InstallAware

We currently use InstallShield products and the final straw was moving to 12, so have been looking at InstallAware Studio Admin. However before we go ahead and purchase I have a couple of questions if I may....


1. I wish to create an installer that asks the user if they wish to Install SQL 2005 express or use a pre installed network SQL server. As the SQL2005 is a prerequisite how can this be accomplished?

2. When you create a NT service (not web service) in InstallAware you can specify the logon account to use rather than the default. Does this actually work, and does the script give the account 'logon as service' rights. My installer will create an account, then set a NT service to run under this account, and without 'logon as service' rights this will not work.


And a comment....

Why does your merchant refuse to accept American Express unless it is an order for the USA !!!!!! - I have NEVER encountered this before.

TIA

Howard Smith

Hi!

1. You can do this easily in the MSIcode view. Nothing in InstallAware is hard-coded (much unlike InstallShield). You have full, unfettered access to the sources of your setup at all times. You may simply review the parts that detect/install SQL 2005 Express and customize them with your own setup logic and custom dialogs, to achieve the effect you desire. So in your case, these commands will be of interest:

Display Dialog (to build your custom dialog, see the MS SQL Server Connection sample for some helpful pre-built dialogs and their MSIcode logic)
MessageBox (if you do not want to build a custom dialog - which is in fact very easy with InstallAware - you can still prompt users with a generic message box command instead)
If (evaluate return from Display Dialog and/or MessageBox)
MS SQL Instances (detect the available instances of SQL server, again see the MS SQL Server Connection sample for proper usage)

2. The account does not receive "logon as service" rights - apparently this is not something Windows Installer does for you when you bind a service with an account (unlike the native Windows management interface for the service).

3. I am very surprised by this also. Did you double-check that you entered all card information, including verification codes, correctly? If so, please copy me on the exact error message you got while ordering, and we'll take the issue up for you.

Candice

Thanks for your response. I susepected as much with the login as service issue. I shall have to look at creating an application to do it and run that from the installer.

I have managed to get the merchant site working the tip here for anyone else is to make sure you select US $ as the invoice currency otherwise AMEX cant be used.

Thanks

Howard