InstallAware

I'm sure this is a no-brainer. I've successfully created a theme which is resident in the IA Dialogs folder. What I'd like to do is create an installation project which will install my themes folder on any version of IA I have installed in my machine. I've searched my registry but the few references to InstallAware are short of substance. I have version 9 and version 9 R2 installed. How can I determine that I have these versions installed on my machine so that I can create my themes folder in both of them and hopefully, in future version if IA?

Edit: I could check the presence of IA in Program Files but I'd be interested to know if there's a more definitive answer.

Check here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{1AFF3E5C-E67C-4D36-8478-8C36491440C2}

I could'nt find it in ...\Wow6432Node\... but I can find the GUID. Looking in there I can see the InstallLocation which is where I'd need to drill a little further down to get the Dialogs folder.

Andy, while you're swimming around where's Michael these days? He's been absent for a while and Candice as well. Are they still around?

Ah, you will find it in Wow6432 for 64-bit OS...

64 bit indeed! One day, perhaps.

Yes, but it's worth mentioning, because there's a chance your software could be installed on a 64-bit OS. Although, with your installer in 32-bit mode, it should redirect you there, without having to worry about it!

One of our to-do items next week is to test the installations on a 64-bit machine at work. I'm a little out of the 64-bit loop and how IA works on it but is there an option in IA that builds for 64-bit OS' exclusively or will it just beetle off into the bush and sort it out for me? I mean, if you run anything 32-bit on a 64-bit machine aren't you asking for trouble or does 64-bit switch into a sort of 32-bit emulation?

Yes, 64-bit OS have a "32-bit space" that is identified in the registry by the Wow6432 node and Program Files (x86) in the install path. With your installer in 32-bit mode (default), it will automatically redirect to these locations.

The most common concern that arises from users is that IA forces the users to install to "Program Files (x86)" (even if they browse to C:\Program Files it will appear as x86 in the path edit box). It's technically possible to install to the usual Program Files path and other installers won't enforce this path "redirection"... At the very least, I think Microsoft would pat us on the back for forcing it!

But, the bottom line in answer to your question is that your installer should work fine in 32 and 64 bit OS' without making a change. It will just automatically behave a little different on the 64-bit OS.