Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org 3

Home made tutorials, by users, for users
Forum rules
No question in this section please
For any question related to a topic, create a new thread in the relevant section.
Post Reply
skycam96
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:52 pm

Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org 3

Post by skycam96 »

This documentation is a result of scouring the internet for different forums of anybody who had any success with setting configuration options for OOo3.x, and trying to discern what steps were only for OOo2.x and what would actually work for OOo3.x. The following procedures will give you the instructions you need to customize many of the most common requests for pushing out OOo3.x silently. (NOTE) This documentation is for Windows XP.

My main objectives in deploying OOo3 is to:

(1) make the install as simple and straightforward as possible,
(2) set OOo so by default it saves files in the word and excel formats
(2a) If you want it to OPEN word and excel documents by default, I will show those settings as well.
(3) avoid any registration prompts, wizards, etc.


1.First, you will need to download the latest version of OOo, which is currently 3.2. Since OOo requires Java, I personally decided to install the latest version of Java on all my network pc's first. Installing that silently is as simple as adding /s to setup.exe via batch file. You may not need Java at all if you determine you won't need the functionality it offers for OOo. Therefore, download the version of OOo3.x that doesn't include the JRE installer.


2.To setup an installation location, you need the following:
a. The current OOo package downloaded from the OOo website
b. The extension to disable the Registration Wizard, available at https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... ion_Wizard
c. A set of Extension Control Files that include settings to save documents in MS Office formats by default. (Next steps create these)

2a. Here is how you modify the Extension Control Files (.xcu)'s to automatically save in Office formats:
a. First, install OOo3.x manually on a test workstation.
b. Browse to “C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org3\Basis\share\registry\modules\org\openoffice\Setup”
c. First open “Setup-Writer.xcu” with wordpad. NOT notepad, wordpad.
d. Drop down to line number 58 and change it to “<value>MS Word 97</value>”. Save it.
e. Open “Setup-calc.xcu” and drop down to line 19 and change it to “<value>MS Excel 97</value>”. Save it.
f. Open “Setup-impress.xcu” and drop down to line 18 and change it to “<value>MS PowerPoint 97</value>”. Save it.


Now perform these steps:
1.Create a setup folder to put the OOo3.x install files in, such as F:\OOo3
2.Within that directory, create a folder called “Mods”, and put the following files there:
a. “DisableFirstStartWzd_ooo3.oxt” which is for disabling the Registration Wizard
b. Copies of the .xcu files you modified in step 2a.
c. (optional) to remove OOo banner to increase boot time: Go to “C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program” and open “soffice.ini” with
wordpad and change “Logo=1” to “Logo=0”. Now copy “soffice.ini” to the “mods” folder.
d. Since quickstart is disabled in OOo3.x by default, you'll have to add a startup shortcut to enable it. Browse to “C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program” and create a shortcut of “quickstart.exe” and put it in the "mods" folder. Rename it to “OpenOffice.org 3.2”. Skip this step if you don't want quickstart to run at bootup.
3. Create a batch file to automate the install process, and place it in your install directory. Here are the contents of my batch file, named Setup.bat:
(NOTE) I will break down each line of my batch for you. Also, my batch file will include steps for removing leftover files and folders from an Oo2.x install. You may not need these steps.


start /wait msiexec /qn /norestart /i openofficeorg3x.msi ADDLOCAL=All REMOVE=gm_o_Onlineupdate
del "C:\Documents and Settings\All USers\Desktop\OpenOffice.org 3.2.lnk"
copy "mods\Setup-impress.xcu" "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\share\registry\modules\org\openoffice\Setup" /y
copy "mods\Setup-calc.xcu" "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\share\registry\modules\org\openoffice\Setup" /y
copy "mods\Setup-writer.xcu" "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\share\registry\modules\org\openoffice\Setup" /y
del "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Program\soffice.ini"
copy "mods\Soffice.ini" "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program" /y
copy "mods\OpenOffice.org 3.2.lnk" "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
copy "mods\DisableFirstStartWzd_ooo32.oxt" "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Program" /y
cd "C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\Program"
unopkg add --shared DisableFirstStartWzd_ooo32.oxt
cd "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs"
echo Y| rmdir "OpenOffice.org 2.3"
echo Y| rmdir "OpenOffice.org 2.4"
cd "C:\Program Files"
echo y| rmdir /s "Openoffice.org 2.3"
echo y| rmdir /s "Openoffice.org 2.4"

(Note) The quotation marks in the batch script are required, so copy the lines you need exactly as posted.


