Comparison with Wise for Windows Installer

[daniel347x]

(Pardon the new thread...this is really a reply to the previous thread but the system wouldn't let me reply)

Hi. Thank you. I have just read the document for which you provided a link...That clears a great deal up and now I understand not only InstallAware but also Windows Installer and Wise better.

I still have a question...is alot of stuff happening "behind the scenes" when the Apply Install takes place (through Windows Installer) that is not mentioned anywhere in the InstallAware scripts...such as a check for sufficient disk space, and the check for file prerequisites? (Both of these examples appear as Windows Installer actions in Wise for Windows Installer MSI scripts, I believe). Or, rather, does InstallAware not do a disk space check or a file prerequisite check? (Regarding the file prerequisite check, I don't see any way to do this using the Visual editor, but with Wise, that seems to be present, though I'm not sure about this)

Are there any other differences between the installations created by Wise and those created by InstallAware for a simple default project using the wizard, along the lines of the Disk Space and File Prerequisite check?

Thank you.

Dan

[sinan]

That's actually a great question. Nothing happens behind the scenes. When you call Apply Install, the purple commands in your script are executed (such as Install Files) - purple with default highlighting that is.

Since the InstallAware script is more powerful than the limited checks the MSI engine itself can perform, none of the checks you mention above are delegated to the MSI engine. The setup does purely execute through the MSI engine, of course - all files copied, registry entries created, etc. are actions carried out by Windows Installer. Think of Apply Install as flushing the "cache" of purple commands executed thus far.

[daniel347x]

Hi,

Thank you for the prompt replies!

Here is a follow-up question to help me understand the InstallAware methodology.

In the Help files under the entry describing the "Check Disk Space" command, there is a note at the bottom that says,

"There is no need to explicity check for disk space in your setup script. The install engine automatically verifies available disk space before beginning installation. "

However, I do not see the "Check Disk Space" command anywhere in the InstallAware script for my project (which is just a dummy project created by Project Wizard with a few files to copy and a few registry keys to set).

That is why I thought it might be happening in the background.

Could you explain this seeming discrepancy for me?

(P.S. it's not that I need to check for disk space in my installation...it's just that I'm trying to compare the methodology between InstallAware and Wise for Windows Installer, and my comparison of the two led me to this question.)

Thank you again,

Dan

[sinan]

Ah, yes. What happens is Windows Installer will not execute the actual install process unless it can verify disk space is enough. This is not a sequenced custom action, its just part of what the engine does.

[daniel347x]

Hi -

Thank you for the conversation this afternoon. It is helping a great deal as I compare Wise for Windows Installer side by side with InstallAware.

Your response brings me back to my initial question - in Wise for Windows Installer, I see the "CostInitialize" step in the .MSI script, which is, I assume, a Windows Installer Action.

However, I do not see it (or any equivalent step with a different name) in the InstallAware script.

That is why, if this step is happening when the installation runs (or before it runs), I thought it meant that some things happen during an installation created by InstallAware that are not to be seen in the script, whereas they are to be seen in the Wise for Windows Installer .MSI script.

Is there a way to know what Windows Installer Actions will take place during the attemped installation (such as the Check for Disk Space) using InstallAware? Are there other Actions such as CostInitialize that can't be seen in the InstallAware script?

Thank you again, you have been prompt and helpful.

Best regards,
Dan

[sinan]

Perhaps what would be the best answer to this question is for you to open up an InstallAware generated MSI file in Wise for Windows Installer. I think you want to see the Wise representation for the Windows Installer actions, and I am unable to answer that question, as I am not very familar with Wise for Windows Installer.

You can just build an empty installer (or a fully fleshed installer) in InstallAware and open either one - the displayed results should be the same as far as Wise's representation of the "setup script". Please remember to post your results here so we can all read what you found out

And again, please keep in mind that the script that Wise displays for Windows Installer actions, and the script that InstallAware displays, again for Windows Installer actions, will be completely different.

[daniel347x]

Thanks for the idea,

I would like to open an InstallAware-generated .msi file in Wise to see what it looks like, but that leads to the question:

how do I generate an .msi file using InstallAware? I see only an .mpr file, along with the installation executable.

Thanks,

Dan

[sinan]

You just build the project

[daniel347x]

Hi...

I built the project, but I don't see an .msi file anywhere! Just the executable. Also, I looked in the Help files and didn't see any reference to "msi".

Perhaps I'm missing something?

Thank you,

Dan N

[sinan]

You probably built a Web or Single File install, which contain the MSI inside them. Just build an Uncompressed install, which has it lying out in the open