Thanks Ken,
i tried run first, but i needed the routine to pause while the first install takes place then i can go into the next one.
i found my main problem with Vista; even though i'm running the script with "admin" rights (or what passes for admin rights around here) i need to have "elevated" privileges to install using a script. If i type the same command line it takes off. Go figure. i am barred from using any of the RUNNAS-type routines so i've got to work with what i've got.
What i can do is try to make a script that creates a directory, copies the existing template file into it and then parses that file to replace the "abc@" string with a user's credentials. i'm including the "@" because "abc" occurs other places within the template file and i want to make the right replacement.
i understand file parsing, but have never done it for real. How would i do it? Pass through the file until a variable containing "abc@" is filled, mark the beginning then replace it with another variable? The actual doing it is where i have problems.
Thanks,
Dave