Deploying XenApp Client with switches

I have always been fond of using the /a switch on Citrix Client installers to create a custom Admin package, the key downside to this has always been removal of the Citrix signature on the msi after doing this (for obvious security reasons). So for my current deployment of the 11.0 client in the enterprise I've moved to MSI installer properties to accomplish the same install without the headaches of a custom MSI package.

There is a few ways to accomplish this deployment"

1) you can just pass the install switches via a command line prompt such as:

MSIEXEC /I XenAppHosted.msi /L*v "%SYSTEMROOT%\XA5ClientInstall.log" /qb- ADDLOCAL=ICA_Client,PN_AGENT,WEB_CLIENT,SSON ENABLE_SSON=Yes SERVER_LOCATION=http://citrix

2) you can get fancy and create an install cmd file such as XenAppInst.cmd

@ECHO OFF

SET CTXInstall=\\(my dfs root)\software\citrix
SET OPTIONS=

:: XA Plugin Config
SET OPTIONS=%OPTIONS% /L*v "%SYSTEMROOT%\XA5ClientInstall.log" /qb-
SET OPTIONS=%OPTIONS% ADDLOCAL=ICA_Client,PN_AGENT,WEB_CLIENT,SSON
SET OPTIONS=%OPTIONS% ENABLE_SSON=Yes
SET OPTIONS=%OPTIONS% SERVER_LOCATION=http://citrix

:: Install XA Plugin
ECHO Installing XenApp Client
START /WAIT MSIEXEC /I %CTXInstall%\Client\XenAppHosted.msi %OPTIONS%

Both of these examples above install the ICA Client, Web Client and XenApp Plugin (PNAgent for us old schoolers) with SSON in the default location pointing the XenApp Plugin to the server http://citrix

Here is a list of all the available options should you want to go a bit more custom in your deployment:


ADDLOCAL
Installs one or more specified features. Separate multiple values with commas. Do not use spaces. Names are case sensitive.

Valid values	ICA_Client - plug-in engine components (always installs and is required to set other values) PN_AGENT - installs XenApp plug-in PN - installs Program Neighborhood (not installed by default) WEB_CLIENT - installs XenApp Web Plug-in SSON - installs files for pass-through authentication
Default value	Blank
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

CLIENT_UPGRADE
Upgrades the client to the most recent version.

Valid values	Yes No
Default value	Yes
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

DEFAULT_NDSCONTEXT
Sets a default context for NDS. Separate multiple contexts with commas, and enclose the entire value in quotation marks.

Examples of correct parameters	DEFAULT_NDSCONTEXT=Context1 DEFAULT_NDSCONTEXT="Context1,Context2"
Example of incorrect parameters	DEFAULT_NDSCONTEXT=Context1,Context2
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

ENABLE_DYNAMIC_CLIENT_NAME
Enables or disables the ability to use the computer name as the client device name and recognize changes to the client name.

Valid values	Yes No
Default value	Yes
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

ENABLE_SSON
Enables or disables pass-through authentication.

Valid values	Yes No
Default value	Yes
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

INSTALL_DIR
Installation directory where the plug-in software is installed.

Default value	C:\Program Files\Citrix\ICA Client
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

PROGRAM_FOLDER_NAME
Specifies the name of the Programs folder on the Start menu (Start Menu Program Folder Name) containing the shortcut to the XenApp plug-in or Program Neighborhood.

This function is not supported during plug-in upgrades.

Valid values	User defined
Default value	Citrix\MetaFrame Access Clients
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

SERVER_LOCATION
Specifies the URL of the server running the Web Interface. This server hosts the configuration file for the XenApp plug-in. You must enter the server address if you want to use the XenApp plug-in as the passthrough client. The server address can use HTTP or HTTPS.

Valid values	User defined
Default value	localhost
Installation type	XenApp Hosted Plug-in

In my examples above the /L*v and /qb- switches are standard MSI switches that control logging (/L*v "path to log") and the /qb- is Basic UI with no modal dialog boxes unattended switch - more details on MSI specific switches can be found here KB227091

Citrix Reference: Setup Properties for Pass-through Client