What I am going to describe here has been around since the Installation Manager was "re-engineered" several years ago, and it still exists in 2018 B1.  I just want to get it off my chest and organize my thoughts on it before submitting an ER (and, frankly, it is just easier to explain my request in a message forum than in an ER).  You might call it a minor detail, but it's the details that can make a big difference in ease of use, productivity, and error prevention.  So here it goes...

Every time I create an admin image, I want to use the list of computers and installation options from an existing admin image.  Okay, it is easy enough to select an existing admin image.  That part works well.  But there are two points in the process where I always get miffed - and they are both related to the way I setup an admin image.  In the admin image, the global settings only include the viewing programs:  eDrawings, and the PDM contributor client.  Computers that are identified in the admin image are controlled by the options of the groups that they are in.  The groups are setup with a network-license serial number, but certain individual computers get standalone-license serial numbers.  This hierarchy works well for most of the admin image creation process and the resulting copied settings except for two things.

The first problem is when I proceed to the "Product Selection" page.  Simply, it does not select all of the products that are needed to support all of the computers listed in the admin image.  The new image creation only looks at the global settings to determine which programs to include in the admin image.  So, I always have to the selections during the admin image creation process.  That is a minor problem compared to the second problem.

The second problem is with the installation options for each computer.  The installation options, which software gets installed on each computer, is changed for the new admin image.  In the new admin image that was created from an existing admin image, the global options include all of the software including the programs that I only want installed on certain computers.  So immediately after the admin image is created, I must change the options back to the way the previous admin image was done. First, I must turn off installing of SolidWorks, Simulation, Motion, Composer, etc.  Then, I must go into each of my groups and turn back on the appropriate programs to install (they became turned off when I turned off the global settings).  Then, I must go to individual computers and turn back on individual specialized programs (e.g. Composer for my technical documentation person, etc.).  The only way I can keep it straight is to open the old and new admin image option editors side-by-side and synchronously go through each group (and computer) to make sure I have the same settings and options setup in the new admin image that I had in the old admin image.  What a waste of time!  What a PITA! 

If I am creating a new admin image by copying the options from an existing admin image, shouldn't have to go through all those steps to make sure all the necessary software is included in the admin image.  I also shouldn't have to put the old and new option editors side-by-side and go through each group in a synchronized fashion to ensure the proper computers got the proper software.  The admin image creation process should not just recognize the global settings, it should also know to include the software is needed to support installation on all of the computers listed in the admin image that it is copying the settings and options from.  I should not have to turn on certain software in the admin image creation process, then go into the option editor and turn certain ones off for the global settings, then back on again for groups and individual computers.  When there are only a couple groups and no special computer settings, this is not a problem.  When there are more groups and some individual computers with variations, etc., then the problem becomes more apparent.  The attached file illustrates the problem.

Last thing. I want to be clear about this.  I have no problems with how the admin option editor applies settings and how they flow down to the groups and individual computers.  I am frustrated with how the admin image creation process requires me to globally select all the software that is needed to support all the installation options that I had in the prior admin image, and then it applies that to the global admin image options.

I'm sure I am not the only one who experiences this same problem.  Before I submit an ER on this, I'd like to hear other people's thoughts and experiences related to this issue.