Add Pre/Post Scripts option in Patch My PC Publisher
Applies to: Patch My PC Publisher V3.x Available at level: Product Available on tab: WSUS Updates, ConfigMgr Apps, Intune Apps, Intune Updates
The Add Pre/Post Scripts option in Patch My PC (PMPC) Publisher lets you run your own scripts before or after an installation or an uninstallation. This includes the following scenarios:
Pre-install
Post-install
Pre-uninstall
Post-uninstall.
This feature provides flexibility for handling scenarios that the installer alone does not support. It allows you to perform preparation steps before an install or update, as well as cleanup or validation steps after completion.
Common use cases include uninstalling previous versions or different installer variants, such as removing an EXE-based installation to standardize on an MSI deployment, removing conflicting or superseded software, and performing environment-specific actions.
The feature also allows additional files and folders to be bundled with the application or update content, ensuring all required supporting files are available during installation.
Selecting this option opens the configuration dialog where scripts, arguments, and additional content can be defined.
The Add Pre/Post Scripts form defines how scripts and additional content are associated with an application or update. The options are available separately for Install and Uninstall.
Install and Uninstall tabs
The Install tab controls scripts that are run during installation or update, whereas the Uninstall tab controls the scripts that run during application removal.
Each tab is configured independently, allowing different pre- and post-scripts to be defined for install and uninstall scenarios.
Pre/Post Script
The Pre Script and Post Script fields support the following file types.
.bat
.ps1
.vbs
.exe
.msi
The Pre Script field allows you to select a script that runs before the install or uninstall begins. This is commonly used for preparation tasks such as uninstalling previous versions, removing a different installer variant, or validating prerequisites.
The Post Script field allows you to select a script that runs after the install or uninstall completes. This is commonly used for cleanup, configuration, validation, or logging tasks.
Argument
The Argument field allows parameters to be passed to the selected script at runtime.
Insert Variable
The Insert Variable links allow supported variables to be inserted directly into the Argument field. These variables resolve at runtime and can be used to pass values such as vendor name, product name, version, package ID, and installer return code to the script.
Don’t attempt software update if the pre script returns an exit code other than 0 or 3010
The Don’t attempt software update if the pre script returns an exit code other than 0 or 3010 checkbox can be checked if the deployment must stop when the pre script fails.
When this happens, Patch My PC ScriptRunner (which manages the installation process) stops and returns a specific exit code to the calling client, such as the ConfigMgr client, the Windows Update Agent, or the Intune Management Extension. There are two exit codes you may see when a pre-script does not run successfully:
32768 - This exit code is returned when a PMPC recommended pre-install script fails (see Recommended Scripts). If the recommended script cannot run or does not exit cleanly, ScriptRunner stops the installation immediately and returns 32768. This behavior is always enforced for recommended scripts.
32767 - This exit code is returned when a custom pre script, supplied by you, fails and the checkbox for Don’t attempt software update if the pre script returns an exit code other than 0 or 3010 is selected. If that option is not selected, ScriptRunner continues even if your supplied script returns a non-zero exit code.
Note
See PatchMyPC-ScriptRunner – Known Exit Codes for more information on ScriptRunner exit codes.
Run the pre-update script before performing any auto-close or skip process checks
The Run the pre-update script before performing any auto-close or skip process checks checkbox can be checked if the pre-script must run before conflicting process handling. If you are using the Manage Conflicting Processes option and this box is enabled, the pre-script runs before the process check.
Important
These two checkboxes only apply to Pre-scripts and have no effect on Post-scripts:
Don’t attempt software update if the pre script returns an exit code other than 0 or 3010
Run the pre-update script before performing any auto-close or skip process checks
Additional Files and Folders
The Additional Files and Folders sections (shared between the Install and Uninstall tabs) allow you to bundle extra content with the application or update package.
This content is included in the package even if no pre- or post- scripts are configured.
Any files and folders added here are packaged together with the application or update content and are downloaded to the local installation source directory on the client device at install or update time, where it is available to both install and uninstall scripts.
