Framework 4.0 Install

[rev23dev]

You got rid of the dialog that generates the command line for you? Why? That seems silly, was a great feature!

[MichaelNesmith]

Believe it or not, very few people actually clicked the "Generate Command Line" button in the old UI. I believe R&D made this change to make it painfully obvious that the command line is what is most important here. I can personally attest to the fact that many users were reporting bugs before with this feature. Now admittedly it is a little more low-level, but the number of fallacious bug reports has dropped to zero.

[MichaelNesmith]

The download URLs remain the same but R&D has just published an updated R2 build. Fixes a couple minor issues.

[MichaelNesmith]

Another update is now live - fixes some more issues.

I've updated the original description text to include the new changes.

URLs remain the same.

[JohnGalt]

Looks like there is a bug in the SQL Server 2008 R2 scripts.

I do the following:

If not remove then
If Win64 = true then
include script checksql2008r2_x64
else
include script checksql2008r2_x86
end
end

I do this to make an installer that will install the right version of SQL server depending upon if it's x64 or x86 (I also wrap the actual setup scripts too in the same logic)

With the sql2008 scripts it works fine in both OSes and installs the right version

With the R2 scripts, on X86 machine, it says that the X64 version is required and then downloads it and fails obviously because it's the wrong version.

I've verified by putting a message box into the x64 script that it's never been called on the x86 machine. The x86 script (which has not been altered other than to use the GUI to put in our installation command line) is causing it to think that it needs to install the x64 version for some reason and then trying to install it even though it never gets called.

My first problem is the obvious, I need this to not try and call the wrong script. Please advise.

The second problem is one that is more related to the way all of this is done this is more just commentary

I should be able to check off a pre-req of SQL Server 2008 R2 (and not care about the bit ness). It should then determine which one should be installed, and then install that one if neither is installed on the machine.

The logic doesn't make sense and requires all kinds of editing of MSICode to make a setup that actually works on both bitness which is of course required for everything.

All of the application runtimes should be this way. They should all just be without the bitness and the check method should check to see if either is installed depending upon the OS and install the right one. If both are not present and the one selected automatically for the OS doesn't install properly, then that should result in a fail.

I shouldn't have to define bitness at all, I should just have one and figure out the right one to install. Making an install OS bitness dependant now-a-days is silly.

The third problem is one that I've been struggling with for a long time:

SQL Server is not a regular application runtime. (neither is my sql for that matter or any other database engine other than Access). It eats memory and sole purpose is to be on the machine for your app. when you uninstall your app, your instance should be uninstalled.

I would really really really like to see a way to ensure that if the person cancels out of the actual installer, that I can specify that my instance (you shouldn't be using a shared instance) is automatically uninstalled. Further, on uninstall of my app, I want it to uninstall my SQL server instance first, then uninstall the rest of the msi. The rest of the pre-reqs just use hard drive space, not system resources such as memory and cpu cycles all of the time, so they're fine to leave and really are shared. SQL Server doesn't work that way.

Thanks for listening. I'm hoping that you can get at least #1 addressed ASAP and look into rethinking #2 for the R2 version of V9 and #3 I realize is probably a much bigger deal.

[MichaelNesmith]

Thanks for the detailed commentary.

#1. The scripts for the SQL files are the same between the v9 R2 build and the previous builds published here (stand-alone installer and archives). Are you referring to the SQL 2008 R2 installers here, or the SQL 2008 SP1 installers that were previously available?

#2. The bitness is more complex than you think. Adding both bits to a setup will double setup size. Most often, a customer is interested in only one bit. Unfortunately, it is not possible to have a solution that works for all customers. This is why you get the full customizable MSIcode sources - so you can tweak them easily and quickly.

#3. This is actually easier than you think. Before calling Apply Uninstall (or after), just call the SQL installer and uninstall your instance. The power of InstallAware is that its very easy to create options like these in MSIcode. Use it to your benefit!

[JohnGalt]

#1: It happens with the separate files and I've tried the R2 RC and it happens there too.
#2: I would think that you could make it (from looking at the scripts it would be pretty darn easy) so that it only downloads the right file necessary thus eliminating most of it. In any event, if both are installed, it should only error if neither are installed and one is required AND it fails.
#3: Do you have a sample command or script that I can use? I don't know how to call the sql server installer to uninstall after it's installed.

[MichaelNesmith]

#1. Can you send me your project that illustrates this (and has no other dependencies)?
#2. If "from looking at the scripts it would be pretty darn easy", why not try it out yourself
#3. I don't have the MS SQL install docs at hand; but it should be available from their website, etc.

Note that the InstallAware scripts do have the ability to check for an instance name already. Looks like you just want to add a forced uninstall at the end of it all.

[JohnGalt]

File is attached.

#2 there's no reason for me to do it now that I've hacked the msicode

#3. Ya, in two cases I want to make sure it gets uninstalled. I just don't know how to invoke it when i don't have the original installer for it.

[MichaelNesmith]

I need the full project folder

[JohnGalt]

Is there an email address that I can send it to ?

[MichaelNesmith]

Sure - support at our domain name dot com.

[JohnGalt]

You should have it now.

[MichaelNesmith]

The RC installers have been taken offline.

InstallAware 9 R2 is now officially LIVE!

A big thanks to our loyal customer base who helped make this release a success.

[JohnGalt]

Does this include the latest scripts that I was sent?