SMSINST: Adding to the System Path Using SMS Installer (185804)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server Installer 1.0
This article was previously published under Q185804

SUMMARY

The Systems Management Server Installer has a script item called Add Directory To Path that allows you to add a directory to a system's path.

NOTE: This script item does not allow you to remove a directory from the system path.

MORE INFORMATION

To add a directory to the system path, use the following steps:

  1. Open Systems Management Server Installer and click Script Editor on the View menu.
  2. In the right pane, locate the position in your script where you want to include the Add Directory To Path script item. Highlight the script item that appears after that position.
  3. In the left pane, select the Add Directory To Path script item.
  4. When you are prompted, type the directory you want to add to the path.

    Note that you can use Installer script variables. For example, if the Installer MAINDIR is set to "C:\My App" (without the quotation marks), you can enter %MAINDIR% in the dialog box, and the value "C:\My App" (without the quotation marks) will be added to the path.

Notes

  • When the Add Directory To Path script item is used, Systems Management Server Installer modifies the value of the built-in variable RESTART to "S" so that the user is prompted to restart the computer at the end of the installation process.

    If you prefer to avoid this, the RESTART variable must be manually set to nothing using the Set Variable script item. For additional information about manipulating the RESTART variable, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    174330 SMSINST: Use of the RESTART Variable in SMS Installer

  • In Windows NT Server, the new path does not take effect until the user logs off and logs back on. On other operating systems, such as Windows 95, the path does not take effect until the computer is restarted.

  • In Windows NT Server, the path for the system is stored in the following registry key: 
          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
      \Session Manager\Environment\Path
    NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

  • If uninstall support is included in the installation, an uninstall will not remove the directory from the path. This behavior is by design.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/14/2005
Keywords:kbinfo KB185804
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