Additional files
Use Additional files to include individual files that must be present during installation or uninstallation. For example, configuration files, license files, or other supporting resources.
To add files:
Click Browse in the Additional files section.
Browse to the required location and select the required file(s).
Click Open to add the file(s) to the list.
Note
If you need to bundle an MST file with an MSI application, use the Manage MST File customization option.
Additional folders
Use Additional folders to include entire folders and their contents.
To add folders:
Select Browse in the Additional folders section.
Browse to the required location and select the required folder(s).
Click Select Folder to add the folder(s) to the list.
All files and subfolders within the selected folder are included in the package.
Packaging and availability
Additional files and folders are shared between the Install and Uninstall tabs. The same bundled content is available to both install and uninstall scripts because all scripts and content are packaged together into a single application or update package.
All bundled files and folders are downloaded to the local installation source directory on the client device at runtime. Scripts and installers can reference this content using relative paths.
For example, a script can reference a bundled file or folder by using the local source directory path, such as:
This allows scripts to source configuration files or other supporting content directly from the packaged source without relying on external locations.
Recommended Scripts
The Recommended Scripts tab contains scripts provided by Patch My PC for certain products that, for example, cannot remove older versions on their own, such as Oracle Java. If the recommended script cannot run or does not exit cleanly, ScriptRunner stops the installation immediately and returns exit code 32768.
Disable the Patch My PC recommended post-update script for this product
If required, check the Disable the Patch My PC recommended post-update script for this product in the event of any issues.
Configuring a Pre- or Post-script
To configure a pre- or post-script:
Click the relevant tab.
If you want to add a script, continue; otherwise, go to Step 5.
Click Browse beside the relevant script field and browse to the location containing the required script file and select it.
Click OK to populate the field.
In the Argument field, enter any required parameters.
Place the cursor where a variable is required.
Select the appropriate option under Insert Variable to add it to the Argument field.
Note
Variables are expanded at runtime and provide application-specific values to the script.
Tip
If you need to include quotes in the Argument field, escape the quotes with a backslash. For example:
Also, when passing multiple values to a PowerShell script, do not use traditional PowerShell array syntax in the Argument field, because as PowerShell is launched from cmd.exe, syntax like "Item1","Item2" is not interpreted as a single array value.
Instead, pass a single delimited string and split it inside the script. For example:
Configure any required Additional Files and Folders.
Click OK.
Using Uninstall-Software.ps1
A commonly used approach for removing existing software before installation is to use the Uninstall Software community script provided by Patch My PC. This script is useful when you need to uninstall a previous version, remove a different installer variant, or clean up related software before deploying a standardized package.
The script is available from the Patch My PC Community Scripts repository:
How to Configure the Script as a Pre-Script
To configure Uninstall-Software.ps1 as a pre-script:
Download Uninstall-Software.ps1 from the community repository.
In the Add Pre/Post Scripts form, select the Install or Uninstall tab as required.
Select Browse next to the Pre Post Script field.
Select Uninstall-Software.ps1 and click Open.
Configure the Script Arguments
The Uninstall Software community script supports parameters such as DisplayName to determine which application should be uninstalled. The script documentation in the repository shows examples written in native PowerShell syntax.
When configuring this script in Publisher, the Uninstall-Software.ps1 script file itself is selected in the Pre Script field. The Arguments field must contain only the parameters.
Note
Any quotation marks in the arguments must be escaped with a backslash.
The following example is shown in the script README and represents native PowerShell usage.
In Publisher, configure the script as follows.
Pre Script
Uninstall-Software.ps1Argument
-DisplayName \"Greenshot\"
In this example, the script attempts to uninstall any installed application with a display name matching Greenshot before the main installation or uninstallation proceeds. Other parameters documented in the script README can also be used to perform more targeted uninstall
Advanced Configurations and Examples
The following knowledge base articles provide practical examples of how to leverage pre and post-scripts or additional files when configuring applications and updates in the Publisher:
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