InstallAware

We're planning to convert from InstallShield to InstallAware for the media block feature. However I found a few drawbacks compared to InstallShield:

1. It supports multiple installation which is good. However the patch can only patch the default (or the first) installation. InstallShield actually pops up a window which lets user to choose which one to patch. Is there a way to make it work in InstallAware?

2. It seems like InstallAware can’t specify dependencies between components, like one is dependent on the other. If one is selected, the other will be automatically selected.

3. It seems like InstallAware can’t force a component to be always installed.

4. The project file format is not user-friendly. It is hard to parse the file to replace values via a script.

5. Modifying an existing installation doesn’t skip the already installed files.

BTW, the media block feature (which does on-demand file download) is great. That's what we go for. If InstallAware can make the others work, it will be great. If it already works just I don't know, please tell me.

Thanks,

It supports multiple installation which is good. However the patch can only patch the default (or the first) installation. InstallShield actually pops up a window which lets user to choose which one to patch. Is there a way to make it work in InstallAware?

Sorry, this is a feature not available at IA. You can patch only the original installation.

It seems like InstallAware can’t specify dependencies between components, like one is dependent on the other. If one is selected, the other will be automatically selected.

This can be easily specified in the MSI script. Check for selection state of component A, if it is selected change selection state of Componen B to selexted.

It seems like InstallAware can’t force a component to be always installed.

Sure it can. "Set compnent state" to selected and then "set component choice" to not allow user to select/deselect component.

The project file format is not user-friendly. It is hard to parse the file to replace values via a script.

Sorry, I did not undestand that.

Modifying an existing installation doesn’t skip the already installed files.

It is not the default behaviour, but you can easily set it up in the script

Thanks for the reply. Regarding the project file format, I can give an example:

In project.mpr file, there are following line:

Service Pack
TRUE
TRUE
FALSE
TRUE
TRUE
FALSE
FALSE
FALSE

If I want to change one of the value from TRUE to FALSE, such as changing the "Include whole files only" option during build time via a script without openning the IDE, I have no idea which one to change. The same problem happens if I want to change the product code (GUID) during build time via a script.
The InstallShield project file uses XML format which has tags which lets me easily identify which text to be replaced.

Also for modifying an existing installation, it is not easy to do with the script if you have more than 20 components. I have to record all the 20 states, then compare them during a modify install.

Thanks,

The project file format is not user-friendly. It is hard to parse the file to replace values via a script.

Sorry, I did not undestand that.

Modifying an existing installation doesn’t skip the already installed files.

It is not the default behaviour, but you can easily set it up in the script