IA9 $TITLE$ issue

[Bar_BQ]

Hi,


I've been reported by a few customers that they experiencing a strange setup behavior.
Namely, something happens inside that setup can't see webmedia files to install from the same location. What is more, the $TITLE$ variable will not display a real setup name, it just literally displays 'Welcome to $TITLE$ setup'. Therefore, I suspect kind a corruption. But I have no idea how to deal with it. Anybody had similar problem?


Thanks,
BarBQ

[FrancescoT]

Dear BarBQ,

I really do not have any idea

If you are able to share with me any additional info or better, if you can replicate it with a test project, I will be pleased to help you.

Regards

[Bar_BQ]

Hello Francesco,


I am very very sorry for not answering, but I had an unexpected situation.


Going back to that problem... That is difficult rather to send you an example, but I will give a try. I was reported, that this issue shows not every time, just on some computers, but it's so often that it annoys users. I'm just wondering if this could be caused by a software that builds iso images? I use CDBurnerXP with file settings ISO 9660/Joliet / UDF. I know users almost always use WinRar to unpack files from iso so as not to burn a dvd. Is it possible that one of these might be a reason why that problem occurs?

p.s. I will ask collegues just for main exe file and send to you.

[FrancescoT]

Dear BarBQ,

yes could be possible that a corruption occurs doing this instead of burning it.

have you tried to verify it using file checksum for example, or comparing files in any other way?

Are you using uncompressed build?

Regards.

[Bar_BQ]

We use web deploy. Does checksum can be calculated by any soft or is it necessary a particular one?

[FrancescoT]

Dear BarBQ,

You can use any software (calcuating Hash or Checksum), only for test purpose in order to verify if the exe becomes corrupted.

Regards.

[stevepro]

This seems is not a dead issue in IA 12. See links below the first a production installer, the second a test installer.

We can get this to happen every time on one machine. This has happened to 3 other people but has since cleared up. In this case the $TITLE$ was not set after the SQL instance search however in the other 3 instances this happened in the Welcome dialog. In all cases when the $TITLE$ variable is not initialized then the installer stops functioning properly and variable values are lost.

Any comment on this would be appreciated.

http://screencast.com/t/bvI6DVtaVTP

http://screencast.com/t/QVKKizT1xjXd

Steven Provencher
Window Book, Inc.

[FrancescoT]

Dear Steve,

I would like to try replicate it, can you give me more info about?

Because for what I see seems not so easy to replicate it, exist for you any opportunity to create a VM clone of that OS?

Regards

[stevepro]

Francesco,

We are looking into a VM you can use.

I wanted to add a note from the owner of the one problem machine which is not a VM:
"I wonder if it would be important to note that this did not always happen on my machine, I've done many many IA installs without a problem, the problem presented itself last week and now I can't get rid of it."

I would add that he (Tom) went back several versions of the installer to one that is know to have installed properly on his machine and it also failed in the same way.

We also have another user who just started having the issue on her machine. She (Barb) is in the QA department and installs applications constantly with no problem until yesterday.

As far as I know the IA product has not been changed in any way. I have built installers on different machines with the same end user result on the affected machines.

If this issue starts showing up on our clients machines it will effectively stop production for our company.

Steven Provencher
Window Book, Inc.

[FrancescoT]

Dear Steve,

I truly understand the problems that you have.
At the same time I believe you can understand that, unfortunately, to be able to find a solution to your problem I have to reproduce it.

I tried to execute a quick test but I am not able to replicate it.

When you ready with your VM clone reply to me via email at: support@installaware.com

I will do all my best as always.

Regards

[stevepro]

Francesco,

As is turned out here is the skinny on this issue:

In IA9 we did not have an XML file plugin (at least I don't think so) so I used the Read from Text File plug-in to read in and parse an XML file. This was a simple file at the time and it worked ok.

Fast forward to 2012 and IA 12 we have modified the schema of the XML file and I think the Parse String plug-in must have corrupted memory in some cases probably depending on the number of EOL who knows.

Now that I am using Get XML File Settings the issue has been resolved.

Thanks for offering to dig in this anyway.

Steven Provencher
Window Book, Inc.

[FrancescoT]

Dear Steven,

I'm really happy that you solved.

Regards