Line 1. This will execute the initial part of the installation using the openOffice.org.msi file. “/qn” is what makes it silent. “/norestart” means it won't reboot the pc after the install even if it needs one to complete some steps. “ADDLOCAL=All” means it will do a complete installation of OOo. “REMOVE=gm_o_Onlineupdate” will get remove any prompts for the user to update to a newer version of OOo.
If you want to only install certain modules, such as calc, writer and impress, add “REMOVE=gm_p_Base,gm_p_Base_Bin,gm_p_Draw,gm_p_Draw_Bin,gm_p_Math,gm_p_Math_Bin”

It would look like this:
start /wait msiexec /qb /norestart /i openofficeorg3.x.msi
ADDLOCAL=ALL REMOVE=gm_p_Base,gm_p_Base_Bin,gm_p_Draw,gm_p_Draw_Bin,gm_p_Math,gm_p_Math_Bin

If you want OOo as the default program to OPEN Word, Excel and Powerpoint, like if you had Microsoft Office installed as well, add this:
SELECT_WORD=1 SELECT_EXCEL=1 SELECT_POWERPOINT=1 (NOTE) Obviously you won't need this step if you only have OOo. :)

It would look like this:
start /wait msiexec /qb /norestart /i openofficeorg3.x.msi SELECT_WORD=1 SELECT_EXCEL=1 SELECT_POWERPOINT=1 ADDLOCAL=ALL

Line2. This will remove the shortcut that OOo puts on the “All Users” desktop.
Lines3-5. This replaces the default .xcu files with your modified ones. “/y” causes it to overwrite the existing .xcu files.
Lines 6,7. This replaces the default soffice.ini with your modified one.
Line 8. This copys the quickstart shortcut to the startup folder. Obviously if you don't want it, don't add it.
Lines 9-11. This runs the OOo add-in that disables the registration wizard.
Lines12-14. Since OOo doesn't do a super clean removal of older versions, this get's rid of leftover startup folders from OOo2.3,4 if you need it too. If you have other versions of OOo, modify the script to remove them as well.
Lines 15-17. This removes additional leftover folders as well.

(Note) Since some lines require running commands from the local drive, the install folder you created needs to be copied to the local PC first. So, if you are using an Admin program that remotely installs software, make sure it copies that install folder to the local PC.


That's it! I hope this helps you out, especially if you need to deploy this to a large number of network desktops. It did for me. I'll check back here every once in awhile and try and help out in any way that I can. I'm not much of a "batcher", alot of this I pieced together from what others had done and if I didn't know a batch command, I googled it. Give it a try, you may suprise yourself as I did. Have fun.

P.S. If this helped you at all, post a reply!
Last edited by skycam96 on Tue Mar 23, 2010 7:35 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Skycam96
OpenOffice 3.2
Windows XP
User avatar
Villeroy
Volunteer
Posts: 31264
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:35 am
Location: Germany

Re: Create an unattended / Silent install of OpenOffice 3.x

Post by Villeroy »

Thank you very much for this detailed tutorial. I'm confident it will help a lot of administrators.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
tn@BeWo
Volunteer
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:26 am

Re: Create an unattended / Silent install of OpenOffice 3.x

Post by tn@BeWo »

The effort to compile all of this to one place is appreciated, but there're more ways to get the job done.
What I wouldn't recommend (and don't see recommended by other experienced users) is to set the default format for saving to MSO formats - data loss / corruption becomes more likely if your users create documents with other than the simplest formattings or referencings.
I cannot find any use in the Registration Wizzard disabling extension, as long as you copy a predefined user profile (which has gone beyond these steps) to the new user's profile space - what you will want to do anyway to ease support and promote corporate identity.
OOo 3.2.1 on ubuntu 10.4, MsWXP, MsW2k
skycam96
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:52 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice 3

