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[shuttledude]

How much longer should one continue to use InstallShield Pro 5.1? My company is developing a few new modules with Microsoft .NET technology (mostly C#) that will be used in combination with our legacy code (mostly C++). If I can figure out how to create and manipulate virtual directories using VBscript, then I can probably continue to use Pro 5.1 for now. I have also used Developer 8 for some small new projects that utilize virtual directories, and of course the GUI makes it very easy to work with virtual directories.

So I currently plan to kick off the legacy install, which will then use LaunchApp to initiate a subsequent install for the new program elements. This will be clumsy and ugly, and will present several issues beyond the scope of my question here, but at least it will work.

There is a big reason why I'd like to continue using it. Due to the complexity of our main product installation, I would say there is a 99% chance that it cannot be translated over to Windows Installer technology. More than a year ago I consulted with InstallShield about this, and they agreed with me that I would basically have to scrap it and start all over. I'm the only install person at my company, and given my other duties a total rewrite is probably not possibe.

But there are other clocks ticking which may soon spell the absolute doom of Pro 5.1 no matter what ... such as 64-bit chipsets, the upcoming Longhorn OS, etc.

So, what to do? All advice appreciated, thanks.

[Stefan Krueger]

There is no more development on Professional 5, so you won't see built in support for .NET, 64-bit, Windows XP and above, etc. However as long as you don't need that your setup may work, although there are some known issues on XP and above because of the changed location of the TEMP folder (now includes the user name, and therefore is very long and sometimes includes special characters).

Therefore upgrading may be necessary at some time. You don't have to switch to Windows Installer technolofy however. InstallShield DevStudio is a combination of Developer and Professional, and also support non-MSI pure InstallScript setups (similar to Professional 7)