Install Application Workspace Agent Bootstrapper

  • Published on Apr 16, 2025
  • 5 minute(s) read
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Application Workspace Agent Bootstrapper is a tool that assists in installing or updating the Liquit Workspace Agent/Application Workspace Agent, and optionally in running a deployment after installation. It runs on both Windows and macOS platforms.
The bootstrapper can be downloaded from our Downloads page.

Prerequisites

Application Workspace Server and Agent versions

Depending on the OS, the bootstrapper requires a minimum version of Application Workspace Server and Agent to function properly:
Windows - Application Workspace Server and Agent 3.9.2712
macOS - Application Workspace Server and Agent 4.0

Privileges

Depending on the OS, the bootstrapper must be always executed with certain privileges:
Windows - Administrator privileges
MacOS - Root privileges

One argument per line for macOS

If you do not specify arguments on a command line, the bootstrapper will proceed to read a .txt file that contains the list of your arguments. The file must be named "arguments.txt" and you must insert the arguments one per line, otherwise it won't be able to read them.

Stages chronology

Uninstalling

If the uninstall command is specified, the uninstall process is triggered and the rest of the bootstrapper processes are ignored.

  • On Windows, the bootstrapper searches the first Agent installation it can find in the registry. Searching for the DisplayName matching "Application Workspace Agent" or "Liquit Workspace Agent", and use its GUID to run the msiexec /x command.
  • On macOS, the Agent launch daemon is unloaded. Then the following folders are deleted:
    ~/Library/Caches/com.liquit.agent
    /Applications/Liquit.app
    /Library/Caches/com.liquit.agent

To uninstall multiple copies of the Liquit Workspace Agent you need to run the bootstrapper multiple times with the uninstall command specified.

Checking for Zone Override

If the zoneOverride= command is specified, the bootstrapper will write the value to the Agent configuration file before continuing.

  • On Windows, the bootstrapper will either use the Agent.JSON or Agent.XML configuration file depending on which is available next to the bootstrapper.
  • On macOS, the bootstrapper will use only the Agent.JSON configuration file.

Installing the certificate

If the certificate="path/to/file.cer" command is specified, the bootstrapper will copy the certificate to the Liquit local data folder:

  • On Windows, it is C:\ProgramData\Liquit\Agent
  • On macOS, it is /Library/Application Support/com.liquit.Agent

After that, it will add the "Type" = "Certificate"* data to the configuration file, under the "Registration" section.

If the certificateThumbprint="XYZ" command is specified, the bootstrapper will also write the value to the "Certificate Thumbprint" property under the "Registration" section in the configuration file.

Downloading the Agent Installer

Next, the bootstrapper will check if there is an Agent.MSI or Agent.EXE file for Windows or Agent.PKG for macOS is already present in the directory from which the bootstrapper is launched. If not, it will try to download it instead.

To download the file, the bootstrapper needs a direct download URL which you can specify by using the downloadUrl= command. Otherwise, it will use the configuration file to get the URL of the server zone (static server download feature).

Only certain versions of Application Workspace Server support downloading the installer file directly:

  • On Windows, Application Workspace Server 3.9.2608 or higher. Also:
    • If you're using a version lower than 4.0 the command /legacyDownload is mandatory. Option no longer available for versions higher than 4.3.
    • If you are using a version lower than 3.9.2608, and you are not including an installer file with the bootstrapper in the directory from which the bootstrapper is launched, then /downloadUrl= is mandatory.
    • If you are using the 4.0 version or higher, the bootstrapper will by default download the Application Workspace Agent installer. If you want to download the Liquit Workspace Agent instead, you need to specify the /legacyDownload command. Note that /legacyDownload option is no longer available for versions higher than 4.3.
  • On macOS, Application Workspace Server 4.0 or higher.

After downloading a file, the bootstrapper checks if it is valid.

Running the Agent Installer

The bootstrapper will then run the installer and check for a successful install afterwards. This behaviour is valid for both Windows and macOS.

  • if the startDeployment command is specified, the bootstrapper will:
    • run the ShellAPI deployment run command after a successful installation.
    • will set the Deployment.Autostart.Enabled property to True in the configuration file. This is important because otherwise, the ShellAPI will not know which deployment to start.
  • if the waitForDeployment command is specified, the bootstrapper will wait until deployment is finished.

Command Line Options

All commands are case-insensitive.
On Windows commands are preceded by / and on macOS ones by --

/? or /help
--help

Lists the available commands with a short description of them.
Note that the help alias ? is not valid on macOS.

/forceDownload
--forceDownload

Forces the download from the specified URL even if the Agent installer is locally available.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/downloadUrl=https://example.com/some/direct/path/agent.MS
--downloadUrl=https://example.com/some/direct/path/agent.MS

Uses the input after '=' as the download URL, instead of the static address.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/legacyDownload

If you're using the static server download feature, it will download the Workspace Agent instead of the Universal Agent installer.
Valid only on Windows. Option no longer available for versions higher than 4.3.

/startDeployment
--startDeployment

Runs the ShellAPI deployment start command after installing the Workspace Agent.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/waitForDeployment
--waitForDeployment

Halts the execution of the program as long as the deployment process is running. Will only work in combination with the /startDeployment command.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/skipOverrideConfig

Will not include 'OVERRIDE_CONFIG=1' for the MSI installation. See Universal Agent installation for more information about this command.
Valid only on Windows.

/logPath="c:\install"
--logPath="c:\install"

Specifies the directory where the log files will be placed. If you do not specify a path, the current working directory will be used.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/msiProperties="TEST=1 EXAMPLE=1"

Passes along the specified properties to the installer as command line arguments. See Universal Agent installation for more information about this command.
Valid only on Windows.

/zoneOverride="https://zone.example.com/"
--zoneOverride="https://zone.example.com/"

Writes the value to the Zone property in the Agent configuration file as specified in the Checking for Zone Override section of this article.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/certificate="path/to/file.cer"
--certificate="path/to/file.cer"

Installs the specified certificate to the Liquit local data folder.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/certificateThumbprint="XYZ"
--certificateThumbprint="XYZ"

Writes the specified certificate thumbprint in the configuration file.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/uninstall
--uninstall

Uninstalls the first Agent it can find in the registry.
Valid on Windows and macOS.

/certificateIssuer=
--certificateIssuer=

Writes the value to the Certificate Issuer property in the configuration file.
Valid on Windows and macOS.