\"MS SQL Server\" command - Server and Instance

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sgolba
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Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:09 pm

\"MS SQL Server\" command - Server and Instance

Postby sgolba » Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:12 pm

I am evaluating InstallAware Studio, and am having difficulty connecting to a SQL Server 2005 instance using the "SQL Server Connection" template, as well as the "MS SQL Server" command itself.

When I try to connect to a SQL Express instance using either, it's working fine. I've alerted the info that ends up being supplied to the "MS SQL Server" command and it is as follows:

Server: localhost
Instance: SQLEXPRESS
Database: (new DB name)
User: (SQL Express login name)
Password: (SQL Express login password)

I even included an additional "MS SQL Server" command that also had some SQL to create a new table, and it's working as well.

However, when I try the same on a SQL Server 2005 box, the "MS SQL Server" command always returns "ERROR". (Wish there was more information in that result.) I'm a little unsure as to what Server and Instance to use. On the SQL Express box, the Server Name is "DEVSERVER-SQL05\\SQLEXPRESS" which appears to get parsed into Server "DEVSERVER-SQL05" and Instance "SQLEXPRESS". However, on the SQL Server 2005 box, the Server name is simply "DS-WIN2K3-SQL05". I assume that, without a backslash, there is no Instance name. If this case, what should be entered in the "MS SQL Server" dialog for Service and Instance?

In addition, in neither case is the Instance drop-down listbox on the "sqlinstance" dialog in the "SQL Server Connection" template filled with anything. At least on the SQL Express box, where there is a valid server instance, shouldn't it be populated with "DEVSERVER-SQL05\\SQLEXPRESS"?

Thanks for your help. The use of this functionality is one of the critical hurdles I'm trying to get over in my evaulation of InstallAware. I appreciate any help you can offer.

Steve

CandiceJones
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Postby CandiceJones » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:30 am

Make sure you're running the latest version of InstallAware for instance detection to work correctly!
Candice Jones
InstallAware
Home of The Next Generation MSI Installer
Get your free copy today - http://www.installaware.com/

sgolba
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Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:09 pm

Postby sgolba » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:05 pm

Make sure you're running the latest version of InstallAware for instance detection to work correctly!

Thanks, Candice. Yes, version 7.9.2 was released since I had downloaded my trial. So I downloaded and installed 7.9.2 (dated July 4, 2008).

I made a quick project using the "MS SQL Server Connection" sample project. However, after building an installer and running it on a machine with SQL Server, it's displaying an error dialog while the "Looking for Servers" dialog displays. The error dialog states:

Runtime error in setup script:
Line 38: '' is not a valid integer value


(I can't tell if those are two single quotes or one double quote in the error message. I assume two single quotes with an empty string inside.)

In the script, I put message boxes around the "Detect MS SQL Instances" line, and that's definitely the line that's throwing up the error dialog. But I don't see how this particular error message pertains to that command.

Any help you can offer is appreciated.

TheVman
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:26 am

SQL2005Express

Postby TheVman » Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:43 am

Hi all,

I thought this would be a relevant tread to ask a few question on SQL 2005 Express.
My current installation product allows me to include the Microsoft SQL2005Express redistributable and offer users the option to install named instances “Instance1” or “Instance2” with different settings from the one nested file.
Is this possible in InstallAware?
Regards,
TheVman

CandiceJones
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Postby CandiceJones » Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:39 pm

Yes of course!
Candice Jones

InstallAware

Home of The Next Generation MSI Installer

Get your free copy today - http://www.installaware.com/

TheVman
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:26 am

Postby TheVman » Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:12 pm

CandiceJones wrote:Yes of course!
Hi Candice,
How exactly is this achieved? A superficial look at the Application runtime it looks like it is a webdeploy and no way to configure allowing multiple named instances from the one runtime locally.
Regards,

TheVman

CandiceJones
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Postby CandiceJones » Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:50 am

Web deployment and application runtimes are separate things. You can web deploy any part(s) of your setup in InstallAware, so don't get confused.

What you want to do is either click the options button on the application runtime you want to customize and use variables instead of hard-coded instance names,

OR

Switch directly to the MSIcode view and copy-paste the runtime installer code and re-edit it to configure dual/multiple instances of the runtime you desire.

In both cases, you'll of course want to author some custom dialogs to capture instance names from end-users. Look at the sample projects for ideas!
Candice Jones

InstallAware

Home of The Next Generation MSI Installer

Get your free copy today - http://www.installaware.com/

TheVman
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:26 am

Postby TheVman » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:02 am

CandiceJones wrote:Web deployment and application runtimes are separate things. You can web deploy any part(s) of your setup in InstallAware, so don't get confused.

What you want to do is either click the options button on the application runtime you want to customize and use variables instead of hard-coded instance names,

OR

Switch directly to the MSIcode view and copy-paste the runtime installer code and re-edit it to configure dual/multiple instances of the runtime you desire.