Post by skycam96 »

tn@BeWo, if you'll notice in my documentation, the instructions for changing the default save format to MSO is basically optional, you can leave it in the OOo format if you like. The reason I added that step is because I think many people who choose to use OOo simply need an inexpensive alternative to Microsoft Office, but still prefer or require the use of the MSO format for saving documents. If you are using OOo in a home or home office setting where you won't need to share your documents with others, the OOo format will be fine. But for business users who may need to share their documents with other businesses, saving in the MSO format is essential for compatibility as most companies use MSO products. (OOo can work with MSO, but you need to add a plug-in.) Moreover, the reason I added the registration wizard disabling extention is because it's the easiest way to eliminate the registration prompt that the user would get after a new installation of OOo. Copying a “predefined user profile” could be another way to go, but you would have to copy it to the default users profile, and this would only affect users with an existing profile on the PC. Any new users wouldn't get the profile settings. My method will impact new and existing users of a PC so nobody gets the registration wizard. Again, many people using this documentation will be pushing it out to existing machines in a network desktop environment, so you want the install as uniform as possible for all the end users, and I feel this method will suit most people the best.
Skycam96
OpenOffice 3.2
Windows XP
jaybhagat
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:16 am

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice 3

Post by jaybhagat »

Great tutorial.Really helped me setup a remote installation package for lot of systems over d network at my workplace>Really appreciate the amazing effort put in.Thanks a lot !!
OpenOffice 3.1.1 on Windows XP Professional
ognirc
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:14 am

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice 3

Post by ognirc »

I'm trying to create an add-on to use with nLite and I'm a little unsure about what I need to do with the .bat and mod files. I'm assuming I can extract the CAB from the original OpenOffice download, include the files, and then archive it as a CAB again(not sure if something like 7zip can even do this). However, I'm trying to figure out how the installer will know how to use these files.

I'm going to keep looking for a recent add-on, there has to be one somewhere, I've spent too much time on this already(thought the sun just came up, it's already going down?). =P
OpenOffice 3.2.0 on Windows 7 x64
pisco
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 5:56 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice 3

Post by pisco »

This is a good tut, but it's missing the detail on the specific components needed for each part of the application, maybe some of the developers that coded it might know that.

In my case i only need to install the writer, and want nothing else to keep it to a minimum (in fact i only need a dll that the writer uses), the example you have used removes some components but you still end up with much more then only calc writer and impress.

An update of this http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wik ... on_Windows to the 3.0+ versions would help all that need a silent install of specific packages.

**Edit**

After some reverse engineering, by adding all the modules, removing all that were stated in the link apart leaving only the writers ones, and finnally removing all that were non existant in 3.0+ (some help files and pocket pc modules), i managed to gather up this, that installs only the writer module

Code: Select all

start /wait msiexec /qr /norestart /i openofficeorg30.msi ADDLOCAL=All REMOVE=gm_Optional,gm_o_Winexplorerext,gm_Optional,gm_o_Activexcontrol,gm_Optional,gm_o_Quickstart,gm_Optional,gm_o_Javafilter,gm_Optional,gm_o_Pyuno,gm_Optional,gm_o_Xsltfiltersamples,gm_Optional,gm_Optional,gm_o_Testtool,gm_Optional,gm_o_Grfflt,gm_p_Math,gm_p_Math_Bin,gm_p_Base,gm_p_Base_Bin,gm_p_Impress,gm_p_Impress_Bin,gm_p_Draw,gm_p_Draw_Bin,gm_p_Calc,gm_p_Calc_Bin,gm_p_Calc_Addins
OpenOffice 3.0 on Windows XP
RobWiec
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:38 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by RobWiec »

Thanks for the excellent detailed write up. I'm using this to roll out Open Office to a field of 900 PC users.

Great work.
openoffice 3.2 windows xp
HawaiianHope.org
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:31 am

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by HawaiianHope.org »

THANK YOU !

Been trying to figure this out for 2 days. I read over this like 8 times.

Here is a hint to all those that are working on this and making their own customized silent install. If you are trying this, and it does not work for some reason the first time. Simply uninstalling Open Office is not good enough to retest it after you made changes to your script. It appears that you have to manually go and delete your "user" settings/cache. otherwise the next time you try the install, it will use whatever was left in those settings. It does not overwrite them.

D:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\OpenOffice.org
D:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\OpenOffice.org\3\user\registry\data\org\openoffice\Office

you have to be able to see the hidden/system files to be able to get to this. you have to delete it in order to truly start over with a fresh installation. After i did that it worked immediately.
http://www.HawaiianHope.org
Providing technology services to non profit organizations, homeless shelters, clean and sober houses, prisoner re-entry programs and schools. To date we have given away over 1,000 free computers ! Over 700 with Open Office.
ZacGod
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:35 am

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by ZacGod »

Hey I made one of these scripts :D

InstalI.bat

Code: Select all

@echo off
echo OpenOffice multi-version script installer.
echo Script by ZacGod
echo.
echo.
for /D %%U in ("%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\openoffice*") do (
ECHO Cleaning Old File: %%U . . .
rd "%%U" /S /Q
)
echo.
echo Installing Java Dependency from .\java\
for %%U in ("%cd%\java\jre-*-windows-i586-s.exe") do (
ECHO Installing Open Office Package: %%U . . .
"%%U"  /s /v"/qb IEXPLORER=0 NETSCAPE6=0 MOZILLA=0 EULA=0 REBOOT=Suppress ADDLOCAL=ALL UPDATE=0 /L C:\jre.log"
)

echo.
echo Step(1 of 5) Installing Open Office Package from .\setup\
for %%U in ("%cd%\setup\openofficeorg*.msi") do (
ECHO Installing Open Office Package: %%U . . .
start /wait msiexec /qb /norestart /i "%%U" ADDLOCAL=All SELECT_WORD=1 SELECT_EXCEL=1 SELECT_POWERPOINT=1 REMOVE=gm_o_Onlineupdate,gm_p_Base,gm_p_Base_Bin,gm_p_Draw,gm_p_Draw_Bin,gm_p_Math
)

echo.
echo a)Deleting desktop shortcut.
del "%allusersprofile%\Desktop\OpenOffice.org 3.2.lnk" /q
echo b)Deleting custom start menu folder icon garbage...
del "%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\OpenOffice.org 3.2\Desktop.ini" /a /q
echo c)Deleting lame start menu icon
del "%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\OpenOffice.org 3.2\OpenOffice.org.lnk" /q

echo.
echo Step(2 of 5) Copying *.xcu from .\xcu\
for %%U in ("%cd%\xcu\*.xcu") do (
ECHO Copying %%U . . .
copy "%%U" "%programfiles%\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\share\registry\modules\org\openoffice\Setup\" /y
)

echo.
echo Step(3 of 5) Copying soffice.ini from .\
copy "soffice.ini" "%programfiles%\OpenOffice.org 3\program" /y

echo.
echo Step(4 of 5) Copying *.oxt from .\oxt\
echo Copying Extensions . . .
for %%U in ("%cd%\oxt\*.oxt") do (
ECHO Copying %%U . . .
copy "%%U" "%programfiles%\OpenOffice.org 3\Program" /y
)

C:
cd "%programfiles%\OpenOffice.org 3\Program"

echo.
echo Step(5 of 5) Installing Extensions
for /F "tokens=*" %%U in ('DIR *.oxt /B') do (
@Echo on
ECHO Installing %%U . . .
unopkg add --shared %%U
@echo off
)

lmk if this helps
netinstall.bat

Code: Select all

@echo off
net use z: /delete /y
cls

echo Mapping Temporary Drive Z
net use z: \\yourserver\Installs\OpenOffice /PERSISTENT:NO
z:
cls

install

echo Disconnect Temporary Drive Z
net use z: /delete /y

File Structure
.\xuc\ for xuc files (optional)
.\oxt\ for oxt files (optional)
.\setup\ for the msi installer
.\java\ for the java installer (optional)
.\soffice.ini

lmk if this helps
OpenOffice 3.2 on Arch Linux
xblain
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:26 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by xblain »

Hello ,

Sorry I am not so good at script.. actually not at all :))
Somebody know to configure the same installation but from some network source? I mean with a path like this:
\\server1\inst\openoffice_ins

Thank you :)
OpenOffice 3.3
User avatar
ppssupport
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:25 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by ppssupport »

Computer Administrator, Network Administrator, Software Engineering and IT Consultant
Windows Xp, windows 7
Ubuntu 10 - 14
OpenOffice 3.3.O
Angelworks
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 6:29 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by Angelworks »

All these batch files :)...

What I did was drop the launch condition that looks to see if the installer was run from Setup.exe (this is on the "LaunchCondition" Table)

Change:

ISCHECKFORPRODUCTUPDATES = 0
CREATEDESKTOPLINK = 0
AgreeToLicense = Yes
ADDLOCAL = ALL

Save all that into a transform and call the msi directly. It seems to work just fine. I rolled it out with SCCM the other day to 25 test machines and it launches without any prompts etc.

