SMSINST: SMS Installer Is Unable to Display a Wait Message During Wait Periods (213027)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server Installer 2.0

This article was previously published under Q213027

SYMPTOMS

If a Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) Installer script includes an operation that requires an extended period of time to run, SMS may appear to stop responding while this operation is taking place. No message box appears to inform the user that the operation is running and to wait until it has been completed.

CAUSE

In SMS Installer, there are currently no script items available that can be used to display a message box on the screen while another operation is being performed.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, follow these steps:
  1. Use a graphics editor to create a bitmap image of the message dialog box that can be displayed during the operation.Use a graphics editor to create another bitmap image with the same dimensions of (or smaller than) your message dialog box, and with the previous message removed.Use SMS Installer's Script Editor to insert a Display Graphic action at the beginning of any script block that requires an extended period of time to run.Edit this script item to display your message dialog box.Insert a Display Graphic item at the end of the script block, this time specifying your second graphic image.
  2. Use a graphics editor to create another bitmap image with the same dimensions of (or smaller than) your message dialog box, and with the previous message removed.Use SMS Installer's Script Editor to insert a Display Graphic action at the beginning of any script block that requires an extended period of time to run.Edit this script item to display your message dialog box.Insert a Display Graphic item at the end of the script block, this time specifying your second graphic image.
  3. Use SMS Installer's Script Editor to insert a Display Graphic action at the beginning of any script block that requires an extended period of time to run.Edit this script item to display your message dialog box.Insert a Display Graphic item at the end of the script block, this time specifying your second graphic image.
  4. Edit this script item to display your message dialog box.Insert a Display Graphic item at the end of the script block, this time specifying your second graphic image.
  5. Insert a Display Graphic item at the end of the script block, this time specifying your second graphic image.

MORE INFORMATION

SMS Installer does not provide a script item to display a dialog box that can be displayed and removed at the script editor's discretion. The Display Message action is not effective in this scenario because it pauses the script until the user clicks Yes, No, or Cancel.

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/14/2005
Keywords:kbAdvertisement kbBug kbClient kbConfig kbinterop kbPackage kbprb kbsmsUtil kbSoftwareDist KB213027