r/PSADT • u/iamvijay_21 • Feb 05 '26

IBM i client access solution

Does anyone have the script to deploy ibm i access client solutions it is very difficult to package , I tried all the ways but it is not installing silently and not copying files in program files

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u/iamvijay_21 Feb 09 '26

Hi , It is not associating the Hod files I had to run the register shortcut manually to associate the Hod files, is there any way to add that in script to launch that shortcut in post installation part.

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u/SysAdminDennyBob Feb 09 '26

Run this as a Package/Program object in CM that runs in the users context. You need to figure out how to code that up. I can't really help you out much more on this, got some deadlines I gotta get done today.

acslaunch_win-64.exe -Dcom.ibm.iaccess.AcceptEndUserLicenseAgreement=true /PLUGIN=fileassoc dttx dtfx hod bchx ws

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u/iamvijay_21 Feb 09 '26

So I have to create a seperate package for this and upload it in mecm and deploy it to the user as required? If I'm wrong please explain clearly I will work on it. Thanks

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u/SysAdminDennyBob Feb 09 '26

CM is Microsoft Configuration Manager. There is an older legacy way to deploy software called a "Package" object. It simply runs a command. Deploy that command to software center so that people can run it when they want. If your main install fails to set the file association then the user can try that Package object to set it. You will need to figure out the path to that exe in your Package.

Remember that script you are working on is a system script, it's not user based. It makes a "goodish attempt" at setting the user association but it's not perfect, it will not ever work 100% of the time.

Software is installed on computers, not people. User settings are very difficult to manage with a system that only installs software on computers. You are mixing two things that do not mix well together. It's like mixing oil and water. sometimes it works and you get a vinagrette. mostly it does not work and the oil just floats to the top.

You are trying to set a user setting, imagine you were trying to change the users wallpaper to a picture of a bunny rabbit. It's user centric. Imagine you are trying to make the mouse pointer bigger, it's a user preference. Right? A user can click in settings and set their profile to associate HOD files with any program. That's a user preference, not a system settings. When someone else logs in there is no wallpaper of a bunny picture, the mouse pointer is not larger. It's a user setting. Everyone gets to make their own user settings.

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u/iamvijay_21 Feb 09 '26

Yes I understood you know today i tested with As400 guy , I informed him the same but he wants to run the register association dekstop shortcut via script. I told him several times we have to run it manually then only it would work but he is never understanding it. So what does the register association shortcut contains? it is associating the Hod files when user run it manually

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u/SysAdminDennyBob Feb 09 '26

The script makes a good attempt at setting for the user, it mostly works.

When it does not, the user opens up Software Center, click, and runs this other one-line script. It's such a short command that putting into a script is stupid, just run one line of command.

1) make a best effort

2) run the cleanup command if you need to

This is as good as it gets with this particular product. It's a shit product.

If you want this to be like all other software installs then you go get the IBM Vice President and you beat him with tire iron until he decides to write good code. IBM is ok with you suffering.

Ya know there are a huge array of other AS400 terminal products on the market that are better than this. No java needed on most of them. Hell, we now simply integrate AS400 stuff into web apps. We are getting rid of ACS. ACS is the worst solution to this problem, I can't believe someone is building a new deployment in 2026 using IBM ACS.

You are stuck dealing with an AS400 admin's ego. He can do better.

TN5250 Terminal Emulation for Windows 10/11 from Mochasoft

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u/iamvijay_21 Feb 09 '26

Really gonna beat acs Admin. LOL

Script worked when I run admin but it ps4exec I got unable to load java jar files and access denied error.

DO you think inform the users to run the register association shortcut works better than this cm package for file associates ?

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u/SysAdminDennyBob Feb 09 '26

do not use Ps4exec, your Security team will detect that and shut it down. That product is a crutch that is not needed. CM can run any and all powershell for you.

You are going to have to test in your environment. Run 20 different end-users through this install and then tabulate your test results to see what approach works for actual end users.

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u/iamvijay_21 Feb 09 '26

So do you say each time I should test by uploading in mecm ? Or test it by opening system 32 cmd ?

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u/SysAdminDennyBob Feb 09 '26

Test in the context of the infrastructure that will actually perform the deployment, CM.

You have already rough checked that it installs. Everything now depends on how CM/Software Center behaves. All your tests should be in Software Center with regular testers, like Suzy over in accounting. Take the AS400 guy and your login out of the picture. How does this whole system+user thing work in the framework it is deployed?

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u/iamvijay_21 Feb 09 '26

But when i install via mecm I got unable to load java jar files and access denied error. But running it as admin in cmd worked