Enabling legacy path-based import/export

[Jeremy_Saunders]

Hi,

I would like to be able to enable "legacy" path-based import/export as I want to use DEM as it used to work for the use case I am working on.

I want to use the command line similar to this...

"C:\Program Files\Immidio\Flex Profiles\FlexEngine.exe" -r "\\server\\share$\profile\%username%.%userdomain%\Migration" -i "\\server\share$\FlexProfiles\general\FlexRepository -R -f "\\server\share$\profile\%username%.%userdomain%\MigrationLogs\FlexEngine.log" -l DEBUG

When I attempt to run FlexEngine.exe in using these command line arguments to export and import, the logs will say "[DEBUG] Skipping legacy path-based export" and "[DEBUG] Skipping legacy path-based import".

However, it does trigger during a standard user logon and logoff. The logs say “[INFO ] Performing path-based export” and “[INFO ] Performing path-based import”.

Stopping and disabling the “VMware DEM Service” (ImmidioFlexProfiles) service, stops it from triggering for logon and logoff events, which is good, as I don’t want it to work that way because of the use case I implementing this for. However, even with this service stopped the command line still tells me that it’s skipping legacy path-based imports and exports.

I’m using one of the latest versions, which is 10.4.0.1013 Standard Edition, and unsure if this is a change in the way the newer versions work. I haven't used this for about 3 years now.

Is there a configuration I'm missing or any trick that I haven't read about to get the legacy mode working?

The only Group Policy setting I can see is to run the FlexEngine at logon and logoff using the Group Policy Extension, so I’ve disabled this in case it’s defaulting to enabled.

• Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Immidio\Flex Profiles\Arguments
• Type: DWORD
• Value: GPClientSideExtension
• Data: 0

It made no difference.

I put together the following batch file to test different scenarios….

-------------------------------------------------------

rem Notes:

rem   UEMConfigShare is an existing User Environment Variable set to \\fileserver\share$\FlexProfiles\general

rem   UEMProfileArchives is an existing User Environment Variable set to \\fileserver\share$\profile\<username>.<userdomain>\Migration

rem   -b- argument to prevent creating backups

Set UEMProfileLogs=\\fileserver\share$\profile\%username%.%userdomain%\MigrationLogs

rem Exporting the settings referencing an individual ini works, and is not considered legacy.

"%ProgramFiles%\Immidio\Flex Profiles\FlexEngine.exe" -i "%UEMConfigShare%\TestApp.ini" -s "%UEMProfileArchives%\TestApp.zip" -b- -R -f "%UEMProfileLogs%\FlexEngine.log" -l DEBUG

rem Exporting the settings referencing the config share fails as it's considered legacy, so is skipped

rem "%ProgramFiles%\Immidio\Flex Profiles\FlexEngine.exe"-s "%UEMProfileArchives%" -i "%UEMConfigShare%" -b- -R -f "%UEMProfileLogs%\FlexEngine.log" -l DEBUG

rem Exporting the settings allowing FlexEngine to read its config, also fails, as it's considered legacy, so is skipped.

rem "%ProgramFiles%\Immidio\Flex Profiles\FlexEngine.exe" -s -f "%UEMProfileLogs%\FlexEngine.log" -l DEBUG

-------------------------------------------------------

Whilst I can create a line for each ini file, or combine multiple apps into a single ini file, I would prefer legacy mode working.

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[Jeremy_Saunders]

I've confirmed that version 9.11 works as expected, so I would suggest that 10.x has changed the way the product works. Just disappointed that there isn't any documentation around this, or the mention of "legacy".

Even though 9.11 works as expected, I will forge ahead with 10.4 and individual command lines for each ini file, as I want to ensure I can continue to leverage the latest version of DEM on the new Windows Operating Systems without running into further support issues.

In fact, I can just write a script that will enumerate all ini files and process them one at a time.

It would be great if someone from Engineering could confirm my issue and findings.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[itsameavi]

i've opened SR for this it's happening for us as well after we upgraded from 9

@DEMdev 

we use this command 

"C:\Program Files\Immidio\Flex Profiles\FlexEngine.exe" -s \\DEMShare\VDIProfiles\DEMProfiles-PROD\%username%\Archives -i \\DEMShare\VDIProfiles\DEMConfig\General -R -C -F -v -f \\DEMShare\VDIProfiles\DEMUSERLogs-PROD\%UserName%\Logs\FlexEngine-Brown.log -M 2048 -l DEBUG

[Jeremy_Saunders]

VMware did eventually add the following KB article, but it's not really accurate.

DEM settings do not apply and FlexDebug only logs " [DEBUG] Skipping legacy path-based import" (9007...

This means that you potentially need to change your usage of DEM when you upgrade from 9 to 10.

I've received no information or feedback from anyone at VMware regarding this.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[Jeremy_Saunders · Accepted solution]

In the end I wrote a PowerShell script to enumerate all ini files and process them one at a time. I've documented the approach I took and the script for others to use: https://www.jhouseconsulting.com/2023/08/28/user-profile-migration-strategy-and-powershell-script-wi...

Cheers,

Jeremy

[itsameavi]

we cleared the logoff scripts we had and that solved it,

thanks!

[Jeremy_Saunders]

It doesn't resolve it. You're simply just removing the legacy export (logoff script) method. You may not have misunderstood the original post where I want to continue to use the legacy methods. As VMware have stated under https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/90079, this is a change in their design for DEM version 10. I wrote an article to demonstrate how I resolved it and was able to continue to use the legacy method. Please follow the answer I marked as the solution.

Cheers,

Jeremy