Patching will not update my executable file.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:58 pm

Hoping someone can provide some guidance on a patching problem the I am having.
I have built a fairly simple project which contains my application exe. Let's call the exe 'myapp.exe' (version 1.18.0111.0).
I have built the setup and InstallAware installed it perfectly.
I then saved a copy of the setup for the purposes of using as the 'Patch Reference'.
I went back to my InstallAware project and changed the 'Product Version' number from 1.18.0111.0 to 1.18.0114.0 and also updated my application exe 'myapp.exe' to version 1.18.0114.0.
I then saved and built the project again.
I then 'Added' the copy of the my version 1.18.0111.0 setup in the Deployment>Patches screen as my 'Patch Reference'.
I then built the patch.

However, upon installing the patch, it runs successfully but does not update the 'myapp.exe' from v1.18.0111.0 to v1.18.0114.0.

Can anyone provide any suggestion as to what the heck is going on?
Thanks in advance,
Steve

rcaspers · Post by **rcaspers** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:16 pm

hi there, i have a simular problem. Did you ever find the answer? I would be vary gratefull

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:06 am

I've started prototyping patches to our installers (selfextracting) and I stopped on the same problem. I've added one new file and changed content of one existing.
Patch generates ok, install reports success, but files in TARGETDIR are not changed. All upgrade and revision codes are ok. Could someone help me what I'm doing wrong?
My base version was 3.0.0.30. New one was 3.0.1.31. Patch was generated from new one to old one. After patch installation I expected old version to be upgraded to new one, but entry in AddRemovePrograms applet is still marked with old version. Is it ok?

regards
Jarek

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:16 pm

The ARP entry may be misleading, but your patches should certainly update files. If you changed project options like compiler settings or other items between projects it might be breaking things.

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:15 pm

Thanks Michael for reply.
Two more questions:
1. My patch is selfextracting executable. When I start it with '-p=<path>\\data' parameter pointing to uncompressed base installer, it requires me to point msi file exactly (see attached image). Started without parameter, asks me to point data folder (the same as passed via param) and installation goes smoothly. Why?
2. Is there any predefined veriable where I can set this path in installer code, to ommit passing it via parameter '-p'?

regards
Jarek

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:17 pm

it looks the image was not attached...
Next try...

File Attached:

msg.JPG

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:36 pm

Is it possible to extract only selfextracting installer to specified folder using command line parameters?
or, can you point command line tool which can do it?

regards
Jarek

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:38 pm

You can extract with any archiver capable of extracting 7zip archives, as that is the advanced compression InstallAware employs.

The help file describes the proper syntax for your other question. I guess you don't read very well as you are using the wrong syntax. I am pasting here verbatim:

Specifying Original Setup Sources for Patching

To make sure the setup program does not prompt for the location of the original setup sources during a patch operation, you may use the patch source command line parameter.

Code: Select all

<setup> /p=<original>\\data

In the above example, setup.exe denotes the main setup executable, and original setup sources is the full path to the folder containing the original setup sources. Be sure to specify the data subfolder inside the original setup source folder (the data subfolder exists in all InstallAware setups built in uncompressed mode). For more information, see Patch Source Resolution.

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:34 am

> extract with 7zip
works fine, thanks

> you don't read very well as you are using the wrong syntax
no, the wrong syntax was in letter only. In fact I used '/p'
When I press 'browse' in message attached, it opens browser exactly in the folder passed as parameter and displays requested msi file. Then when I click this file and press ok all goes perfectly to the end.

Can I set this path in the installer script internally? My installer knows exactly where base installer is located, I would like to extract it to temp folder, set the path and then continue with patch installation. This will allow to not involve end user to 'source resolution' step.

regards
Jarek

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:23 am

If you use /p correctly, it will work without showing dialog box. I'm afraid there is no script variable for this, but double check the pre-defined variables list in help to be certain.

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:51 am

> If you use /p correctly
What is wrong in following:
/p=C:\\Installers\\fid\\data
or
/p="C:\\Installers\\fid\\data"
both behaves the same way.
The dialog opens exactly in this folder what proofs me than the path is recognized properly...

> double check the pre-defined variables list
already checked before

I expect it exist, but is not documented...

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:03 am

It would appear then that the real issue you are having is the /p command line parameter is not working for you. Can you reproduce this with every project you try, or does it happen to be a bug related only to your project?

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:19 pm

difficult to say now - I'm prototyping on one project now which is a part of automatic build - all parameters are passed to IA as compiler variables. I'll be back when I'll port the scheme to other projects. However I've to make it working although installer's scripts are not as defaulted by IA.

What with the 'source resolution' in script? Would you be so kind to ask R&D about it?

regards
Jarek

jweksej · Post by **jweksej** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:42 am

> the /p command line parameter is not working

when I start patch installer first time, the msg dialog (attached before) opens exactly at the path passed as parameter /p and request to point msi file which is located in this folder and all goes then ok

when I start installer second time, msg dialog is not displayed at all and all goes ok...

How to get rid of this strange dialog?

Jarek

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:42 am

I have been unable to reproduce this. The /p parameter is accepted the first time and no resolution dialog appears at any time.