InstallAware

Context:

We have our InstallAware hosted on a virtual windows machine. We were using InstallAware 18, but have upgraded to InstallAware X15 to bundle in .NET Framework 4.8.

The Problem:
Now, the build begins to fail in some places but not in others when run. When it fails, the error is:

"Error during build: Failed to compile plug-in action: File Bag", which seems to occur even if we use branches that don't include the new .NET Framework 4.8 changes.

Here is a list of the places where it builds correctly, vs places where it doesn't build correctly. Despite having IDENTICAL command lines/parameters run (I believe):

DOES BUILD:
- In the IDE on the VM.
- On the windows command line on the VM.
- In an IDE on my local system.

DOES NOT BUILD:
- On the windows command line on the cloud pipeline
- On the windows powershell on the cloud pipeline
- On the windows powershell on the VM

I'm at a bit of a loss. The lack of detailed error message is making it difficult to root-cause the error. Any suggestions/support would be appreciated.

What's confusing is that we can get it to run on the command line on the VM, but it doesn't work when we use an Azure pipeline to run the same command line on the VM.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had had any thoughts/solutions on the above problem?

Greetings fellow sufferer.

I had the opposite problem; my script ran in CI (from an image I don't have access to), but I wanted to build it locally. I got the same error on the command line. When I tried to build from the IDE, I got a bit more info:
InstallAware File Bag Plug-In
ERROR!
No files matching wildcard pattern C:\PROGRAM~2\INSTAL~2\runtimes\neth461_full\*.*

When I looked, I could see that framework 4.5.1 was present, but not 4.6.1. I tried to modify my install of IA, but no amount of selecting frameworks laid down 4.6.1 (nor does it even show in the options).
I tried to manually install 4.6.1 on some copy of windows, but it's not possible with windows 8+. You can't install an old version and you can't rip out the current version. You would need a copy of 7 or XP, then install 4.6.1 in order to get the files necessary, then copy them over into your machine.

This is where I gave up. It's pretty amazing that, a) These plug-ins would have runtime dependencies like this, and b) There's no way to make a built-in plug-in work.

Such is the struggle with archaeological software.

Update: I was able to obtain this runtime folder. I could probably make it avail temporarily if you contact me.

bwood wrote:Greetings fellow sufferer.

And greetings to you.

bwood wrote:I had the opposite problem; my script ran in CI (from an image I don't have access to), but I wanted to build it locally. I got the same error on the command line. When I tried to build from the IDE, I got a bit more info:
InstallAware File Bag Plug-In
ERROR!
No files matching wildcard pattern C:\PROGRAM~2\INSTAL~2\runtimes\neth461_full\*.*

Sounds like you folks failed to install certain application runtimes in either your CI or your main development pipelines.

bwood wrote:When I looked, I could see that framework 4.5.1 was present, but not 4.6.1. I tried to modify my install of IA, but no amount of selecting frameworks laid down 4.6.1 (nor does it even show in the options).

Just remove the obsolete runtime from your project. and add in the newer version that has replaced it (ex: 4.6.2).

bwood wrote:I tried to manually install 4.6.1 on some copy of windows, but it's not possible with windows 8+. You can't install an old version and you can't rip out the current version. You would need a copy of 7 or XP, then install 4.6.1 in order to get the files necessary, then copy them over into your machine.

Installing an application runtime on an operating system would not make it available to InstallAware. You would need the application runtime that is shipped by InstallAware.

bwood wrote:This is where I gave up. It's pretty amazing that, a) These plug-ins would have runtime dependencies like this, and b) There's no way to make a built-in plug-in work.

The File Bag plug-in does not have any runtime dependencies at all. It simply packages files.

Those files are actually missing on your system since you have not installed them with InstallAware.

bwood wrote:Such is the struggle with archaeological software.

Bitrot being endemic, your best strategy is to always use the latest version of InstallAware. Your mileage would invariably vary with older versions.