Creating an APPS.INI File

If users will be installing applications from source files stored on the network, you can create an APPS.INI file that contains a master list of applications and their network locations. When a user's Registry contains a reference to the APPS.INI file, a new tab named Network Install appears in Add/Remove Programs. The Network Install tab lists all the applications that appear in the APPS.INI file.

To create an APPS.INI file

1. Use a text editor to create a file that contains list of applications using the following format:

   application name = [*] UNC path

   For application name, substitute the name that you want users to see on the Network Install tab. For UNC path, substitute the network location of the setup application. If a setup application cannot work with UNC names, include an asterisk before it. For example:

• Word for Windows=*\\applications\forusers\WORD60\SETUP.EXE

2. Save the APPS.INI file on a server to which users have read-only access.

To display the applications listed in APPS.INI on the Network Install tab

1. In the Registry, click the following key:

• Hkey_Local_Machine/Software/Microsoft/Current Version

2. Right-click a blank area in the right pane, and then click New.
3. Click String Value, and then type the following:

   appinstallpath

4. Press enter, and right-click the item you just created.
5. Click Modify. In the Value Data area, type the UNC path to the APPS.INI file.

For information about adding Registry settings in setup scripts, see Appendix D, "MSBATCH.INF Parameters."