The steps in this guide include

1. Downloading the Client Installer

2. Prepare the Configuration File

3. Decide on location of Installer and Config Files

4. Install Via the Windows Command Line without using Powershell

5. Step 4B - Prepare the Powershell Deployment Script (If using Powershell)

6. Run the Powershell Deployment Script (If using Powershell)

7. Step 6 Test and Repeat

Step 1 - Downloading the Client Installer

1. To download the Syrinx 365 Client installer please use the below link to access the download site.
   https://www.syrinxusers.co.uk/#/Syrinx%20365/
   
   
2. The relevant credentials to log in are also below.
   Username: download
   Password: c0nc3pt
   
   
3. Select the AppInstaller.exe. You will need to save this file before going to the next steps.
   
   
   
4. Save the AppInstaler.exe file to a central location like the file share at \\ServerName\SpInstall. The instructions below will work with the Installer Version 1.3.0.0 and upwards. Older Installers of Syrinx 365 will not work.

Step 2 - Prepare the Configuration File

To run the installer in script mode, you will need to edit a file called Config-365ClientOnly.json. Let’s look at the contents of that file below:

{

  "selectedComponents": [

    {

      "id": "PCKG_Syrinx_365",

      "versionAlias": "5.4.0",

  "params": {

  "API_BASE_URL": "http://localhost/Syrinx365Api/api/v2"

  }

    }

  ]

}

For this to work seamlessly, you need to pay attention to two areas—edit the api_base_url and version Alias accordingly:

1. versionAlias - By default, this version alias is set to be the latest version when the CLI installation script is updated. As of 1 August 2024, the latest version is 5.4.0, and it is available on the installer. This version number will change over time, and so will the Syrinx 365 installer. This version must exactly match the version of your Syrinx server.
      
2. API_BASE_URL - The default api_base_url is http://localhostSyrinx365API/api/v2. Edit this path to your api server DNS name or IP address.  In environments where an SSL certificate is applied to the API Server, https is used instead of HTTP.

Step 3 - Decide on location of Installer and Config Files

Do all users have access to the Syrinx Installer Fileshare?

• If the answer is yes, proceed to the next step.
    
• If the answer is no, then decide how you want to copy the installer and config file to the target PCs. Copy files (AppInstaller.exe  and Config-365ClientOnly.json) to the target PCs. This workflow also suits customers who use tools like Intune or Datto to copy files to target PCs. You can then proceed to the next step.

Step 4 - Install Via the Windows Command Line without using Powershell

If, for any reason, you do not use Powershell, but you can use the command line in Windows, you can follow this workflow from Step 4. Open the Installer script via an editor like Notepad.  Edit the items in red as required. Run this command below:

@echo off

:: Ensure the script is run as an administrator

:: Check for admin rights

net session >nul 2>&1

if %errorlevel% neq 0 (

    echo This script requires administrative privileges. Please run as administrator.

    pause

    exit /b

)

:: Define variables for the paths

set localPath=C:\Temp

set networkPath=\\Server\SpInstall

set logfile=%localPath%\SyrinxAppInstaller.log

:: Define whether to copy files from the network (Set to YES or NO)

set copyFromNetwork=YES

:: Create the local directory if it does not exist

if not exist "%localPath%" mkdir "%localPath%"

:: Conditionally copy the files based on the copyFromNetwork variable

if /i "%copyFromNetwork%"=="YES" (

    :: Log the start of the copy operation

    echo Copy operation started on %date% at %time% >> "%logfile%"

    :: Copy AppInstaller.exe and log the output

    echo Copying AppInstaller.exe... >> "%logfile%"

    copy "%networkPath%\AppInstaller.exe" "%localPath%\" >> "%logfile%" 2>&1

    :: Copy Config-365ClientOnly.json and log the output

    echo Copying Config-365ClientOnly.json... >> "%logfile%"

    copy "%networkPath%\Config-365ClientOnly.json" "%localPath%\" >> "%logfile%" 2>&1

) else (

    echo Skipping file copy operation... >> "%logfile%"

)

:: Run the AppInstaller with the specified arguments and log the output

echo Running AppInstaller.exe with arguments... >> "%logfile%"

"%localPath%\AppInstaller.exe" /install /quiet /config="%localPath%\Config-365ClientOnly.json" >> "%logfile%" 2>&1

:: Log the end of the operation

echo Copy operation and installation completed on %date% at %time% >> "%logfile%"

Wait for about 10 minutes after the script has run and check the PCs on which the command has been run and you will see a green shortcut icon on the user’s desktop signaling that Syrinx365 has been installed. Slower connections to the internet from individual PCs may cause a delay in installation time as the installer will use the internet to download some of its components.

