Documenting Repackaging Steps Using the Microsoft Step Recorder Tool

AdminStudio 2021 | 21.0 | Repackager

You can use the Microsoft Steps Recorder documentation tool with the Repackaging Wizard to automatically record the step-by-step actions that occur during repackaging. This information, which is saved in a web archive (.mht) file, includes a text description of where you clicked on each screen, along with a screen capture for each click.

To enable this option, select the Run Microsoft Step Recorder to document installation steps so they can be reviewed later option on the Set Target Project Information and Capture Settings panel of the Repackaging Wizard.

To use the Microsoft Steps Recorder during repackaging:

1. Launch the Repackaging Wizard.
2. On the Method Selection panel, select the desired method, as described in Installation Monitoring Method and Snapshot Method.
3. Proceed with repackaging, per the selected method, as described in the following help topics:
Repackaging Using the Installation Monitoring Method
Repackaging Using the Snapshot Method
4. On the Set Target Project Information and Capture Settings panel, select the Run Microsoft Step Recorder to document installation steps so they can be reviewed later option.
5. Click Start to begin the repackaging process. When the installer is launched, the Steps Recorder dialog box opens and recording automatically begins.

The Steps Recorder dialog box includes the following controls:

Pause Record—Click to pause the recording. You would use this if you wanted to pause the repackaging process and use another application on your computer. If you do not pause the recording, all actions you take on the machine, whether or not they pertain to repackaging, will be recorded.
Stop Record—Click to stop the recording.
Add Comment—Click to pause the recording and open the Highlight Step and Comment dialog box where you can enter a comment. This comment will appear in the generated output file.

Elapsed time—The time elapsed since the recording started is listed.
6. Click through the installer until it is completed.
7. Complete the panels on the Repackaging Wizard, per the selected method.
8. When repackaging is complete, open the Repackaged Output folder and locate the following web archive (.mht) file:

    InstallerName_Recording_YYYYMMDD_TIME.mht

For example:

    QuickTime_Recording_20150409_1015.mht

9. Double-click the file to open it. The file opens in a browser window.
10. In the Steps section, scroll down to view all of the steps that you performed during repackaging along with screen captures of each step.

Tip:If you want to view all of the screens as a slide show instead of scrolling through them, click Review the recorded steps as a slide show.

If you entered any comments, they are listed in the file along with a screen capture of the Highlight Step and Comment dialog box.

11. Review the information in the Additional Details area, which contains a text description of the steps that were taken, along with information that is internal to the repackaged application.

Viewing the Recorded Archive File from Application Catalog

When you build a Windows Installer package using the Repackager project that was created during repackaging, this recorded web archive file will be copied to the Windows Installer package output folder.

Then, when you import this Windows Installer package into the Application Catalog, the recorded web archive file (or files) will also be imported.

To view a recorded web archive file in Application Catalog, perform the following steps:

To view a recorded web archive file in Application Catalog:

1. Open Application Catalog.
2. Locate the Windows Installer package and expand its package node.
3. Select the Extended Attributes subnode. The Extended Attributes View opens.

4. Next to Installation Instructions, click the name of the listed ZIP file. The ZIP file will open and display a list of the .mht files it contains.
5. Double-click on the .mht file that you want to view.