InstallAware

Hello All;
I am evaluating Installaware for possible purchase because I need an installer that is reliable, easy to use, and it just works. I've tried so many installers all ready.

I have tried to build an installation yesterday and I just can't seem to figure things out. I think I'm doing everything right but things just don't seem to work.

I fillowed the instructions in the manual to add folders to an installation. I first browsed for the directory on my HD that contained my software. Then I selected the destination directory (Programfiles in my case). Then I clicked ADD FOLDERS. In the target files box, I got a picture of a file folder and *.* after it. Does this seem correct so far ? In all of the other installers I've evaluated, I am able to click on the darget dir and get a list of files and folders that will be installed but this doesn't work in InstallAware.

Anyway ... at this point, I assummed I did everything correctly. It's the next step I did that has me wondering ... ! I tried to add shortcuts. I clicked onthe shortcut ICON. Then clicked New SHortcut and then browsed for the file I wanted to link to. I clicked on $PROGRAMFILES$ and then clicked on my target dir and then in the filesfoler I clicked on *.* but that's all I could do and the OK at the bottom of the window is grayed out and I am unable to get any files to be displayed so I am unable to select the file I want my shortcut to point to.

Anyone know what I'm doing wrong ? I NEED this to work. I've been messing around with other installers for 2 months and I need to find some installer software that will enable to deploy my application immediately. It would be pointless buying this software if I can't get it to work.

Any suggestions, ideas, etc ... ?

Tim

Well, when you select a folder and add it, InstallAware creates an Install Files command for you which installs all files inside the selected folder (hence the *.* wildcard) into your desired destination on the end-user system, including subfolders by default.

For the destination folder, you probably want to use $TARGETDIR$ as that is the folder chosen by the end-user in the destination directory dialog, and $PROGRAMFILES$ is simply the "C:\\Program Files" top level folder on the end-user system - probably not what you want.

The problem you're having with the shortcut is that because you added the files using a wildcard (*.*), InstallAware does not have a list of the individual files inside that folder - this is only resolved at build time. Therefore when creating your shortcut, simply manually type in the shortcut target, such as "$TARGETDIR$\\my folder\\my file.type". The visual shortcut target browser won't be much help for you in this circumstance.