PowerShell DSC Resource to Install / Uninstall Windows Desktop Applications.

You can install the resource from PowerShell Gallery.

Install-Module -Name DSCR_Application

• cApplication DSC Resource to Install / Uninstall Windows Desktop Applications. It is easier to use and more flexible compared to the built-in "Package" resource.

There are many properties, but most are optional. You can use this resource simply or flexibly. Please see the "Examples" section below.

• [string] Ensure (Write):

  • Specifies whether or not the application should be installed or not.
  • The default value is Present. { Present | Absent }.

• [string] Name (key):

  • The name of the application that should be installed or uninstalled. You can confirm an accurate name of the application from "Programs and Features" in the control panel.

• [bool] Fuzzy (Write):

  • If specified this property as $true, you can use regular expressions in the Name property.
  • The default value is $false.
  • ⚠️ Be careful that the RegExp matches only one application.

• [string] ProductId (Write):

  • The GUID of the application.
  • This is the optional parameter. If this property is specified, the Name property will be ignored.

• [string] Version (Write):

  • Indicates the expected version string of the application.
  • When the property not specified, This resource simply tests whether the application is installed or not. But when specified, This also tests the installed version is match the expected one.

• [bool] UseSemVer (Write):

  • If specified this property as $true, you can use a node-semver like range syntax for testing the version of the application.
  • Please see the usage examples.
  • The default value is $false.
  • If the Version property is not specified, this property will be ignored.

• [string] InstalledCheckFilePath (Write):

  • The file path of the application should be created.
  • If this property is specified, This resource judge whether the application is installed or not by whether the path exists or not.

• [string] InstalledCheckScript (Write):

  • You can specify the PowerShell commands or ScriptBlock that for test whether the application is installed or not.
  • ScriptBlock should return $true or $false

• [string] InstallerPath (Required):

  • The path to the installer or uninstaller file.
  • You can use Local file / UNC / http / https / ftp . (if specified http/https/ftp. the file will be downloaded to temp dir before installation)

• [PSCredential] Credential (Write):

  • The credential for access to the installer on a remote source if needed.
  • ⚠️ If you want to run the installation as specific user, you need to use PsDscRunAsCredential standard property.

• [UInt32] ProcessTimeout (Write):

  • The timeout seconds of installation process.
  • The default value is 2147483. (0 to 2147483)

• [UInt32] DownloadTimeout (Write):

  • The timeout seconds of download the installer from http/https/ftp.
  • The default value is 900. (0 is infinite)

• [string] FileHash (Write):

  • The expected hash value of the installer file at the given path.
  • This is the optional parameter. Hash will be tested only when the param specified.

• [string] HashAlgorithm (Write):

  • The algorithm used to generate the given hash value.
  • The default value is SHA256 { SHA1 | SHA256 | SHA384 | SHA512 | MD5 | RIPEMD160 }

• [string] Arguments (Write):

  • The arguments to be passed to the installer during installation if needed.

• [string] ArgumentsForUninstall (Write):

  • The arguments to be passed to the uninstaller during uninstallation if needed.

• [string] WorkingDirectory (Write):

  • Sets the working directory for the process to be started.

• [bool] UseUninstallString (Write):

  • If specified this property as $true, This resource will use the standard uninstall method that is registered in the registry value of "UninstallString" to uninstall programs.
  • The default value is $false.
  • If specified as $true, InstallerPath and ArgumentsForUninstall will be ignored.

• [UInt32[]] ReturnCode (Write):

  • Indicates the expected return code. If the return code does not match the expected value, the configuration will return an error.
  • The default value is (0, 1641, 3010).

• [bool] NoRestart (Write):

  • When this property as $true, This resource does not set RebootNodeIfNeeded to $true even if the system requires a reboot after installation.
  • The default value is $false.

• [string] PreAction (Write):

  • You can specify the PowerShell commands or ScriptBlock that will execute before installation or uninstallation.

• [string] PostAction (Write):

  • You can specify the PowerShell commands or ScriptBlock that will execute after installation or uninstallation.

• [string] PreCopyFrom (Write):

  • You can copy extra files before installation or uninstallation.
  • Copied files will delete automatically after installation finished.

