Motion Studio: Installation without online Internet access

Topic:

How to install the "Motion Installer" package (required for ESCON2, ESCON, etc.) if no online Internet access is present or unrestricted access for installation of add-on software components is not granted by a company's IT?

Situation:

• "Motion Installer" is the base package for installation of "Motion Studio" software and all files and documents required for configuration and testing of maxon's ESCON2 (and other maxon controllers in future too).
• "Motion Installer" downloads required components (e.g. most up-to-date software and documents, etc.) during installation depending on the intended product line in use or version of already installed components in the past. This demands for an online Internet access during installation.
• If a PC (e.g. of a production machine) has no Internet access or downloading of add-on components is restricted by a company's IT settings, it is not possible to execute "Motion Installer" successfully.
   

Solution:

There is at least the need for one PC which has Internet access and can be used for downloading all files required by "Motion Installer". These files can be copied later on (e.g. using an USB Memory Stick) to a target PC without Internet access to execute "Motion Installer" accessing local files. 

Step-by-step instruction:

1.) Download "Motion Installer"

• Check for a PC which has Internet access.
• Call-up one of maxon's "ESCON2" product websites. It does not matter which one, e.g.
  • General ESCON / ESCON2's overview webpage
    -> https://escon.maxongroup.com
    Scroll down on the webpage and look for the section "Motion Studio - Software Included". 
    -> Click the "Download" button there.
    or
  • One of ESCON2's product sites, e.g. "ESCON2 Micro 60/5"
    Click the "Downloads" tab and the "Arrow down" symbol of the tab. Look for "Motion Installer (ZIP)" and download it.
     

2.) Unpack the downloaded *.zip file

• The downloaded "MotionSetup.zip" file holds an *.exe file (which will be typically called "MotionSetup.exe"). Unpack this "MotionSetup.zip file into a new or empty folder which suits you best, e.g. "C:\Downloads\MotionInstaller
   

3.) Start Windows' Command Prompt

• Switch to the "Command Line" tool of Windows:
  Type in "cmd" into Windows' Search field and open "Command Prompt":
  
   

4.) Command prompt: Execute the unzipped file

• Use the "Command Prompt" to navigate to the folder where you have previously copied the "MotionSetup.exe" out of the initially downloaded *.zip file:
  cd c:\Downloads\OfflineFiles
  
• Enter the following command line to download and unpack all required files in a folder (e.g. "...\OfflineFiles):
  MotionSetup.exe -layout OfflineFiles
  
  Remarks:
  • You can enter any folder name (instead of "OfflineFiles"). This subfolder will be created automatically and all files will be copied in there.
  • The "Motion Installer" message window pops up after some time.
  • Depending on your company's IT firewall or access restrictions, there might be IT security messages popping up. Such IT messages have to be confirmed in a way so that downloading all files into the defined subfolder can be processed properly.
  • The whole downloading process (of some GB) can last some minutes. It is a good time to take a coffee break. 

5.) Copy folder structure & files to an USB memory stick

• A comprehensive subfolder structure and all files will be located in your defined folder (e.g. "OfflineFiles") after "Motion Installer" had been processed successfully:
  
• You can access and copy your defined folder (e.g. "OfflineFiles") and all(!) its subfolders and all(!) files to an USB memory stick using Windows file explorer again.
   

6.) Copying the folders & files to the target PC

• Copy all(!) folders and all(!) files of the "OfflineFiles" folder structure of your USB memory stick to the target PC (which might have no online Internet access).
   

7.) Execute "MotionSetup.exe" on the target PC

• Execute the copied "MotionSetup.exe" located inside the copied folder structure present on your target PC now. 
  IMPORTANT:
  It is mandatory that "MotionSetup.exe" is executed as an Administrator!
  Otherwise, the files cannot be installed in Windows' program section and registered.
• "MotionSetup.exe" will install "Motion Studio" and all files on your target PC (by accessing the copied folders and their content instead of the Internet). This can last some minutes again.