Patching possible with msi installer ?

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:30 pm

Hi.

We use InstallAware Studio 2012 to deliver our product to our customers using single-file msi installer (customer requirement).
We will soon be in a position that we have to provide patches to our customer using msp's.
Is this possible since we have to use single-file msi's ?
I've searched thru this forum and the only thing I have found so far is the document "Using InstallAware 7 to Patch Software Products" which is dated August 2007. I'm hoping there might be something more current.

Thanks!

Patrick Wall

Postby **FrancescoT** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:17 am

Dear Patrick,

the document you are refering is not changed because patch rules and mode of deploy are still the same.

Is this possible since we have to use single-file msi's ?

Do you want to delivery patch as msi file?

Regards

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:21 am

Hi. Thanks for the reply!

We ship our product in a single file msi, and need to provide patches using msp. The requirement also needs to be able to un-install the patch at anytime and return to the state prior to a patch being installed.

Postby **FrancescoT** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:00 am

Dear Patrick,

actually that is not possible.

The msp file is wrapped with the single file ( ... if you look at temp folder during execution you find it there).

Regards

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:32 am

Point of clarification about your response 'that's not possible'.
- InstallAware Studio 2012 doesn't use msp for patching
- we can't use msp to patch a product that was installed with a single file msi
- InstallAware is not able to apply a patch and then remove that patch to return the product to it's original state

Which statement isn't possible, or is it all three ?
Sorry for all the questions, I need to figure out if we can use msp for patching for a product that is using single-file msi installer that is already released (long story).

If the above statements are correct, do you have any suggestions ?

Postby **FrancescoT** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:58 am

Dear Patrick,

- InstallAware Studio 2012 doesn't use msp for patching

Installware doesn't produce a msp file output but produces a single file that wraps internally, as I said with my previous reply, the msp file.

we can't use msp to patch a product that was installed with a single file msi

Actually you can't because Installware doesn't produce a msp file output.

InstallAware is not able to apply a patch and then remove that patch to return the product to it's original state

Actually with patch projects, the product version must be the same with all projects references involved therefore, patch unistallation is not allowed.

If the above statements are correct, do you have any suggestions ?

Unfortunately, the only possible solution is to distribute a single file patch build only.

Hope this helps you.

Regards

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:53 pm

Hi.

Still working on getting InstallAware to product a patch using 'single file' installations.
As a test, I created a single 'exe' of our software, using the Group Policy converted it to an msi (uncompressed).
Then I used the 'patch' feature in InstallAware to create a patch by adding the original msi, making a small change in the original software (I added an image as a test), then used the 'create patch'.
It created a 1.5meg exe, which appears to be the right size for a patch given it was just adding a small image file.
Converted that to an msi.

Downloaded both to my test machine, installed the original, and then attempted to install the 'patch' msi.
It keeps asking for the location of the original source. I have tried the following as 'original source':
- location where the software is installed in C:\Program Files
- location of the original MSI
- I copied all the configuration files for the msi project to my test machine and tried that
- copied the original files that were used to create the original msi

Each time, the window comes back and asks for the location for the original source.

Any thoughts ?

Postby **FrancescoT** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:44 am

Dear User,

If I have not missed anything, have you tried to set as checked the "Always Cache Setup Sources" control in "Build Settings"?

This three-state check-box lets you control setup source caching. When the box is filled, the default source caching option (as described above for each build type) is in effect. When cleared, setup sources are never cached. When checked, setup sources are always cached.

Regards

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:29 am

Hi Frank.

Yes, the cache source option has been set.

Patrick.

Postby **FrancescoT** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:16 am

Dear Patrick,

... has been the control used with your base project too?
In oher words, the already installed application has been build using "Always Cache Setup Sources" ?

Regards

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:23 am

HI Frank.

Yes, the original installation was set to cache the source files.

Patrick.

Postby **FrancescoT** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:51 am

Dear Patrick,

please execuse me if I continue to insist about this.

are you sure the control is selected and not FILLED?

Regards

pwall · Postby **pwall** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:41 pm

NO worries Frank, getting clarification is always good.
Here is what I have set for caching, perhaps this isn't what you're referring to ??

Patrick.

Postby **FrancescoT** » Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:59 am

Dear Patrick,

yes, it is exactly that.

As I was supposing the "Always Cache Setup Sources" control is filled ... not checked.

I'm quite sure that if set it is as checked, you will solve your problem.

Regards.