InstallAware 5.3 Now Available for Download

[MichaelNesmith]

What's New in InstallAware 5.3

InstallAware 5.3 contains the following new features and enhancements for developing Windows Installer setups.

IDE

The IDE can now dynamically scan .EXE file dependencies. Found dependencies may be added to any setup feature.
Certain registry keys previously supported in the script view are now available in the visual portions of the IDE.
In the compression phase of building setups, hyperthreading, dual core, or multi processor systems are now automatically detected and compression tasks are spread across multiple (logical) CPUs to reduce build times.
The IDE now offers the ability to directly create new folders in the Files visual view. Additionally, pre-defined system folders on the target system may now be displayed as part of the target system folder hierarchy, again while working in the Files visual view.
The IDE now offers the ability to directly create new keys in the Registry visual view.

Tools and Libraries

PackageAware has been updated to automatically detect more types of registry key changes, supporting all key types Windows Installer can work with. The built-in exclusion list has been expanded to reduce, and in most cases eliminate, post-capture setup tuning.
The command line build tool now performs significantly faster builds. The tool no longer displays a GUI window and directly writes all of its output immediately to the console window.

Plug-Ins

The new File Bag plug-in bundles a collection of files, with support for wildcards and subfolders, at compile time with either the main setup.exe file or a web media block. The plug-in returns the location where the bundled files are available at runtime through a script variable. This new plug-in essentially provides a recursive, flexible, wild-card based support files mechanism.

[CandiceJones]

If you are already an InstallAware customer:

1) Install the latest trial version
2) Log on to your customer account
3) Regenerate and reinstall your license

To upgrade to the latest version, at your convenience.

If you are a trial customer:

1) Install the latest trial version

To take advantage of the latest feature, performance, and stability improvements in InstallAware.

[GW44]

Has the pwd changed for 5.3?

GW44

[MichaelNesmith]

Yes, it has. Enter your email address on the download form to receive the new password. Be sure the password email is not getting marked as spam.

[scott]

I am trying to upgrade to 5.3 and I've uninstalled the old version of InstallAware and installed the 5.3 trial and downloaded a new license exe. When I run the license EXE it shows a dialog that says "InstallAware cannot be located on your system."
Please help.

[MichaelNesmith]

Make sure the edition you downloaded and the edition you are licensed to use match.

[wolbrink]

What's New in InstallAware 5.3
The new File Bag plug-in bundles a collection of files

Great! I assume this replaces the "Bundle Files" plug-in?

--Troy

[sinan]

Actually, its not a direct replacement. Instead of duplicating copied files, like Bundle Files, this gives direct access to the files at run-time.

[ErikB]

Does this release also include the Plugin Update released earlier??

I've tried to install it but it says that InstallAware was not installed. This seems dues to the setup package looking for the directory %PROGRAMROOT%\\InstallAware Studio 2005 where InstallAware 5.3 installs in %PROGRAMROOT%\\InstallAware\\InstallAware Studio 5

Does this make sense??

Erik

[ErikB]

In addition to the above descibed problem, IA now cannot find (for example) the checkmsi30 and checknet20 files because its looking in the wrong folder. If I manually include the scripts IA fails with the message 'script relies on a plugin that is not installed' or something similar.

I am now unable to build any of my installers . What can I do to fix it (and not end up with 3 IA folders in my Program Files folder)?

Much Thanks.

Erik

[MichaelNesmith]

No, this does not include the plug-in update pack. You can reinstall the update pack. As long as you have installed InstallAware with most common plug-ins, the update pack will locate InstallAware's folder properly - the location is not hard coded to any particular path or folder, as that would be very silly.

As for your projects...they are likely referencing old shared script locations which no longer exist. You can just remove those scripts using the project manager and then re-add them from their new location.

As for the error message you get, it clearly indicates you did not install some necessary plug-ins, so that part should be obvious.

[ErikB]

As long as you have installed InstallAware with most common plug-ins, the update pack will locate InstallAware's folder properly - the location is not hard coded to any particular path or folder, as that would be very silly.

And yet the Plugin Update claims I have not installed IA. I've installed IA with all default options except for the Dialogs, which I limited to Alpha. The Plugin Update is unable to locate my installation.

As for your projects...they are likely referencing old shared script locations which no longer exist. You can just remove those scripts using the project manager and then re-add them from their new location.

Yep, I did that, with the error described earlier.

As for the error message you get, it clearly indicates you did not install some necessary plug-ins, so that part should be obvious.

Absolutely crystal. Except that I cannot install the Plugin Pack.

Do you have any pointers?

Erik

[MichaelNesmith]

To me it sounds like you need to do a maintenance install on InstallAware, and do a full install. If you are suspicious this won't work, you can also do an uninstall, and then reinstall, choosing your former setup location.

[ErikB]

Michael,

Just to let you know that everything is working allright now I removed the two folders that were left from a previous installation, uninstalled IA and installed it again. I then installed the Plugin Package.

Thanks very much for your help.

Erik

[MikeFieger]

Hi,

Where can I find a history or changelog or something like that?
I am currently running v. 5.1 and want to know what has been improved in v. 5.3.

Mike