Step 4B - Prepare the Powershell Deployment Script (If using Powershell)

With the AppInstaller.exe and Config file in place, you are now ready to deploy the PowerShell script to install Syrinx365 Desktop at scale across your network. Let’s define our script variables and dit the lines in red as required.

# Define variables

$networkPath = "\\Server\SpInstall"

$localTempPath = "C:\Temp"

$CopyNetworkInstaller = "yes"  # Set this variable to "yes" or "no"

$appInstaller = "AppInstaller.exe"

$configFile = "Config-365ClientOnly.json"

$logFileName = "SyrinxInstallerlogs_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd_HHmmss').txt"

$logFilePath = "$localTempPath\$logFileName"

$outputLogFile = "$localTempPath\Output_$logFileName"

$errorLogFile = "$localTempPath\Error_$logFileName"

# Function to write messages to the log files

function Write-Log {

    param (

        [string]$message,

        [string]$logFile

    )

    Add-Content -Path $logFile -Value "$((Get-Date).ToString()): $message"

}

# Check if the script is running as administrator

if (-not ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] "Administrator")) {

    Write-Output "This script must be run as an administrator. Exiting..."

    Write-Log -message "Attempted to run the script in user mode. Exiting..." -logFile $logFilePath

    exit

}

# Ensure the Temp directory exists

if (-Not (Test-Path -Path $localTempPath)) {

    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $localTempPath

}

# Determine the source path based on the UseNetworkInstaller variable

if ($CopyNetworkInstaller -eq "yes" -and (Test-Path -Path "$networkPath\$appInstaller")) {

    # Copy the AppInstaller.exe file from the network share to the local directory, overriding if it exists

    Copy-Item -Path "$networkPath\$appInstaller" -Destination "$localTempPath\$appInstaller" -Force

    # Copy the Config-365ClientOnly.json file from the network share to the local directory, overriding if it exists

    Copy-Item -Path "$networkPath\$configFile" -Destination "$localTempPath\$configFile" -Force

    Write-Log -message "Successfully copied files from the network path." -logFile $outputLogFile

} elseif ($CopyNetworkInstaller -eq "yes" -and -Not (Test-Path -Path "$networkPath\$appInstaller")) {

    Write-Log -message "Network path is not accessible. Falling back to the local path." -logFile $outputLogFile

} else {

    Write-Log -message "Using the local path as per user preference." -logFile $outputLogFile

}

# Run the AppInstaller.exe with specified parameters and redirect output and errors to separate log files

Start-Process -FilePath "$localTempPath\$appInstaller" -ArgumentList '/install', '/quiet', "/config=`"$localTempPath\$configFile`"" -NoNewWindow -Wait -RedirectStandardOutput $outputLogFile -RedirectStandardError $errorLogFile

Step 5 -  Run the Powershell Deployment Script (If using Powershell)

1. Enabling script execution

   1. To enable script execution in Powershell open an administrator mode Powershell then type this:
      

      • Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

      • When prompted answer with: Y

   2. This step ensures that the Syrinx Installer Powrsehll Script runs regardless of script policies on the PC. You should keep this in mind when planning for any Powershell script to run on a PC or server.

2. Run the Powershell script to install Syrinx 365

   1. Run the Powershell script as an Administrator. You can do this by opening Windows Powershell ISE as an administrator and then opening and running the file. Because the Syrinx AppInstaller requires to be run as administrator, running it via the command line requires the command line tool to be run with elevated privileges. This PowerShell script can be run via Intune or any network installer that runs across your network. If using Intune (please be sure to select that the script is not being run in user mode but in admin mode).  
         
   2. Wait for about 10 minutes after the script has run and check the PCs on which the script has been run and you will see a green shortcut icon on the user’s desktop signaling that Syrinx365 has been installed. On the local PC there are also logs that will be created to log everything that has been done by the installer once errors come up. Slower connections to the internet from individual PCs may cause a delay in installation time as the installer will use the internet to download some of its components.

3. Check the Logs if Syrinx is not installed after 10 minutes

   1. While 10 minutes is not a hard figure to determine a successful installation, it is a clear benchmark for the average Syrinx installation..  Remember to check the logs located on the defined path below as set in your deployment script variables.
      $logFileName = "SyrinxInstallerlogs_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd_HHmmss').txt"
      $logFilePath = "$localTempPath\$logFileName"
      $outputLogFile = "$localTempPath\Output_$logFileName"
      $errorLogFile = "$localTempPath\Error_$logFileName"
      
      
   2. These logs are empty if there is no error while executing the PowerShell script

4. Disabling script execution after installation

   1. To disable script execution in Powershell open an administrator mode Powershell then type this:
      Set-ExecutionPolicy Default

Step 6 Test and Repeat

As with any other installation, it is good to test if the software is successfully installed and correctly configured, users can log in and reach their Syrinx data.  Repeat Step 5 on all  Windows Clients that require Syrinx 365 Installation