Unable to compile MSI action install assembly

[RBlamires]

Hi
I realise that this topic has been discussed many times going back 3 or 4 years. However, I have just started to evaluate InstallAware and have immediately encountered the error when trying to build some of my past applications.

I understand that the problem is likely to be with non-strongly signed assemblies and that the suggested workaround is to load them as files rather than assemblies. OK, firstly, I'm evaluating the Express version of InstallAware which does not allow use of MSICode editor, so using that is out of the question. Secondly, no assemblies are listed in the Design window 'Setup Architecture/Assemblies' dialogue. Thirdly, I don't know how to load them as files.

When I develop my applications in VS 2010, I select References as and when needed, see sample attached. It appears that one or more of these are causing the problem but since they are all Microsoft dlls I would have expected them all to be strongly signed. (Naïve, I know!) Anyway, they are all needed for my application to work.

The InstallAware/Setup Properties dialogue for the same project within VS 2010 shows the following assemblies:
Filename Target
Microsoft.VisualBasic.PowerPacks.Vs.dll GAC
Interop.ADODB.dll $TARGETDIR$
Interop.JRO.dll $TARGETDIR$
stdole.dll $TARGETDIR$

Given that I have no MSICode editor, is there any way for me to load the relevant assemblies as files and make the build work without errors?

Thanks!

References.JPG (107.18 KiB) Viewed 4980 times

[FrancescoT]

Dear RBlamires,

unfortunately with the FREE edition is not possible to control Assemblies inclusion.

Maybe your problem is caused by those assemblies that I see located under your Document folder in the VS project references.

Regards

[RBlamires]

Thanks for your reply Francesco but it doesn't really help me. I'm currently evaluating a 30-day trial version of InstallAware EXPRESS, not the FREEWARE one. Are you saying that the trial EXPRESS does not have all the functionality of the paid EXPRESS? If so, what's the point of offering a trial?

If EXPRESS does not allow control of assembly inclusion, it would seem to have very limited use as the assemblies I've noted in my original question are just a few of the very basic ones which are likely to be needed for the development of a useful application.

I understand that the MSICode editor may not be available in EXPRESS, but is there any other way that I can load these necessary assemblies as files as that seems to be your recommended solution to non-strongly signed assembly inclusion?

Thanks,
Rob

[FrancescoT]

Dear Rob,

Sorry, I mistakenly understood you was using the FREE edition.

In IA Express you can control the Assemblies fron the Assembly View (IA Design View).

Assemblies view.png (81.44 KiB) Viewed 4917 times

Alternatively, if your Assemblies are not non-strongly signed, you may try to remove them from the Assembly View and then to try to add the assemblies as if they were regular files - simply add them to the $TARGETDIR$ in the Files view under Setup Architecture.
http://www.installaware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6618

Hope this helps you.

Regards