Wise Solutions WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER 5 User Manual

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©1994-2003 Wise Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This documentation and the accompanying software are copyrighted materials. Making unauthorized copies is prohibited by law. No part of the software or documentation may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated into any human or computer language without prior written permission of Wise Solutions, Inc. Wise Solutions, Inc. asserts its “Moral Right” to be identified as the author of this work, in all jurisdictions which recognize the “Moral Right.”

Notice

UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY WRITTEN AGREEMENT WITH WISE SOLUTIONS, INC., THIS PUBLICATION, AND THE SOFTWARE SOLD WITH THIS PUBLICATION, ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS PUBLICATION AND SOFTWARE REMAINS WITH YOU. IN NO EVENT WILL WISE SOLUTIONS, INC., OR ANY OF ITS SUPPLIERS, BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, DIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES OR OTHER ECONOMIC OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF WISE SOLUTIONS, INC., OR ITS SUPPLIERS, HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. WISE SOLUTIONS, INC. RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS DOCUMENT AT ANY TIME WITHOUT OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY ANYONE. IN NO EVENT SHALL WISE SOLUTIONS, INC.’S OR ITS SUPPLIERS’ LIABILITY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED THE SUM OF ANY AMOUNTS PAID HEREUNDER BY THE CUSTOMER TO WISE OR THE SUPPLIER.

Trademarks

Wise Solutions, Inc. owns a number of registered and unregistered Trademarks and Service Marks (the “Marks”). These Marks are extremely valuable to Wise Solutions, Inc. and shall not be used by you, or any other person, without Wise Solutions, Inc.’s express written permission. The Marks include, but are not necessarily limited to the following: A A

PPLICATIONWATCH™; CONFLICTMANAGER®; INSTALLATION DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE™; INSTALLBUILDER®;

NSTALLMAKER®; INSTALLMANAGER®; INSTALLTAILOR™; MSI DEBUGGER™; MSI SCRIPT™;

ACKAGEMANAGER™; SETUPCAPTURE®; SMARTMONITOR™; SMARTPATCH®; SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION MADE

ASY™; SOFTWARE INSTALLATIONS MADE EASY®; VISUAL MSIDIFF™; VIRTUAL CAPTURE™; WEBDEPLOY™;

W S

OLUTIONS®; WISESCRIPT™; WISESCRIPT EXPRESS™; WISEUPDATE®; WISEUSER®; and the Wise

Solutions logo.

In addition to Wise Solutions, Inc.’s Marks, some Wise Products may include Trademarks or Service Marks owned by other corporations. These other Marks include, but are not necessarily limited to M Microsoft Corporation.

You shall not use any of the Trademarks or Service Marks of Wise Solutions, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, or any other entity, without the express written permission of such Trademark or Service Mark owner.

PPLICATION ISOLATION WIZARD™;

ISE INSTALLATION SYSTEM®; WISE PACKAGE STUDIO®; WISE SOFTWARE REPOSITORY™; WISE

ICROSOFT® WINDOWS® and MICROSOFT® VISUAL STUDIO® .NET, which are registered Trademarks of

Wise Solutions, Inc.

47911 Halyard Drive Plymouth, Michigan 48170 USA Phone: 734-456-2100 • Fax: 734-456-2456 E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.wise.com

5.0

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Contents

1 Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Documentation Roadmap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Getting Help and Product Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Getting Updates Over the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

2 Wise for Windows Installer Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Wise for Windows Installer Editions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Options for New Installations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Project Files and Database Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Specifying the Target Platform. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

What’s Different in a 64-Bit Installation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Using Installation Expert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Customizing Installation Expert Page Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Using the Current Feature Drop-Down List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Using the Current Release Drop-Down List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Compiling, Testing, and Running Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Compiling Your Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Testing Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Running Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Using the Task List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Filtering the Task List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Finding Table Errors From the Task List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Adding User-Defined Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Creating and Editing Installation Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Setting Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Setting General Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Setting .NET Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Setting Digital Signature Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Setting Installation Expert Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Setting Merge Module Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Activating Suppressed Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

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Setting Repository Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Setting Source Control Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Setting the Target Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Component Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

About Component Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Selecting a Component Rule Set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Using Component Rules to Align GUIDs in an Upgrade . . . . . . . . . 61

Customizing Component Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Microsoft Best Practices Component Rule Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

One File Per Component Rule Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Where are Installation Resources Stored? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Using the Enterprise Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Sharing Installation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

About the Share Point Directory in Wise for Windows Installer . . . . 72

Sharing the Wise Software Repository With Wise Package Studio . . 73

Generating Shared Resource Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Downloading Redistributable Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Downloading Redistributables From the Wise Web Site or Product CD . 78

Downloading Redistributables From Other Vendors’ Web Sites . . . . 79

Command Line Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Command Line Option Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Automating the Build Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

3 Setting Up Your Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Before You Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Starting a New Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Product Details Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Incrementing the Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Setting the Default Installation Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

General Information Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Add/Remove Programs Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Features Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Strategies for Organizing Files Into Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Adding a New Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Configuring a Feature Using Its Drop-Down List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Configuring a Feature Using the Feature Details Dialog . . . . . . . . . 98

Using Conditions With Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Adding and Deleting Feature Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Managing Binary Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

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Adding Binary Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Refreshing Binary Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

4 Building Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Files Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Files Page Directories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Files Page Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Adding a File to the Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Adding Merge Modules Instead of Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Adding Contents of Directories to the Installation . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Wildcard Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Adding .NET Assemblies to the Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Editing Settings for Automatic Updating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Removing a File From the Destination Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Copying and Moving Files on the Destination Computer . . . . . . . .123

Editing File Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

How Self-Registration Information is Captured . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Registry Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Creating or Editing Registry Key Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Removing Registry Entries From the Destination Computer . . . . .137

Importing and Exporting Registry Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Configuring General Registry Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Configuring Permissions for Registry Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Viewing Shared Registry Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Special Registry Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

INI Files Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Creating or Editing .INI Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Tips for Creating and Editing .INI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Shortcuts Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Adding a Shortcut to Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Editing a Shortcut Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Environment Variables Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

File Associations Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Determining Extension Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

Adding Command Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153

Selecting MIME Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153

Services Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Adding a Service to the Destination Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

Controlling Services on the Destination Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

ODBC Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

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Setting ODBC Data Source Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Setting ODBC Driver Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Setting ODBC Translator Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

5 Your Installation on the Destination Computer . . . . 161

About System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Setting a Requirement on the System Requirements Page. . . . . . 162

Setting a Requirement by Creating a Launch Condition . . . . . . . . 164

Performing a System Search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Searching For Files or Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Searching For Items in .INI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Searching For a Registry Value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Searching For a Previously-Installed Component . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Setting Features for Installation Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

6 Organizing Your Installation Into Releases . . . . . . . 177

About Releases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Creating a New Release. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Outputting a Multiple-Language Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Customizing a Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Customizing Properties for a Particular Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Customizing Summary Items for a Particular Release . . . . . . . . . 183

Defining a Feature Set for a Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Sharing Settings Between Releases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Creating a Demo Release: An Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Setting Build Options for a Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Creating a Clean Build . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Creating Web-Based Installations With WebDeploy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

The WebDeploy Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Tips for Creating an Efficient WebDeploy Installation . . . . . . . . . 196

Creating a WebDeploy Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

Uploading a WebDeploy Installation to the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Setting Up Media for Distribution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Adding a Media Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Adding a Media Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

Including Features and Components in Media Items . . . . . . . . . . 206

Sharing Media Settings Between Releases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Spanning an Installation Across Media and Sharing Media Size

Information: An Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

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7 Advanced Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Adding a Digital Signature to Your Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Creating an Installation for Microsoft SMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

Creating a .NET Installation When You Have the .NET Framework . . .214

Creating a .NET Installation Without the .NET Framework. . . . . . . . .215

Installing a Web Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Setting Up a Web Application Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218

Setting Up a Virtual Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

Configuring a Microsoft SQL Server During Installation . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Setting SQL Connection Strings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Specifying SQL Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Specifying Replacements in SQL Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226

Importing .NET Framework Security Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

MTS/COM+ Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Adding an MTS or COM+ Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231

8 Mobile Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235

Pocket PC and Smartphone Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236

How a Pocket PC or Smartphone Installation Works. . . . . . . . . . . 236

Processor and Platform Support for Pocket PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

Compiling a Pocket PC or Smartphone Installation. . . . . . . . . . . .238

Creating a Pocket PC or Smartphone Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 238

Palm OS Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249

9 Translating an Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

About the Languages Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Translating Your Installation Into Another Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

Creating a Translated .MSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256

Creating a Language Transform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Sharing Language Settings Between Releases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259

Removing a Language from Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260

Defining and Translating Into Additional Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

About the New Language Wizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Defining a New Language and Exporting All Text for Translation . . 264

Importing All Text Strings After Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

Importing All Text Strings With the New Language Wizard . . . . . .267

Translating Text Strings You’ve Added or Changed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

Translating Text Strings by Exporting to a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

Translating Text Directly Without Exporting It. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273

Resizing Buttons and Text Boxes After Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276

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Using the Language Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Changing the Default Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

About the Default Release Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279

About the Language Strings Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280

Keeping Track of Changed Text Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280

What Pre-Translated Languages Are Available? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Language IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

10Distributing Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285

Package Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286

Copying an Installation to the Share Point Directory . . . . . . . . . . 286

Copying a Compiled Setup Program to the Network . . . . . . . . . . 288

Copying a Compiled Setup Program to an FTP Server . . . . . . . . . 288

Performing an Administrative Installation of a Windows Installer

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Copying a Setup Program to Removable Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

WiseUpdate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

The WiseUpdate Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

Using WiseUpdate in Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

Using the WiseUpdate Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303

WiseUpdate Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

Troubleshooting WiseUpdate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306

11Upgrading Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307

Preparing for Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Step 1: Archive Shipping Version of .MSIs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Step 2: Determine the Form of the Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Step 3: Determine the Product Code and Product Version . . . . . . 310

Step 4: Check Installation With UpgradeSync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Using UpgradeSync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312

Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

What You Need to Create a Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Creating a Patch File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

Specifying Previous Versions for Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

Advanced Upgrade Version Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

What You Need to Create an Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

What is the Upgrade Code? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

Creating an Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

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12Working With Source Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327

Using Source Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328

Adding a Project to Source Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329

Adding Files to Source Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331

Checking Files In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332

Checking Files Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .332

Getting Latest Version of Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333

Removing Files from Source Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333

Undoing Check Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333

Showing History of the Project File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334

Showing the Differences Between Project Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334

Comparing to Latest Installation in Source Control . . . . . . . . . . . 335

Defining Path Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

Turning Path Variable Substitution On and Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338

Creating a User-Defined Path Variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338

Creating a Path Variable Based on an Environment Variable . . . . . 339

Creating a Path Variable Based on a Registry Value. . . . . . . . . . .340

Changing Source Paths in an Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342

Changing One Source Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342

Changing Multiple Source Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343

Converting to Relative Source File Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344

Converting to UNC-Based Source File Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

Changing the Source Directory Dynamically During Compile. . . . .346

Converting an .MSI to a .WSI File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

Using the .MSI to .WSI Conversion Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349

Specifying Merge Module Source Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Specifying File Source Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353

13Merge Modules and Transforms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357

About Merge Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358

Available Tabs and Pages in Merge Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .359

Creating a Merge Module by Creating a New Installation . . . . . . .359

Creating a Merge Module From Existing Components . . . . . . . . . . 365

Creating a Configurable Merge Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366

About the Merge Modules Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374

About Transforms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .380

Creating a Transform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .380

Setting Transform Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382

Applying a Transform to an Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .383

Page 10

CONTENTS

14Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385

ApplicationWatch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388

Convert InstallShield Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Convert SMS Installer or WiseScript Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392

Import Visual Studio Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394

Importing an Installation From a Visual Studio Project . . . . . . . . 394

Package Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398

Validating a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

Customizing Validation Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402

Predefined Validation Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413

15Setup Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415

About Setup Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416

Product Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Specifying Summary Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Features Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420

About the Features Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420

Working With Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421

Components Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422

Modules Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423

Working With Items in the Combined Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423

Components Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434

About the Component Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434

Component Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435

Adding a Component. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436

Editing a Component. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438

Moving Items Between Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439

About the Key Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440

Isolating a .DLL With an .EXE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440

Adding Published Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441

Tables Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443

Working With Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444

Editing Binary Data in the Icon Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449

Comparing Windows Installer Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

About Wise Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451

Page 11

CONTENTS

16Using Conditions and Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455

Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .456

Where Can You Use Conditions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456

Condition Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459

Examples of Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .460

Creating Conditions Using Condition Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468

How Do You Use Properties? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .469

Creating a New Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .469

Build Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .471

INI File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476

Runtime Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .479

17Working With Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481

About Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .482

About the Wizard Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .482

Choosing Dialogs on the Dialogs Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .485

Changing the Theme of Your Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .485

Adding and Editing Dialog Themes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .486

Importing Text into License and Readme Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . .487

About the Dialogs Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489

Turning Dialogs On or Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489

Adding Controls to Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .489

Editing Dialog Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .490

Creating a New Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .491

Organizing and Aligning Controls in Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .492

About Dialog Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .495

Types of Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .495

Basic Control Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .497

Setting an Event on a Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500

Assigning Help to a Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501

Assigning Conditions to a Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502

Setting the Graphic for a Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502

Setting the Items in a Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502

Adding Billboards to a Dialog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .504

How Billboards Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .504

Creating a Billboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505

Obtaining Logon Information From a Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508

Adding the Logon Information Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508

Page 12

CONTENTS

18Macro Editor and OLE Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511

About Macro Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512

Manually Run Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513

Wise for Windows Installer Event Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515

Writing and Editing a Macro for a Wise for Windows Installer Event . . 515

About the Macro Editor Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517

Macro Editor Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518

Macro Editor Right-Click Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519

OLE Automation for Wise for Windows Installer Functions . . . . . . . . 521

About Visual Basic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521

Function Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522

Object Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541

19Debugger for Windows Installer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547

About the Debugger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548

Parts of the Debugger Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549

Rearranging the Debugger Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550

Running the Debugger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551

Setting and Clearing Debugger Breakpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552

Evaluating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552

Working With Temporary Tables and Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

Searching For Text in Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

20Using MSI Script. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555

The MSI Script Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556

About MSI Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557

About Installation Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557

About Installation Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561

Finding Text in MSI Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562

Editing Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564

Types of Actions in Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564

About the Standard and Custom Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565

Adding and Editing Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565

Commenting Out Script Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566

Calling WiseScripts with Custom Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567

WiseScript Editing Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567

Examples of WiseScripts You Run From an .MSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568

Page 13

CONTENTS

Guidelines for Using Custom Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .574

Tips on Custom Action Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574

Tips on Custom Action Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575

Tips for Running Install MSI Custom Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .576

Tips for Calling VBScripts and JScripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .578

Tips on Calling .DLLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578

Launching a Custom Action from a Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .581

Custom Actions That Are Added Automatically. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582

Troubleshooting: When Custom Actions Don’t Work . . . . . . . . . . . . .584

21Custom Action Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585

Call Custom DLL From Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 585

Call Custom DLL From Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .587

Call Custom DLL From Installed Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .588

Configuring .DLL Parameter Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .589

Call DLL From Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590

Call DLL From Installed Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591

Call JScript From Embedded Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592

Call JScript From Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .593

Call JScript From Installed Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594

Call JScript From Property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595

Call VBScript From Embedded Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .596

Call VBScript From Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597

Call VBScript From Installed Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598

Call VBScript From Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .599

Display Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600

Download File From Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601

End Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602

Execute Program From Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602

Execute Program From Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .603

Execute Program From Installed Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 604

Execute Program From Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605

If Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605

Install MSI From Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .606

Install MSI From Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607

Install MSI From Relative Path. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608

Launch Web Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .610

Open Document From Installed Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610

Pause Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .610

Page 14

CONTENTS

Post Data to HTTP Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611

Remark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612

Run WiseScript From Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612

Run WiseScript From Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613

Run WiseScript From Installed Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615

Set Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616

Set Feature State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617

Set Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618

Terminate Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618

Using the Custom Action Location Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620

Using the Custom Action Location Tab for Merge Modules. . . . . . . . . 621

Using the Custom Action Properties Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623

22Windows Installer and .NET Technologies. . . . . . . . 627

About Microsoft Windows Installer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628

Frequently Asked Questions About Microsoft Windows Installer . . 628

Working With Components and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631

About GUIDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631

About Microsoft .NET Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633

Microsoft .NET FAQs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633

Requirements for Creating a .NET Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639

Page 15

Chapter 1

Welcome

Wise for Windows Installer is an installation development system for creating and editing Windows® Installer (.MSI) installation packages. It is a complete and user-friendly front end for generating Windows Installer database files, which are executed by the Windows Installer engine. With Wise for Windows Installer, you can create installations that are compliant with Microsoft’s Windows 2000 logo program. Use Wise for Windows Installer to edit and refine installations that you’ve converted from other formats, and use it to import development projects.

Microsoft® Windows® Installer is a Microsoft technology that provides a standard installation engine that can be used for the installation of any 32bit or 64-bit Windows software product. It resides on the destination computer and performs the installation of applications. Windows Installer technology provides developers with features not currently available in traditional installation-building products.

