Putting together a VMWare ThinApp Portable SC2 Beta

[hawtpawkithero]

I see a lot of people trying to get the beta running off of portable media (thumb drives, port. hard drives, etc.)

Unfortunately...
Using current methods, this only works on computers that the user has regedit permissions to.
At my school, I work with the IT Admin, and just the very thought of kids having access to the registry would make him shit himself.

I recently attempted to get a copy of the SC2 Beta running as a portable executable using VMWare ThinApp, but I didn't get very far with it. I'm having trouble tying the launcher into the equation.

For anyone that doesn't know how ThinApp works, it scans your PC, you install/tweak the software, and rescan it. It then creates a package in a single .exe that uses virtual directories for all of the files/regs so there is no needed registry editing or folder set up on the host PC.

If someone is willing to help me put together, please let me know. Previous experience with ThinApp would be helpful.

Once it's all figured out, I'll make sure to update it whenever needed (for new AI releases, maps, and hopefully/eventually LAN).

[CraniX]

enable registry using vbs scripted file

Code Select Expand

'Enable/Disable Registry Editing tools
'© Doug Knox - rev 12/06/99

Option Explicit

'Declare variables
Dim WSHShell, n, MyBox, p, t, mustboot, errnum, vers
Dim enab, disab, jobfunc, itemtype

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
p = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\"
p = p & "DisableRegistryTools"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"
mustboot = "Log off and back on, or restart your pc to" & vbCR & "effect the changes"
enab = "ENABLED"
disab = "DISABLED"
jobfunc = "Registry Editing Tools are now "

'This section tries to read the registry key value. If not present an
'error is generated.  Normal error return should be 0 if value is
'present
t = "Confirmation"
Err.Clear
On Error Resume Next
n = WSHShell.RegRead (p)
On Error Goto 0
errnum = Err.Number

if errnum <> 0 then
'Create the registry key value for DisableRegistryTools with value 0
   WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype
End If

'If the key is present, or was created, it is toggled
'Confirmations can be disabled by commenting out
'the two MyBox lines below

If n = 0 Then
   n = 1
WSHShell.RegWrite p, n, itemtype
Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & disab & vbCR & mustboot, 4096, t)
ElseIf n = 1 then
   n = 0
WSHShell.RegWrite p, n, itemtype
Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & enab & vbCR & mustboot, 4096, t)
End If


Once you have re-enabled regedit in registry Ctrl+Alt+Del then close explorer.exe then run explorer.exe, so that new registry settings are enabled.

Now Run SC2 Beta

[hawtpawkithero]

enable registry using vbs scripted file

Code Select Expand

'Enable/Disable Registry Editing tools
'© Doug Knox - rev 12/06/99

Option Explicit

'Declare variables
Dim WSHShell, n, MyBox, p, t, mustboot, errnum, vers
Dim enab, disab, jobfunc, itemtype

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
p = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\"
p = p & "DisableRegistryTools"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"
mustboot = "Log off and back on, or restart your pc to" & vbCR & "effect the changes"
enab = "ENABLED"
disab = "DISABLED"
jobfunc = "Registry Editing Tools are now "

'This section tries to read the registry key value. If not present an
'error is generated.  Normal error return should be 0 if value is
'present
t = "Confirmation"
Err.Clear
On Error Resume Next
n = WSHShell.RegRead (p)
On Error Goto 0
errnum = Err.Number

if errnum <> 0 then
'Create the registry key value for DisableRegistryTools with value 0
   WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype
End If

'If the key is present, or was created, it is toggled
'Confirmations can be disabled by commenting out
'the two MyBox lines below

If n = 0 Then
   n = 1
WSHShell.RegWrite p, n, itemtype
Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & disab & vbCR & mustboot, 4096, t)
ElseIf n = 1 then
   n = 0
WSHShell.RegWrite p, n, itemtype
Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & enab & vbCR & mustboot, 4096, t)
End If


Once you have re-enabled regedit in registry Ctrl+Alt+Del then close explorer.exe then run explorer.exe, so that new registry settings are enabled.

Now Run SC2 Beta

The problem with that is the task manager will be unaccessable to the user if he or she is using a workstation on a well administered network.

[CraniX]

Lol enable task manager using vbs scripting file.

Code Select Expand

Option Explicit
'Declare variables
Dim WSHShell, rr, rr2, MyBox, val, val2, ttl, toggle
Dim jobfunc, itemtype

On Error Resume Next

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
val = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr"
val2 = "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"
jobfunc = "Task Manager is now "
ttl = "Result"

'reads the registry key value.
rr = WSHShell.RegRead (val)
rr2 = WSHShell.RegRead (val2)

toggle=1
If (rr=1 or rr2=1) Then toggle=0

If toggle = 1 Then
    WSHShell.RegWrite val, 1, itemtype
    WSHShell.RegWrite val2, 1, itemtype
    Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & "disabled.", 4096, ttl)
Else
    WSHShell.RegDelete val
    WSHShell.RegDelete val2
    Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & "enabled.", 4096, ttl)
End If

[MexN00B]

Hi there, I am currently attempting this but I'm having trouble with lazylaunch2.exe, its executable is encrypted,packed, or protected and it doesn't let me launch it once I have built the portable exe and data image. I did a quick search around theteknogod's forums and i came across this thread http://teknogods.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2052&p=16352&hilit=vmware#p16276 and it looks like lazylaunch doesn't let itself run under VM-like conditions...

What I'm trying to do now is exclude lazylaunch from the thinapp project since thats what I think is causing the problems.

[hawtpawkithero]

Hi there, I am currently attempting this but I'm having trouble with lazylaunch2.exe, its executable is encrypted,packed, or protected and it doesn't let me launch it once I have built the portable exe and data image. I did a quick search around theteknogod's forums and i came across this thread http://teknogods.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2052&p=16352&hilit=vmware#p16276 and it looks like lazylaunch doesn't let itself run under VM-like conditions...

What I'm trying to do now is exclude lazylaunch from the thinapp project since thats what I think is causing the problems.

Sounds good. I was able to get the whole thing into a portable package, but the launcher I included in the package couldn't find the map or ai files.

[MexN00B]

Hi there, I am currently attempting this but I'm having trouble with lazylaunch2.exe, its executable is encrypted,packed, or protected and it doesn't let me launch it once I have built the portable exe and data image. I did a quick search around theteknogod's forums and i came across this thread http://teknogods.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2052&p=16352&hilit=vmware#p16276 and it looks like lazylaunch doesn't let itself run under VM-like conditions...

What I'm trying to do now is exclude lazylaunch from the thinapp project since thats what I think is causing the problems.

Sounds good. I was able to get the whole thing into a portable package, but the launcher I included in the package couldn't find the map or ai files.

Which launcher did you use? Oh and it looks like Zoxc's new launcher version runs the game without LazyLauncher, I'm going to attempt this once more and see how far I can get.