Using UI++ With SCCM

[coolsport00]

Hello all -

My former co-worker implemented UI++ in our SCCM environment. It works ok; all is fine, but I need to make a change to the UI++ config file and not sure how. Before you say "contact the UI++ site"..yeah, I did already  The config file we use with UI++ is generally ok too; I just need to make some changes to the file so what is displayed via UI++ during imaging (pre-Task Sequence) shows the changes I made. We have UI++ configured as a Prestart Command within our Boot Image. Our Boot Image is configured with this cmd:
ui++64.exe /disabletsvareditor /config:http://sccm.server.com/SMS_DP_SMSPKG$/XML/UI.xml , as well as selecting the UNC to the source location to the UI++ executable

I located the file location of where "SMS_DP_SMSPKG$" IIS Virtual Application is, which is in SCCMContentLib folder, and I learned one should *not* modify files directly in this folder structure. But, I can't find where there was a Package or Application (surely, it wouldn't be this) created and pointing to this location to where I could go to the Package/App source and modify the file there, then Redistribute the updated content. There are other xml files in this folder seemingly used for testing, so I know it can be done somehow. There is actually another location both my Director & I thought is where our Boot Image referenced, but when I took a 2nd glance at what our Boot Image was referencing, this other location was not it, sadly (it was referencing the path I shared above). Anyway, does this location actually have to be from a Package for it to be used in the Boot Image? If not, then great..I can quit searching for a Package which isn't there. And if so, then how the heck do I modify this UI++ config file with my changes and  then update the content for the Boot Image to use it properly? Yes, I did try updating it directly within SCCMContentLib, then Redistributed Content on the Boot Image, but that didn't work. I'm perplexed.... 

Thank you for whatever assistance you can give.

[anyweb]

have you looked at this blog post yet ? https://www.recastsoftware.com/resources/configmgr-docs/configmgr-community-tools/ui/

[coolsport00]

Hey there @anyweb ...thanks for the response. Yessir...sure did. It didn't really discuss what I'm needing; nor does he use the method we are for the config. I just wish the creator of UI++ would go into juuuust a bit more detail in his documentation. 

After I get my environment updated, which we're right in the middle of, I'll revisit this. Hopefully within a week or so. I'm sure I can modify this file directly from that virtual directory...somehow. When/if I get this figured out, I'll post back. But, if you know of any other solution, I'm open to suggestions. Thanks!

[danzi]

We use UI++ and it works great. We did not disable the TSVarEditor, as our tech staff won't do much in there. We use it the same way. Store the xml on a web location. You don't need a package that way. UI++ is injected into the boot image Extra Files and some bits need to be added to folders for it to work.

But there is a forum to pust your XML on ui++ website and they'll help you to modify whatever you are trying to achieve

[coolsport00]

Hey @danzi - thanks for the info. My former co-worker seemed to create an "XML" directory in that IIS Virtual Directory location. Last wk when I was attempting to modify the config file, I'd first backup the config file (not changing it..just the name), then make a copy of it & modify it. I'd then restart WWW service and then Redistribute the Boot Image, but then when PXE booting, UI++ wouldn't come up..just the Task Sequence window. Once I changed the UI config backup file back to its orig name, it would then work (this of course was the non-modified config file). So I'm not sure how to get my changed config file to work with the Boot Image. You have the link to this forum you're referring to, please? Thanks again.

[learning_by_failing]

If UI++ is not launching, there is possibly an error in the XML. If you copy everything locally are you able to launch UI++ Successfully? 

[coolsport00]

@learning_by_failing - copy locally and point the Boot Image to the 'local' directory? I hadn't tried that. I will test that out...thanks!

[coolsport00]

Actually...I had tried this already, but when I PXE booted, no UI++. I'll reattempt though as it may have been I had misconfigurations in the modified config file. Still open for anyone's suggestions though still  

[fritschetom]

I have seen this but have been unable to figure out why.  In my Win 11 22H2 Windows PE environment UI++ will not launch while working from my Hyper-V VM.  If I use the same package/config in my Win 11 21H2 Windows PE environment it works fine.  Also I have had reports that UI++ still works while on a physical device in the Win11 22H2 PE environment just not Hyper-V.  Again not sure why it works on 21H2 but not 22H2.  Hopefully someone else is able to assist further.

 

[coolsport00]

I know it's been a while since I posted this question, I've been inundated with actual other work  I wanted to provide an update on this.

So, as I shared above, we use a default SCCM Web Site (SMS_DP_SMSPKG$) to house our UI++ xml file, which the physical location is in \\sccm-install-dir\SCCMContentLib\ folder. Then, we configure our Boot Image to point to this location in the Customization tab, as a prestart command, to use UI++.

For us, we don't house the UI xml file in any of the default SCCM directories in this location, but seemingly a manually created "XML" folder, so: \\sccm-install-dir\SCCMContentLib\XML\UI.xml. When I was attempting to make changes (i.e. serverely clean up) our UI xml file, when attempting to image a device, UI++ wouldn't come up...our Task Sequence would. Someone above I believe suggested this could be because of an syntax error within the xml file. This still could be so. But, when I attempted to change the path of the xml in our Boot Image to point to an unaltered xml file, the same behavior happened...so I don't know. 

Fast foward to a day ago - we use our xml file to image various model computers in our environment. We since have procured a new model and needed to add it to our UI xml file. When we did so, it worked. No going directly to Task Sequence and skipping UI++ when imaging. 🤔 So, I don't know. That's where I'm at. I still need to make radical changes (remove a lot of things we no longer use/need) from our xml file. So, we'll see if the original unwanted behavior continues. For now, all is well. I'll post back if I continue having problems.

Thanks for all the suggestions.