Topics in this section cover:

! Documentation Roadmap.

! Getting Help and Product Support.

! How to Check Online Help.

! Getting Updates Over the Web.

Page 16

1: WELCOME

Documentation Roadmap

The Wise for Windows Installer Reference Manual, online help, and Getting Started Guide assume that you are proficient in the use of the Windows

operating system. If you need help using the operating system, consult its user documentation.

Wise for Windows Installer often provides multiple ways to accomplish a task. In some cases, you can use the main menu, the right-click menu, or a toolbar, or you can press a key combination, but instructions in this documentation generally include only the most convenient method. If you are most comfortable with a particular method, check the right-click menu, the main menu, and the toolbar to learn the options available to you.

To learn about Wise for Windows Installer, see the following:

! Reference Manual. The reference manual is available in .PDF format

from the Help menu. It contains detailed technical information and stepby-step instructions for performing common tasks. The Wise for Windows Installer reference material consists of two reference manuals: Wise for Windows Installer and WiseScript Editor. The Enterprise Edition also includes a Software Manager reference manual. They contain detailed technical information and step-by-step instructions for performing common tasks. Each reference manual is available in .PDF format from the individual product’s Help menu; select Reference Manual. Printed manuals are available from Wise Solutions for a fee; see

Contact Wise Solutions Sales on page 19.

! Online Help. All the material in the reference manual is also available

in the online help system. To access the contents, index, and search functions, select Help Topics from the Help menu. To access contextsensitive help, press the F1 key from any place in the product, and you will see help that describes the part of the product that you are in.

! Getting Started Guide. The printed Getting Started Guide contains

system requirements, installation instructions, and a tutorial. You can access a .PDF copy of the Getting Started Guide from the Help menu in Wise for Windows Installer.

! Windows Installer SDK Help. You can access the online help for

Windows Installer by selecting Windows Installer SDK Help from the Help menu within Wise for Windows Installer. This gives you access to the developer documentation for Windows Installer, which is written by Microsoft. Because Wise for Windows Installer is a front end for Windows Installer, you can get more technical details about the way Windows Installer works from its own help system. Also, the reference manual and online help for Wise for Windows Installer often refer you to the Windows Installer SDK Help for more details.

Page 17

DOCUMENTATION ROADMAP

! Release Notes. You can access the product release notes by selecting

Release Notes from the Help menu. The release notes document, which is in HTML format, lists new features, enhancements, bug fixes, and known issues for the current version. It also links you to release notes for previous product versions.

Page 18

1: WELCOME

Getting Help and Product Support

Wise Solutions offers many resources to help you use our products. You can search the product help or reference manual .PDF for answers, or you can use one of the many support resources available to you as a registered Wise Solutions customer.

Check Online Help

Press the F1 key to display a help window for the active page or dialog. You can get help on most windows and dialogs in the product. Select Help Topics from the Help menu to see all the information in the Reference Manual presented on-screen.

Select other commands from the Help menu to view information on using help, to view the Windows Installer SDK Help, to view the .PDF-format Reference Manual, to view resources on the Web, or to upgrade to the latest point release.

If you need help and cannot find the answer in the documentation, read about our technical support options below.

Use the Wise Solutions Technical Support Center

Registered Wise customers can use the Technical Support Center, located at support.wise.com, to access a wide array of technical support services. At this Web site, you can submit online support requests, register products, manage customer information, download updates, or search the Knowledgebase. The Knowledgebase contains how-to procedures, answers to common support questions, and workarounds.

Visit Our Newsgroups

Visit Wise Newsgroups by visiting www.wise.com/newsgroups.asp. Newsgroup postings by fellow administrators contain answers, tips, analysis, and other comments. Contribute your own expertise to help others.

Subscribe to TechInfo

TechInfo is a free monthly e-mail newsletter that contains technical tips, product updates, and other important technical information. To subscribe or to read back issues, check the Support section at www.wise.com.

Ask Our Support Team

If you can’t find an answer in our online resources, Wise Solutions offers flexible payment options to meet your support needs. You can obtain support by phone or online at support.wise.com. For additional details about our support services, see www.wise.com/supportoptions.asp or call

Page 19

GETTING HELP AND PRODUCT SUPPORT

1-734-456-2600. Before you contact technical support, make sure you have the following:

! Serial number and product version, which you can find by selecting

About... from the Help menu.

! Operating system version and service pack version if applicable.

! A description of what you do before the problem occurs.

! Your name, company name, and how to contact you.

! Contract number or payment information, if applicable.

Take Advantage of our Consulting and Training Services

When you have a challenging repackaging or installation problem, turn to Wise Solutions for help. We put our expertise to work for you with script writing, repackaging, installation development, and more. Upgrade your personnel’s skills with one of our many training classes; check our Web site (www.wise.com) for the schedule in your area. Our Web site also lists consulting services that you can obtain for your company. Our solutions are fully customizable to fit your project and budget.

Contact Wise Solutions Sales

Contact Wise Solutions’ Sales department to purchase additional products, upgrades, support services, or consulting and training services.

U.S.: 1-800-554-8565

Europe/Netherlands: +31 70 392 72 20

Other International: 734-456-2100 (in U.S.)

Web Site: http://www.wise.com/ordercentermain.asp

Page 20

1: WELCOME

Getting Updates Over the Web

The Check for Updates command on the Help menu provides an easy way to get the latest version of Wise for Windows Installer using your active Internet connection. Minor point releases (x.01, x.02, and so on) are generally free, while major number releases generally incur an upgrade fee. Point releases generally contain maintenance updates such as bug fixes and minor feature additions.

To check for updates:

1. Connect to the Internet.

2. In Wise for Windows Installer, select Check for Updates from the Help menu.

You are connected to the Product Updates page of the Wise Solutions Web site.

• If you have not registered this product, follow the screen prompts to

register. After you complete the registration, go to the Support page, click the link to the Download Center, and click the link to the Updates page.

• If you have registered this product, you are connected to the

Updates page.

3. Follow the instructions on the Web page to download the appropriate update.

" Note:

Wise for Windows Installer can remind you to check for updates. On the General tab of the Preferences dialog, select an option in the Check for Updates dropdown list. This sets the frequency at which you want to be reminded to check for updates.

Page 21

Chapter 2

Wise for Windows Installer Basics

Read this overview before creating your first installation. It contains information on getting started with Wise for Windows Installer. Topics cover:

! Wise for Windows Installer Editions.

! Options for New Installations.

! File Types.

! Project Files and Database Files.

! Specifying the Target Platform.

! Using Installation Expert.

! Compiling, Testing, and Running Your Installation.

! Using the Task List.

! Creating and Editing Installation Templates.

! Setting Preferences.

! Component Rules.

! Where are Installation Resources Stored?

! Using the Enterprise Edition.

! Downloading Redistributable Files such as merge modules and Windows

Installer and .NET runtimes.

! Command Line Options.

! Automating the Build Process.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

Wise for Windows Installer Editions

Wise for Windows Installer is available in three editions, each designed to fulfill the needs of a particular type of user. The version you purchase determines what features are available to you.

! Enterprise Edition is a Windows Installer® and .NET authoring tool that

supports organizations that develop multiple software applications which share common resources. It helps professional developers create installations that adhere to their organization’s standards, thereby decreasing the risk of deployment errors.

! Professional Edition is a Windows Installer® and .NET authoring tool

designed for professional software developers who want to create installations for the next generation of applications, including desktop, server, Web, and mobile devices.

! Standard Edition is an installation authoring tool designed for

professional software developers who want basic but robust support for creating Windows Installer® and .NET installations.

The following table, which intentionally does not mention all features, only summarizes the differences between each edition. If a particular feature is not listed, then it is included in all product editions. For a more comprehensive list of all features, refer to the Products section of the Wise Solutions Web site (www.wise.com). For a list of new features and enhancements in the current release, refer to the Release Notes, which are in an HTML file available from the Help menu.

Feature Std Pro Ent

General

Specify the target platform for an installation X X

Create configurable merge modules X X

Macro Editor XX

OLE Automation XX

User-defined tasks X

Use merge modules from the Wise Software Repository X

Enable the Logon Information dialog to configure server software after installation to run under a particular user

Debugger for Windows Installer X X

WiseScript Express XXX

Preferences

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WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER EDITIONS

Feature Std Pro Ent

Repository settings X

Sharing Installation Resources

Share installation resources in the share point directory X

Distribute to the share point directory X

View resources shared by other applications X

Shared Resource Reports in Wise for Windows Installer X

Installation Expert Pages

.NET Framework Security page X X

Clean Build page XX

Mobile Devices page XX

MTS/COM+ page XX

SQL Server Scripts page X X

Virtual Directories page and ability to install Web applications X X

WebDeploy page XX

WiseUpdate page XX

Tools

Patch Creation tool and patch support X X X

Software Manager X

Upgrade Sync XXX

Package Validation tool

Turn individual rules on and off X X

Create a new validation module (.CUB file) X

Create new validation rules X

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

Options for New Installations

When you create a new installation, you first choose what kind of installation you want to create. The New Installation File dialog shows several options, each of which starts an installation in a different way. You can create new files either in Windows Installer database format (.MSI/ .MSM) or in Wise’s project format (.WSI/.WSM). Some options let you start a new installation by using a tool, such as Palm Application, and some let you create different kinds of Windows Installer installations from templates.

! Predefined Templates. Templates created by Wise Solutions.

• Windows Application. See Starting a New Installation on page 85.

• Web Application. See Setting Up a Web Application Installation on

page 218.

• Server Application. See Obtaining Logon Information From a

Dialog on page 508. Installations created from this template work

only on Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows XP.

• Pocket PC Application. See Creating a Pocket PC or Smartphone

Installation on page 238.

• Palm Application. See Palm OS Installations on page 249.

• Smartphone Application. See Creating a Pocket PC or

Smartphone Installation on page 238.

! Custom Templates. If you make your own templates, they appear

under this category. See Creating and Editing Installation Templates on page 44.

! Other Templates.

• Merge Module. See Creating a Merge Module by Creating a New

Installation on page 359.

• Transform. See Creating a Transform Based on an Existing .MSI on

page 381.

! Conversion Tools. Templates that open wizards to convert installations

from other formats.

• SMS Installer or WiseScript Installation. See Convert SMS

Installer or WiseScript Installation on page 392.

• InstallShield Professional. See Convert InstallShield Professional

on page 390.

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OPTIONS FOR NEW INSTALLATIONS

! Import Tools. The following tools import a development project file

into an installation. Target file information is extracted from the project file and added to the installation. See Import Visual Studio Projects on page 394.

• Visual Basic.

• Visual C#.

• Visual J#.

When you choose an option above, you can also choose the format of the file:

! Create standard .MSI or .MSM file that contains all binary and

cabinet files. Mark this option to create a new Windows Installer installation file. Because the installation file generally encapsulates all the files of the installation, an .MSI is usually larger in size and takes longer to save. Also, some options that determine the output of an .MSI file are not available if you choose to work with the .MSI file itself. To create a project file that contains instructions for compiling the .MSI or .MSM file, select the option below.

! Create .WSI or .WSM project file that can be compiled into an

.MSI or .MSM. Mark this option to create a project file instead of a installation file. Unlike .MSI files, project files are NOT installation files that can be distributed; they describe and compile to a distributable .MSI file. Working in a project file lets you edit and save the .WSI file quickly and gives you more options for outputting the .MSI file. A .WSI file compiles to an .MSI file, and a .WSM file compiles a .MSM file (merge module).

The Target Platform section appears if the Prompt for target platform option is marked in the Target Platform tab of the Preferences dialog. For information about 64-bit installations, see What’s Different in a 64-Bit

Installation? on page 30.

! Create installation for 32-bit platform enables the installation for

32-bit platforms.

! Create installation for 64-bit platform enables the installation for

64-bit platforms.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

File Types

Wise for Windows Installer lets you create and edit different types of Windows Installer database files, which can be executed by the Windows Installer software. You can either create and edit the actual Windows Installer database file, or create and edit a project file that contains instructions for compiling the Windows Installer database file; see Project

Files and Database Files on page 28. There are distinct file types for

standard installation database files, merge modules, patch files, and transforms. Each extension is described below.

Extension Description

.MSI Windows Installer file. An .MSI is a distributable Windows Installer

installation package file. The .MSI file extension is associated with the Windows Installer executable, MSIExec.EXE. When a file with this extension is opened on a destination computer, the Windows Installer software executes it, thereby installing an application. You can open and edit .MSI files in Wise for Windows Installer; however, because you are already working in an .MSI file, options that have to do with creating an .MSI file, such as those on the Releases, Release Settings, and Media page, are disabled. You can convert an .MSI to a project file (.WSI); see

Converting an .MSI to a .WSI File on page 349.

.WSI Wise for Windows Installer project file. A project file stores a description

of a Windows Installer installation package (.MSI file), and is in the same format as an .MSI file. The .WSI file extension is unique to Wise for Windows Installer. You can open the .WSI file in Wise for Windows Installer and click the Compile button to create the corresponding .MSI file. The advantages of working in a .WSI file instead of directly editing an .MSI file are that the .WSI file is smaller in size, and that you can set multiple options for the output of the .MSI file.

.MSM Windows Installer merge module. Merge modules are pre-compiled

libraries of components (files, registry changes, and other system changes) that install a discrete portion of your application. They cannot be run alone, but must be merged with a Windows Installer database (.MSI). Merge modules give you flexibility in developing installations because you can break the installation of your application into logical parts and share merge modules between projects. See About Merge

Modules on page 358.

Page 27

FILE TYPES

Extension Description

.WSM Windows Installer merge module project file. This file extension is unique

to Wise for Windows Installer. It is a project file that stores a description of a Windows Installer merge module (.MSM), but does not store the merge module contents. You can open the .WSM file in Wise for Windows Installer and click the Compile button to create the corresponding .MSM file. See About Merge Modules on page 358.

.MST Windows Installer transform file. A transform changes a Windows

Installer package at runtime, and must be applied from the command line. See About Transforms on page 380.

.MSP Windows Installer patch. A patch is a small update that only updates an

existing installed application. Patch installations contain only the differences between the old and new versions of an application. You create a patch installation by using the Patch Creation tool. This creates an .MSP file that you distribute to end users. See Patches on page 315.

.PCP Windows Installer patch creation project file. Contains the settings and

other information necessary to compile a Windows Installer patch. When you use the Patch Creation tool to create a patch, a patch creation project file is created for you automatically. See Patches on page 315.

.EXE You can choose to have the .MSI file wrapped inside an .EXE file. Doing so

gives you the option of pre-installing the Windows Installer database engine before performing your own installation. If there is a possibility that the Windows Installer database engine is not on the destination computer, then use this option because your .MSI file cannot run if the Windows Installer database engine is not installed. See Setting Build

Options for a Release on page 187 for more information.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

Project Files and Database Files

In most cases, the setup program that you distribute will be an .MSI file. Windows Installer operates on .MSI files, which are a type of relational database that stores installation information and files in tables. See About

Microsoft Windows Installer on page 628.

On the Build Options page (see Setting Build Options for a Release on page 187) or on the Media page (see Setting Up Media for Distribution on page 201), you can specify to output an installation in different ways:

! As a single-file .MSI, which contains compressed installation files.

! As an .MSI file that has external compressed .CAB files.

! As an .MSI file that has external uncompressed files.

! As an .EXE file that contains the .MSI and installation files. This method

provides the ability to pre-install Windows Installer or other runtimes.

When you create an installation, you can choose to work either in a .WSI (project) file or an .MSI file. The same applies to merge modules; work in a merge module (.MSM) file or a Wise merge module project (.WSM) file.

How are installation files/ paths stored?

Can you create releases?

If you work in .WSI or .WSM (Wise project)

Externally. The project contains paths to the installation files. During compile, they are compiled into the resulting .MSI or .EXE.

Yes. Use the Releases page and other pages under Release Definition in Installation Expert.

If you work in .MSI or .MSM (Windows Installer database)

Inside the database file. Files are refreshed from disk unless you mark the Don’t update or recompress files ... option on the Product Details page

No. Because you are already working in the final output file, options for multiple output files are disabled, which includes all pages under the Release Definitions page group in Installation Expert.

Page 29

PROJECT FILES AND DATABASE FILES

Compiling does what?

Can you switch from working on one file type to the other?

If you work in .WSI or .WSM (Wise project)

Reads the project information and compiles a database file, which contains installation files.

You can switch from working in a project file to working in a database file by compiling the project, opening the resulting database file, and continuing further development in the database file. However, an .MSI file created by compiling a .WSI does not contain file paths; it contains only the files themselves. Therefore, any files added prior to the switch will not be refreshed from disk because they have no file path. Only those files you add after the switch contain file paths and are refreshed from disk.

