Problem with File Bags

[PaavoN]

On our web server we have a file bag for SQL Server 2014 created with some older version of IA. Now I created a new installer build machine and also upgraded IA to X5. Now when I build a web installer of our product it will download the file bag but fails to install SQL server.

I added some logging to see what happens and found out that SQL server file bag gets downwloaded and extracted to folder C:\ProgramData\{4B968F36-A077-48B0-989B-170A669174E0}\SQL Express 2014 x64\mFileBagIDE.dll\99443038 but the variable returned by the file bag action points to folder C:\ProgramData\{4B968F36-A077-48B0-989B-170A669174E0}\SQL Express 2014 x64\mFileBagIDE.dll\B831A9C6\. So the last folder name of the path is incorrect.

Are the file bags are version specific ? Do I have to recreate all the file bags and copy to the web server when I upgrade IA ?

[FrancescoT]

Dear PaavoN,

please have a look at the following link where the same question was already discussed.
http://www.installaware.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10599&hilit=engine+dependent#p40331

Regards

[PaavoN]

Ok, got it. Is this explained also somewhere in the documents or should I just have known it ?

We use web media blocks strictly for pre-req packages like Net Framework, SQL Express, Report viewer, etc. and usually there is just one executable inside the file bag. In this case I checked that the file is there and created a little script which finds the file and returns the correct path. Is it unsafe to do this kind of workaround ? Or must I really regenerate the web media blocks with new urls and copy to a different path on the web server whenever I upgrade IA ? As our users might still install older versions of the product, existing packages on the server must remain untouched.

[FrancescoT]

Dear PaavoN,

it's generally recommended to re-generate a new installer package along its WMBs. Then you may gradually move all your users to the new version.

In this case I checked that the file is there and created a little script which finds the file and returns the correct path.

Does it work?

Honestly I suppose it should not work as well. This because it should be not only the returned path the problem.

Regards

[PaavoN]

Hi

The file worked as it should. I see that inside the filebag there's also a dll from the version used to create the WMB, but at which point that is used, i couldn't figure out.

Anyway I decided to not play with fire and choose to recreate the WMBs and copy to a new path on the web server and try to remember to do it also next time I upgrade IA

Thanks for your info on this case.