Hide Features or make a list

[Guest]

I saw a post from a year and a half ago that requested hidden features. Have those been implemented?

If not, I noticed that the components list (in the UI) accepts data from "Component List" (which appears to be a list or an array). Is there any way to make a list of my own?

I want to be able to hide some features from the user depending on what they enter on a dialog before the componentslist dialog. Is there a better way than what I'm thinking?

[MichaelNesmith]

There are new commands in 6.x which let you define and delete components on the fly.

As for hidden components, if you're not going to show them in the UI, I'd just handle their installation using conditionals (If commands) directly, without bothering to create explicit components for them.

[Guest]

Our installer can install a number of applications. I've got one feature/component per application. However, we don't want just anyone to install just any application. So I have the user enter a password before they can select what applications they want. If the password they use doesn't permit them to install an application, then I don't want to show them that application. Do you have any ideas for how to accomplish this?

[MichaelNesmith]

I can tell you how InstallAware does it

If you notice, as of the 6.x version, InstallAware uses a single installer to install all editions - from Express to Studio Admin.

The features dialog correctly displays features based on the chosen edition at run-time. The features dialog even updates itself if you click "Back" and change your edition to another one.

This is how InstallAware did it:

1. Define all components in your setup script for both first time and maintenance install types.
2. When in maintenance mode, depending on the chosen edition, delete the components that do not apply.
3. When in first time installation mode:
a. Under the Setup Type label:
i. Re-Define all optional components
ii. Based on chosen edition, delete inapplicable components
b. Under the Personalized label:
i. If PERSONALIZED is FALSE, select all components
ii. If MINIMUM is TRUE, deselect all components

That should also work for you as a fool-proof way to get the wizard logic right, letting users even change their password (and hence, installable features) on-the-fly.

Note: Component commands will ignore components that have not been defined when selecting/deselecting, and they will report FALSE to the selection state of a component that has not been defined (or defined and then deleted); so that helps keep your setup script simple as well.

[Guest]

I assume that when you say "re-define all optional components" you mean that I should just define them again (using the Define Component command). What command would delete a component? Does this only work in version 6.x?

[MichaelNesmith]

Yes, exactly. v6.x adds Delete Component which you can use to achieve what you want. This is a new command that is not available in previous versions.