InstallAware

Hi there,

I have a problem with an Installaware setup which has been working perfectly with IA8 but fails when compiled in IA9.

The setup executes several SQL scripts, when testing these (so far on a couple of server 2008 x64 systems) I get CONNECT_ERROR, the same project compiled in IA8 works fine on these systems.

What has changed in the SQL plugin between IA8 and IA9?

Thanks,
Bruce

If anything, connectivity should be better. However, you can just replace plug-in DLLs manually and rebuild your project if you are confident this will solve your issue.

Thanks for the reply,

I'll try changing the DLLs if I can find a copy, rather than telling me I'm imagining things you should do some testing, as I said the same simple script works under IA8 and fails under IA9 on the same systems, we can repeat this at will so obviously connectivity is not better with IA9.

The lack of QC with the IA9 release has been a major problem for us, the SQL issue, the unbelievably poor decision to set the IE timeout to 10 seconds which has caused havoc with many of our customers who use large enterprise web applications and the fact that IA9 will not run external setups that worked fine in IA8 (still working on this one).

Not impressed with quality or attitude at this point.

Bruce

Bruce,

You have to give IA some slack. IS does not post on how their inner workings work and what registry key is being modified - at least now we know. More to the point, we have a bigger problem - never mind your install issue with the registry key - is what you do if ANOTHER vendor uses IA OR another product that changes this registry key.

I would just set up a group policy on the domain to set this value to 30 seconds or whatever you feel comfortable with. For your customers, you can be smart and just do what the workaround is:

1: Get the original value from the registry in the beginning of setup
2: Restore this value at the end of setup

I read the earlier posts and I understand Michael got a little bit testy - but hey we were not exactly being nice either. I've accepted the workaround and look forward to it being a compiler switch I can set in the next Service Pack or version. At least they have a workaround.

Coming from a software development house, it isn't easy just to pump out a bug fix - there are a lot of wheels that have to spin that also costs time and money. The nice thing about these forums is a way for us to provide and get feedback on issues we are having and help IA come out ahead in the end with a better product - isn't that what this is all about? You want a fix, I agree with you.

I have SQL 2008 x64 myself - I have found that I needed to make sure the SQL 2008 Native Client is installed or my connections don't work. I am not insulting you, but wanted to know if you know if this pre-req is installed? (Just trying to help you solve the problem). The other option you have is to make sure the backwards client components feature in SQL 2008 is installed to allow older clients to connect.

I just re-read your post, and I see that you compiled the SAME project in IA-8 and it works against the SQL 2008 x64 without any issues? Ok, now I admit that it is a bit strange.

I'm going to fire up a project on my end and see if I can find / see the issue myself as I haven't done it in IA 9 yet.

=-Chris

I guess I shouldn't post before my first coffee

I got pretty riled about the timeout issue because it seems irresponsible and short-sighted to make an arbitrary global change like that.

The SQL issue and a problem with the (Un)install MSI Setup plugin ("cannot access Windows Installer Service") both look like breaking changes between IA8 and IA9..

By any chance, have you verified that you have Windows Installer 4.5 and the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 already installed?

Yes, the environment I'm testing in (in this case Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 in VMWare) has .NET 3.5.1 and Windows Installer..

As I say I can run the same installer compiled with IA8 and the prerequisite (in this case WSE 3.0) installs fine, when I run the IA9 compile on the same system I get the "cannot access Windows Installer Service" message when it attempts to execute the WSE 3.0 msi, same MsiCode and same WSE installer.