Why does a package post-install command fail?

[Gregory DeCecco]

I am taking my first steps with UIM package creation, investigating what can and cannot be done with each field/parameter in the GUI, so if my question seems unusual, this is why.

 

I have created a new, empty package, with the following parameters:

<package info>
   name = Training-New_Folder
   description = Create a folder using the Pre/Post Install Commands
   copyright = (C) Copyright 2018
   group = Training
   author = my_name
   date = 8/29/2018
   version = 1.0
   build = 2
   no_drop = no
</package info>
<Windows>
   name = Training-New_Folder
   type = simple
   OStype = windows
   OS = 
   pre-install = mkdir C:\New_Folder_PreInstallCommand
   post-install = mkdir C:\New_Folder_PostInstallCommand
   update = 
</Windows>

After deployment to a Windows VM, the folder "PreInstall" is created, but "PostInstall" is missing.  Furthermore, there is an error in the log file 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Nimsoft\robot\controller.log':

 

Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller: ----- Robot controller 7.80 [Build 7.80.3132, Jun  1 2015] started -----
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller:  Name   = winrm, IP = IP, Port = 48000
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller:  OS     = Windows / Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Evaluation, 64-bit / Service Pack 0 Build 9600
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller:  Domain = TheEvilNetwork
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller:  Primary HUB = /TheEvilNetwork/Nimsoft_hub/Nimsoft IP
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller:  Loglevel = 0, Logfile = controller.log
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller:  Running as user SYSTEM
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller: ----- 
Aug 29 15:12:08:346 [3068] Controller: Controller on winrm port 48000 started
Aug 29 15:12:09:346 [3068] Controller: Hub Nimsoft_hub(IP) contact established
Aug 29 15:14:55:736 [3068] Controller: post-install 'mkdir C:\Training-New_Folder_PostInstallCommand' failed, error = The system cannot find the file specified.   (2)
Aug 29 15:14:55:736 [3068] Controller: inst_execute - error in attempt to run post-install 'mkdir C:\Training-New_Folder_PostInstallCommand'

 

Why is the post-install command failing?

[Gene Howard]

Usually in UIM when you have a field for a command it is expecting a name of a batch file or script that is local to the probe and does not have spaces in the command line.

I would suggest creating  batch file called pre-install.bat and once called post-intall.bat to run your commands from there.

[Gregory DeCecco]

I modified the package by adding "cmd.exe /C" to the beginning of the pre/post install commands and it created both folders without issue.

 

<Windows>
   name = Training-New_Folder
   type = simple
   OStype = windows
   OS =
   pre-install = cmd.exe /C mkdir C:\New_Folder_PreInstallCommand
   post-install = cmd.exe /C mkdir C:\New_Folder_PostInstallCommand
   update =
</Windows>

So while this is not an answer, it is a viable workaround.