• [string] PreCopyTo (Write):

  • The path of the directory which the file specified by PreCopyFrom is saved.

• [string] LogLevel (Write):

  • Specifies the level of logging output to the Verbose stream.
  • The default value is All { None | Minimal | Moderate | All }

• Example 1: Install Visual Studio Code [Simple scenario]

Configuration Example1
{
    Import-DscResource -ModuleName DSCR_Application
    cApplication VSCode
    {
        Name = 'Microsoft Visual Studio Code'
        InstallerPath = 'C:\VSCodeSetup-1.12.2.exe'
        Arguments = '/verysilent /mergeTasks="!runCode"'
    }
}

• Example 2: Install Latest version of Flash Player Plugin [Advanced scenario]

Configuration Example2
{
    Import-DscResource -ModuleName DSCR_Application
    cApplication FlashPlayer
    {
        Name = 'Adobe Flash Player \d  NPAPI'   # You can use RegExp when Fuzzy=$true
        Fuzzy = $true
        # Download installer from internet.
        InstallerPath = "http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/flashplayer/latest/help/install_flash_player.exe"
        Arguments = '-install'
    }
}

• Example 3: Install Firefox v53.0.3 to the custom directory [Complex scenario]

Configuration Example3
{
    Import-DscResource -ModuleName DSCR_Application
    cApplication Firefox53
    {
        Name = 'Mozilla Firefox [\.\d]  \(x64 en-US\)' # Use RegExp
        Fuzzy = $true
        Version = '53.0.3'
        InstallerPath = '\\FileServer\Installer\Firefox Setup 53.0.3.exe'
        Credential = $Cred  # Credential for FileServer
        Arguments = '/INI=C:\config.ini'
        PreAction = {
                "[Install]`r`nInstallDirectoryPath=`"C:\Firefox\`"" | Out-File C:\config.ini -Encoding Ascii
            }   # Create config.ini before installation
        PostAction = 'del C:\config.ini -Force' # Remove config.ini after installation
    }
}

• Example 4: Install the Microsoft Edge only if the machine don't have it or the version is less than 80.0. [How to use USeSemVer option]

Configuration Example4
{
    Import-DscResource -ModuleName DSCR_Application
    cApplication MSEdge80 
    {
        Name = 'Microsoft Edge'
        Version = '>=80.0'  # This range expression indicates that version 80.0 or higher is desirable
        UseSemVer = $true
        InstallerPath = 'C:\MicrosoftEdgeEnterpriseX64.msi'
        Arguments = '/qn'
    }
}

• Improve log messages.

• Add LogLevel property.

• TimeoutSec property is changed to DownloadTimeout.
• Add ProcessTimeout property.
• Return 1460 instead of an error when process timeout occurs.

• Improved the behavior when downloading files from network that behind of a proxy.

• Add UseSemVer property.
  You can test if the desired version of the application is installed using node-semver like range syntax.

• Fixed: Error occurred after installation if the URL of a MSI installer is specified.

• Fixed: Test-TargetResource fails if there is an app that has some wildcard chars. #8
• Avoid positional parameters. #10

• Enable TLS 1.2 when the file download from web. (only if it has not enabled)

• Revert the changes "Changed to stop processing if multiple applications matching the search criteria." in 3.0.0. This changes happens an application error in some scenarios.

• Add WorkingDirectory property.
• Changed to stop processing if multiple applications matching the search criteria.

• Improve error handling.

• Faster file download with http/https/ftp
• Fixed an issue that the error occurred when a FTP URL is specified to InstallerPath.

• Fixed an issue that timeout error may occurred unexpectedly during installation.

• Correct the default value of UseUninstallString property to $false.
• Add a sample configuration for uninstall.
• Fix examples in the README.

• Fix PSSA issues.
• Remove unnecessary files in the published data.

• Improve error handling
• Add InstalledCheckScript property #4

• Fix issue that An error may occur in an environment with only one installed application. #3

• Add InstalledCheckFilePath property
• Fix issue that some applications are judged as not installed even if it is installed.

• Fix failure of file download when InstallerPath is not a direct link #1