If you work in .MSI or .MSM (Windows Installer database)

Refreshes installation files from disk unless the Don’t update or recompress files ... option is marked on the Product Details page.

Use the MSI to WSI Conversion tool (see Converting an .MSI to a .WSI

File on page 349) to convert an

.MSI to a .WSI. It extracts installation files from an .MSI, saves them to disk at the locations you specify, and creates a .WSI file that points to those files.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

Specifying the Target Platform

Professional and Enterprise Editions only.

By default, installations you create are for 32-bit platforms. You can also create an installation for a 64-bit installation using the Preferences dialog; see Setting the Target Platform on page 56.

" Note:

64-bit installations are supported only by Windows Installer 2.0 or higher.

To create a 64-bit installation:

1. Select Preferences from the Edit menu. The Preferences dialog appears.

2. On the Target Platform tab, do one of the following:

• If you want all future installations to be 64-bit, mark the Default to

64-bit... option.

• If you want to determine the target platform for each new

installation you create, mark the Select platform in New Installation File dialog option.

3. Close the Preferences dialog.

4. From the File menu, select New. The New Installation File dialog appears. It contains a Target Platform section if you marked the Select platform... checkbox.

5. If you see a Target Platform section, mark the 64-bit... option and click OK. Otherwise a 64-bit installation is created automatically.

What’s Different in a 64-Bit Installation?

# Professional and Enterprise Editions only.

A 64-bit installation file differs from a 32-bit installation in the following ways:

! The minimum version of Windows Installer is set to 2.00. This is located

in the Installer Version field on the General Information page in Installation Expert. You should not change this value in a 64-bit installation, because 64-bit installations are not supported by Windows Installer versions lower than 2.0.

Page 31

SPECIFYING THE TARGET PLATFORM

" Note:

Installations with an Installer Version of 2.0 or higher cannot run on Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 5 or lower. This is a Microsoft restriction.

The value Intel64 is added to the Template Summary summary item,

which indicates the platform and language versions supported by the installation. To see this value, click the Product tab in Setup Editor, then click the Summary icon. You should not change this value in a 64-bit installation, however, you can change the language ID.

! The Condition Builder contains two additional property values:

VersionNT64 and Intel64.

! The Directory table contains these additional folder properties:

• CommonFiles64Folder

• ProgramFiles64Folder

• System64Folder

! The Files page contains an additional pre-created directory, Program

Files (x86), with the information for installing 32-bit applications. It contains a subdirectory named Common Files.

! You can designate a component as a 64-bit component by marking the

64-bit component checkbox in the Component Details dialog. See

Adding a Component on page 436. To designate multiple components as

64-bit components, mark the 64-bit component checkbox in the MultiComponent Details dialog. See Editing a Component on page 438.

! The Read Registry Value dialog contains a checkbox that lets you include

64-bit components in a registry value search. See Searching For a

Registry Value on page 171.

! When you create a custom action that calls a JScript or VBScript file, a

checkbox lets you call a 64-bit script.

! The Target Platform field on the Product Details page provides a quick

way to determine for which platform an installation is enabled. See

Product Details Page on page 86.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

t Feat

Using Installation Expert

To work in Installation Expert, click the Installation Expert button at the lower left of the Wise for Windows Installer main window.

Each page of Installation Expert lets you determine a specific aspect of your installation. For example, on the Files page, you determine what files are included in your installation, and on the Registry page, you determine what registry keys and values are created on the destination computer. To see help on a page, press the F1 key while the page is displayed. To return a page to its last saved state, select Reset Page from the Edit menu.

Installation Expert pages are organized into groups, listed in the order in which you’ll usually fill them out. However, you do not have to work with the pages in this particular order, nor must you fill out every available page. Instead, you can fill out just the pages that are pertinent to your particular installation, in any order. If any required information is missing, Wise for Windows Installer alerts you to the problem when you compile. You can create your own customized view of page groups and pages as described in Customizing Installation Expert Page Groups on page 33.

Page groups with pages. Click the group name to hide or view the page names. Click the page name to go to the page. Make your own groups by selecting Customize from the Pages menu.

urren list. Feature Details pages let you select different options for different features. For such pages, use this list to pick a feature to edit.

Page area. As you click different page names, this area changes to display the page’s options.

ure

View Navigation. Click these tabs to change views.

Testing and distribution. Compile, Test, Debug, and Run buttons let you test and compile your installation. The Distribute button copies the installation package to removable disks, an FTP server, or a network directory. Also use it to perform an administrative installation.

Page 33

USING INSTALLATION EXPERT

Customizing Installation Expert Page Groups

You can customize the pages and page groups that you see at the left of the Installation Expert window. You use the Pages menu to choose a set of page groups, or to customize page groups. Two sets of page groups are available by default, All and Merge Module. You can select All from the Pages menu only when you are not editing a merge module, and you can select Merge Module only if you are editing a merge module.

You can also add your own sets of page groups to the Pages menu. Doing so lets you customize your work environment so that you see only the pages that you use most frequently. When you customize your view, you specify how many page groups appear, what the group names are, and what pages appear under each group. Page groups are listed at the left of the Installation Expert window; they can be expanded or collapsed to show or hide the associated pages. Once you’ve added a set of page groups, you can edit it any time, adding or removing page groups and pages, or changing the order in which they appear.

The Customize Pages dialog appears when you select Customize from the Pages menu.

Buttons to edit page groups are disabled when

All

selected from the Name drop-down list.

Buttons to edit pages are disabled when

Merge Module

from the Name drop-down list.

All pages in this list box appear under the expanded page group name.

Defined page groups; your customized page groups appear here and along the left side of Installation Expert

To add a set of page groups to the Pages menu:

1. From the Pages menu, select Customize.

The Customize Pages dialog appears.

Merge Module

All

is selected

2. From the Name drop-down list, select <new>.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

3. In the dialog that appears, type a name for your new set of page groups. Include an ampersand (&) before a letter if you want to be able to select your set from the Pages menu using the keyboard.

4. Click OK.

The Customize Pages dialog returns, with your new set of page groups selected in the Name drop-down list.

5. To add a new page group, click the Add button on the left and enter a name for the page group in the Enter Name dialog that appears.

The name appears in the Page Groups list on the left.

6. To add a page to a page group, do the following:

• Click the page group.

• Click the Add button on the right. The Select Pages to Add dialog

appears.

• Select the page or pages you want to add to the group. Use C

click or S

7. Click OK.

The Customize Pages dialog returns, showing the selected pages in the Page Names box on the right.

8. Add more page groups and pages as appropriate.

9. Click OK. Your new set of page groups appears under the Pages menu. The name of your set has an underlined letter for keyboard selection, if you indicated a letter by an ampersand when you named your set of page groups.

To edit a set of page groups, follow the steps above, except choose the set you want to edit instead of choosing <New>. You can only edit those sets of page groups you’ve added.

HIFT-click to add multiple pages.

Using the Current Feature Drop-Down List

The Current Feature drop-down list appears on pages in the Feature Details page group in Installation Expert. On these pages, you can set options on a per-feature or per-condition basis. You add features and conditions on the Features page in Installation Expert, then choose a feature from the Current Feature drop-down list before setting options on other pages.

TRL-

Page 35

USING INSTALLATION EXPERT

For instance, suppose you have three features, and each feature requires different registry entries. On the Registry page, you select the first feature from the Current Feature drop-down list, create its registry entries, select the second feature in the list, create its registry entries, and so on. You follow the same steps on the Files page: you choose a feature from the Current Feature drop-down list, then add files for that feature.

During installation, files, registry entries, and other system changes are installed only if the feature they belong to is installed. You can do the same with conditions; add files, registry entries, and other changes to a condition, and during installation, those files and registry entries are installed only if the condition is true and the feature is installed.

When you go to pages in Installation Expert, first check to see if the Current Feature drop-down list is available. If it is available, choose a condition or feature before setting options on the page.

" Note:

Filling out pages with the wrong feature selected can cause installation problems. When you fill out a new page, always check the Current Feature drop-down list to make sure the correct feature is selected.

The Current Feature drop-down list contains an option named All Features (Modify/Delete only). This lets you display information for all features at once. On the Files page, for example, selecting this option displays all folders and files for all features in the installation. You cannot use the Add button while you have all features displayed; select a single feature to add items.

On some pages, the Current Feature drop-down list has additional functionality. It shows a number in parentheses, which represents the number of that page’s items (files or registry keys) that are assigned to each feature or condition.

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

Using the Current Release Drop-Down List

On the pages under the Release Definition page group in Installation Expert, a Current Release drop-down list is displayed.

A release is a special version of your product that you plan to distribute to a specific group of end users. For instance, you can distribute a 30-day evaluation release to end users who want to learn about your product before they purchase. You use the Current Release drop-down list to configure separate build, media, and language options for each release.

" Note:

Filling out pages with the wrong release selected can cause installation problems. When you fill out pages under the Release Definition page group, always check the Current Release drop-down list to make sure the correct release is selected.

Page 37

COMPILING, TESTING, AND RUNNING YOUR INSTALLATION

Compiling, Testing, and Running Your Installation

Once you have created or modified an installation, you can test it using the Compile, Test, Debug, and Run buttons at the lower right edge of the main window. These buttons let you:

! Compile your installation, which creates the setup program. See

Compiling Your Installation. To speed up the compile process for project

files, use Quick Compile. See the description of Enable Quick Compile in Setting General Preferences on page 46.

! Test the setup program, which appears to run but does not make any

modifications on your system. See Testing Your Installation on page 38.

! Debug your installation in an .MSI debugger, which lets you step

through your installation while viewing the property values and other table data. This actually runs your installation, and lets you see exactly what it is doing at any time. See Running the Debugger on page 551. The Debugger for Windows Installer is available in the Professional and Enterprise Editions only.

! Run your compiled setup program, which is either an .MSI file or an

.EXE file. See Running Your Installation on page 39.

" Note:

When working in a .WSI file, you can set your installation to generate more than one setup program by adding releases to the Releases page. If you click Test, Debug, or Run, you are prompted to choose a release if your installation contains more than one.

Compiling Your Installation

Click the Compile button at the lower right edge of the window to build an installation package that installs your application. The number and type of files generated depends on the settings you select on the Build Options and Media pages. If the installation contains multiple releases, all releases in the installation are compiled. To select one or more specific releases to compile, go to the Releases page in Installation Expert, click one or more releases, then click the Compile button on the Releases page.

If you are working in a .WSI or .WSM file, you can speed the compile process by marking the Enable Quick Compile checkbox in the General tab in the Preferences dialog. Quick Compile compresses only previously

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2: WISE FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER BASICS

uncompressed or changed files. If a file or media has changed, a full compile occurs instead.

If you are working in an .MSI or .MSM file, clicking the Compile button simply saves the file. If file paths are stored in the .MSI, however, it first refreshes the files with the latest version. If any files cannot be read, or if other errors are encountered, the errors are listed in a Task List pane at the end of the compile. Use the Task List to determine the source of the errors; see Using the Task List on page 40.

If you get messages that files are missing, you can suppress the file refresh by marking the Don’t update or recompress files when saving (.MSI/.MSM only) checkbox on the Product Details page in Installation Expert. If you get a message that a merge module is missing, you have the option to download it.

Testing Your Installation

To test your installation:

Click the Test button, which is located at the lower right of the main window. You might be prompted to choose a release to test. This compiles and runs your installation in test mode, which lets you run through the setup program as an end user does. In test mode, no files are actually installed or modified, and no changes are made to the system, although the installation otherwise performs all the tasks indicated in the installation.

You cannot test a transform or a merge module by itself. It can only be run in conjunction with an .MSI file. To run a transform or merge module, run the base .MSI from the command line with the appropriate command line options, which are documented in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

" Note:

If you make a change in the installation and click Test, but the change is not apparent in the setup program, exit the setup program and click Compile. Then click Test again.

Page 39

COMPILING, TESTING, AND RUNNING YOUR INSTALLATION

Running Your Installation

To run your installation:

Click the Run button, which is located at the lower right of the main window. You might be prompted to choose a release to run. This compiles and executes your installation. The entire installation is executed just as it would be on the destination computer, actually installing files and modifying the system. After you run an installation once, you must uninstall before you can run the installation again because Windows Installer detects when a product is installed, and runs the subsequent installation in maintenance mode.

You cannot run a transform or a merge module by itself. It can only be run in conjunction with an .MSI file. To run a transform or merge module, run the base .MSI from the command line with the appropriate command line options, which are documented in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

" Note:

If you make a change and then click Run, but the change is not apparent in the setup program, exit the setup program and click Compile. Then click Run again.

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Using the Task List

When Wise for Windows Installer encounters installation issues, it displays the Task List, if it is not displayed, and adds a task to the list for each issue. These tasks represent issues that could cause problems with your installation. You can manually display or hide the Task List from the View menu. In the Enterprise Edition, you can add user-defined tasks to the Task List.

The Task List gathers all installation issues into one place, and makes it easy to analyze the cause of each issue. If the issue is caused by an error in a table, you can quickly jump from the Task List to the row in the table that caused the error; see Finding Table Errors From the Task List on page 42.

Tasks get added to the Task List in the following ways:

! Save or Compile. A progress bar appears while your installation is

saved or compiled, and if errors occur, each error becomes a task in the Tas k L i st .

! Package Validation. When you run the Package Validation tool and

encounter validation issues, the issues appear in the View / Correct dialog. If you mark the Add to Task List checkbox on the View / Correct dialog, each issue becomes a task in the Task List when you click Finish. If the Package Validation tool encounters save or compile errors, the package validation process ends and the errors are added to the Task List; see Package Validation on page 398.

! Check Tables. When you right-click on the Task List and select Check

Tables, a progress bar appears while your installation is searched for component and table errors. If errors are encountered, each error becomes a task in the Task List. The Check Tables option on the Tables tab in Setup Editor produces the same result; see Finding Validation

Errors on page 448.

! User-Defined. If you have the Enterprise Edition, you also can add

user-defined tasks to the task list. See Adding User-Defined Tasks on page 43.

" Note:

When you close an installation, all tasks, except user-defined tasks, are removed from the Task List.

The Task List has a Description and Table column. The Description column provides details about each task and the Table column contains the name of the table, if any, associated with the task. Each task is preceded by a

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USING THE TASK LIST

checkbox and an icon. Use the checkbox to mark tasks that you have completed. The icons differentiate the types of tasks as described below:

Indicates an error that will cause incorrect behavior and must be fixed.

Indicate validation issues found by the Package

When you resolve the issue that caused a task to be added to the Task List, the task is removed from the list the next time you run the procedure that generated the task. For example, if a task was added to the Task List because of a compile error and you have resolved that error, the next time you compile the installation that task is removed from the list.

You can perform the following operations on tasks in the Task List:

Validation tool; see Validating a Package on page 399.

Indicates a task you created.

! Filter tasks by type; see Filtering the Task List on page 41.

! Sort a Task List’s column by clicking its header.

! Copy a task’s description by highlighting the description and selecting

Copy from its right-click menu.

! Delete a task by highlighting its description and selecting Delete from its

right-click menu.

Filtering the Task List

You can filter the tasks that appear in the Task List. For example, if you only want to see Save/Compile errors, you can filter out all the other tasks.

To filter tasks in the Task List:

1. Right-click in the Task List and select Show Tasks.

The Show Tasks submenu appears.

2. To display all tasks, click All.

3. To display a specific type of task, click on that task. You can filter by the following types of tasks:

• Save/Compile. Tasks that correspond to errors generated when

you save or compile.

• Validation. Tasks that correspond to issues generated when you run

the Package Validation tool.

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• Component. Tasks that correspond to component errors generated when you run Check Tables. For information on how to run Check Tables, see Using the Task List on page 40.

• Table. Tasks that correspond to table validation errors generated when you run Check Tables. For information on how to run Check Tables, see Using the Task List on page 40.

• User-Defined. Tasks that you have created. User-defined tasks are only available in the Enterprise Edition.

When you set options for filtering, they remain intact until you change them. However, when you encounter installation issues, the filtering option resets to All to ensure that the issues can be displayed.

Finding Table Errors From the Task List

If a task has a table listed in the Table column, you can access that table directly from the Task List. Accessing a table associated with a task can help you determine the specific problem that caused the installation issue.

For example, if a source file for your installation has been moved or deleted, you get a WiseSourcePath table error when you compile the installation. When you double-click this task, the WiseSourcePath table displays in Setup Editor, and the row in the table that is the cause of the problem is highlighted. Use the source path information in the row to ascertain and resolve the problem.

