deploy stencil

[Arthur Keene]

We have upgraded to Visio 2003 Pro and need to redeploy a custom stencil set
to several users. How do I create a new shape/stencil directory in the
File|Shapes menu. Not under the 'My Shapes' folder, but right at the root
where all the others are. We have a software deployment tool that can
recreate any folder or registry changes that need to be made.

 

[David Parker [Visio MVP]]

Download the Visio 2003 SDK and check out the VIsio Publishing Tool.
This will modify an msi to inclue your custom templates & stencils.

 

[Joe P]

It's funny, I was coming to this forum to ask the same question about
distributing stencils and templates....

I've downloaded the SDK as you suggested... However, when I try to apply
the changes to my MSI file using the Publishing Tool, I get ERROR: Unable to
write to the MSI file (or something real similar)... THe changes are never
saved to the MSI file... There are no issues with permissions, full disk or
anything else I can find that would actually stop the tool from writing to
the file.

I did some searching for info on this error, but the only reference I found
was regarding an issue with older versions of the Microsoft Installer and
that the Publishing Tool required MS Installer 2.x....

Well... I've got MS installer 3.1, which was installed in order to download
updates from our WSUS server... Do you know if MS Installer 3.x broke the
tool or should I be looking at something else at the culprit? If this is a
known issue with the tool and MS Installer 3.x, will there be an update or
work-around availalble to correct the issue?

 

[David Parker [Visio MVP]]

Interesting question! Anyone from Microsoft able to answer?

 

[Joe P]

David,

I was able to find the problem with my publishing.. It appears the
application I used to create the original MSI file did not include the
PublishComponents table at all... Therefore when I attempted to save the
changes, there was no table for the entries to be written to (and it appears
the Publish tool won't add it).

Once I added the table to the MSI file, then the tool was able to
successfully write the changes to the file and all was well.

Thanks for your responses though!