The list of properties that is already documented is quite useful, but I decided not to change the defaults because many of my customers also use Microsoft Office.

The ADDLOCAL part for instance - they have documented all the components one can install so no need for all these batch files copying stuff everywhere.
OpenOffice 3.4.1 Windows 7 x64
jorgea
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:04 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by jorgea »

Thanks for sharing this information on how to proceed with the process of installing of openoffice.
Symbiont
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 11:51 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by Symbiont »

Now that the OpenOffice installer is an EXE, how can we choose which components to install? I tried just adding the parameter after the EXE, but it still installed everything. Wishful thinking!
OpenOffice 3.4.1, Windows 7 x64
User avatar
Villeroy
Volunteer
Posts: 31264
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:35 am
Location: Germany

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by Villeroy »

Symbiont wrote:Now that the OpenOffice installer is an EXE, how can we choose which components to install? I tried just adding the parameter after the EXE, but it still installed everything. Wishful thinking!
So what? You can rewrite the entire configuration and distribute your own office suite.
There is no reason to not install all components. It is one big application for all types of documents. Leaving one component aside does not save more than a couple of mega bytes. Many topics on this forum demonstrate that sooner or later a partial installation makes a lot of trouble when someone else sends you documents more sophisticated than you had in mind during installation.

Personally, I always disable the automatic update and the quick-starter because these badly implemented features do not add anything useful to the office suite.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
User avatar
jza
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:33 am
Location: Cancún, Mexico

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by jza »

skycam96 wrote:This documentation is a result of scouring the internet for different forums of anybody who had any success with setting configuration options for OOo3.x, and trying to discern what steps were only for OOo2.x and what would actually work for OOo3.x. The following procedures will give you the instructions you need to customize many of the most common requests for pushing out OOo3.x silently. (NOTE) This documentation is for Windows XP.

P.S. If this helped you at all, post a reply!
I really wish this was contributed back to the Wiki.
AOO 4.1.1 on Arch Linux
scej033
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2013 5:28 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by scej033 »

For the OpenOffice version 4.0.1 this didn't help.

Because I had to install it onto another partition, after quite some research I came up with this solution:

setup.exe /msi /qb INSTALLLOCATION="D:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\" ALLUSERS=1 /l*v C:\Temp\OpenOffice_MSI.Log

Hopefully this will help a lot of other OO lovers
Plz reply if it helped
OpenOffice 4.0.1 on Windows 2008 R2
galinani
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2016 11:26 am

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by galinani »

This worked for me and OO version 4.1.3. (the setup.exe, setup.ini and the .cap files should be in the same source folder)
Thank you.
OpenOffice 4.1.3 on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
Fidge
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:11 am

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by Fidge »

Hi All, newbie here so be gentle. :lol: I'm trying to install OO 4.1.3 to a Thin Client that is locked down. So far I've managed to do this successfully using the information above, so thank you for that.

The issue I have, is that I'm doing this remotely and when a user logs on for the first time, they are being prompted for there details. I know that they can cancel this prompt but as these devices are in the public domain I would rather prevent the prompt from appearing in the first place.

Is there a way to prevent this popup at first use? As these devices are locked down first use is every time the device is rebooted.

Thanks in advance.
OpenOffice 4.1.3 on Windows 7 Embedded
User avatar
RoryOF
Moderator
Posts: 34570
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:30 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by RoryOF »

Will there be multiple users on each station? If so, their details are used to identify their files. Otherwise, I think (long time memory) that one can customise the install file to install for a generic user, which should prevent the popup occurring. Have another look into the unattended install file
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15 on Xubuntu 22.04.4 LTS
cybertaf
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 1:47 pm

Re: Create an unattended / silent install of OpenOffice.org

Post by cybertaf »

Hi,
For silent install you can use Chocolatey.
Here's a french article explaining who use it : http://tic-et-net.org/2017/10/30/chocol ... et-usages/ or the install doc https://chocolatey.org/install#install-with-cmdexe
OpenOffice 4.1.4 is available in the package gallery : https://chocolatey.org/packages/OpenOffice
Good luck
OpenOffice 4.1.4 Win64 and Solus OS with .debs manual install
Post Reply