⌧ Caution:

Editing table data directly is not recommended unless you are an experienced Windows Installer developer with a clear understanding of Windows Installer database technology. Deleting, adding, or editing raw table data using this interface might result in unexpected, undesirable results, including damage to your installation. Wise Solutions provides access to this information for its advanced users, but cannot provide answers for questions related to the Windows Installer database that do not specifically involve this Wise Solutions application itself. Therefore, technical support for direct table editing is not available.

To find table errors from the Task List:

If the task has a table listed in the Table column, double-click the task.

The table is displayed on the Tables tab of Setup Editor, and the row in the table associated with the task is highlighted.

If you need more information to understand the cause of a table error, check the task’s description or press F1 to display the help topic for that table in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

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Adding User-Defined Tasks

# Enterprise edition only.

You can add your own tasks to the Task List. For example, you can add user-defined tasks to remind yourself or coworkers of things you still need to complete for this installation. Any tasks that you add to the Task List are saved when you save and close your installation.

To add user-defined tasks to the task list:

1. On the first line of the Task List, click Click here to add a new item twice and then type your task.

2. Click anywhere outside the box that contains your new task.

The task is added to the Task List and appears in the Description column. User-defined tasks do not use the Tables column.

USING THE TASK LIST

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Creating and Editing Installation Templates

By default, when you create a new installation or merge module, it gets its configuration from a template file. Templates contain logical defaults and commonly used settings. Some template files are pre-created for you and appear when you create a new installation. You can edit the pre-created templates and create your own templates. The location of the Templates subdirectory varies; see Where are Installation Resources Stored? on page 68.

For example, suppose that all the installations you build have the same system configuration requirements and the same dialogs. You can create a new template that has those changes pre-configured for you. To do this, create a new installation, make the necessary changes in Installation Expert to the System Requirements and Dialogs pages, and then save the installation (.MSI or .MSM only) to the Templates directory. Thereafter, every time you create a new installation, the file you saved is available in the New Installation File dialog that appears when you select New from the File menu.

In the Enterprise Edition, you can share installation templates with other developers by storing them in the share point directory. This lets all developers in your organization create installations with common settings and a consistent look and feel. For more information, see Sharing

Installation Resources on page 70.

Of the items that appear in the New Installation File dialog, you can only edit the Windows Application, Web Application, and Server Application templates; however, it is not recommended that you do so. Make copies of the templates and edit the copies. Otherwise your changes may get overwritten if you upgrade. You cannot edit any other templates.

To create a custom template:

1. Select New from the File menu.

The New Installation File dialog appears.

2. Select a template file on which to base your new template and click OK. Only icons that have a corresponding file in the Templates directory are templates; other icons cannot be used to create or edit templates.

A new installation or merge module opens.

3. Make all desired changes to the installation.

4. To include a description that will appear in the New Installation File dialog when you click this template:

• Go to Setup Editor and click the Product tab.

• Click the Summary icon.

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• In the upper right pane, double-click Comments.

• In the Summary Details dialog that appears, enter a description of this template in the Value field and then click OK.

5. When you are finished editing the installation so that it fits your needs, select Save As from the File menu. In the Save As dialog, name the file and save it in the Templates directory as an .MSI or .MSM file.

6. To test your new template, select New from the File menu.

The New Installation File dialog appears and the file you just created is listed in the Custom Templates category. If the New Installation File dialog does not contain the new template, check to make sure you saved the installation as an .MSI or .MSM file, and that you saved it in the Templates directory.

7. Select the template you just created and click OK.

8. Check that the changes you made in the installation template file are present in this new installation file.

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Setting Preferences

You can set preferences by selecting Preferences from the Edit menu. Some preferences let you customize the behavior of Wise for Windows Installer and Installation Expert, and other preferences let you specify digital signature, source control, and .NET information, and file sharing settings. The options you set in the Preferences dialog are global; they are set for all files you open with Wise for Windows Installer, including files you’ve created previously, files you will create, and the current file.

Setting General Preferences

Use the General tab in the Preferences dialog to set general preferences. Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog.

Automatic Options:

! Create backup copy during save. Mark this checkbox if you want a

new backup file created every time you save. The names of the backups are the current file name plus a number. For example, if the current file name is Widget.wsi, the backups are Widget1.wsi, Widget2.wsi, and so on. Use caution with this option if you are working with a large .MSI file; if you save often, your disk space will quickly become depleted.

! Add default remarks to installation sequences. While all Wise

project (.WSI) files have remarks that explain the actions in the sequences, compiled .MSI files do not. Mark this checkbox to add remarks to the current .MSI and all .MSIs that you subsequently open. Remarks are added to .WSI files only if no remarks already exist.

Advertising Options:

Use the options in this section to determine how to gather self-registration and advertising information for files you add to your installation. Windows Installer considers some kinds of registry entries, such as file extension definitions, to be advertising information. For information on what kinds of registry entries are considered to be advertising information, see the topic titled Platform Support of Advertisement in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

The following options are default settings for all new components. Changing these settings will not affect existing components.

! Advertising Setting. Select one of the “scan” options from this drop-

down list if you want Wise for Windows Installer to inspect your computer’s registry and the files in the installation and automatically add Windows Installer advertising information for the files that you add to your installation.

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The different scan options let you determine whether the advertising information is added to the advertising tables (AppId, Class, Extension, Mime, ProgId, TypeLib, Verb), to the registry, or both. The scan options also cause AppPath registry information to be added to your installation automatically, although it is not related to advertising. Only AppPath information at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\A pp Paths\ is added.

This system of registration is more robust than letting the file selfregister at installation time because it does not depend on the presence of other files on the destination computer, nor does it depend on how well the .OCX or .DLL file adheres to self-registration conventions. However, to use the scan option, the .OCX or .DLL files must already be registered correctly on your computer. If you prefer not to register installation files on your computer, you can run the scan routine as a stand-alone utility on a different computer; see Using

WiseComCapture.exe on page 133.

• Do not scan advertising information. Select this option when you

want to use self-registration for components that support it. Wise for Windows Installer will not scan files or the registry.

• Scan advertising information into registry keys. Add

advertising information to the installation as registry keys only; do not create entries in advertising tables. This results in an installation that does not support advertising through COM.

• Scan advertising information into advertising tables. Place

registry entries that are considered to be advertising information into advertising tables. Create registry entries for any information that cannot be placed in the advertising tables. This results in an installation that supports advertising. For all keys that can be placed into advertising tables. For all other information that cannot be placed into the advertising tables, create registry keys.

• Scan advertising into both advertising tables and registry.

Place registry entries that are considered to be advertising information into advertising tables AND into registry keys. This way, all advertising information is included in the installation; none is lost.

⌧ Caution:

When registry entries are created for any information that cannot be placed in the advertising tables, your installation is more accurate because no information is lost. However, this might cause an error or warning when you run the Application Specification Logo test in the Package Validation tool.

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! Automatically add self-registration. Mark this checkbox if you want

self-registration information automatically added to your installation when you add an .OCX or .DLL file that supports self-registration. Typically, .OCX and .DLL files are self-registered dynamically on the destination computer by calling self-registration functions. If you mark this checkbox, Windows Installer registers your .OCX and .DLL files. The .DLL or .OCX may require certain files to be installed already in order to self-register properly.

! Default to rescan advertising for components with advertising

information. If the advertising information contained in your files might change during the development process, mark this checkbox. The scan options in the Advertising Setting field above only read the advertising information that’s present in the file when you first add it to your installation. If you mark this checkbox, the advertising information is scanned and the installation is updated every time you compile. This field simply sets the default for new components; if you change it, existing components are not affected. The Rescan advertising information during compile checkbox in the Component Details dialog can override this setting for individual components.

Compiler Options:

! Add custom actions for predefined folders in merge modules.

This affects the merging of merge modules that place files in predefined directories, such as \Windows, \System32, and so on. Mark this checkbox if you want the merge to emulate the behavior of Microsoft’s merge tool, mergemod.dll, which uses custom actions to handle predefined directories. Clearing this checkbox can fix potential problems with directory name capitalization inconsistencies.

" Note:

Wise for Windows Installer has its own code for merging a module into an .MSI, but this checkbox causes your merge to follow the Microsoft conventions for merging. Microsoft’s merging code adds a custom action to your installation for each predefined directory referenced in each included merge module. The custom action uses a Set Property action to set the predefined directory name, whereas the Wise for Windows Installer code simply sets the predefined directory name by adding an item to the Directory table of the Windows Installer database.

Display error if merge modules conflict with main installation

rows. Merge module errors occur if a merge module contains a row that has the same key as a row in the main installation. Clear this checkbox

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SETTING PREFERENCES

to ignore such errors and let the merge module row overwrite the row in the main installation.

! Enable Quick Compile. Mark this checkbox to speed up the compile

process by compressing only previously uncompressed or changed files. Quick Compile writes the .MSI table information. If a file or media has changed, a full compile will occur instead. Quick Compile is for project files only.

Startup Options:

! Reload last project at startup. Mark this checkbox if you want the

last project you worked on to open automatically each time you launch Wise for Windows Installer.

! Check for Updates. Select an option to set the frequency at which you

want to be reminded to check for updates to Wise for Windows Installer. Update reminders occur only when Wise for Windows Installer is launched.

Setting .NET Preferences

Use the .NET Assemblies tab in the Preferences dialog to specify whether you create standard Win32 or .NET installations, and to customize how Wise for Windows Installer handles the .NET assemblies added to an installation. Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog. Click the .NET Assemblies tab.

" Note:

The ability to create .NET installations is supported only by Windows Installer 2.0 or higher.

COM Interop Options:

! Default Application Type. This field determines the default setting for

the Application Type field on the Product Details page for new installations.

• Win 32 (non .NET). This is the default. Select this option if you

typically create standard Win32 installations without .NET assemblies.

• .NET Application. Select this option if you typically create .NET

installations with only .NET elements.

• Mixed (.NET and Win32). Select this option if you typically create

installations containing both Win32 and .NET elements. When this option is selected, .NET assemblies you add to an installation are

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registered so that they can be called as though they were COM components. For more information on COM interoperability, see the topic titled Interoperating with Unmanaged Code in the MSDN Library (msdn.microsoft.com/library/).

! Rescan COM interop registry keys on compile. Mark this checkbox

to scan and update interop registry keys for .NET assemblies each time you compile. This checkbox is available only if the .NET Framework is installed on your computer.

Assembly Scanning Options:

The scanning options are available only if the .NET Framework is installed on your computer.

! Scan Dependencies. Select an option to determine how dependency

assemblies are added to an installation. You can add them manually or have Wise for Windows Installer scan the assembly manifest for dependencies and add them automatically.

• Never scan dependencies. If you select this option, you must add dependency assemblies to your installations manually on the Files page.

• Prompt to scan dependencies. Each time you add a .NET assembly to an installation, Wise for Windows Installer scans its manifest for dependencies and prompts you to select which ones to add to the installation.

• Always scan dependencies. Each time you add a .NET assembly to an installation, Wise for Windows Installer scans its manifest for dependencies and adds them to the installation.

! Rescan assembly dependencies on compile. Mark this checkbox to

scan for new assembly dependencies each time you compile.

! Rescan assembly attributes on compile. Mark this checkbox to

rescan and update assembly attributes each time you compile. This checkbox is marked by default.

Setting Digital Signature Preferences

You can add a digital signature to your installation on the Digital Signature page in Installation Expert. If your installation includes a digital signature, you use the signcode.exe utility to (1) create a hash of the code, using an algorithm such as MD5 or SHA; (2) encrypt the hash using your private key; and (3) create a package containing the code, the encrypted hash, and the publisher’s certificate. For more information on digital signatures, visit www.verisign.com.

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To set global preferences for digital signatures, configure the digital signing options on the Digital Signing tab in the Preferences dialog. These preferences apply to all future installations you create. Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog. Click the Digital Signing tab.

Enter the appropriate information in the following fields.

! Signcode.exe Location. Enter the pathname of the signcode.exe file

that performs the signing tasks. For more information, refer to the ActiveX SDK.

! Credentials File. Enter the pathname of the credentials file that

contains your Digital ID; the path can be relative to the .WSI you’re compiling. Your credentials file is provided by Verisign or another certificate authority. You must use the same machine to apply for and obtain your Digital ID. You can then use the private key and Digital ID to sign files on a different machine.

! Private Key File. Enter the pathname of the private key file generated

by your browser during the process of applying for a Software Publisher’s ID; the path can be relative to the .WSI you’re compiling. A private key file has the extension .PVK. It’s a good idea to store a copy of your private key file on a floppy disk in a safe deposit box. This key is never sent to your certificate authority, so if you lose this private key, you will be unable to sign your installer. If this key is lost or stolen, please contact Verisign or your certificate authority immediately.

Setting Installation Expert Options

Use the Installation Expert tab in the Preferences dialog to set general preferences for Wise for Windows Installer. Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog.

! View directories for all features on Files page. Mark this checkbox

to see all directories on the Files page in Installation Expert, regardless of what feature the directory was created for.

Clear this checkbox to see only the directories that were created for the currently selected feature (the feature selected in the Current Feature drop-down list.) For instance, if you create a directory for FeatureA, then use the Current Feature drop-down list to go to FeatureB, you no longer see the directory you made for FeatureA.

! View registry keys for all features on Registry page. If you mark

this checkbox, any registry key that is created for one feature displays when other features are active, enabling you to see a composite view of all registry keys created for all features. If this checkbox is not marked,

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only keys created for the currently selected feature (in the Current Feature drop-down list) are displayed.

! Show merge module components. Mark this checkbox to view the

files and registry entries from merge modules in Installation Expert. You can only view merge module components in an .MSI. By default, these items are hidden.

! Listbox Compatibility Mode. If your computer has certain video

drivers, you might have problems selecting items from list boxes within Wise for Windows Installer. If items you choose from list boxes are continually misinterpreted by Wise for Windows Installer, mark this checkbox to eliminate list box problems.

The following three checkboxes determine how features are shown on the Features page. You can override these settings using the right-click menu on that page.

! Expand all features on Features page

! Display Feature title instead of name of Features page

! Display hidden features on Features page

Setting Merge Module Directories

On the Merge Modules tab in the Preferences dialog, you set default directories for storing your merge modules. You can store merge modules on a local drive or a shared network drive. When you add a merge module to your installation, you can select from the merge modules in the directories you specify here. When you use the Download Redistributables wizard, you can download merge modules to any of the directories you specify here.

In the Enterprise Edition, you can use merge modules that are stored in the Wise Software Repository, which helps ensure that developers always access approved versions of merge modules.

Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog. Click the Merge Modules tab.

You also can access these options when you add a merge module to an installation; click the Directories button in the Select Merge Module dialog. See Adding a Merge Module to an Installation on page 375.

! The Default Merge Module Directory field shows the path to the

default merge module directory, which is C:\Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules\Wise Solutions. All merge modules that are in this directory—along with the merge modules in other locations specified below—are listed in the Select Merge Module dialog that appears when you click the Add button on the Merge Modules page. To exclude the merge modules in the default directory from the list, mark the Do not

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show merge modules from the Default Merge Module Directory

checkbox.

! Read Merge Modules List From Wise Software Repository. This

checkbox appears in the Enterprise Edition only. Mark this checkbox to include merge modules from the Wise Software Repository in the Select Merge Module dialog that appears when you click the Add button on the Merge Modules page.

! In the Directory list, you enter additional directories where merge

modules are stored. Merge modules in these directories are listed in the Select Merge Modules dialog. For example, if you save your company’s user-created merge modules in the shared network directory V:\Modules, and you add V:\Modules to the Directory list, the merge modules in that directory will appear in the Select Merge Module dialog.

To add a directory to the list, click the Add button, browse for the directory you want to add, and click OK. To include subdirectories in the search, mark the checkbox in the Include Subdirs column. The next time you click the Add button on the Merge Modules page, modules in that directory appear in the Select Merge Module dialog.

To delete a directory from the list, click the directory you want to remove and click the Delete button. Merge modules in that directory will no longer appear in the Select Merge Module dialog.

Activating Suppressed Prompts

Some of the prompts that appear in Wise for Windows Installer contain a Don’t show this message again checkbox that lets you suppress the prompt in the future. You can use the Prompts tab in the Preferences dialog to reactivate prompts that you previously chose to suppress. Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog.

The Prompts tab lists the prompts you have suppressed and shows your last response to each prompt. If you have not suppressed any Wise for Windows Installer prompts, nothing is listed in the Prompts tab.

To reactivate a prompt, click the prompt message line, then click the Activate button. The prompt is removed from the list. The next time you encounter a situation in which that prompt applies, the prompt will appear.

Setting Repository Preferences

# Enterprise Edition only.

Use the Repository tab in the Preferences dialog to specify the directories that contain shared resources you will use in your installations. For more

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information about sharing resources, see Sharing Installation Resources on page 70. You also can change the share point directory and Wise Software Repository database from this dialog.

