help moving foward

[steven evans]

Hi,
We currently have several installers built using Wise and Merge Modules built using Microsoft setup projects. As both of these are now deprecated we are looking for an alternative. We have a number of features/Issue to deal with. Could you provide some help on how to best support these features

1) The core of all our apps are .net (4.0), however they use or are used by native 32/64 bit code. This means we need to support 32/64/WoW installations.
2) Our main app is a client/server based app requiring sql on the server. At present we have an app that is called in the bootstrap exe that allows the user to select client, server or both (standalone) as well as whether to install sql express (using an ini config file).

[FrancescoT]

Dear Steven,

if I haven't missed your question, you could share between your differnt applications the same used features or components.
These could be for example, Net runtimes, MS sql runtime or any other additional package that you may require.

Doing this you could have these common packages available as WEB MEDIA BLOCKS, that can be downloaded by each setup, only when indeed required.

You may have a look at "WebAware Installation Technology (Partial Web Deployment)" document available at: http://www.installaware.com/publication ... papers.htm.

Hope this helps you.

Regards

[steven evans]

Francesco,
I was really looking for a "how to ...". My questions may have been to vague. So let me ask some specific questions, but first let me out line my thinking on the design of the install process. As most of our customers have restricted web access we need to have standalone installers; so we will use compiler variables to build 3 versions form the same script one for 32/64/wow. Each installer will allow the user to select a client, server or standalone (both) configuration; if server options are selected the user can opt to install sql express (whether 32/64/wow will depend on the install type)

1) What project template is best to start with?
2) if I want a WoW install how do I install of the .net 4 client. I note there is a 64 bit pre-requisite as well as an unspecified type. which one do I pick?
3) there is no option for sql 2008 R2 wow how do I install this?
4) we use a config file for our sql options how do we use this ?
5) Where should we put the client/server dialog in the dialog sequence?

[FrancescoT]

Dear Steven,

1) What project template is best to start with?
I suppose the WIN 32 or the WIN 64 ... then later you could also combine both with one package or using an hybrid project.

2) if I want a WoW install how do I install of the .net 4 client. I note there is a 64 bit pre-requisite as well as an unspecified type. which one do I pick?
Simply use the NET 64 with x64 OSs and the other one with x86 OSs. Generally when specified, each runtime is intended for x86 targets.

3) there is no option for sql 2008 R2 wow how do I install this?
Use the x86 or x64 edition with their respective OSs editions.

4) we use a config file for our sql options how do we use this ?
Pass that as optional parameter with MS SQL InstallAware command ... the same you do with command line option.

5) Where should we put the client/server dialog in the dialog sequence?
This really depends on your project script logic flow ... I suppose just after the License agreement dialog.

Regards