Device alias resets after teamviewer upgrade?

tkirk

Hello. 

We are currently upgrading teamviewer host on all company computers from v10 to v15. 

We uninstall the old v10 msi package, then install a new custom host package like this:

msiexec.exe /i "\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\TeamViewer_Host_XXXXXXX.msi" /qn SETTINGSFILE="\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\2020_v15.tvopt" CUSTOMCONFIGID=XXXXXXX APITOKEN=XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXXXX /l "\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\log\%COMPUTERNAME%_tvlog.txt"

This works greats, v15 is up and running and the upgraded device is still online in the teamviewer management console. The problem: the alias has changed/reset. For easy searching, we usually add the users name to the alias, like PC555 - Bob Smith. After the upgrade, the alias is reset to just PC555. 

The documentations says this about the alias:

--alias [<name>]

Alias for the new device in the computers & contacts list. If the device is already in the contact list, no alias will be applied.

In our case, the device is already in the contact list, so the alias should remain untouched. This does not happen, the default %computername% alias is applied.

Does "If the device is already in the contact list"" from the doc really mean "If the device alias is already in the contact list"? Wouldnt it be better to check if the teamviewer ID is already in the contact list, and then leave the alias alone? We aren't even using the --reassign option, and the teamviewer ID remains the same as before upgrading. The description field remains unchanged.

Any suggestions for workarounds that let us keep our custom device aliases when upgrading? Do we need to actually use the --alias assignment option in order to leave the alias unchanged, or is there another trick to this?

Natascha

Hi @tkirk 

Thank you for your post and welcome to our Community. ?

This is actually a good question. Since this is a more technical one, I'm sure @TV_Benjamin can explain the case properly. 

I hope, he may take over. Feel free to contact us again if there are any further questions.

Wish you a great day.
All the best,
Natascha ?‍♀️

TV_Benjamin

Hello @tkirk,
thank you for your post.

The answer to this is actually pretty easy.

Please change the rollout script like shown below:

"\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\TeamViewer_Host_XXXXXXX.msi" /qn SETTINGSFILE="\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\2020_v15.tvopt" CUSTOMCONFIGID=XXXXXXX APITOKEN=XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ASSIGNMENTOPTIONS="--alias %UserName%" /l "\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\log\%COMPUTERNAME%_tvlog.txt"

With the assignment parameter changed to --alias %UserName% it should show up as the users name instead of the %ComputerName% (this would be the standard setting)

If the device is already listed in your Computers & Contacts list TeamViewer will recognize the ID and change the Alias accordingly. (I just tested this on my VM to confirm)

Let us know if that worked for you.

Have a great day and enjoy your weekend.
Best regards,
Benjamin

tkirk2

https://community.teamviewer.com/English/discussion/comment/108094#Comment_108094

Hello again :)

Sorry for the loooong delay before getting back to you.

Yes, using --alias %UserName% will work for keeping the user name as an alias during an upgrade. However, that was just a quick example of what we're trying to do.

We have a bunch of desktop computers (production company) used in production, that have aliases describing location and function and other relevant stuff.

For instance: Instead of CORP-PC-500 we might use CORP-PC-500 Boston Storage Access Control. Everything in the Alias for quick searching using any part of the alias if we dont remember what the actual pc name is.

For laptops we just use CORP-PC-500 - Bob Smith.

So what we were hoping to achieve was to upgrade the teamviewer client on all of those computers without changing the alias that is already registered for that teamviewer ID in our teamviewer corporate account.

So something like a switch we could specify in the install command line like "--KeepAlias" or something, that would allow us to uninstall v10 and then install v15 to the same account, leaving the alias unchanged if it already exists for the teamviewer id of the computer we are currently upgrading.

Something like

"\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\TeamViewer_Host_XXXXXXX.msi" /qn SETTINGSFILE="\\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\2020_v15.tvopt" CUSTOMCONFIGID=XXXXXXX APITOKEN=XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ASSIGNMENTOPTIONS="--KeepAlias" \\FILESERVER\Program\TeamViewer\TV15\log\%COMPUTERNAME%_tvlog.txt"

The teamviewer ID does not change during the upgrade, so I dont see a need for the Alias to change either :)

jrowe

Hi @tkirk @tkirk2 ,

Did you find a solution to this?

I am having the same issue - Most computers in our contacts have custom aliases which include device name and descriptors and are organised into groups.

When updating teamviewer, the device is 're-enrolled' in TV manager and loses its old alias and group settings.