" Note:

Changing the share point directory or a specific path does NOT copy resources to the new location. The new location you specify must already contain resources. Typically, you will specify a share point or path that is already in use by another team.

Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog. Click the Repository tab.

! Share Point. This field, which is read-only, displays the share point

directory that contains the shared resources. You cannot edit this field, however, you can use the Configure button to connect to a different share point directory. When you click the Configure button, the Share Point Directory dialog appears. Browse to an existing share point directory and click Next. If the share point you chose was created in an older version of Wise software, then you might also be prompted to enter the repository’s database name and the server where it resides. When the share point has been changed, click Finish to end the wizard.

! Data Source. This field, which is read-only, displays the Wise Software

Repository data source that is associated with the share point directory above. The database displayed here is used as the default in the Package Distribution tool when you distribute to the share point directory.

Default locations are set for specific types of resources based on the share point directory above. Typically, you will use the default locations. If you want to set individual share locations for specific resources, click the Advanced button. The Repository Advanced Settings dialog appears. To change a default location, double-click one of the following items in the list box and browse to a new path.

You can use the variable [WiseSharePoint] to represent the share point directory in the following paths. You also can use the predefined variables that appear on the Path Variables page. However, you cannot use other user-defined path variables because they are specific to a single installation and the following paths are global options.

! Component Rules. Specify the location of ComponentRules.ini, which

contains the rules that govern how components are created in installations.

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⌧ Caution:

If you are sharing component rules in the Enterprise Edition, be careful when editing existing rule sets because your changes will overwrite rule sets used by other members of the development team.

Custom Actions. Specify the location in which you will save files used

in custom actions, such as WiseScripts, .DLL files, JScript files, and VBScript files, that can be added to your installations. This is the default location whenever you browse for a file in a custom action dialog.

! Default Project Directory. Specify the default directory in which all

new installations will be saved.

! Dialogs. Specify the location of the Wise Standard.msi file that contains

information used by the New Dialog Wizard to add a new dialog to an installation.

! Languages. Specify the location of language resource files.

! Resources. Specify the location of the icon and bitmap resources that

are used in installations.

! Templates. Specify the location of installation templates and WfWI

macros.

! Themes. Specify the location of the installation themes that are used to

customize installation dialogs.

! Validation Modules. Specify the location of the validation modules

(.CUB files) and settings used in the Package Validation tool.

Setting Source Control Preferences

The Source Control tab in the Preferences dialog lets you enable source control functionality for the current installation project and all future projects. The following global options apply to all installation projects you create. These options set preferences for the levels of interaction Wise for Windows Installer has with your source code control system (SCCS). See

Using Source Control on page 328 for more information on using source

control.

" Note:

If the following options do not appear on the Source Control tab, you probably don’t have a source code control system on your computer. It could also be that your SCCS is unrecognized or that there are communications problems between the SCCS server and your machine.

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! Enable source control. Mark this checkbox to enable all source control

functionality both in the current project and all future projects. When you mark this checkbox, the three following checkboxes that follow are enabled, and also, the items in the source control menu. When source control is enabled, you can add files to source control, check files in and out, get the latest version of files, track history, and view differences.

! Check out file when it is opened. If this is marked, each time you

open a file that has been previously checked in, the file will be automatically checked out for you. If your source code control system is not available, you can cancel attempts to connect and work on the local copy of the file.

! Check in file when it is closed. If this is marked, each time you open

a file that has been previously checked out, the file will be automatically checked in for you.

! Add new files to source control. If you mark this checkbox, each

time you create a new installation file and save it, you will be prompted to add it to your source code control system.

Just enabling the source control options above does not implement source control into your installation. It merely enables you to add and remove files from the source code control system, and to check them in and out. Use the options on the Source Control menu to perform these tasks.

Setting the Target Platform

You can determine the default platform for new installations and set preferences for converting existing 32-bit installations to 64-bit.

Select Preferences from the Edit menu to display the Preferences dialog. Click the Target Platform tab.

" Note:

64-bit installations are supported only by Windows Installer 2.0 or higher.

Target Platform Selection. The preferences in this section determine

whether new installations you create are enabled for 64-bit or 32-bit platforms.

• Default to 64-bit .MSI/.WSI files. If you mark this option, all new .MSI and .WSI files that you create are 64-bit enabled.

• Default to 32-bit .MSI/.WSI files. If you mark this option, all new .MSI and .WSI files that you create are 32-bit enabled.

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• Select platform in New Installation File dialog. If you mark this option, you can select the platform for each new installation in the Target Platform section of the New Installation File dialog.

! Convert 32-bit .MSI/.WSI files to 64-bit. Mark this checkbox to

convert 32-bit .MSI and .WSI files to 64-bit when you open them.

⌧ Caution:

If you mark this checkbox but not the next two checkboxes, then every 32-bit installation file you open is converted to and saved as 64-bit.

When you mark this checkbox, the following checkboxes are available:

• Prompt before converting 32-bit files to 64-bit. Mark this checkbox to display a warning message each time you are about to convert a 32-bit file to 64-bit.

• Preserve original 32-bit .MSI/.WSI files when converting to 64-bit. Mark this checkbox to leave the original 32-bit installation file intact and create a 64-bit-enabled copy. When you save the 64bit file, its file name defaults to the original file name with “(64-bit)” appended to the end. For example, if your original file is named MyApp.wsi, the file name for the new 64-bit installation file will be MyApp (64-bit).wsi.

" Note:

You cannot convert 64-bit installations to 32-bit.

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Component Rules

You can select or create rules that help you manage the creation of components in an installation. Using component rules eliminates the need to specify component information for every individual resource you add to your installation and ensures that components are created consistently across all your installations. Component rules can also help you align component GUIDs in an upgrade with component GUIDs in previous versions of the installation.

When you first set up an installation, you select a component rule set to use to manage components you add to that installation. If necessary, you can modify the existing rule sets or create a new one. Then, whenever you add a resource, such as a file, registry key, shortcut, or anything else that can be installed, components are created for those resources in accordance with the rule set you selected. For example, you can always create a new component for each new file added to the installation, or you can group related resources, such as help files, into one component.

In the Enterprise Edition, you can share component rules with other developers in your organizations via a share point directory. Sharing component rules ensures that you always use the most current set of rules and that your installations always adhere to company standards for creating components. To share component rules, make sure a shared directory is specified for the Component Rules path on the Repository tab of the Preferences dialog; see Setting Repository Preferences on page 53.

Also see:

About Component Rules Selecting a Component Rule Set on page 59 Using Component Rules to Align GUIDs in an Upgrade on page 61 Customizing Component Rules on page 62 Microsoft Best Practices Component Rule Set on page 65 One File Per Component Rule Set on page 66

About Component Rules

When you set up an installation, you can select a component rule set to use to manage components you add to that installation. A rule set is simply a collection of rules. A rule consists of one or more conditions and one or more actions.

! A condition determines the criteria that a resource must meet in order

for an action to be performed. For example, if you select the condition Added resource is a Shortcut, the action is only performed for shortcut resources.

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! An action determines how a resource will be assigned to a component.

Two predefined rule sets are provided. You can use the predefined rule sets as is, modify the predefined rule sets, or create your own rule sets to reflect your company’s standards. Before you create your own rule sets, review the predefined rule sets. You might find that they manage your components satisfactorily and you don’t have to create your own. For descriptions of the predefined rule sets, see Microsoft Best Practices

Component Rule Set on page 65 and One File Per Component Rule Set on

page 66.

In the Standard and Professional Editions, rule sets are stored in the registry. In the Enterprise Edition, rule sets are stored in an .I NI file located in the share point directory specified in the Repository tab of the Preferences dialog; see Setting Repository Preferences on page 53. Do not attempt to edit the .INI file outside of the Component Rules dialogs.

⌧ Caution:

If you are sharing component rules in the Enterprise Edition, be careful when editing existing rule sets because your changes will overwrite rule sets used by other members of the development team.

How Component Rules Are Applied

Component rules are applied in the order they appear from top to bottom in the list of rules in the Customize Component Rules dialog. When a rule has more than one condition, only resources that meet all of the conditions have the rule applied to them. Once an added resource matches the conditions in a rule, the action is applied and no subsequent rules are evaluated for that resource. If you add a resource that does not meet any of the conditions in the rule set, then the Microsoft Best Practices rule set is used for that resource.

Selecting a Component Rule Set

Use the Component Rule Selection dialog to select a rule set and component naming conventions for the current installation or to set the default rule options for all future installations.

The component key values you enter in the Component Rule Selection dialog can be overridden by specific rules. For example, if you use a rule set that contains rules for naming certain types of components, then only the components that do not meet the conditions in the rule set will be named using the component key value options you specify here.

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To select a component rule set:

1. From the Component Rules menu, select Select Rule Set.

The Component Rule Selection dialog appears.

2. In the Rule Set Name drop-down list, select the rule set you want to use for this installation.

3. To make the specified rule set the default for all future installations, mark the Make this the default rule set for all Windows Installer files checkbox.

4. In the Component Key Values section, select an option from the Default drop-down list to determine the naming convention for new components. If the rule set you use specifies the component naming under certain conditions, the naming convention you specify here will be overridden when those conditions are met.

• Set component key to a named Base. Select this option to name

new components with specified text plus an incremental number. Selecting this option enables the Base field. Enter text to serve as a base for the component name, for example, Component. Component names will be incremented from this base, as in Component1, Component2, and so on.

• Set component key to key of keypath or first resource. Select

this option to name components as follows:

% If the resource is a file, registry key, or ODBC data source, give

the component the same name as the key of the keypath.

% For any other type of resource, give the component the same

name as the key of the first resource in the component.

• Set component key to table name of keypath or first

resource. Select this option to give new components the name of the table in which the keypath or first resource reside. If multiple components are named for the same table, an incremental number is added to the component name, for example, File1, File2, and so on.

5. The Files drop-down list lets you specify a different naming convention for components that are based on file resources. You can use the long filename of the keypath file, the short file name of the keypath file, or the naming convention specified in the Default field above.

6. To make the options in the Component Key Values section the defaults for all future installations, mark the Make this the default key naming convention for all installations checkbox.

7. Click OK in the Component Rule Selection dialog.

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Using Component Rules to Align GUIDs in an Upgrade

Component rules can help you align component GUIDs in an upgrade with component GUIDs in previous versions of the installation. If GUIDS or key paths for the same component don’t match between the new and old .MSI, the component could inadvertently get deleted because Windows Installer does not recognize the components as being the same. Aligning component GUIDs for matching components prevents upgrades from deleting necessary files in the newer version.

If you are working on an upgrade installation, you specify the previous versions of the installation in the Previous Installation Versions dialog. Then, make sure you use a component rule set that contains a rule for aligning component GUIDs with previous versions. For example, the two predefined rule sets contain a rule in which, if the keypath resource matches a resource in the previous .MSI list, the component layout of the previous .MSI is matched and the component key is set to match the previous version. All new resources you add to the upgrade installation will be checked against the previous installations.

To ensure that all resources you add to an upgrade installation are aligned with previous versions, specify the previous installation versions before adding any resources to the installation. If you have already added resources to the installation, as is the case when you use a copy of a previous .WSI as a starting point for creating an upgrade installation, you must run UpgradeSync to align GUIDs for existing components.

To use component rules to align GUIDs in an upgrade:

1. Create or open the upgrade installation.

2. If you have already added resources to the upgrade installation, run UpgradeSync to align GUIDs for existing components. See Using

UpgradeSync on page 312.

3. Select a rule set to use for this upgrade; see Selecting a Component

Rule Set on page 59. Make sure the rule set you select contains a rule

for aligning component GUIDs with previous versions; this should be the first rule in the rule set.

For best results, use the same rule set, if any, that was used in the previous versions. That way, component creation in the upgrade will be consistent with the previous versions.

4. From the Component Rules menu, select Previous Versions.

The Previous Installation Versions dialog appears.

5. In the Previous Installation Versions dialog, specify the previous versions of this installation.

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• To add a previous version .MSI to the list, click the Add button and

then click the Browse button ( ) to browse for the .MSI you want to add. Navigate to the .MSI and click Open. The .MSI is added to the list.

• To delete an .MSI from the list, click the .MSI you want to remove and click the Delete button.

• The previous versions will be checked in the order they appear in this list. To reorganize the .MSIs in the list, click an .MSI and use the Move Up or Move Down button.

6. When you’ve added all previous versions, click OK in the Previous Installation Versions dialog.

All new resources you add to the upgrade installation will be checked against and aligned with the previous installations you specified.

Customizing Component Rules

If the predefined component rule sets do not meet your needs, you can modify a predefined rule set or create a new rule set based on your organization’s standards.

When you create new rules, you might want to refer to Microsoft’s rules for creating components; see the topics titled Organizing Applications into Components and Changing the Component Code in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

⌧ Caution:

If you are sharing component rules in the Enterprise Edition, be careful when editing existing rule sets because your changes will overwrite rule sets used by other members of the development team.

To add a new component rule set:

1. From the Component Rules menu, select Customize.

The Customize Component Rules dialog appears. The upper list box shows the rules contained in the selected rule set. Click a rule to display its details in the lower list box (the Rule description list).

2. From the Rule Set Name drop-down list, select <new>.

The Enter Rule Set Name dialog opens.

3. Enter a unique Rule Set Name to identify this rule set and click OK.

4. In the Customize Component Rules dialog, click the Add button to add the first rule for this rule set.

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This starts the Component Rule Wizard, which you can step through to add the conditions and actions that comprise the rule. For details on using the Component Rule Wizard, see Adding and Editing Component

Rules on page 63.

5. When you have finished adding rules to the rule set, click OK in the Customize Component Rules dialog.

To change an existing component rule set:

1. From the Component Rules menu, select Customize.

The Customize Component Rules dialog appears.

2. From the Rule Set Name drop-down list, select the rule set you want to change.

• To delete the rule set, click the Delete button to the right of the rule

set name.

• To rename the rule set, click the Rename button, type the new name

in the Enter Rule Set Name dialog, and click OK.

• To add a rule, click the Add button and follow the steps in Adding

and Editing Component Rules on page 63.

• To edit a rule, click the rule in the rules list and click the Details

button. This starts the Component Rule Wizard, which you can step through to change the rule name or change any of the conditions or actions. For details on using this wizard, see Adding and Editing

Component Rules on page 63.

• To delete a rule, click the rule in the rules list and click the Delete

button to the right of the rules list.

3. Click OK in the Customize Component Rules dialog.

Adding and Editing Component Rules

The Component Rule Wizard lets you add component rules to a rule set and edit existing component rules. To access the Component Rule Wizard, you select Customize from the Component Rules menu, and then either click the Add button or click an existing rule and click the Details button. See

Customizing Component Rules on page 62.

⌧ Caution:

If you are sharing component rules in the Enterprise Edition, be careful when editing existing rule sets because your changes will overwrite rule sets used by other members of the development team.

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To add or edit a component rule:

1. In the Name dialog of the Component Rule Wizard, enter a name for the new rule and click Next. If this is an existing rule, the name is already entered and you can accept or change it.

The Conditions dialog appears.

2. In the Which condition(s) do you want to check? list, mark the checkbox next to each condition you want to check.

" Note:

When there are no conditions for performing the action(s) in this rule, select the condition Always perform associated action.

As you mark checkboxes, the conditions appear in the Rule description list. If you select a condition that is incompatible with a condition you’ve already selected, the first condition you selected is removed from the list.

3. If a condition contains underlined text, click the underlined text to open a Rule Details dialog. There you can select a value for the underlined text.

For example, if you selected the condition Added resource is a file

with name any

name. Wildcards are allowed.

4. When you’ve added all conditions that comprise the rule, click Next in the Conditions dialog.

The Actions dialog appears.

5. In the Which action(s) do you want to perform? list, mark the checkbox next to the action or actions you want to perform.

The actions you mark appear in the Rule description list. If you select an action that is incompatible with an action you’ve already selected, the first action you selected is removed from the list.

6. If an action contains underlined text, click the underlined text to open a Rule Details dialog. There you can specify a value for the underlined text.

For example, if you selected the action Set component key to

Component

text.

, you would click the word any and enter a specific file

, you would click the word Component and enter specific

7. When you’ve added all actions to the rule, click Finish in the Actions dialog.

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You are returned to the Customize Component Rules dialog. The rule is displayed in the upper list box and its details are displayed in the Rule description list.

