InstallAware

Hello,

I have a question about updating an application using InstallAware. I am not a real fan of the patch concept because it requires a customer to download two files. In the past, when we were using InstallShield, we distributed full setup files which would upgrade older versions of the same product. For example, if our application was MyApp 1.0.1 and we put out a 1.0.2, we would put out a new Setup.exe which was the 1.0.2 version. This could be installed straight for new customers and they would get 1.0.2. If an existing customer ran it, it would upgrade the 1.0.1 installation to 1.0.2 without doing a full remove before.

In InstallShield there are three codes. One named Product Code, Package Code and Upgrade Code. If you leave the Product Code and Upgrade code the same between setups but change the Package Code, the setup upgrades the way I describe.

In InstallAware, from what I can tell there is a Product Code and a Revision Code. Is the revision code the same as the Package Code in InstallShield? With InstallAware, I seem to have the option of performing a full remove and then a full installation of the new version or generating patch files but not a way to make a full setup do an upgrade like I describe.

Is there a way to make the InstallAware setup function the way that I want to or do I have to use patches?

Thanks!

You have to use patches in this scenario.

Hello Michael,

That's too bad as it just adds steps for new customers to get up and running. Is it possible to put down the option of handling upgrades in the manner I described as a feature request for future versions? The Windows Installer seems to support it so it would be nice to be able to do so from InstallAware.

Thanks!

-Jeff

Yes, certainly. This is a bit hard to do because of the way MSIcode works, but in future major version releases, we are certainly planning to take care of this.