Building pacakage on a tfs build server

[shanep]

Can someone point me in the right direction.

I have created a IA11 project that is building a package just the way I want. I have setup a tfs2010 build server which does a nightly build and I am now wanting to integrate my IA11 project into the nightly build process.
I have installed IA11 onto the build server however I cant really find any information on how to trigger my installware project after the build has been created.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where I should be looking for information on how to achieve what I want?


Thank you

[giaviv]

Hey shanep,

If you are referring to building from the command line, IA (in editions developer or more advance) comes with a command line build tool called miabuild.exe.

Here is an excerpt from our help file (article named Building from the Command Line):

Building from the Command Line

InstallAware includes a command line build utility which you may use in batch files, automated build processes, or just plain from the command line. The utility is invoked as follows:

miabuild.exe <projectfile> [/o=<outputfolder>] [/b=<buildtype>] [/r]
[+qf | -qf] [+qr | -qr] [+qi | -qi] [+qib | -qib]
[/p=<password>] [/l=<language>]
[COMPILERVAR1=VALUE1 ... COMPILERVARN=VALUEN]

<projectfile>
Full/partial path to the .MPR project file
/o
Optional parameter, full/partial path to custom build output folder
/b
Optional parameter, override default build type
0: Uncompressed directory layout
1: Compressed Single Self Installing EXE
2: Compressed Web-Based EXE
3: Patch
/r
Optional parameter, indicates that a new revision code should be used for this build
qf
Optional parameter, enables or disables MSI file component optimization (runtime performance)
qr
Optional parameter, enables or disables MSI registry component optimization (runtime performance)
qi
Optional parameter, enables or disables unstable MSIcode statement ID generation (build performance)
qib
Optional parameter, enables or disables partially stable MSIcode statement ID generation (blend)
/p
Optional parameter, specifies the 256 bit AES encryption password to be used for this build
/l
Optional parameter, specifies the default installer language to be used for this build
[COMPILERVARN=VALUEN]
Optional parameter, compiler variable-value pairs for conditional compilation
The command line build utility returns the following codes to indicate success/failure:

0: Build completed successfully
1: Error during build, or user cancelled build
2: Invalid command line parameters
3: Unhandled fatal exception during build
Notes

The command line build tool is not available with the InstallAware Express edition.
The command line build tool is not included in a minimum installation of InstallAware.
If you are installing the command line build tool without the main InstallAware IDE, keep in mind that you still have to install all required application runtimes and plug-ins that are required by your build, otherwise your builds will fail.

[MartinIW]

Hi there,
We also have a TFS Build Server and want to automate our setupbuild. I wanted to ask, if its allowed to install Installaware on two maschines with only one license?
Or is there a Way to copy the miabuild.exe there for automated build only? To call it per commandline it have to be on the TFS installed correct?

Thanks in advice
Martin

[giaviv]

Hi Martin,

The license does not permit that, except in the cases of the Studio and Studio Admin editions which allow for a build server.

[MartinIW]

Thank you very much for the answer.
We use Studio Admin Version and will install it on our TFS-Server for automated builds.
Or is there a smaler installation for TFS-Server? (we dont need the mia.exe only miabuild.exe on TFS, all the UI will be managed on our computer with the "full" installation.)

Thanks
Martin

[giaviv]

Martin,

There is not - my best advice to you is to only check the components that you require during the installation (for example, don't install runtimes you dont need).

[MartinIW]

Hello again,
it worked fine for us...but now I have a few following questions to our license.
We have installed installaware on our TFS and on a virtuel mashine (VM for changing setup, TFS to automated build).
Now we have to install it on a second mashine (TFS-BuildController) and I dont know if its neccessary to deinstall the old Version on the TFS before installing it on the new BuildController?
What kind of license did we need for this? Is it possible to install it on multiple mashines? So is your license-model concepted per company or is it per mashine?
We have bought Studio Admin Edition so far.

Greetings
Martin

[FrancescoT]

Dear Martin,

the License is per machine and you should acquire a "Floating License" for additional installations.

For additional info please visit:
http://www.installaware.com/buy-store.htm

Regards

[MartinIW]

Ok thanks,
but I have another question. Is there a way to delicense InstallAware?
This will make it much easier for us to switch back if there is any problem with the new buildcontroller.

Thank you in advance,
Martin

[FrancescoT]

Dear Martin,

what you exactly mean for "delicense "?

If you mean that you would like tos witch InstallAware from a PC to another one, you can.

Just remove IA from the old one and repeat the installation on the new machine.

Regards

[MartinIW]

Hi Francesco,
I think about delicence InstallAware on the old buildmashine without deinstalling.
Like downgrading back to the demo-version. We have two buildservers now and wanted to switch our automated build from one to the other.
So if there is any problem with the new buildserver we can change back without any long installations.
Is there a way to do this without uninstall?

Regards
Martin

[FrancescoT]

Dear Martin,

unfortunately it is not possible.

Regards

[MartinIW]

Thank you Francesco,
then we will deinstall it on the old buildserver and install on the new one.

Regards
Martin

[FrancescoT]

You welcome!

Regards