8. You can continue to add and edit rules. When you are finished, click OK in the Customize Component Rules dialog.

Microsoft Best Practices Component Rule Set

When you use this predefined rule set, components are created using Microsoft’s component creation guidelines. For more information on Microsoft’s rules for creating components, see the topics titled Organizing Applications into Components and Changing the Component Code in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

If an added resource does no t meet the conditions in a rule, the next rule is evaluated for that resource. If the resource does not meet the conditions in any of the rules, the component is created according to the final rule.

! Match components in previous versions of the .MSI. If the keypath

resource matches a resource in the previous .MSI list, match the component layout of the previous .MSI and set the component key to match the previous version.

! Add all executable files to their own components. If the added

resource is a 32-bit executable file (.DLL, .OCX, or .EXE), create a new component.

! Add all .TLB files to their own components. If the added resource is

a .TLB file, create a new component.

! Group Matching .HLP and .CNT files together. If resource file

names are the same and their file extensions are .HLP or .CNT, add them to the same component. The .HLP file will be the keypath file.

! Group matching .CHM and .CHI files together. If resource file

names are the same and their extensions are .CHM or .CHI, add them to the same component. The .CHM file will be the keypath file.

! Put registry keys associated with files or components in

matching components. If the added resource is a registry key, and the registry value name or value refers to a file or component, add the resource to an existing component that contains the same type of resource.

! Put Current User registry keys in their own component. If the

added resource is a registry key under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, add the resource to the component matching the conditions and set the component key base to CurrentUser. The component key base will be incremented for each new component matching this condition. For example, CurrentUser1, CurrentUser2, and so on.

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! Put non-Current User registry keys in their own component. If

the added resource is a registry key NOT under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, add the resource to an existing component that contains the same type of resource.

! Group all non-executable files to their own component. If the

added resource is not a 32-bit executable file (.DLL, .OCX, or .EXE), add the resource to an existing component that contains the same type of resource.

! Name new non-advertised shortcuts by destination directory. If

the added resource is a shortcut, add it to an existing component containing non-advertised shortcuts in the same destination directory.

! Group non-keypath resources by resource type. If the added

resource cannot be set to the keypath, that is, if it is not a file, registry key, or ODBC data source, add the resource to an existing component that contains the same type of resource.

! Create new components for resources not matching other

criteria. For all other resources that do not match the criteria above, create a new component for the resource and set the component key to the table name of the keypath or the first resource. If multiple components are named for the same table, an incremental number is added to the component name, for example, File1, File2, and so on.

One File Per Component Rule Set

When you use this predefined rule set, each file you add to the installation becomes its own component.

If an added resource does not meet the conditions in a rule, the next rule is evaluated for that resource. If the resource does not meet the conditions in any of the rules, the component is created according to the final rule.

! Match components in previous versions of the .MSI. If the keypath

resource matches a resource in the previous .MSI list, match the component layout of the previous .MSI and set the component key to match the previous version.

! Add all files to their own components. If the added resource is a

file, create a new component.

! Put registry keys associated with files or components in

! Put Current User registry keys in their own component. If the

added resource is a registry key under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, add the

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resource to the component matching the conditions and set the component key base to CurrentUser. The component key base will be incremented for each new component matching this condition. For example, CurrentUser1, CurrentUser2, and so on.

! Put non-Current user registry keys in their own component. If

the added resource is a registry key NOT under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, add the resource to an existing component that contains the same type of resource.

! Name new non-advertised shortcuts by destination directory. If

the added resource is a shortcut, add it to an existing component containing non-advertised shortcuts in the same destination directory.

! Group non-keypath resources by resource type. If the added

resource cannot be set to the keypath, that is, if it is not a file, registry key, or ODBC data source, add the resource to an existing component that contains the same type of resource.

! Create new components for resources not matching other

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Where are Installation Resources Stored?

Wise for Windows Installer uses resources such as installation templates, component rules, language files, and so on, to create installations. In the Standard and Professional Editions, these resources are stored in subdirectories of the Wise for Windows Installer application directory, for example, C:\Program Files\Wise for Windows Installer.

In the Enterprise Edition, resources are stored by default in subdirectories of the share point directory. In the Repository tab of the Preferences dialog, you can specify alternate locations for storing resources; see

Setting Repository Preferences on page 53.

The following table lists the resource subdirectories and describes their contents.

Directory Contents

000, 001, and so on Enterprise Edition only. Contains source files associated with each

package’s installation. The subdirectories are numbered sequentially, as in 000\001, and so on. They are created when someone uses the Package Distribution tool to distribute to the share point. For more information, see the topic titled Indexing Source Files With wamdb.idx in the Software Manager Help.

Custom Actions Enterprise Edition only. Provides a shared location in which you can

place files used in custom actions, such as WiseScripts, VBScripts, .DLLs, and so on, that you use in Windows Installer installations.

Languages Contains the language resource files used to change the language of

installations.

Reports Enterprise Edition only. Contains the predefined reports (.RPT) that are

used in Software Manager. Also contains the Report.ini file, which stores information about the predefined reports and about any report customizations.

Resources Contains installation resources such as bitmap and icon files.

Scripts Enterprise Edition only. Contains temporary files (.QUE) representing

packages that have been distributed to but not yet imported into the Wise Software Repository. The Scripts directory is created the first time someone uses the Package Distribution tool to distribute to the share point. For more information, see the topic titled QUE Files and Automatic Importing in the Software Manager Help. The Scripts directory also stores information about package subscriptions.

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Directory Contents

Templates Contains installation templates, WfWI macros, and additional template

files used by Package Distribution.

Templates\Dialogs Contains the Wise Standard.msi file that provides information used by

the New Dialog Wizard to add a new dialog to an installation.

Templates\Reports Enterprise Edition only. Contains the template files that are used to

format the shared resources reports in Wise for Windows Installer.

Themes Contains Themes.ini, which stores information about themes you’ve

added or customized. Also contains subdirectories that store the images for each theme.

Validation Contains the predefined validation modules (.CUB files) that are used by

the Package Validation tool.

Virtual OS Enterprise Edition only. Provides a shared location in which you can

place Virtual OS files (.WOS) that are used by the Universal Import feature of Software Manager.

Also see About the Share Point Directory in Wise for Windows Installer on page 72.

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Using the Enterprise Edition

Enterprise Edition only.

With the Enterprise Edition of Wise for Windows Installer, you can develop consistent, accurate, and high quality installations based on corporate standards. The Enterprise Edition ensures that you use the correct versions of resources, such as files and registry keys, that are shared across multiple applications. For example, a developer who adds or updates a .DLL in an installation can instantly view a list of other applications that use that .DLL and the versions used. The developer can use this information to ensure that the new application uses the correct version of the .DLL and therefore will not break existing applications.

The Enterprise Edition lets you share commonly used templates, dialog themes, translations, and other installation resources within a single development team or among multiple development teams. This lets developers throughout the organization create installations with common settings and a consistent look and feel. See Sharing Installation Resources.

The Enterprise Edition also helps organizations that use Wise Package Studio. It eliminates the need to repackage internally developed applications, because the organization’s developers can create installations that adhere to corporate standards. It also reduces rework of internally developed installations by the development team and reduces end-user downtime, because the developers who create installations can be sure to use the correct versions of files and other resources before giving installations to the IT deployment team. See Sharing the Wise Software

Repository With Wise Package Studio on page 73.

Sharing Installation Resources

# Enterprise Edition only.

A key feature of the Enterprise Edition is the ability to develop and enforce standards for how installations are created. You enforce standards by storing all installation-related resources in a common location and making sure all developers use those resources in their installations.

Use the Repository tab in the Preferences dialog to specify the directories that contain shared resources you will use in your installations. See Setting

Repository Preferences on page 53.

You can share the following resources:

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! Component rules. Ensure that every installation will be organized the

same way, which greatly simplifies the management of multiple product installations

! Custom actions, such as .DLL files, JScript files, and VBScript files,

that can be added to your installations.

! Installation templates, dialogs, dialog themes, languages, and

resources, such as bitmaps and icons, that are used in installations. Create installations with common settings and a consistent look and feel.

! Merge modules. Ensure that developers always access approved

versions of merge modules by storing merge modules in a central location, or by using merge modules that are in the Wise Software Repository.

! Validation modules (.CUB files). Simplify the quality assurance

process by ensuring every installation passes the same validation tests.

! Reports. Share customized report menus and custom reports.

Sharing installation resources is accomplished through the share point directory, the Wise Software Repository, and the Software Manager tool.

! The share point directory is typically installed on a shared network

drive. Use the share point directory to store resources, such as templates, dialogs, and themes, used to create installations as well as the source files used in the application itself. The share point directory can also contain information about applications that are waiting to be imported to the Wise Software Repository database and the source files used by those applications. See About the Share Point Directory in Wise

for Windows Installer on page 72 and Where are Installation Resources Stored? on page 68. In order to take advantage of the Enterprise

Edition’s resource sharing features, you must specify a share point directory on the Repository tab in the Preferences dialog.

! The Wise Software Repository database contains information about

every resource used by every application your organization develops. This lets developers see what resources are used by other applications so they can be sure to use the correct versions of resources in applications they develop. Geographically dispersed development teams can maintain multiple repository databases and use a publish/subscribe model to pass information between repositories. For more information, see the topic titled About the Wise Software Repository in the Software Manager Help.

! The Software Manager tool lets you manage the information and

resources stored in the Wise Software Repository. Use it to import applications into the Wise Software Repository database, subscribe to

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applications in other repository databases, and view information about the resources used by applications in the database.

In addition to importing Windows Installer installations and merge modules, Software Manager can import other installation formats such as WiseScripts, SMS Installer files, InstallShield® Developer executables, and any other installation format. This lets you import legacy installations without converting them to Windows Installer format.

For more information on Software Manager, see the topic titled Software Manager Basics in the Software Manager Help.

About the Share Point Directory in Wise for Windows Installer

# Enterprise Edition only.

During the Wise for Windows Installer installation, you specify a share point directory. The default directory name is Wise Share Point, however, you can change the name at installation time.

For recommendations on where to locate the share point directory, see the topic titled Choosing the Location for the Share Point Directory in the Wise for Windows Installer Getting Started Guide.

The share point directory and its subdirectories contain the following information:

! Resources, such as installation templates, component rules, language

files, and so on, that are used to create Windows Installer installations.

! Predefined reports.

! Temporary files (.QUE) representing packages that have been

distributed to but not yet imported into the Wise Software Repository.

! Source files of installations you import to the Wise Software Repository.

! The default Microsoft Access-based Wise Software Repository database

and the sample Repository database, if you choose to install them.

If your organization uses Wise Package Studio, the share point directory might contain additional information that is unique to that product.

For a list of the share point subdirectories and their contents, see Where

are Installation Resources Stored? on page 68.

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⌧ Caution:

Do not edit or delete the contents of the share point directory or its subdirectories outside of Wise for Windows Installer or other Wise Solutions tools. Doing so will cause problems in Software Manager and can result in loss of data.

A common question is “Can I clean up the share point by deleting unused source files?” The answer is no. It is too difficult to know which files are safe to delete. The only recommended way to delete files from the share point directory is to delete the entire package from the Wise Software Repository database. Software Manager’s Delete Package dialog contains an option to also delete the package’s source files from the share point subdirectories (000, 001, and so on), provided those files are not referenced by any other application. See the topic titled Deleting a Package From the Wise Software Repository Database in the Software Manager Help.

Sharing the Wise Software Repository With Wise Package Studio

# Enterprise Edition only.

Developers can use the Wise Software Repository solely to store information about applications they develop. This situation is typical of developers in an independent software vendor (ISV) environment. However, developers who create applications for internal, corporate use might also want to obtain information about external applications that have been tested and deployed throughout their organization. If the deployment team in their organization uses Wise Package Studio, the developers can access the information in the deployment team’s Wise Software Repository.

Why share information in the deployment Repository? Because the Repository used by Package Studio contains approved versions of applications that have been deployed, developers can use this information to build installations that adhere to corporate standards. For instance, by checking the Repository when building an installation, a developer can be sure to use the correct versions of critical files, such as the Visual Basic runtime or MDAC.

The result is that developers produce more reliable installations that will not conflict with applications already deployed to end-users’ desktops. This eliminates the need for the repackaging team to repackage internally developed applications and lets them focus on other activities. It also

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assures the deployment team that applications will perform as expected and reduces calls to the help desk.

There are two methods for developers to access information in the deployment Repository:

! The development and deployment teams maintain separate Wise

Software Repository databases and use subscription to share information across the databases.

! The development and deployment teams share the same Wise Software

Repository database.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, as described below.

Separate Wise Software Repository databases

In this situation, the development team maintains a Wise Software Repository database that is separate from the one used by the deployment team. Developers access information about deployed applications by subscribing to the deployment team’s Repository. This is the most common way to share information between the two departments.

The advantage to using this method is that applications that are still in development are kept separate from those that have been tested and deployed. The disadvantage to using this method is that additional steps are required to hand off completed applications from development to deployment.

In order to share information about applications, the teams follow this process:

1. The development team uses Software Manager to subscribe to applications in the deployment team’s Wise Software Repository.

2. During development, the developer distributes and imports a new application to the development team’s Wise Software Repository. The developer can view resources used by applications in both the development and the deployment repositories.

3. When development is finished, the developer distributes the completed application to a network directory.

4. A member of the deployment team imports the new application from the network directory to the deployment team’s Wise Software Repository.

5. The deployment process begins.

Shared Wise Software Repository database

In this situation, the development team uses the same Wise Software Repository as the deployment team.

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This method has two advantages: it saves bandwidth because applications are not duplicated in two databases, and it does not require additional steps to hand off applications from one database to another. The disadvantage to using this method is that applications that are still in development are mixed with those that have been tested and deployed. Members of the deployment team must be careful not to deploy applications that are still in development.

In order to share information about applications, the teams follow this process:

1. During development, the developer distributes and imports a new application to the shared Wise Software Repository. The developer can view resources used by applications that are in development and those that have been deployed.

2. When development is finished, the developer notifies a member of the deployment team.

3. The deployment process begins.

Generating Shared Resource Reports

# Enterprise Edition only.

You can generate shared resource reports in Wise for Windows Installer. These reports provide a quick way to review the resources that are shared by the current installation and other packages in the Wise Software Repository. Two reports are available:

! Shared Files Report. Lists the files that are shared by the current

installation and applications in the Wise Software Repository. For each file, the report lists each application that uses the file and shows detailed file information, such as version, date/time, path, and so on.

! Shared Registry Report. Lists the registry keys that are shared by the

current installation and applications in the Wise Software Repository. For each registry key, the report lists each application that uses the registry key and shows the key value.

In order to generate the shared resources reports, you must specify a Wise Software Repository data source on the Repository tab in the Preferences dialog; see Setting Repository Preferences on page 53.

The reports are displayed in HTML format. The .XSL templates used to format these reports are located in the Templates\Reports subdirectory of the share point directory. You can customize the .XSL templates to supply branding information, to filter data, or to transform the data to another format.

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You also can generate resource reports in Software Manager. The Software Manager reports contain similar information. See the topic titled Predefined Software Manager Reports in the Software Manager Help.

To generate a shared resource report:

1. From the Reports menu, select either Shared Files Report or Shared Registry Report.

The Welcome dialog appears.

2. In the Data Source field, specify the Wise Software Repository database that contains the resources you want to review. This field defaults to the Wise Software Repository specified on the Repository tab in the Preferences dialog. To generate the report from a different repository database, click the Open button to select a different data source.

3. From the Group drop-down list, select the group that contains the packages you want to compare.

4. Click Next.

The report is generated and displayed in the Shared Files Report or Shared Registry Report dialog.

5. To save the report to a file, click the Save As button and specify a file name and extension. You can save the report in either of two formats:

• HTML (*.html). Save the report as an HTML file, which you can

open later in your browser, print, or e-mail to a coworker. This option is available only on computers that contain MSXML.DLL, which is included in Internet Explorer 5.x and higher.

• Data (*.xml). Save the report data without formatting. This is

useful for importing the report into other applications.

6. Click the Print button to print the report.

7. When you are finished reviewing, saving, or printing the report, click Finish.

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DOWNLOADING REDISTRIBUTABLE FILES

Downloading Redistributable Files

The Download Redistributables wizard, available from the Help menu, lets you obtain merge modules, Windows Installer runtime installers, and .NET Framework runtime installers. You need the Windows Installer runtimes if you decide to pre-install Windows Installer with your installation. You need .NET Framework if you are creating an installation that utilizes .NET.

" Note:

This wizard appears any time Wise detects a dependency on other merge modules or other redistributables. For instance, if you run ApplicationWatch and a file gets added that must be installed with a certain merge module, the Download Redistributables wizard appears and prompts you to download the necessary merge module. This wizard might also appear if you choose to install runtimes with your installation, or if you add files on the Files page that have dependencies.

