Creating PDFs for Software Distribution

Creating a software distribution package is a process with several steps and many options. To simplify the process, many businesses use package definition files (PDFs), which automatically create a package and at least one program set up for typical business use, or for atypical business use, such as server-based applications.

SMS includes a number of PDFs that you can use to automate package creation in the SMS Administrator console. You can import PDFs into SMS by using the Distribute Software Wizard or the Create Package from Definition Wizard which enable you to create the package and programs in a single step. Using these wizards eliminates several steps in the software distribution process. PDFs are available for many popular applications, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. These files are also available for Windows NT service packs.

This chapter explains how to create PDFs for your own applications and how to use the PDFs for distributing those applications; it includes the following sections:

This chapter assumes that you have a basic understanding of SMS along with a knowledge of software distribution. For more information about SMS, see the SMS 2.0 Administrator’s Guide. For specific information about software distribution, see Chapter 12, “Distributing Software,” in the SMS 2.0 Administrator’s Guide.