Lotus Notes 8.5.

2 client installation and configuration with minimal end user intervention

This is a short guide to introduce Lotus Notes 8.5.2 client installation and configuration with minimal end
user intervention to you.

1. Lotus Notes 8.5.2 client silent installation

In many cases, IT team or Lotus maintenance group have to install Lotus Notes client remotely or have to
initiate Lotus Notes client installation process when and ens user logs in. There are useful, centrally
managed tools for Windows, Linux and Machintos desktops to start Lotus Notes installation process but,
basically, somebody has to enter some information. To avoid this you can create a batch process with
parameters to run Lotus Notes program code installation without end user intervention. The sample, below,
installs Lotus Notes client with Activities and Composite Application Editor (CAE) into the defined
directories, silently (Link) on Windows.
setup /s /V"SELECTINSTALLFEATURES=Activities,Editors PROGDIR=\"C:\Program Files\Lotus\Notes\"
DATADIR=\"C:\Program Files\Lotus\Notes\Data\" /qn"

The next command installs Lotus Notes client in multi user mode silently (Link).
need to add a space between =1 and /qb - i.e.
setup /v"SETMULTIUSER=1 /qb"

2. Lotus Notes 8.5.2 configuration at first start with minimal end user intervention
To install Lotus Notes program code silently is a well-know process from Lotus Notes release 6.x but it is
just the first step to run and use the client. The next step is to start pure installation and finalise installation
with entering parameters. Because end users do not need to know Lotus Domino server name, Sametime
server name, etc., it really inconvenient to ask the information and enter them into the right fields. It team
can prepare a pre-configuration file for a new user and anyone can start Lotus Notes client with using that
file for the first start. In this case, end user will enter his/her Lotus Notes password and the client will be
ready to use. Here you are the steps how to prepare it.

*Important!
On Windows workstations you must install Lotus Notes client in multi user mode. On Linux
desktops there is no way to change mode. Lotus Notes client will be installed in multi user mode.
Lotus Notes multi user install changes Windows configuration. Every time, when a new user logs in
first, Lotus Notes folders is being created automatically under his/her home folder (for example:
“C:\Documents and Settings\Andras Horvath\Local Settings\Application data\Lotus\Notes\Data\”) and
some file (for example notes.ini) will be copied into the data folder.
Lotus Notes multi install does not changes Linux configuration. Every time, when a new user logs in
first, Lotus Notes preparation script (you have to create it!) should be run. The script has to create
“/home/%USERNAME%/lotus/notes/data/” folder structure and set the right permission.
If you store user id files on network drives and all users have home folder, for example H:, you can use
them. In that case use KeyfileName=H:\xxxx.id in setup file. Any other case you have to make id file
being available. For example, copy it into Lotus Notes client data folder.

Prepare customised notes.ini file for a user and overwrite original /lotus/notes/data/notes.ini file with it.
Sample notes.ini file for customisation on Windows.
*Comment: “” means you have to enter it into one line but you do not need to enter quotation marks
[Notes]
KitType=1
InstallType=6
InstallMode=1
“SharedDataDirectory=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Lotus\Notes\Data\Shared”
NotesProgram=c:\Program Files\IBM\Lotus\Notes\

1
 Lotus Notes 8.5.2 client installation and configuration with minimal end user intervention

“Directory=C:\Documents and Settings\Andras Horvath\Local Settings\Application

Data\Lotus\Notes\Data”
“CONFIGFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\Andras Horvath\Local Settings\Application
Data\Lotus\Notes\Data\ahorvath_config.txt”

Sample notes.ini file for customisation on Linux:

[Notes]
Directory=/home/Andras Horvath/lotus/notes/data
KitType=1
InstallMode=1
InstallType=6
NotesProgram=/opt/ibm/lotus/notes
SharedDataDirectory=/opt/ibm/lotus/notes/data/shared
CONFIGFILE=/home/Andras Horvath/lotus/notes/data/ahorvath_config.txt

Prepare customised setup file for a user and copy it into /lotus/notes/data/ folder.
Sample setup file (ahorvath_config.txt) for customisation on Windows:
Username=Andras Horvath/demo
KeyfileName="C:\Documents and Settings\Andras Horvath\Local Settings\Application
Data\Lotus\Notes\Data\ahorvath.id
Domino.Name=domino01/demo
Domino.Address=domino01.demo.org
Domino.Port=TCPIP
Domino.Server=1
AdditionalServices=-1
AdditionalServices.NetworkDial=0
Replication.Treshold=9999
Replication.Schedule=0
IM.Server=stserver.demo.org
IM.Protocol=0

Sample setup file (ahorvath_config.txt) for customisation on Linux:

Username=Andras Horvath/demo
Domino.Name=domino01/demo
Domino.Address=domino01.demo.org
Keyfilename=/home/Andras Horvath/lotus/notes/data/ahorvath.id
Domino.Port=TCPIP
Domino.Server=1
AdditionalServices=-1
AdditionalServices.NetworkDial=0
Replication.Treshold=9999
Replication.Schedule=0

You find more parameters, like Sametime setup HERE

CHECKLIST:
– customised notes.ini file in Lotus Notes client data directory
– customised setup file in Lotus Notes client data directory or on network drive like H:
– Lotus Notes client user id file in Lotus Notes client data directory or on network drive like H:

Start Lotus Notes client and check right behaviour:

1. On Linux, end user has to accept licence. Type 1 and Enter
2. On Linux and Windows end user has to enter his/her password
3. Lotus Notes client starts