Newly released InstallAware 9 is the first (and only) software installer to provide native Windows 7 support, beating alternative vendors such as InstallShield to the chase. InstallAware 9 also includes user-requested features such as automatic localizations for 35 languages, a full complement of 64 bit application runtimes, and on-demand setup source caching which enables painless patch installations.
San Francisco, CA, May 4, 2009 – InstallAware Software Corporation has released InstallAware 9, a setup authoring tool for ISVs and enterprises deploying products, patches, and web updates. InstallAware 9 creates native MSI format Windows Installer setup packages with support for the latest technologies, including Windows 7, Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 with Service Pack 1, Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 Service Pack 1, Internet Explorer 8, and their 64 bit variants.
“We are demonstrating our leadership in the installation industry by shipping the first tool to market with native Windows 7 support,” says Sinan Karaca, founder of InstallAware Software Corporation. “With InstallAware 9, we’re giving developers access to very valuable real-estate on end-user desktops through our unique ‘pinning’ technology. Applications installed with InstallAware may be pinned directly on the new Windows 7 Taskbar, or on the top of the new Start Menu that ships with Windows XP and upwards. This provides the greatest possible exposure for applications on modern Windows platforms. InstallAware is the only installation vendor at this time to provide this priceless benefit, beating all other vendors including InstallShield to the chase.” InstallAware 9 setups also display native installation progress and error feedback directly on the taskbar, a popular Windows 7 feature which is currently leveraged by web browsers such as Internet Explorer 8 for displaying download progress, but which even Microsoft’s own Windows Installer does not yet support on Windows 7.
The InstallAware 9 IDE itself supports new Windows 7 features across the board, such as providing Taskbar Jump Lists which provide instant access to common IDE tasks (loading frequent/recent projects/scripts, and kicking off setup builds) with just one click on the Windows 7 Taskbar. Among other new InstallAware 9 IDE features are unlimited undo-redo in the MSIcode script editor, saving human-readable versions of MSIcode script source files to make it easier to track changes in source control systems, and configurable single instance or multiple instance IDE work modes to provide maximum productivity for developers.
The PackageAware setup repackaging tool has also been updated in InstallAware 9. The PackageAware wizard may now produce “portable projects”, which contain not just a ready-to-build InstallAware setup project as in previous versions, but also all files necessary to rebuild the captured setup on systems other than the capture machine – tremendously boosting developer productivity when repackaging third party applications.
InstallAware 9 ships with a full selection of the latest 32 bit technology frameworks, and adds a full complement for 64 bit application runtimes as well. “A popular request was for us to deliver a full set of 32 and 64 bit application runtimes for technologies such as SQL Server Express and Microsoft .NET Compact Framework,” adds Agustin K-ballo Berge, Vice President of Research and Development at InstallAware. “As a developer-centric organization, we delivered. Of course, in the good InstallAware tradition, we’re providing the MSIcode scripts for installing all these new runtimes so they can be customized freely, as well as compressing them better.”
InstallAware 9 is also the first InstallAware version to feature automatic translation of setup projects into 35 languages, out-of-the-box. The updated Localization Wizard automatically translates all InstallAware generated text in setups, while still retaining the ability to perform and consume manual translations on custom setup strings. Developers may now tap international markets effortlessly with their new multi-lingual installation routines.
Also new in InstallAware 9 setups is the ability to force setup source caching on the target system. Setups with cached sources never prompt for original installation media during patch installations, or repairs/updates of an existing installation – reducing support costs, and improving end-user satisfaction.
In addition to helping developers keep up to date with the relentless pace of Microsoft’s ever-evolving technologies, InstallAware 9 continues to deliver its classic time and money saving unique benefits, such as 67% smaller setup packages, building setups with partially web deployed segments (for instance application runtimes), a one-click patch authoring process which builds binary patches simply by referencing old installer versions, full support for all Windows versions from the original release of Windows 95 Gold to the latest 64 bit version of Windows 7 from a single setup binary, fully customizable dialogs, interactive HTML or Flash content as progress billboards, and custom Vista/Windows 7 Aero Glass regions in installation wizard dialogs.
InstallAware is available in four editions, with prices starting at US$399. A time limited trial and more information is available at http://www.installaware.com/.
About InstallAware Software Corporation
InstallAware Software Corporation, founded in 2003, is a software development company focused solely on state of the art software installation tools which offer the highest compression ratios and bullet-proof installations. The company produces software installation and compression technologies for the Windows Installer (MSI) platform on the Microsoft Windows Operating System. InstallAware is supported by thousands of users worldwide, and is a CodeGear Integrated Partner. For more information, visit www.installaware.com.
Jeremy Garrett
InstallAware Software Corporation
Web: www.installaware.com
Phone: 415 839 5017
Fax: 415 358 4094
Windows 7, Windows XP, Internet Explorer 8, SQL Server Express, and Microsoft .NET Framework are trademarks and/or registered trademarks and/or service marks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
InstallShield® is a trademark and/or registered trademark and/or service mark of Acresso Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.