NiniteOne Configuration tab tutorial?

[Xander]

Just went looking through the main site, skimmed through the Youtube videos and so on. Can't find anything to help with the 4 columns in the NiniteOne Configuration tab and how/when they get used and how to specify which one. I'd like to, for example, use one column for New Systems and another for 'just updating' and so on ... but can't find a How To.

[bitznpcz]

The way I understand it, the first 2 columns are for workstations and the last 2 are for servers.

The first column under Workstation (WS) installs the programs you tick. The second column updates any already installed programs you tick... The same for the server columns.

[Xander]

Yes, I can figure out what the column headers say but there's no apparent way to tell d7II which one of the four to run at any given time. I don't think it magically knows if I intend to install Flash/Java/Reader or if I just want it to update software already on the system. I'm sure it can detect whether it's a server OS or not but beyond that....

[bitznpcz]

I might be missing your point, but it does whatever is ticked. E.g. if you tick anything in column 1, it will install the ticked program (also updates if already installed). Column 2 will only update already installed programs even if you tick all boxes.

[knight]

Afaik there's a couple ways to use NiniteOne inside D7II:

1) You check off what you want to install/update on the system you are currently working on then when you click "Run Installs Now" (Or go back to maintenance and check off "Run Custom NiniteOne Config") it installs them. However, as soon as you end that session (probably close D7II, not sure) then it forgets what was checked off. So it's on a
per-usage basis, and it never "remembers" what checks you have checked off. Unless you do option 3.

2) Ignore built in support for NiniteOne, and use a custom app. I can give more details if that's how you want to do it, but NiniteOne has pretty good command line support.

3) If you ALWAYS put SoftwareA and ALWAYS update SoftwareB, then you can associate it with your "Auto Mode" profiles. The ComboBox on the top right of the main D7II screen next to Notes. If you check off a NiniteOne config, then save it as a profile, it'll keep those check boxes saved.

Hopefully that helps!
Knight

[csc]

Like Xander I found the NiniteOne page lacking in features. I would prefer to see a NiniteOne configuration page that makes a custom application file for you. So it would be a "NiniteOne Configuration Generator" of sorts. This would allow me to have multiple NiniteOne routines and update/maintain them easily. I use NiniteOne the following ways:

- Update All
- Install Apps without Shortcuts without Updates
- Install Apps without Shortcuts with Updates
- Install Apps with Shortcuts without Updates
- Install Apps with Shortcuts with Updates
- Launch GUI (but still using command line settings for automation purposes)

So as you can see the configuration page actually makes my process even more difficult. I just use #2 from Knight at the moment.

Thanks,
Ray

[vmhs]

hrm..


go to ninite.com make a custom installer for new machines.

create a custom app called ninite_new_machine

Run that as part of your routine.- it will install everything you expect.

edit: removed bit about license

[csc]

I actually don't mind affecting my license count, but great point. Either way a "generator" to do it with the license count enabled would still be great.

[knight]

hrm..

go to ninite.com make a custom installer for new machines.

create a custom app called ninite_new_machine

Run that as part of your routine.- it will install everything you expect.

best part is that it then does not impact on your license count with ninite one.

Actually... it will still affect your license count. The counting that is done by Ninite is done by a machine vs IP/network. So, unless you are installing the software at the customers premises on their network, it still affects your license count.

On the flip side, the good news is, if you use NiniteOne in your dSS stuff, and you use a generic installer directly from Ninite, without it being NiniteOne, then it won't count against your license total!

Also, using the generic installer from Ninite won't allow you to use the cache feature that NiniteOne offers. So you'll always be re-downloading the same thing over and over and over.

Knight.

[Nick]

not sure what functionality is missing from the UI in d7II to work with NiniteOne, but if you would rather use a custom app please be my guest I'm just confused about why you would because I want to know what I'm missing here... I guess if it is about circumventing their licensing as I read above I wouldn't know about it or support it, and would appreciate it not appearing in these forums.

as to the saving setting thing, the settings on the NiniteOne page save with the Auto Mode profiles same as the settings on any other tab. This is the button above the auto mode profile creation/selection box in the top right corner of the main d7II interface, just left of the larger Notes button.

on the original query about a guide, please accept my apologies, I figured the columns were self explanatory. You see, I modeled the layout and functionality of the columns after other programs that are specifically designed for manipulating Ninite in the same way that I'm going for. Since I had never used Ninite (beyond testing purposes with d7II) I had someone who does use NiniteOne regularly to coach me on implementing the layout and functionality which wasn't obvious from what I could see in the other apps.

As for making a custom installer to do set things, I never thought of including the functionality as it was so easily done from their website.... I guess I could quite easily but with the website option I don't think it needs to be a priority when there is so much else on my plate.