InstallAware

Hi,

I just found out about InstallAware through a Borland forum. I am primarily considering the Express edition. Looks promising, but I have a couple of questions:

1. I need to create setups in two languages: English and Swedish. Can I buy a package containing those two languages and if so what would it cost?
1a. If I can't buy both English and Swedish, can I buy only Swedish and not English?

2. Is it possible to create single-file packages suitable for download?
2a. If so, do they include a stub that installs the required MSI version before launching the actual installation?
2b. If such a stub cannot be created, how do you suggest that need (making sure the required MSI is installed on the target machine) to be solved using your products?

3. I have a registered copy of InstallShield Express 3 as well as a registered copy of Swedish SamLogic's Visual Installer 2004. Am I eligible for the competitive upgrade price?

4. My application contains a VB program that connects to an Access DB using ADO + JET (if my recollection is right). It is issued once a month with an updated database and SOMETIMES an updated VB program. It would be nice if the users could upgrade only what needs to be upgraded instead of downloading the whole thing and uninstall/reinstall or install (the whole thing) on top of the old version. Does InstallAware support this?
4a. What editions support it? Specifically, does the Express edition support it?
4b. What does it require of my web server? I have Win2003 web edition and IIS 6 running in IIS 5 compatibility mode. Do I need anything else?
4c. I require that after several such upgrades, a subsequent uninstallation will remove everything just as if only one version had ever been installed. Will that work? I don't want old stuff lying around after an uninstall.

5. Are silent installations supported?

Many thanks,
Kjell Rilbe

1. Sorry, no language packs are available at this time. However, we do provide a full Localization Wizard, that reduces the amount of time you take to translate your setup to under 30 minutes.

2. Yes this is all possible. You want to do a web build. And you want to create custom web media blocks in your script using the Web Media Block command.

3. You can certainly take advantage of the competitive upgrade pricing.

4a. You can create binary differential patches using any edition, including Express.
4b. You don't need anything else - just add 7zip as a MIME type in IIS.
4c. With patches this will work seamlessly.

5. Of course, use the /s command line parameter.

Note: If you want to customize your web media blocks, and/or your update logic, you should go with at least Developer, and preferably Studio.

Thank you. A couple of follow-up questions to make sure we understand each other correctly.

2. In this context, what do "Web Media Blocks" do?
2a. What features of Developer/Studio would I need, that makes you recommend those editions over Express for this purpose?

4. I don't think diff packages are suitable, because our clients usually don't download each monthly update. So, when a customer wants to download an update, they might have any one out of several old versions. It would be nice if the installer could detect what files (and possibly Start menu shortcuts) need to be updated, and download those files only. The Access DB file does not contain a version resource and its file timestamp might have been updated the last time the client executed our application, so might in fact be newer than the version that is to be downloaded and installed. On the other hand, the Access DB should ALWAYS be updated.
4a. Is that possible, and
4b. what edition of InstallAware would it require?
4c. Would it require anything from my web server or how would I otherwise deploy it?

Thanks,
Kjell

2. In the MSIcode IDE if you enter a Web Media Block command and press F1, you will get the full details. You can also read this whitepaper:
www.installaware.com/webaware_installat ... nology.pdf

4. You need Studio. You can do what you say with a patch, as long as you provide each old version as a patch reference when building it. Same reply as before for the server question.

Thank you! Still confused why I need Studio instead of Express though.

I read the doc you referred to. If I understand correctly the technology called "Web Media Blocks" allows me to split my installation into separate packages (files), one of which is included in the main setup exe and the rest are downloaded on demand during installation. This would be required to create an installation that downloads only what's necessary. But according to your feature matrix "Partial Web Deploy with Web Media Blocks (WebAware Installation)" is supported in all editions, including Express.

Another question was if InstallAware can preinstall the MSI runtime (although I didn't express my question quite like that). Again, according to your feature matrix, "Pre-install MSI runtime" is supported in all editions, including Express.

I also asked for patch/upgrade support that would download only what's required, regardless which one out of several old versions is currently installed. This seems to be covered by the combination of "Web Media Blocks" and "One-Click Patching", which are both supported in all editions, including Express.

So, what features exactly are missing from Express that I would need to do all of the above?

I'd like to add one more feature question: It would be nice to present our customers with one single download link that would automatically detect if it's a fresh installation or an update, and install what's necessary based on that. Having two separate links: one for new installation and another one for upgrade will result in support calls, I'm sure of it. So, can installAware do this, and what edition do I need? Please specify the exact features, so that I can find them in your feature matrix.

Thank you,
Kjell Rilbe

You won't be able to customize the placement of web media blocks with Express - you will be limited to what the default IDE creates for you, which is one weblock per feature, one weblock per runtime, and offline files set to feature independent files.

You can of course pre-install the runtime using Express. This should not require any customization of the MSIcode script or the weblock, so you are safe with Express.

Basically Express lacks the MSIcode script view, and the dialog editor, so you cannot customize any code the IDE emits for you in the background. You can think of this as being allowed to use only VB's form designer, without access to the background code. So if you need to tweak any behavior - which is real easy because all the code the IDE has created for you is instantly accessible - you won't be good with Express.

You will need Developer for scripting and Studio for dialog design.

So since you want to do a lot of custom work in your setup actually, adding smart logic checks at various points, you won't be satisfied with Express. Express won't let you customize the out-of-the-box behavior, for example with patching runtime flow, even though you can create patches.