Performing an Advanced Deployment

Perform an advanced deployment when you need to customize your installation to:

• Limit an end user’s access to application features.
• Customize the installation of the Reflection files.
• Create companion installation packages of custom files that can be installed independently of the main installation.

The following process is typical for large-scale, customized deployments.

1. Perform an administrative installation in a destination folder to create an administrative installation point.
2. Customize Reflection. To limit user access to features, and/or create custom files (such as macros, templates, themes, or settings files), install Reflection on a workstation, and create the desired files.
3. From the administrative installation point, do one of the following:
   • Create standard MSI transforms to modify the primary installer database.

     You can specify the install location, set feature states, modify or remove shortcuts, remove older products, and chain other installs or programs.

   -or-

   • Create companion install packages that include the custom files you created on the workstation.

     You can install these separate MSI packages independently of the Reflection install. This allows you to upgrade the product without removing these custom files. It also allows you to install or remove the custom files without installing or removing the main Reflection files.

4. Test the installation.
5. Deploy Reflection with the transforms you created, as well as any separate MSI packages.

   Because the transforms and companion installation packages adhere to MSI standards, you can use a desktop shortcut, Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Systems Management Server, or any other Microsoft Installer-compatible deployment tool.