIt3A.exe "<script-name.au3>" For details on using AutoIt to automate software installation, refer to this article.
.dll and .ocx files	Use regsvr32.exe to deploy .dll and .ocx files. RegSvr32.exe has the following command-line options: Regsvr32 [/u] [/n] [/i[:cmdline]] dllname /u - Unregister server /i - Call DllInstall passing it an optional [cmdline]; when used with /u calls dll uninstall /n - do not call DllRegisterServer; this option must be used with /i /s - Silent; display no message boxes (added with Windows XP and Windows Vista) For example, regsvr32 /u /s msbind.dll and regsvr32 /u /s mswinsck.ocx.