Rules

• Creating Rules
• Installable Rules
• Installed Rules
• Superseded Rules
• Links

Creating Rules

The most important and difficult step in creating a package is crafting the installed and installable rules. LUP supports both Basic and MSI rules. To find out more information about each rule refer to the MS article listed below. To create or edit a rule, select the rule type you desire and then fill in the applicable details. Details that are required for a given rule are indicated using icons and the rule cannot be saved unless each requirement is met. Rules can be grouped into AND or OR blocks allowing you to create rule sets with Boolean logic. If you provide no grouping then the rules are grouped by default in an AND group.

Installable Rules

Installable Rules are used by the client to detect if the package is capable of installing itself and is applicable. For example, if you have a package that can or should only be installed on a Windows 7 desktop then you will want to use an appropriate Windows Version rule to prevent installations on other versions. You must have at least one installable rule.

Installed Rules

Installed rules are used to by the client determine if the update is already installed. If the update is installed the client will report this to the server. If the update is not installed it will attempt to do so if it applicable according to the Installable Rules. You must have at least one installable rule.

Superseded Rules

Superseded rules are used by the client to determine if the update is superseded. Use of these rules are rare and LUP does not provide a interface for changing them beyond editing the XML directly. Generally, package are superseded when a new package is published that has the old package listed on the list of superseded packages.

Links

MS Article explaining individual rules: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb531100.aspx

Troubleshooting detection logic: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/minfangl/archive/2011/10/26/troubleshoot-detection-logic-issue-for-updates-created-by-system-center-update-publisher-2011.aspx