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Offline mode of Whatfix Desktop
  • 21 Aug 2024
  • 3 Minutes To Read
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Offline mode of Whatfix Desktop

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Article summary

Having constant access to the internet to stream desktop applications and provide unhindered access to their features is something that a lot of organizations sometimes face an issue with. Moreover, many desktop applications are used in remote environments, like ship decks and hospitals, where getting internet connectivity poses a problem. Other applications might also work in areas where network connections, though available, are slow.

In such situations, displaying Whatfix content becomes an issue, since end users require access to the internet to view and interact with Whatfix content. However, with Whatfix Desktop's offline mode feature, your organization can display Whatfix content to anyone, and at any time and place, without a need for network connectivity.

Any content that you wish to display can be packaged and deployed to end users along with the installation of Player on their devices. Thus, you can provide 24/7 support to end users and show contextual help through Flows, Popups, Smart Tips and Beacons, without them being dependent on external factors like location, network, weather conditions, and more.

There are two main steps required to display content offline.

  1. Install the Player and add Hosted Path
  2. Add Whatfix Desktop content inside the Player

Install the Player and add Hosted Path

Use the following steps to install the Player and add the Hosted Path:

  1. Download the Player's installation files using the following addons URL: WhatfixPlayerInstaller.msi.

  2. Open Windows Command Prompt and type cd to change the current directory to the downloaded folder.
    cmd-downloadfolder DT

  3. Run the following command to install the WhatfixPlayerInstaller file.

msiexec.exe /i WhatfixPlayerInstaller.msi ORG="provide the ORG ID here" HP="add the path of the exported package here" /q
  1. Provide the ORG and HP parameters in the aforementioned code.
your title goes here
  • The ORG is the unique ID assigned to your organization.
  • HP (hosted path) is the path to your hosting environment. To display content offline, enter orgs as the value for HP.
    For example,
    msiexec.exe /i WhatfixPlayerInstaller.msi ORG="provide the ORG ID here" HP="orgs" /q
    
your title goes here

There are some more optional parameters you can add while installing the Player, such as Port, Development Domain etc. The following is a demo code you can run, as well as a table explaing each parameter:

msiexec.exe /i WhatfixPlayerInstaller.msi ORG="provide the ORG ID here" HP="provide hosted path here" DD="https://whatfix.com" PORT="49999" INSTALLPATH="C:\Users\User\Desktop\code" /q
Parameter Description Mandatory
ORG The ORG is a unique identifier assigned to your organization. To get the value for ORG (i.e., Enterprise ID), contact your Whatfix Representative . Mandatory value
HP The hosted path (HP) parameter is the path to your hosting environment. By default, it will point to where the installer is built, i.e, the CDN URL. Optional
DD The development domain (DD) is the URL of the server where the installer is built. Optional
PORT The port number is used for debugging. By default, it is empty. Optional
INSTALLPATH This is the location where the Player is installed in your desktop. By default, it is in your local app data folder. Optional
/q This parameter ensures that the installation of the Player is done silently on your desktop. Optional
  1. Press Enter. If there is no error message, installation is successful.
Info

In case you are unable to add the Hosted Path of the package while installing the Player on end-users' computers, use the following steps to ensure content is fetched in the offline mode:

  1. Go to the Registry Editor.
    Under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, click SOFTWARE.
    hkey_software.png

  2. Double-click the Whatfix folder to see the Registry Entry of the Player.
    reggit_sli.png

  3. Double-click the HostedPath parameter.
    hostedpath.png

  4. In the popup that appears, under Value data, enter the complete path of the exported package folder that you had noted down in Step 6.
    valuedata.png

  5. Click OK.
    okhostedpath.png

  6. Once done, restart the Player for the changes to reflect.

Add Whatfix Desktop content inside the Player

Use the following steps to export and package Whatfix content inside the Player:

  1. Export the content you wish to display offline. For more information, see Enable Multi-format Content Export.
Info

Whatfix Desktop does not package the required content for you. You have to export it by following the steps in the aforementioned article.

  1. Once the package is downloaded, unzip the folder and copy the orgs file.
    copyfolder.png

  2. Go to where the Whatfix Player is installed on your device and click Whatfix Player.
    whatfixplayer.png

  3. Click src.
    src_player_folder.png

  4. Paste the exported package's folder inside the src folder.
    pasteexportedpackage.png

  5. Note down the complete path of the folder you have pasted.
    packagelocationpath.png


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