Update: As of 9.0 SP2 the inventory object is called "Add or Remove Programs" instead of Application Suites. The scanner uses the same logic and criteria as listed below to gather that data.
What information Application Suites is designed to return.
Applies to LDMS 8.8 SP2 or later.
The design is to show suites of applications that are installed on a device. Application Suites returns information from the uninstall key in the registry, similar to Add Remove Programs however there is different criteria for each.
Sample path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
Criteria for the inventory scanner to capture this information from the Uninstall key.
1)The LANDesk inventory process requires that an Uninstall Key have a DisplayName string in order to capture it.*
2) The Uninstall record will not be returned to Application Suites if the Keyname is in the format of KBxxxxxx (even if it has a DisplayName string). Those Uninstall records are instead returned to the "Computer - OS - Updates - Update" section created just for these updates.*
3) If there are two registry keys in the uninstall key that contain the same value for "DisplayName" where one key is a GUID key and the other is a named key then LANDesk will capture the data from the GUID key.*
Criteria difference between LDMS Application Suites and Microsoft Add Remove Programs
Microsoft additionaly filters what Add Remove Programs will display from the Uninstall key. Add Remove Programs will not display programs that contain a "SystemCompnent" DWORD with the value of 1.
This translates into having more entries in the LANDesk Application Suites than in Add Remove Programs. This additional information captured by LANDesk can be used to gather all the Suites together. Thus giving additional data to the LANDesk user all in one location which can be used for queries etc.
Example of an Application Suite that is not displayed in Add Remove Programs due to having a SystemComponent DWORD with a value of 1:
