Silent Installation (Offline/Online)

For this installation type, you will use sam_apply.exe (typically installed in C:\Program Files\SOFiSTiK\common\SOFiSTiK Application Manager (SAM)\sam_apply.exe).

You can choose the source of the installation packages:

1. By default, sam_apply.exe will download and install from SOFiSTiK repository.
2. Alternatively, you can use Offline Installation Files to install from your own repository.

Use Offline Installation Files

1. Copy the repository directory to a location your clients can access. This location can be one of:

   • Network Share (SMB)
   • Web Server (HTTP/HTTPS)
   • Local Absolute Path (C:\sofistik_mirror)

2. Your repository will contain the newest sam.msi. Make sure to deploy it on your clients and keep it updated.

3. Point the client to your repository via ‘’repository’’ registry key in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SOFiSTiK\SAM (for example, with reg.exe or regedit.exe).

   • Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SOFiSTiK\SAM
   • Name: repository
   • Type: REG_SZ
   • Examples for REG_SZ value:
   • Value: file://C:\local\sofistik_mirror
   • or Value: file://server/sofistik_mirror
   • or Value: http://server/sofistik_mirror
   • or Value: https://server/sofistik_mirror

   

To Start the Installation

1. Make sure that your computer/client is ready for installation. See: Preparation

2. On your clients, install SOFiSTiK Application Manager from repository or sam.msi .

3. Download a configuration file sample_install.json and modify it to your needs. This file describes all products and parameters for the installation/update/deinstallation.

4. Make sure that all required platform products are installed on your clients (e.g. SOFiPLUS requires Autodesk AutoCAD).

5. (Optional) Install CodeMeter User Runtime for licensing. The latest setup can be found here: http://codemeter.com/us/service/downloads.html

6. In an administrative command shell call:

   "C:\Program Files\SOFiSTiK\common\SOFiSTiK Application Manager (SAM)\sam_apply.exe" --cli-input-json "C:\sofistik_mirror\sample_install.json"
   

7. Wait for the installation to complete. A Windows reboot might be necessary to apply all changes afterwards.

Note

Each execution of sam_apply.exe creates a log file (sam_apply_*.log) in the administrative user’s %TEMP% directory. The log files are numbered, the highest number corresponding to the latest execution. This log file can be analysed to track down issues during the installation.

sample_install.json

To download a sample file: sample_install.json For silent installations, because the command line parameters for several options and products can get really long and complicated, we decided to put them in a configuration file. In this *.json file (e.g. sample_install.json) all installation settings can be configured to your likings. A json file is an open-standard file format, comparable with xml or yaml. You can check for syntax errors with online tools when you search for “json validator”.

You can configure the following settings:

• cmdline_to_install: This list field is used to determine wich products will be installed. Per default, the newest service pack available is installed (e.g. “sofiplus_50”). If you know what you do, you can specify the exact service pack with “{product_id}=={servicepack}.{hotfix}” e.g. “sofiplus_50==2.0”. This can make sense if your licenses are too old to use the latest service pack.

  • Each entry is a product identifier.
  • It is important to use the same version for all related products (within the same group)! Do not mix versions.
  • Version 2018-0 would be ==0.0. This is the first released version, e.g. “sofistik_50==0.0”
  • Version 2018-1 would be ==1.0. This is the version string for service pack 1.
  • Version 2018-2.1 would be ==2.1. This is the version string for Hotfix 2.1. e.g. “sofistik_50==2.1”

• target_directory: SOFiSTiK root directory for installations.
• language: Select the user interface language of the products. Can be en (English) or de (German).
• product_msi_parameters. For example, depending on your AutoCAD 2018 version and language, you have to change the registry key SOFTWARE\\Autodesk\\AutoCAD\\R22.0\\ACAD-1001:409.

List of Product Identifiers

Note

When installing either one of SOFiPLUS, SOFiPLUS-X, SOFiCAD or SOFiCAD-OEM, make sure to also install the corresponding Object Enabler package (Example: sofiplus_50 also requires oe_50).

Group fea-2018

Product	Id
SOFiSTiK 2018	sofistik_50
SOFiPLUS 2018 (AutoCAD 2018)	sofiplus_50
SOFiPLUS 2018 (AutoCAD 2019)	sofiplus_69
SOFiPLUS-X 2018 - English	sofiplus-x-enu_50
SOFiPLUS-X 2018 - Deutsch (German)	sofiplus-x-deu_50
SOFiSTiK FEA Extension 2018	feax_51
SOFiSTiK Analysis + Design for Revit 2019	feax_61
Object Enabler 2018 (AutoCAD 2018)	oe_50
Object Enabler 2018 (AutoCAD 2019)	oe_69
SOFiSTiK Rhinoceros Interface 2018 (Rhino 6)	rhino_69

Group soficad-2018

Product	Id
SOFiCAD 2018 (AutoCAD 2018)	soficad_50
SOFiCAD 2018 (AutoCAD 2019)	soficad_69
SOFiCAD-OEM 2018 - Deutsch (German)	soficad-oem-deu_50
SOFiSTiK Export to SOFiCAD 2018	cadx_52
SOFiSTiK Export to SOFiCAD 2019	cadx_62
Object Enabler 2018 (AutoCAD 2018)	oe_50
Object Enabler 2018 (AutoCAD 2019)	oe_69

Group bimapps-2019

Product	Id
SOFiSTiK Analysis + Design for Revit 2019	feax_61

Group bimapps-2020

Product	Id
SOFiSTiK 3D-PDF Export 2020	revit_3dpdf_77
SOFiSTiK BiMTOOLS 2020	bimtools_76

Group tools

Product	Id
SOFiSTiK Application Manager	sam
CodeMeter Runtime (Licensing)	codemeter
Visual C++ Redistributable 2013	vc_redist_2013_x64
Visual C++ Redistributable 2015	vc_redist_2015_x64
Visual C++ Redistributable 2017	vc_redist_2017_x64

Service Pack Updates

1. (Optional) Edit your *.json file if needed as described in sample_install.json.
2. If you have an offline repository, update it and download the latest Serivce Pack as described in Offline Installation Files. Then run ‘’sam_apply.exe’’ with your correct ‘sample_install.json’ (usually no “==” SP restrictions).
3. If you download & install from SOFiSTiK servers, run ‘’sam_apply.exe’’ with your correct ‘sample_install.json’ (usually no “==” SP restrictions).