.NET Custom Action

[maurosturaro]

I'm evaluating InstallAware to deploy a .NET application, and I have some questions:.
How can I call an installer class ( a class that derive from System.Configuration.Install ) ?
Have you some plan to integrate your product with the visual studio IDE ?
Is it possible to use relative paths for source files ?

Tanks.

[CandiceJones]

Hi!

You cannot use relative paths for source files, but you can try one of the following:

1) Use Compiler Variables, such as #BUILDROOT#, to specify where your folders are.
2) Even easier, use absolute paths, and whenever you move your project, use the Project | Refactor Paths tool to automatically update your paths in a single swoop! Refactor Paths intelligently scans your project files and picks the common roots and updates them in a single click across your entire setup.

About installer classes - these are rather discourated in Windows Installer. And, InstallAware makes it a lot easier for you, just switch to the Code view (ALT+C) to see an intelligent, conditionally flowing setup script. You will find that there are ALREADY all the actions you need here - pre-defined for you. This way you don't need to spend time writing installer classes, and can instead focus on your application. You can just use the pre-built InstallAware script commands to get what you want with a single line of "code"!

Finally, although we do not have direct integration with the VS.NET IDE right now, you can call our command line build tool to automatically build an installer every time you do a build in Visual Studio. And yes, we do have plans for a full-blown IDE plug-in.

[MarkRichards]

The assumption that InstallAware scripting can do everything that a .NET installer class can do is simply inaccurate. No installer package can do everything, so the easier it is to develop extensions, the better.

Personally, I would love to see COM object invocation and .NET installer class support within InstallAware. Things like creating and enumerating AD users, enumerating IIS websites (on IIS 5 and IIS 6), and numerous others are not supported by the current version of InstallAware.

I'm aware of the ability to write plug-in DLLs and call custom EXEs, but again these aren't the same thing. So I'm just voicing my desire for additional ways to call out of the InstallAware system.

Thanks!

[CandiceJones]

Those are great suggestions! The dev team regularly monitors these forums so please continue posting your ideas. I was just trying to point alternatives in the meantime!

[skibbs]

I second the suggestion that you implement COM plug-ins

It would really make our lives simpler as a .NET development house.

Thanks

[cpdaniel]

I second the suggestion that you support .NET installer classes.

InstallAware looks like a fine product to me, but without that support, I won't be using it.

[CandiceJones]

Thank you for making this suggestion. It is a high priority entry in our wishlist for the next version. Expect a plug-in or native solution for this purpose soon!