In both cases, you'll of course want to author some custom dialogs to capture instance names from end-users. Look at the sample projects for ideas!

Hi Candice,
Thank you, that clarifies it quite well. It sounds very much what I do in WISE script at the moment. It will just be a matter of learning InstallAware's script syntax and “having a go at it’.
It really does appear that Installaware has the nimbleness of scripting with the power of windows installer. I hope I can get my head around it enough to replicate my current WISE installs in InstallAware, so I can justify its purchase. I am also very keen to create skins/themes as I did with WISE and InstallShield to personalize our product.
Regards,

TheVman

CandiceJones
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Postby CandiceJones » Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:43 am

Yes, you nailed it on the head. InstallAware has been called a "better Wise than Wise itself" for Windows Installer (see, for example, http://www.installaware.com/installawar ... lworld.pdf).

We're looking forward to your cool new themes! 8)
Candice Jones

InstallAware

Home of The Next Generation MSI Installer

Get your free copy today - http://www.installaware.com/

TheVman
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:26 am

Postby TheVman » Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:23 am

CandiceJones wrote:Yes, you nailed it on the head. InstallAware has been called a "better Wise than Wise itself" for Windows Installer (see, for example, http://www.installaware.com/installawar ... lworld.pdf).

We're looking forward to your cool new themes! 8)
Hi Candice,
I followed the steps in this thread http://www.installaware.com/forum/viewt ... =templates to create my template/skin. It worked ok for the machine I built them on but I want to be able to submit them to InstallAware. So to test its working I copied the files to a test PC but InstallAware did not pick up the new template. It rolled it back to the base theme I developed it from. I must be missing a step.
How do I redistribute via an installer, a template/skin that I developed to another pc or InstallAware installation so its recognized by Installaware?
Regards,

TheVman

CandiceJones
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Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:03 pm
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Postby CandiceJones » Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:58 am

Just replicate the exact folder/file structure you find for existing themes inside:

C:\\Program Files\\InstallAware\\InstallAware 7\\Dialogs\\<theme>

ad.bmp: A bitmap graphic of your theme
<theme>.exe: Your compiled theme sampler
<theme>.txt: Your theme description

And don't forget the dialogs, of course :)
Candice Jones

InstallAware

Home of The Next Generation MSI Installer

Get your free copy today - http://www.installaware.com/

TheVman
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:26 am

Postby TheVman » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:24 am

CandiceJones wrote:Just replicate the exact folder/file structure you find for existing themes inside:

C:\\Program Files\\InstallAware\\InstallAware 7\\Dialogs\\<theme>

ad.bmp: A bitmap graphic of your theme
<theme>.exe: Your compiled theme sampler
<theme>.txt: Your theme description

And don't forget the dialogs, of course :)
Hi Candice,
I have all except the "<theme>.exe: Your compiled theme sampler". What and how do I get this?
My theme does not appear to take on another system.
Regards,

TheVman

Darren
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:35 pm

I have similar problems

Postby Darren » Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:45 pm

Hi All and Candace,

Candace, seems you are one of the more likely responder so I had to mention you :lol:

I just downloaded and installed the InstallAware 8 Studio trial. I am looking at shifting us to this product but I am currently having problems similar to those described above in this thread.

I was able to get nice looking dialogs with good logic going very quickly with this product. I cannot get it to connect to a MS SQL 2005 SP1 instance. I have tried the Sample project for instance detection and connection as well as my own project just utilizing the MS SQL Server Plug-in. I can't connect or create a database no matter what I try. My version of InstallAware 8 appears to be 080808. I doubt there is a more recent version.

Any suggestions? We are a dB-based web app and if I can't get SQL connections and dB creation, I can't use this. Help!!

Thanks,
Darren

CandiceJones
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Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:03 pm
Contact:

Postby CandiceJones » Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:23 am

Hi Darren,

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

Are you using correct instance names, are any instances correctly detected on your network?

Do you have firewall or other software that might be interfering?

If you still have troubles, contact support and we'll set you up with some manual connection testing applications to see where the trouble lies.
Candice Jones

InstallAware

Home of The Next Generation MSI Installer

Get your free copy today - http://www.installaware.com/

Darren
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:35 pm

Postby Darren » Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:43 am

Hi Candace,

Thanks for the replay. It is good to know someone will reply.

Actually I figured out the problem and the first post on this thread had the hints to solve the problem. You might pass on that there is a problem with the Sample Project "SQL Server Connection". In the MSIcode on line 72 the SELECTEDSERVER variable is split into SERVERNAME AND INSTANCENAME. Right after that, if INSTANCENAME is blank it is set to "EXPRESS". For SQL2005, INSTANCENAME will almost always be blank and setting INSTANCENAME to "EXPRESS" means you won't connect. Once I changed INSTANCENAME to stay blank if it was blank then the sample project connects just fine.

Hope this helps others trying this. Eval is looking good so far.

Thanks,
Darren


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