Because of size and obsolescence considerations, these files are distributed via the Internet or product CD. Download them from the following locations:

! Wise Solutions’ Web Site. Select and download one or more

redistributables from Wise Solutions’ Web site. Available redistributables are authored by Wise Solutions or are authored by third-party vendors and redistributed by Wise Solutions. See Downloading Redistributables

From the Wise Web Site or Product CD on page 78.

! Other Vendors’ Web Sites. Select and download a redistributable

from a third-party vendor’s Web site. Available redistributables are authored by the respective vendor, and you need to contact the vendor for information or help on a redistributable. See Downloading

Redistributables From Other Vendors’ Web Sites on page 79.

" Note:

If you need to go through a firewall or proxy server to get to the Internet, use the link at the bottom of the Source Location dialog to modify your Internet connection settings; the Source Location dialog is the first dialog that appears when you use the Download Redistributables wizard. An Advanced Settings dialog appears, where you can specify information for your proxy server. Check with your network administrator for help with these options.

Product CD. Select and download one or more redistributables from

the CD that was used to install the product. Merge modules available from the product CD are authored by Wise Solutions or are authored by

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third-party vendors and redistributed by Wise Solutions. See

Downloading Redistributables From the Wise Web Site or Product CD on

page 78.

Downloading Redistributables From the Wise Web Site or Product CD

You must be in an active Wise project to follow this procedure.

To download redistributables from Wise Solutions’ Web site or from the Product CD:

1. From the Help menu, select Download Redistributables. The Source Location dialog appears.

2. Mark the Wise Solutions’ Web Site or the Product CD option and click Next.

3. If you clicked Product CD, you must now specify the location of the CD in the Product CD Location dialog. Then click Next.

When all available redistributables are retrieved, the Available Redistributable Files dialog appears.

4. From the Redistributable Type drop-down list, select the type of redistributable you want to download.

5. The dialog changes depending on what type of redistributable you chose.

If you chose Merge Modules, you see the following lists:

• Modules Installed. This list contains merge modules in the

directories specified in the Merge Modules tab of the Preferences dialog, which you access by selecting Preferences from the Edit menu; see

• Available Modules. This list contains merge modules available on

Wise Solutions’ Web site or the product CD that are:

% Not in your list of current modules.

% In your list of current modules but are a newer version of those

merge modules.

If you chose Windows Installer Runtimes, .NET Framework, or .NET Compact Framework, you see the following lists:

• Versions Installed. This list contains redistributables that are

located in Wise’s Stub directory

Setting Merge Module Directories on page 52.

• Versions Available. This list contains the versions of

redistributables that are available on the Wise Web site

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DOWNLOADING REDISTRIBUTABLE FILES

6. In the Available Modules or Versions Available list, mark one or more checkboxes for those redistributables you want to download. You can change the Redistributable Type and choose additional files.

7. Click Next. If you chose to download any merge modules, the Target Location dialog appears, where you specify merge modules’ download location; otherwise the download starts and you can skip the next step. Runtimes are automatically downloaded to private directories where they are accessed as needed by Wise.

8. From the Target Location drop-down list, select the directory to which you want to download the selected merge modules, then click Next.

The drop-down list shows all merge module directories specified in the Merge Modules tab of the Preferences dialog; see Setting Merge Module

Directories on page 52.

Wise downloads the selected redistributables from the Internet or CD. A message box alerts you if you’re downloading a newer version of an existing merge module, and you can choose whether or not to overwrite existing merge modules.

9. Click Finish to exit the wizard.

The merge modules you selected are now in the directory you specified as the target location and other runtimes are located in their required directories. If any merge modules you specified had dependencies on other merge modules, those merge modules were also downloaded automatically.

Downloading Redistributables From Other Vendors’ Web Sites

You must be in an active Wise project to follow this procedure. Wise Solutions has no control over other vendor’s redistributable files. Check with the vendor for product support.

To download a redistributable from another vendor’s Web site:

1. From the Help menu, select Download Redistributables. The Source Location dialog appears.

2. Mark the Other Vendors’ Web Sites option and click Next. When all available redistributables are retrieved, the Available Redistributable Files dialog appears.

3. In the list box, select the redistributable you want to download, then click the link to launch your Internet browser, if necessary, and connect to the corresponding vendor’s Web site.

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4. Follow the links and prompts on the Web site to download the redistributable. Be sure to download merge modules to a directory specified on the Wise Options > Directories page in the Options dialog.

5. When the download is complete, return to the Download Redistributables window and click Finish to exit the wizard.

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Command Line Options

You can invoke Wise for Windows Installer (WfWI.exe) with command line options, either as part of a shortcut or when you launch the program from the command line. These options let you change properties from the command line.

Do not confuse this list of command line options with the command line options that you can apply at runtime to your .MSI via the executable msiexec.exe. The Windows Installer SDK Help lists these command line options in the topic Command Line Options.

Use the following command line options with the Wise for Windows Installer executable, WfWI.exe.

Command line option Description

/c Compile only and exit. This must be the first

COMMAND LINE OPTIONS

option in the command line statement.

/c=“release name” Compile only the specified release from an

installation containing multiple releases.

/p name=value Set property values. The property name/

value must immediately follow the /p. You can use as many property name/value switches as you like in a command line. Do not enter any spaces in the name=value construction, unless they are enclosed in double quotes.

/o path Sets output file to the specified path. You

cannot specify a relative path; specify an absolute path. The path must immediately follow the /o.

/F Has the same effect as clearing the Don’t

update or recompress files when saving (.MSI/.MSM only) checkbox on

the Product Details Page on page 86.

/s Causes the compile to be silent. If you don’t

include this, error or informational dialogs might appear that require user intervention.

/l log file name The /l followed by a log file name makes an

additional compile log file, in addition to compile.log, which is created automatically.

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Command Line Option Example

The following example shows how to compile.

"C:\Program Files\Wise for Windows Installer\Wfwi.exe" C:\Installers\MyApp.wsi /c /s /p CURRENT_FILES="E:\Test Development" /o C:\MyAppInstaller.msi

The preceding command line does this:

! It invokes the executable.

! Specifies the .WSI file to compile (

! Sets it to compile (/c).

! Sets all error messages to be suppressed (/s).

! Sets the property CURRENT_FILES (/p CURRENT_FILES="E:\Test

Development").

! Sets the output file name (/o C:\MyAppInstaller.msi).

If you set multiple properties, separate property value pairs with spaces. Enclose values with double quotes.

Automating the Build Process

You can use command line options in conjunction with other processes to create an automated build process. Command line options let you compile as well as set properties.

To create an automated build process:

! Enter the following command line statement into a batch file or any

other program that has the ability to run command line statements, such as Scheduled Tasks in the Control Panel:

C:\Installers\MyApp.wsi

"C:\Program Files\Wise for Windows Installer\WfWI.exe" "C:\Development\WidgetWare.wsi" /c /o "C:\WidgetWare.msi" /s

where "C:\Program Files\Wise for Windows

Installer\WfWI.exe" "C:\Development\WidgetWare.wsi" is the path to the project file

you want to compile, and the output file that will be compiled.

is the path to the Wise executable,

"C:\WidgetWare.msi" is the pathname for

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Chapter 3

Setting Up Your Project

This section describes the tasks you perform when you get ready for a new installation. Topics cover:

! Before You Start (preparing for a new installation).

! Starting a New Installation.

! Product Details Page (identifying the product to the end user and

specifying default directories).

! General Information Page (providing general information to appear

when the end user looks at the installation file’s properties).

! Add/Remove Programs Page (determining how your product appears in

the Add/Remove Programs control panel).

! Features Page (creating the structure of your installation).

! Managing Binary Resources.

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3: SETTING UP YOUR PROJECT

Before You Start

To avoid interruptions during the installation development process, assemble all the information you need before you begin building an installation in Wise for Windows Installer. Having this information on hand lets you focus on the actual installation process, instead of constantly having to gather more information. Here’s the kind of information you might need.

! You need to know all the files you’ll be installing on the destination

computer, including program files, files necessary for optional features, related .DLLs, drivers, and other support files. You’ll need any thirdparty installations, such as the Adobe Acrobat installation, that your installation will provide.

! You need to know which files and other system changes comprise which

features. (In Windows Installer, a feature is a distinct part of your application’s functionality, such as a spell-checker, a thesaurus, or a group of clip art.) If your installation lets end users choose optional components, such as a spell-checker, you must organize files into features when you build the installation.

! You need a list of the changes that must be made to system information

files—.INI files, the registry, and so forth—for your software to run properly.

! You need to know the software’s system requirements in as much detail

as possible. Consider not just memory and disk requirements, but also the minimum screen depth and resolution, and the minimum required version of the operating system.

! You need any custom graphics—referred to as billboards—you want to

display during the installation.

! You need to know any changes you want to make to the dialogs to be

displayed during installation. See Choosing Dialogs on the Dialogs Page on page 485 for a list of dialogs.

! You might need a Readme file and a copy of the license agreement that

applies to the software being installed.

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Starting a New Installation

Follow the steps below to create a new standard Windows Installer installation. To create a new transform, see Creating a Transform on page 380, and to create a new merge module, see Creating a Merge

Module by Creating a New Installation on page 359.

To start a new installation:

1. From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > Wise Solutions > Wise for Windows Installer.

The New Installation File dialog appears. If it doesn’t appear, select New from the File menu. For details on options in the New Installation File dialog, see:

• Options for New Installations on page 24

• File Types on page 26

• Project Files and Database Files on page 28

STARTING A NEW INSTALLATION

2. Click the Windows Application icon (under the Predefined Templates category).

The Windows Application icon lets you create a standard installation. Next, you select the file type of your project. Because you are creating a standard installation, you have the option to create either a standard Windows Installer file (.MSI) or a Wise project file (.WSI).

3. Choose to create a Windows Installer package directly by marking Create standard .MSI or .MSM file..., which lets you work directly in an .MSI or .MSM database. Choose to create a project file, which compiles to a Windows Installer package, by marking Create .WSI or .WSM project file...

4. Select a target platform if necessary. The Target Platform section appears if the Select platform in New Installation File dialog option is marked in the Target Platform tab of the Preferences dialog. Mark Create installation for 32-bit platform or Create installation for 64-bit platform to enable the installation you are creating for either 32-bit or 64-bit platforms. For information about 64-bit installations, see What’s Different in a 64-Bit Installation? on page 30.

5. Click OK. The new installation opens.

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Product Details Page

Use the Product Details page to enter information about your project. The name and version that you enter here are used in the installation dialogs to identify the product to the end user who is installing it. Also, the name you enter here appears in the Add/Remove Programs control panel. The product name and version are tightly integrated with Windows Installer.

! Name. Enter the name of the application or software package. The end

user sees this name in the setup program during installation.

! Version. The version number of the application or software package.

Windows Installers uses this version number to identify this product when subsequent patches or upgrades are applied. The product version should be in the format AA.BB.CCCC.DDDD, where AA is the major version, BB is the minor version, CCCC is the build version, and DDDD is optional and ignored. It is stored as a string data type.

" Note:

If you are releasing a newer version of your software but are not using the Upgrades page, it is very important that you enter a new version on the Product Details page in Installation Expert. Not doing so can cause the installation program to open in maintenance mode instead of in normal installation mode. If the end user chooses to reinstall in maintenance mode, it can result in an invalid installation that is a mixture of old and new files, causing errors in your product. The only exception to this rule is if your installation contains no new files, no deletion of files, and no other system changes, which means that only the contents of files are changed.

Manufacturer. Enter the manufacturer or publisher of the software.

! Default Directory. During installation, this directory is displayed to the

end user in the Destination Folder dialog, and the end user can change the default location for the application. (The Destination Folder dialog is called the Single Feature Destination dialog in Wise for Windows Installer.) The first directory you create on the Files page is automatically set to the default directory. To change the default directory, click the Change button and choose a new directory. See

Setting the Default Installation Directory on page 88.

! Don’t update or recompress files when saving (.MSI/.MSM only).

This checkbox is enabled only if you are working in an .MSI file. Files are stored in .MSI files in two ways: with a hard-coded pathname to the original, or without a pathname. For files with pathnames, Wise for Windows Installer gets the latest copy of the file from your drive when you save or compile your .MSI file. Mark this checkbox to prevent Wise

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PRODUCT DETAILS PAGE

for Windows Installer from going out to your drive and getting the latest copy of files that have pathnames. If you turn this off, any media settings you created on the Media page are not re-compressed into those media configurations when you save or compile.

! Product Identification. Every Windows Installer installation must

have a unique product code. This is used as the principal identification for the product. Wise for Windows Installer automatically generates a product code of the data type GUID, which ensures that no two products ever have the same product code. To change the product ID, you must click the Generate button—typing or editing a GUID does not generate a valid GUID. For more information about the product code, see the topics titled ProductCode Property, Package Codes, and Product Codes in the Windows Installer SDK Help. Also see About GUIDs on page 631.

! Target Platform. This field provides a quick way to determine the

platform for which this installation is enabled. Its value is either Intel 64-bit or Intel 32-bit, and is set when you create the installation. You cannot change this field. To change the target platform for future installations, see Setting the Target Platform on page 56.

! Application Type. This field specifies whether this is a standard Win32

or a .NET installation. It also determines how Wise for Windows Installer handles COM interoperability registry entries. The default for this field is obtained from the Default Application Type field in the .NET Assemblies tab of the Preferences dialog. For more information, see

Setting .NET Preferences on page 49.

The ability to create .NET installations is supported only by Windows Installer 2.0 or higher.

• Win 32 (non .NET). Select this option if this is a standard Win32

installation without .NET assemblies.

• .NET Application. Select this option if this is a .NET installation with

only .NET elements.

• Mixed (.NET and Win32). Select this option if this installation

contains both Win32 and .NET elements. When this option is selected, the Generate COM interop registry keys for .NET Assembly checkbox on the Self-registration tab of the File Details dialog is marked by default for all .NET assemblies you add to this installation. The assemblies will be registered so that they can be called as though they were COM elements.

When the .NET Application or Mixed option is selected, entries are created in the MsiAssembly and MsiAssemblyName tables for each assembly you add to the installation. Also, the Global Assembly Cache and WinSxS directories appear on the Files page in Installation Expert.

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3: SETTING UP YOUR PROJECT

! Installation Target. This field appears in the Professional and

Enterprise Editions only. Use it to specify whether this installation is configured to install a Web service to an IIS server.

• Windows-based desktop/server PC. Choose this option if this installation does not install a Web service to an IIS server. This is the standard setting.

• Windows-based IIS Web server. Choose this option if this installation installs a Web application to an IIS server. This designates the installation as a Web service installation, adds a custom action that obtains information about the IIS server, and causes the wwwroot folder to appear on the Files page.

Incrementing the Version

When should you increment your version field?

! If you’ve added or deleted files from this installation.

! If you’ve created, removed, or edited any other items besides files, such

as services, ODBC, runtimes, registry, and so on.

! If you plan to create a patch for earlier versions that updates them to

this version.

! When you’re including upgrade entries on the upgrade page of versions

that this installation will upgrade.

When can you leave the version field the same?

! If you are creating an update that has all the same files, and only the

contents of files have changed.

Setting the Default Installation Directory

Clicking the Change button on the Product Details page displays the Set Default Install Directory dialog, which contains a list of all the directories accessed by this installation. It includes Windows predefined directories and all the directories that you’ve created while working on this installation. This dialog lets you change the default directory and reset the default directories for features that use this directory. You can also create a new directory as a child, or subdirectory, of an existing directory. To add a new parent directory, use the New Folder button on the Files page.

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PRODUCT DETAILS PAGE

" Note:

You might notice that when end users install your application, sometimes the default directory defaults to the C:\ drive, and other times it defaults to another drive. This happens because Windows Installer automatically determines which drive has the most free space.

Default Directory. This drop-down list contains all the directories that you’ve created plus predefined Windows directories. Select a new default destination directory, which displays to end users during installation in the Destination Folder dialog (also called the Single Feature Destination dialog).

To create a new directory as a child of an existing directory, select a directory from the drop-down list, then click the New Folder button. The Create New Folder dialog appears. Enter a name for the new subdirectory.

! Change Feature configurable directories. If you mark this

checkbox, any features that explicitly reference the default directory automatically change when you choose a new default directory. To see if a feature explicitly references a directory, double-click the feature name on the Features page. If the Directory field does not contain <none>, then the feature explicitly references a directory.

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3: SETTING UP YOUR PROJECT

General Information Page

Use the General Information page to set the information that appears when the end user looks at properties for the installation file on the destination computer.

The fields below, except for the Installer Version field, correspond to items in the Properties dialog that appears for files in Windows Explorer. End users see the Properties dialog in Windows Explorer by right-clicking on the compiled .MSI or .EXE file and selecting Properties from the rightclick menu.

