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FlexApp Packaging Nvivo 12

Vincent Trieu
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FlexApp Packaging – NVivo 12 on Windows 10 / Windows 11

How do I create a FlexApp package of NVivo 12 on Windows 10 or Windows 11?

NVivo 12 requires two extra steps beyond a standard FlexApp capture. First, its license must be activated inside the package at packaging time so that every user who plays back the package receives an already-activated copy. Second, NVivo stores its license data in protected HKLM registry keys that standard users cannot write to by default. Without a permission fix, the license check fails at playback and NVivo will not launch for non-admin users. The post-activation scripts provided here handle both requirements automatically.

Prerequisites
 

  • FlexApp Packaging Console installed and operational
  • NVivo 12 installer available
  • A valid NVivo 12 license key
  • A UNC share path that is readable by all users — typically the same share where FlexApp packages are stored

Understanding the Scripts

Three files work together as post-activation scripts inside the FlexApp package.

File Type What it does
Nvivo-activate_file.xml Registration XML Provides the activation request payload that NVivo's command-line activation switch expects. The file contains empty registrant fields (name, email, organization, etc.) so that no customer-specific information is embedded in the package. NVivo reads this file during silent activation and uses it to complete the license registration without requiring user interaction.
Nvivo-Activates_license.bat Activation batch Calls NVivo.exe with two command-line switches: -i to supply the license key and -a to point at the registration XML on the UNC share. Running this inside the FlexApp post-activation context stamps the activated license state into the package — every user who plays back the package inherits that activation without needing to activate individually or have internet access at logon.
nvivo.ps1 Permission fix Grants the BUILTIN\Users group Read, Write, and Delete rights on the NVivo registry keys at HKLM:\SOFTWARE\QSR and HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\QSR. NVivo 12 writes license verification data to these keys at every launch. By default, standard (non-admin) users do not have write access to HKLM, which causes NVivo to fail its license check and refuse to open. This script is applied inside the package at post-activation time so the corrected ACLs are captured as part of the package and are in place for every user on playback.

Step 1 – Prepare the Files

Download all three files: Nvivo-activate_file.xml, Nvivo-Activates_license.bat, and nvivo.ps1.

1a — Place the XML file on a UNC share

Copy Nvivo-activate_file.xml to a UNC path that all users can read — the same share where your FlexApp packages are stored is ideal. The path must be a UNC path (e.g., \\server\share\NVivo\), not a mapped drive letter, because the activation runs under the packaging context where drive mappings may not be available.

1b — Edit the BAT file

Open Nvivo-Activates_license.bat in a text editor. It contains a single command with two placeholders to replace:

"C:\Program Files\QSR\NVivo 12\NVivo.exe" -i LICENSEKEYHERE -a "\\UNCPATH\Nvivo-activate_file.xml"
Placeholder Switch Replace with
LICENSEKEYHERE -i Your organization's NVivo 12 license key
\\UNCPATH\ -a Full UNC path to the XML file from Step 1a
e.g., \\server\share\NVivo\Nvivo-activate_file.xml

Save the file. nvivo.ps1 requires no edits.

Step 2 – Package NVivo 12

Using the FlexApp Packaging Console, capture NVivo 12 following the standard packaging workflow — install NVivo 12, allow it to complete, then finalize the package. Do not activate the license inside the installer at this stage; the post-activation scripts will handle license activation in the next step.

For standard FlexApp packaging guidance, refer to the FlexApp documentation.

Step 3 – Activate the Package and Add Post-Activation Scripts

3a — Open the package for activation

In the FlexApp Packaging Console, locate the NVivo 12 package and open it for activation. This mounts the package in a state where post-activation scripts can be injected and run against the captured environment.

3b — Open the Scripts dialog

In the Packaging Console toolbar, click the ABC icon (Add Scripts) to open the post-activation scripts dialog.

3c — Add both scripts as post-activation scripts

Add the following two files as post-activation scripts (order matters — add the BAT first, then the PS1):

  1. Nvivo-Activates_license.bat — runs NVivo's silent activation command, stamping the license into the package using the key and XML file you configured in Step 1.
  2. nvivo.ps1 — applies the registry ACL fix so that standard users can write to the NVivo license keys at playback time.
Both scripts must be added as post-activation scripts, not pre-activation. They run inside the mounted package context, so the changes they make — the activated license state and the registry permission updates — are captured as part of the final package.

3d — Save

Click OK to save the script assignments and complete the activation process. The Packaging Console will run both scripts in sequence against the package.

Step 4 – Test Playback

Assign the package to a test user and perform a playback. Verify that:

  • NVivo 12 launches without a license prompt.
  • The application opens fully for a standard (non-admin) user.
  • No activation errors appear in the FlexApp or NVivo logs.
If NVivo prompts for activation at playback: confirm that the BAT file was edited with the correct license key and UNC path before the package was activated, and that the XML file is accessible from the UNC share to all users. Re-activating the package with corrected scripts will be required.
Product Liquidware ProfileUnity with FlexApp
Applies To ProfileUnity FlexApp — All Versions
Updated August 17, 2026

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