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Status Delivered
Workspace IBM i
Categories IBM i Access Family
Created by Guest
Created on Feb 8, 2024

RELATED IDEAS

Make Access Client Solutions easier to distribute

Currently all ACS installs are manual at deployment of a user's PC and manual updates as needed if the user reports any issues and we notice they are on an older version.


We have tried to package ACS into an EXE file that could be deployed through a distribution service such as Kace or InTune. This failed due to the need to install under a user's desktop environment the way the installation javascript works. We have found IBM documentation since that has explicitly stated that this kind of distribution is not supported.


In order to use the built in update functionality there are currently a couple of options:

  1. Open the base ACS application and press the Check for Updates button

  2. Schedule execution of:C:\Users\Public\IBM\ClientSolutions\Start_Programs\Windows_x86-64\acslaunch_win-64.exe /PLUGIN=installupdates /noprompt

The issue with both of these options is that the check can only look to the IFS (whether using the default location or another specified location) to see if an update is available but you need to supply credentials in order to access the IFS. The issue with this is that if I am not signed into ACS application, the check will not find any update because it cannot connect to the IBMi. Only the IT Systems team ever uses the base ACS application, for users, we deploy a pre-configured HOD file for 5250 emulation which does not trigger an update check of any kind.


A couple of ideas on how to make this product more easily deployable in a corporate setting:

  1. Make install available via an exe that can be executed in a deployment service such as Kace or InTune. This would likely require changes to the java script that is used that currently cannot be installed via these services.

  2. Provide the ability to put ACS images on a non-IFS network location such as a Windows server that the user already has access to. This means that the update check would not depend on logging into the IBMi on an update check through the /PLUGIN function if scheduled through a Windows scheduled task or other service.

  3. Extend update services to 5250 emulation. This would allow someone already signed into the IBMi via 5250 emulation to either check for update or provide a scheduled task/service that would trigger the /PLUGIN function to check for an update.

    1. This would not help for installs where users don't regularly sign on the IBMi but would be better than what we have now.


Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Apr 15, 2024
    Added support to allow plugins to be optionally selected to check for updates when connecting. See the property com.ibm.iaccess.CheckUpdateForPlugins in AcsConfig.properties. This support is available in version 1.1.9.5

    IBM Power Systems Development
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Mar 25, 2024
    Added support to allow plugins to be optionally selected to check for updates when connecting. We have added this to our next update which will be available in April 2024.

    IBM Power Systems Development
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Mar 6, 2024
    I really would lika a msi installer for ACS and the ability to install ACS in the program files directory. An option to distribute pre-configured 5250 session profiles as part of the installation would also be valuable feature. With the current install script it is possible to include a bundled java. During an upgrade it is possible to include a newer version of Java, but the old one is still there, it is flaw, if the bundled java is updated the old one should be removed.
    2 replies
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Feb 28, 2024
    Thank you for submitting your Idea to enhance IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS). We will consider providing a configurable option so that when calling a PLUGIN a check for an update will occur.

    IBM Power Systems Development
  • Admin
    Maria del Carmen Ruvalcaba Cevallos
    Reply
    |     Feb 13, 2024

    The CAAC has reviewed this IBM Idea and recommends that IBM not implement this request.

    Although there is much information on installing ACS, it does seem that adding the ability to check for update in 5250 is a good idea.

    Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual IBM Ideas on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your Idea.

    For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac

    Carmelita Ruvalcaba - CAAC Program Manager

    1 reply
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Feb 13, 2024

    Hi, if I have understood your idea correctly, then your suggestion for Option 3 is already how ACS update works if as long as you are NOT using the connection option "Prompt for user name and password every time".
    I would recommend you use "Use default user name to prompt once for each system"

    More details in the video below
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoMJJbsxJ_U

    If you wanted to go one stage further you could configure single sign-on and you will not need to sign on at all.
    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=sign-configuring-single

    Hope this helps
    Steve Bradshaw,
    Member of CEAC, TD of i-UG.co.uk & Friendly Techie at RowtonIT.com

    2 replies
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Feb 9, 2024

    There is a relatively simple way to keep the installation up to date.
    Install the acsbundle.jar with properties file on a windows server and
    install hod and kmp ( session and keyboard definition ) in a folder on the PC.


    When ACS is installed on the PC you define a system environment variable

    SETX acsbundle "\\myServer\Running\IBMiAccess_v1r1_1.1.9.4\acsbundle.jar" /M


    Then you install the hod and kmp files in a folder the user has right to access on the PC for example
    "%userprofile%\ACS\IBM\"


    In the same folder where the hod and kmp files are located you create a bat file that executes this

    start javaw.exe -Xmx1024m -jar "%acsbundle%" "%USERPROFILE%\ACS\IBM\iAccessClient\Emulator\myIBMi.hod"

    It starts Java, uses the reference from the environment variable and tells it to use myIBMi.hod

    Of course a shortcut has been created on the desktop to the bat file.


    Now comes the fun part.

    IBM has now published a new version of ACS ( ie version 1.1.9.5 ).
    You prepare and install it on the windows server in the folder
    \\myServer\Running\IBMiAccess_v1r1_1.1.9.5\

    Then a GPO ( Group Policy Objects ) is sent out modifying
    acsbundle to point to "\\myServer\Running\IBMiAccess_v1r1_1.1.9.5\acsbundle.jar"

    And then everybody are using the new version after a restart of the PC and the old version can be archieved.

    The installation process can be reduced to two bat files.

    1. setting the environment variable acsbundle
      requires administrator rights

    2. installing the hod and kmp files should be done with the user logged in.

    And the best part?
    Everybody are happy. It reduces the work for my colleagues and works for my users.

    1 reply

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