InstallAware v5.0 Public Beta

[sinan]

The Public Beta of InstallAware v5.0 is here!

What's New:

• Write Registry Command with expanded parameters
• Check Registry Command to test if a registry key exists
• Collapse and Expand Options for all code folding regions
• Emitting Application Version Information to setup.exe files
• Application Runtimes visual view in IDE to visually manage your pre-requisites
• SQL Server 2005 plug-in to automatically install Microsoft SQL Server Express
• Updated Templates, Wizards, and Samples compatible with the new visual runtimes
• Transform Instance command to spawn new instances of a product
• New Pre-Defined Variables that can be used with transformed instances and versioning
• New Commands that detect running services and processes
• Updated IDE and Command Line Tools that work with include scripts
• Fixed .NET version detection issues in the new plug-in packages
• Copy as Text option to make it easier to copy human readable script code
• Welcome Page in IDE with helpful links and recent projects
• Multiple Scripts in IDE to edit and work with more than one script
• Code Navigation in IDE to rapidly view and browse sections of your setup scripts
• Include Scripts command to use includes for frequently used script actions
• Database Import Wizard to convert MSI/MSM files into InstallAware scripts
• Updated Plug-Ins to support the latest Microsoft technologies
• Speed Enhancements in the IDE, compiler, and runtime files

The most exciting feature in this version is the ability to use include scripts. This adds a great level of power to InstallAware, in a way that was not possible before.

The include scripts technology has been leveraged to create a new visual view that manages the installation of application runtimes. You may now check and uncheck any selection of application runtimes and your setup scripts will be automatically updated to work with them. Checking a runtime that has further dependencies will automatically check those dependencies as well.

Another very exciting feature is the ability to install multiple instances of a product, with a single scripting command. No instance transforms are required, and Windows Installer 3.0 is not required either.

Finally, the Windows Installer converter lets you reverse engineer any MSI or MSM database and convert it to an InstallAware setup. This lets you customize existing packages or take peeks at what they do.

A Studio evaluation download is now available for this product:

http://www.installaware.com/blockspon/i ... io_sfx.exe - 201 MB download, single file "offline" setup http://www.installaware.com/blockspon/i ... studio.exe - 27.1 MB download, web based "online" setup, total download may reach 205 MB

Enjoy!

[ecold]

The new public beta is asking for a password. Do I use the same one as I got with my trial or do I need a new one?

[ecold]

I would have thought this would be there already but below is the error I got when adding files. Note: I am going down the items in order so, I don't think I should have to add anything in my script. Is this a bug or something else?

Multi Lingual - InstallAWARE Studio
===================================


'Apply Install' command not found in setup script.
This command must be present in your script before you may visually add files to your project.

To avoid seeing this message, create new projects using the Project Wizard, or add an 'Apply Install' command to your script now.

[sinan]

The Multi-Lingual sample is not a complete script, as the notice says. It just shows how to switch languages in your setups at runtime.

If you want to build Multi-Lingual setups, just start with a template project or the project wizard, and then use the Localization Wizard.

[ecold]

OK, I thought maybe i need to make sure that the MSI engine 2.0 was present before attempting to install and I got another error. I am obviously doing something wrong. This was a new project. Am I going to have to learn scripting before being able to use this?


Multi Lingual - InstallAWARE Studio
===================================


Some necessary script commands were not found in your setup script.
Application runtimes for this script cannot be added visually.

To avoid seeing this message, create new projects using the Project Wizard, Template scripts, or Sample scripts.

[ecold]

Sorry, I posted my next reply before doing a refresh and seeing yours. I didn't think I chose the multi-lingual example but maybe I did.

[ecold]

Back to this issue. It still isn't clear on how to add this key. It doesn't show up when you browse to it so I thought I would attempt to use the import function but the help just says you can do it but doesn't say how to do it. Please help!!

Again, below is my key that needs to be added:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Office\\11.0\\Word\\Options]

"STARTUP-PATH"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,4d,00,61,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,72,00,4c,\\
00,61,00,79,00,6f,00,75,00,74,00,5c,00,53,00,54,00,41,00,52,00,54,00,55,00,\\
50,00,5c,00,00,00

[ecold]

Sorry, forgot the translation of the hex info is C:\\MasterLayout\\STARTUP\\

[ecold]

I may have figured it out by the script side. I'll let you know after I test it.

[ecold]

Well, my package with the REG_EXPAND_SZ seems to have worked. There was one issue that I would like to see a solution for. If the registry entry exists already but points to a different location, it does not overwrite it. I need it to overwrite any eisting registry entry.
I uninstalled the app, then manually deleted the registry entry as it was not the one I wanted and then reinstalled manually using the Group Policy msi package and it all worked. So, can you tell me if there is anyway to over write an existing registry entry?

[sinan]

For binary keys: Choose the binary data type, and in the data field, enter the full binary data, like 43003a00 etc...do not use colons, spaces, or any other thing - this will break your setup at runtime.

For expand keys: If for any reason its not overwriting...just call Delete Registry before creating the new key. That'll take care of it for sure!

[ecold]

If I buy the current version now, will I get the upgrade for free? Also, what is the ETA on version 5.0? I might be able to buy it this year.

[sinan]

Absolutely, your upgrade is free.
v5.0 is right around the corner...RTM before January.

[ecold]

I have some binary entries to do and I read where you said how to do it but it doesn't make much sense to me. Did you or are you planning on adding the ability to import .reg files? This could greatly simplify many registry issues.

[ecold]

OK, I figured how how to do the binary entries. I still think it would be great to be able to browse for a .reg file and import and it work. But, I'll settle for this for now. Great app by the way.