! Title. Enter the name of the application or the software package. This

field often includes a version number.

! Subject. Enter a brief description of the software.

! Author. Enter the author or publisher of the software. This field often

includes a copyright notice.

! Keywords. Enter a list of keywords that can be used when searching

for this setup program in Windows Explorer.

! Installer Version. This is NOT the version of your application. This field

contains the minimum version of Windows Installer required on the destination computer to run this installation. This installation will compile into a format that is compatible with the version indicated here. If the destination computer has an earlier version of Windows Installer, the installation fails. If the destination computer has a later version of Windows Installer, Windows Installer runs in a backward compatible mode. To change this version, go to the Product tab of Setup Editor, click the Summary icon, and double-click the item named Minimum Installer Version.

If this is a 64-bit installation, the minimum version of Windows Installer is set to 2.00 or higher. You should not change this value in a 64-bit installation.

" Note:

Installations with an Installer Version of 2.0 or higher cannot run on Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 5 or lower. This is a Microsoft restriction.

Comments. Enter comments about the software.

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Add/Remove Programs Page

Windows 2000 and Windows XP have an Add/Remove Programs applet that supports a rich display of applications. The Add/Remove Programs page lets you enter the information necessary to support these capabilities.

! Do not display in Add/Remove Programs list. Mark this option if

you do not want your application to appear in Add/Remove Programs.

! Display in Add/Remove Programs list. Mark this option to include

your application in Add/Remove Programs and to set the following:

• Display Icon. The icon you choose here will display next to the application name in the Add/Remove Programs window. If you leave this blank, a generic icon is used. Click Browse to select a file from the installation. If the file exists on disk, you also see an icon selection dialog where you pick the icon you want to display.

• Icon Number. Enter the icon resource ID (preceded by -) or the icon number for the icon you want. Because a file can contain multiple icons, icons in a file are numbered, starting from zero. This field is pre-filled in if you chose an icon from an icon selection dialog.

ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS PAGE

• Hide modify button. Mark this checkbox to disable the Change button for your application in the Add/Remove Programs window. This prevents anyone from directly making changes to the installation database.

• Hide remove button. Mark this checkbox to disable the Remove button for your application in the Add/Remove Programs window. End users will not be able to remove this program using the Add/ Remove Programs control panel.

! Support Information Page. The following information will appear

under Support Information in the Add/Remove Programs control panel.

• Online Info URL. Enter a URL where end users can get online support for the product.

• Contact Person. Enter the name of a particular person, such as a support technician, that end users can contact if they have questions.

• Phone Number. Enter the phone number for the contact person listed above.

• Help URL. Enter the path to either a standard help file or to an HTML help file that will be installed on the destination computer.

• Comments. Enter any additional comments to the end user.

• Hide repair button. Mark this checkbox to disable the installation repair option on the Support Information page..

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3: SETTING UP YOUR PROJECT

Features Page

The Features page lets you create the structure of your installation. Here you determine what features make up the application, how those features are presented to the end user during installation, and what conditions must be met for portions of features to be installed. You should determine your application’s features and conditions before configuring other aspects of your installation, because many of the pages in Installation Expert have a Current Feature drop-down list that lets you set options on a per-feature and per-condition basis. To learn more about what features are and how they are used, see Working With Components and Features on page 631.

" Note:

The Wise Installation System and WiseScript Editor refer to features as “components.”

The tree structure on the Features page displays features and conditions, and their hierarchical relationships. The buttons on the right let you add, delete, edit, and arrange features, add conditions to resources assigned to features, and configure features. You can configure common options for a feature by clicking its icon and selecting options from its drop-down list, or configure it completely by clicking its name and clicking the Details button.

Use the right-click menu to determine which features are expanded or collapsed. You can choose to collapse or expand all features or child features of selected parents only, and you can display hidden features. Further, you can display the features’ titles as they appear in the setup program’s Select Feature dialog during installation rather than the features’ names, which are used by the Windows Installer. Any display option you choose from the right-click menu overrides the settings on the Preferences dialog’s General tab. For information on setting preferences, see Setting

Preferences on page 46.

When you create a new installation, the Features page already contains a feature named Complete, because every installation must contain at least one feature. You can rename Complete by double-clicking it. You can delete it, but only after you create a second feature, because there must always be at least one feature. For ideas on organizing your application into features, see Strategies for Organizing Files Into Features on page 94.

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FEATURES PAGE

Condition. Files and other installation options set for a condition are installed only if the condition is true.

Feature icon list. Use to set common options.

! Details button. Use to edit the currently-selected feature. See

Configuring a Feature Using the Feature Details Dialog on page 98. Also

see Configuring a Feature Using Its Drop-Down List.

! Add button. Use to add a new feature underneath the selected feature.

See Adding a New Feature on page 96.

! Delete button. Use to delete the selected feature or condition. When

you delete a feature, all its child features and conditions are deleted also.

! Move Up/Move Down buttons. Use to rearrange features. You can

move features up and down within their current level only, in their current sibling group. You cannot move features to their parent or child levels.

! Add Condition button. Use to add a condition to the currently-selected

feature. See Using Conditions With Features on page 102 and Adding

and Deleting Feature Conditions on page 103.

How you configure features on this page determines how the feature set appears to the end user during installation. To get a quick idea of how your changes affect the user interface of the setup program, go to the Dialogs page, clear the checkbox for Installation Type Dialog, mark the checkbox for Select Feature Dialog, and click the Test button in the lower right corner of the main window. Run the installation program until you see the Select Feature dialog. The Select Feature dialog in the installation program reflects the options that you set on the Features page in Installation Expert.

To set which features are installed by default if the end user chooses a Complete, Typical, or Custom installation type on the Installation Type

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3: SETTING UP YOUR PROJECT

Dialog, use the Installation Types page. See Setting Features for

Installation Types on page 174.

Strategies for Organizing Files Into Features

It is important to create and organize features and define conditions in a logical way; not doing so can result in non-functional versions of your application being installed.Create features and conditions before adding resources such as files, .INI files, or registry entries. When you add such resources, you must choose the feature or condition with which the resource gets installed.

The Features page lets you place features in hierarchical relationships to other features by using a tree structure. You can add a feature at the same level as another feature (sibling level) or as a child of a feature. Sibling features can be installed independently of each other, while child features can be installed only if their parent feature is installed. You can reorganize the feature tree structure by dragging features up and down. You also can drag a feature to a new parent.

The core resources for your application should always be contained in a top-level feature. Installing just the core feature should install a functioning version of your application; it should have no dependencies on resources that are within optional features.

When Windows Installer repairs an installation due to corruption or deletion of a resource, it repairs the entire feature. Because of this, if an advertised shortcut is part of the top level feature, and that advertised shortcut gets deleted, the entire application will be reinstalled during a repair. Therefore, isolate advertised shortcuts and their .EXEs into their own sub-features to avoid complete reinstallation, which will result in more efficient repairs.

Below are some strategies and scenarios for organizing your resources into features.

Place dependent features below required core files.

In the illustration below, the features Built_in_Text_Editor and Built_in_Graphics_Editor, which are built into the application, are

dependent on the core application’s presence. By placing them as children to the core application files, which are stored in the Web_Creator_Core_App feature, you ensure that they are never installed independently of the parent feature. An end user can choose to install a child feature only if the parent feature is set to be installed.

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Because the dependent features are child features of the core application, they cannot be installed without the core application.

Place dependent features as siblings to core files, but require core files.

In the illustration below, the features Built_in_Text_Editor and Built_in_Graphics_Editor, which are built into the application, are

dependent on the core application’s presence. Because they are placed on the same level as the main application, an end user installing the application might choose to install the text editor feature or the graphics editor feature without installing the core application, which would result in a broken installation. To avoid this problem, you can require the Web_Creator_Core_App feature by marking its Required Feature checkbox, located in the Feature Details dialog. Required features cannot be turned off in the setup program during installation. The main advantage to this strategy is that in the setup program, the end user sees the optional features at the top level instead of buried in the tree structure.

To prevent users from installing a dependent feature without the core application, set the core application to required.

Dependent on core application.

Place stand-alone features as siblings.

In the illustration below, the features External_Text_Editor and External_Graphics_Editor are stand-alone applications, which can run

independently of the core application. Therefore, you can place them on the same level as the feature that installs the main application, Web_Creator_Core_App. An end user installing your application can choose to install the text editor or the graphics editor independently of the core application.

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Use conditions with features.

In the illustration below, the Web_Creator_Core_App feature has two conditions under it. VersionNT specifies that the operating system must be Windows NT, 2000, or XP, and Version9X specifies that the operating system must be Windows 95, 98, or Me. Any items that you associate with either condition get installed only if the condition is true. Because conditions appear in the Current Feature drop-down list, which appears on most pages in Installation Expert, you can associate the same kinds of items with a condition that you can with a feature, including files, registry entries, shortcuts, services, and so on.

Because these features are external to (independent of) the core application, they can be set as siblings to the core application, and can be installed independently.

Adding a New Feature

To add a feature:

1. On the Features page in Installation Expert, click the feature name in the tree structure under which you want the new feature to appear.

For instance, to create a feature under Complete, first click Complete. To create a feature on the same level as Complete, first click Installation Features.

2. Click the Add button.

The Feature Details dialog appears.

3. Configure the feature by filling in the Feature Details dialog. See

Configuring a Feature Using the Feature Details Dialog on page 98.

4. Click OK in the Feature Details dialog.

The items you associate with a condition are installed only if the feature is installed AND the condition is true. You associate items with conditions the same way you associate items with features, by using the drop-down list that appears on Installation Expert pages.

Current Feature

The new feature is created as a child feature to the feature you selected in the first step.

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The order in which you arrange features on the Features page determines the order of the features on the Select Features dialog that appears during installation. To move a feature up or down, click its name and then use the Move Up and Move Down buttons.

Configuring a Feature Using Its Drop-Down List

When you click the icon next to a feature name, a menu that contains options for installing the feature appears. The options you set in this dropdown list determine the default state of the feature in the setup program during installation. These five options are a subset of the options available in the Feature Details dialog (accessed by clicking the Details button)—the drop-down simply provides you with a way to set common options quickly. The icon itself provides a visual cue indicating which options have been set for the feature.

" Note:

The first four options in the feature’s drop-down list set the default only; the end user can change the default during installation. To prevent the end user from being able to change the defaults you set here, you can turn off the Select Feature dialog on the Dialogs page, use the Feature Details dialog to set features to be required, or set features to be hidden from the end user.

To set options on a feature, click the feature’s icon, and choose from the following list of options. You can choose only one of the first four menu commands, but you can set the fifth menu command, Hidden from user, in combination with any of the first four commands.

! Will be installed on local hard drive. Select this option if the

feature should default to being installed on the local hard drive. (This option corresponds to setting Favor Local in the Attributes drop-down list in the Feature Details dialog.)

! Will be installed to run from source. Select this option if the

feature should default to being run from source. If a feature is installed to run from source, it is available to the application and visible to the end user, but is not actually installed on the local hard drive. When the feature is invoked, your application must call Windows Installer functions, such as MsiGetComponentPath, to locate and read the necessary files from the installation source, which might be a CD-ROM or shared network directory. A typical use of this option would be to specify a clip art library to run from the source. Then you must code your application to attempt to read from the installation source when the end user tries to use the clip art library. (This option corresponds to

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setting Favor Source in the Attributes drop-down list in the Feature Details dialog.)

! Feature will be installed when required. Select this option if

the feature should default to being advertised. If a feature is advertised, it is available to the application and visible to the end user, but is not actually installed on the hard drive. If the installation source, such as a CD-ROM or shared network directory, is available to the destination computer, the feature is installed automatically when the end user invokes the feature. If the installation source is not available, the end user is prompted for the installation source. (This option corresponds to setting Favor Advertising in the Advertising drop-down list in the Feature Details dialog.)

! Entire feature will be unavailable. If you select this option, this

feature does not appear in the setup program during installation, and is not installed. (This option corresponds to setting Never Install This Feature in the Level drop-down list in the Feature Details dialog.)

! Hidden from user. Select this option if you do not want this

feature to appear to the end user in the setup program’s Select Features dialog. You can set this option in combination with the other options in this drop-down list. (This option corresponds to setting Hidden in the

Display drop-down list in the Feature Details dialog.)

Configuring a Feature Using the Feature Details Dialog

On the Features page, you can create a new feature or edit an existing feature. In either case, you can configure all aspects of the feature using the Feature Details dialog, which you access by clicking the Add button (for a new feature) or the Details button (to edit an existing feature). For detailed technical information on the fields in this dialog, see the topic titled Feature Table in the Windows Installer SDK Help.

" Note:

Some options in this dialog set the default only; the end user can change the default during installation. To prevent the end user from being able to change the defaults you set here, you can turn off the Select Feature dialog on the Dialogs page, set features to be required, or set features to be hidden.

Name. Enter the name of the feature, which is used internally by the

Windows Installer.

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! Title. Enter the title of the feature, which is displayed in the setup

program’s Select Features dialog during installation.

! Parent. Select the feature’s parent. To change the parent, and

therefore the feature tree, select from the drop-down list, which shows all features in your installation, except the current feature. This field lets you change the feature tree in Installation Expert or in Setup Editor without having to go into tables.

! Description. Enter a multi-line description of the feature. If the end

user selects a feature in the Select Features dialog in the setup program during installation, this description appears. The text you enter here must fit in the Feature Description area of the Select Features dialog.

! Level. If you are using the Installation Types page in Installation Expert

to determine which features to install for a Typical or Complete installation, you can ignore this field. If not, use the Level field to determine what features get installed for a Typical or Complete installation. The end user chooses Typical, Complete, or Custom in the Installation Type dialog (also called Select Installation Type). If the end user chooses a Custom installation, the end user can turn features on or off individually.

Each installation has an installation level, stored in the property INSTALLLEVEL. Each feature, in turn, has its own installation level value, which you can set in the Feature Details dialog using the Level field. If a feature’s level is less than or equal to the installation’s INSTALLLEVEL property, then the feature gets installed. By default, INSTALLLEVEL is set to 3 for a Typical installation, and to 1000 for a Complete installation.

• Normal. The feature’s level value is set to 3, which means that it gets installed by default for either Typical or Complete.

• Never install this feature. The feature’s level value is set to 0, which means that it won’t show up in the setup program during installation, and won’t be installed.

• Always install this feature. The feature’s level value is set to 1, which means that it gets installed by default for either Typical or Complete.

• Custom. Use this option if you want to enter the feature’s installation level value yourself. For instance, if you want a feature to be installed for a Complete installation, but not for a Typical installation, set a custom level value that’s greater than 3 and less than or equal to 1000. The Custom Value field becomes available for you to type the integer value.

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! Custom Value. If Custom is selected in the Level drop-down list,

enter the level value for the feature in this field. Read the description of Level, above, for more details.

" Note:

The end user’s action in the Installation Type dialog determines the INSTALLLEVEL property. To see how this works, go to the Dialogs tab in Setup Editor and click the Installation Type Dialog in the list. Double-click the Typical/ Complete/Custom radio button, and you see that the end user’s choice in this radio group sets the property InstallMode. If you then double-click the Next button on the Installation Type dialog and view the Events tab, you see that, based on the InstallMode value, the installation property INSTALLLEVEL is set to either 3 or 1000.

Display. Determines how and if the feature displays to the end user in

the Select Feature dialog that appears during installation. Expanded and collapsed refer to whether the item’s children are visible or not, just like

in a Windows Explorer window. Set this to Hidden if you don’t want the feature to appear, set it to Visible and Expanded if you want it and its contents to appear, or set it to Visible and Collapsed if you want the feature, but not its contents, to appear.

Use the General tab in the Preferences dialog or the right-click menu on the Features page to determine whether or not to display hidden features and whether to expand or collapse a parent feature to show or hide its children; see Setting General Preferences on page 46 and

Features Page on page 92.

! Attributes. Determines the default for the feature in the installation

program. The end user can change the default. Select Favor Local if the feature should be installed on the destination computer, Favor

Source if it should be run from the source CD or network directory, or Favor Parent if it should use the same attribute setting as its parent

feature. If you set Favor Source, you must also set the installation to generate uncompressed external files that can run from the source. See the description of the Media Type drop-down list in Adding a Media

Item on page 202.

If a feature is installed to run from source, it is available to the application, but is not actually installed on the local hard drive. When the feature is invoked, your application must call Windows Installer functions, such as MsiGetComponentPath, to locate and read the necessary files from the installation source, which might be a CD-ROM or shared network directory. A typical use of this option would be to specify a clip art library to run from the source. Then you must code

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