Hybrid application runtime distribution.

[Rene]

Boy, is people like me the reason why many companies charge for technical support, you guys should not sell software to retarded people like me!! Here is another question.

Sometimes I would like to distribute the software on a CD and sometime I would distribute the software via the web.

When I distribute the software on a CD, I will always include the application runtimes (MSI engine, .Net framework etc) in the same CD, however, when I distribute the software via Web, sometimes I will include everything on the same setup.exe and sometimes I will like to have people download the application runtimes from the web.

So here is my dilemma, ideally, I would like my setup to be able to detect if the application runtimes are available locally (inside the CD or built inside the setup.exe) or online, this way, if I notice that the runtimes are *NOT* available locally, I can customize my prerequisites dialog to say something like.

“You need to install all the stuff on the list before you can continue, you could either manually install the stuff yourself or you can have the setup download the files from the web and do all the dirty work for you, would you like setup to do all this for you?”

However, if the runtimes *ARE* available locally then I would hide that message and just say something like:

“You need to install the stuff from the list, would you like to continue?”

After that, I know IA will know what to do and the setup should continue without a hitch. My main point is that I don’t want to have 2 setups, one for download from the web and the other locally, most importantly, I *DO NOT* want IA to download *ANYTHING* from the web unless the user knows ahead of time that is about to happen, that is why I need the messages.

Is this possible?

Thank you.

[MichaelNesmith]

Hi Rene,

Yes this is all quite easily done with InstallAware (and I am not aware of any other tool that can do all these, save easily).

We are really happy to call you and answer your questions in detail...or if you prefer to go solo, check pre-defined compiler variables, build modes, deployment types in the help file.

[Rene]

OK, I give up, I am trying to understand this BUILDMODE variable and I just can’t figure out.

The attached picture show some of the script that I added to my project, I was expecting that the script will show the appropriate message box depending on whether the build was a CD, single exe or web but no matter what I try I always get all the messages.

It looks like if the BUILDMODE variable was not setup at all. What am I missing?

Thanks

File Attached:

BUILDMODE.GIF

[Rene]

Well, I created the sample project called “Saving Web Downloads” and it’s supposed to show or hide some controls on the startinstallation dialog based on the BUILDMODE variable value but I don’t see that working.

I even set the control named “BuiltMode” to be visible and to have its “AutoSize” property value equals to False on the startinstallation but when I run the project the caption of the control is blank. Again, its like if IA was not setting the BUILDMODE variable.

I am stumped!!

[Rene]

Mmmm… looks like the “Saving Web Downloads” project only works fine if I check the “Debug Build (allows setups to be debugged in IDE” checkbox under the “Project Options” form.

[MichaelNesmith]

Hi Rene!

BUILDMODE is a compiler variable. So in your script #BUILDMODE# will be set to WEB when doing a web build, for instance.

If you try that sample, you will see that when you build it in web mode, the startinstallation dialog (the default one) has an extra check-box, which is missing in other build modes.

[MichaelNesmith]

Also - don't be confused by the installer's intelligence - it only shows the save field when the web media block files are not already found. So I think that might have been throwing you off here...

[Rene]

Nope, if I create a new “Saving Web Downloads” project and run the project as default (without the “Debug Build (allows setups to be debugged in IDE)” checked I get screen 1 (See attached picture)..

However, if I check the “Debug Build (allows setups to be debugged in IDE)” option and compile and run I get screen 2 (See attached picture)..

Now why would I get tow different screen if all I did was to check the “Debug Build (allows setups to be debugged in IDE)” option?

File Attached:

Pics.JPG

[MichaelNesmith]

As I have already explained...if the web media block files have already been downloaded previously, or are already available in your build folder as they will be when you do a full build, there is no need to re-save them.

Only when the main setup is found alone in its folder, without the web media blocks, will you see the save location prompt.

This is all documented in the setup script itself. You can just read through the setup script and save yourself some time - it will be faster than posting here and waiting for answers.

Of course, we are happy to continue helping you with your questions.

[Rene]

Well, when you are right you are right, if I only would have read another 5 lines I would have seen what was going on.

However, there is something to be learned here, it turns out that when you check the infamous option:

“Debug Build (allows setups to be debugged in IDE)”

The files that are generated in the build directory are *Not* the same as when this option is unchecked, That was the reason why the program behaved differently when the option was checked vs unchecked. I didn’t know that and that really threw me off.

Perhaps a little warning message when you check this option that would pops up explaining that simple fact would be nice, it would have saved me 6 hours of misery!

Thanks

[MichaelNesmith]

Yes, for compressed builds, debug build options do change the contents of the build folder.

A better alternative to debug builds is using uncompressed builds for testing during development - as they provide much faster build times...