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Evaluation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:09 pm
by cgendreau
Before beginning my evaluation I need to know the answer to one thing that I could not fully determine through your website. Can InstallAware create an installer that has multiple main components each with their own dependent components?

In the below example I would like this to be the first interactive screen a user would see when running the setup.exe or setup.msi file (after the welcome and agreement screens of course). The user would be able to select any or all of the "Main Apps" to be installed. Selecting an option under a Main App would automatically select the Main App above. Then, depending on the Main Apps and options selected, the installer should then be able to show specific addition install screens based on those selection(s), install those selection(s) and any pre-requisites that each Main App may need.

For example, within one installer and selectable through a main installer screen:
[] = checkbox () = radiobutton

[] Main App 1
..()Main App 1 option 1
..()Main App 1 option 2
[] Main App 2
..[]Main App 2 option 1
....[]Main App 2 option 1 sub option 1
....[]Main App 2 option 1 sub option 2
..[]Main App 2 option 2
..[]Main App 2 option 3
[] Main App 3
[] Main App 4

Re: Evaluation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:59 pm
by giaviv
Hi,

Yes - this is possible. IA ships with a features component which allows exactly this.

Re: Evaluation Question

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:53 pm
by cgendreau
Thank you for that... Do you have a link to any documentation that describes the process of using the features component?

Is the features component limited to any specific version of your product? Developer / Studio / Studio Admin?

Thanks,
Chris...

Re: Evaluation Question

Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:26 pm
by giaviv
Hi,

You can find information about this feature in our F1 help files, as well as in this document:
http://www.installaware.com/msicode_scr ... nology.pdf

Re: Evaluation Question

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 4:35 pm
by giaviv
Specifically, you should be looking at the "Features (Setup Architecture)" article in our help files:

Features (Setup Architecture)

The Features page lets you define the conceptual components of your application in a hierarchical manner. As long as the respective dialog is enabled at runtime, end-users will see the features defined in this view, and be able to select/deselect them to customize their product installation at runtime.

New features created in this page also have accompanying elements inserted in the Web Media Blocks page. These accompanying elements associate web download segments with the newly created features.

Creating New Features

To create a new feature:

Select the parent feature of the new feature to create. If the feature is a top level feature, select All Features instead.
Click the New button.
Type in the name of your new feature.
Describe your feature in the Feature Description region.
Updating Features

To update the description of an existing feature, select that feature and type directly in the Feature Description region. Changes to the feature description are applied immediately.
To update the name of an existing feature, select the feature and click the Rename button. Type in the new feature name.
To update the ordering of an existing feature, click the Up Down arrow buttons until the features are sorted as you like.
Deleting Features

To delete a feature:

Select the feature to delete.
Click the Delete button.
Deleting a feature will also remove all of its subfeatures.

Scripting Details

The two-way integrated IDE emits or updates the underlying setup script every time the visual view is used. If you are using InstallAware scripting in your setups, the following information identifies the changes made by this visual page to your setup script.

Commands Used

This page emits the following types of scripting commands: Define Component, Define Web Media Block, Get Component State, Set Component State. Additional general scripting commands may be emitted.

Commands Required

This page does not require any scripting commands to be present, however some pre-existing commands may provide better operation. Template and wizard generated setups provide all necessary commands.