Templafy Desktop deployment

Templafy Desktop is the client Templafy uses to deploy add-ins for MS Office. This article explains how to install it in local machine, in current user context, with multiple authentication methods and Citrix/RDS environment. Furthermore, you'll find Templafy Desktop installation paths and Templafy Desktop registry entries. 

Installation in Current User context

Templafy Desktop installs as default into Current User context (HKCU) and the .msi installer does not require admin rights for installation.

MSIEXEC /i TemplafyDesktop.[tenant].msi /quiet

Central Deployment using SCCM

Templafy Desktop can be centrally distributed by using the parameter ALLUSERS="1" that should be added when deploying via SCCM. Additionally, the "Installation behavior" within "User Experience" should be set to "Install for system".

Run this command in an Admin/Elevated prompt or using SCCM:

MSIEXEC /i TemplafyDesktop.[tenant].msi ALLUSERS="1" /quiet

For every user that logs into the targeted PC, Templafy Desktop will start in the Current User context. This is to ensure that many of Templafy's features will be able to run without requiring admin rights or changing permissions on shared folders.

The Templafy Desktop.msi will download the Client version to %programdata% which is shared between users on a machine and holds non-office specific features, such as:

• Offline Synchronization
• Font Distribution.

The client version will then install the VSTO add-in into %localappdata% and sync offline files to this location, as all users do not necessarily have access to the same files.

Installation with multiple authentication methods

If you have more than one authentication method in Templafy that redirects to different SSO forests, you need a specific URL to initiate the SP-Login.

If you, for instance, have showcase.templafy.com as the tenant name, and have two authentication methods:

• showcasedenmark.templafy.com
• showcasesweden.templafy.com

Then you need to install Templafy Desktop with the following parameter:

MSIEXEC /i TemplafyDesktop.[tenant].msi AUTHENTICATIONMETHOD=[authentication tenant] /quiet

 where [authentication tenant] would be "showcasedenmark" or "showcasesweden"

Example of installing the above example for Danish users:

MSIEXEC /i TemplafyDesktop.showcase.msi AUTHENTICATIONMETHOD="showcasedenmark" /quiet

Templafy Desktop Installation Paths

• In HKLM %programfiles(x86)%\Templafy\Desktop
  The Templafy Desktop Host is installed in this location
• In HKCU %localappdata%\Templafy\Desktop
  The Templafy Desktop Host is installed in this location
• %programdata%\Templafy\Desktop
  The Templafy Desktop Client is installed in this location
• %localappdata%\Templafy\AddIns
  The addins for Office is installed here via Templafy Desktop Client
• %appdata%\Microsoft\Signatures
  Email Signatures created via the Templafy addins are stored here. In the native Signatures folder for Outlook (“…\Signatures” may change depending on Office language installations and version)
• %localappdata%\Templafy\Desktop\Logs
  Log files related to TemplafyDesktop is stored in this location (when updating)
• %temp%\Templafy
  All assets (images, texts, shapes) inserted via Templafy add-ins are stored here temporarily. After the user exits the Office application using them, they will get deleted.

Templafy Desktop Registry Entries

The Registry Keys are stored in [HKCU or HKLM\SOFTWARE\Templafy] based on how Templafy Desktop was installed, i.e if it is installed in local machine or current user context.

Installation of Templafy Desktop in server mode

All the information around installing Templafy Desktop in server mode is highlighted in Templafy Desktop Server Mode.

Uninstalling Templafy Desktop

Information around uninstalling Templafy Desktop is highlighted in Uninstalling Templafy Desktop.

How to troubleshoot installation of Templafy Desktop

If any issues arise during the installation of TemplafyDesktop.msi, please add the below switch to add logging which will help to troubleshoot the installation:

/lvd* "log.txt"

Known paths/keys to confirm are not removed upon installation

1. Ensure the folder AppData\Local\Assembly is not automatically removed upon installation.
   • Common if FSLogix is utilized.
2. Ensure the following three ciphers are not automatically removed upon installation.
   • Registry path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Cryptography\Configuration\Local\SSL\00010003
   • Value name: Functions
   • Value data:  RSAE-PSS/SHA256 RSAE-PSS/SHA384 RSAE-PSS/SHA512
     • There are more ciphers within this value, but the three listed above have been identified as critical to Templafy Desktop installation.