4 replies to this topic

[smurf]

Hello
I currently have InstallShield Professional 6.3 and have been tasked to make a merge module of our product installation.

So I looked at the installshield website, knowing nothing about merge modules and couldn't find anything relevent. I have suggested that maybe I can package the installation as an exe and have someone call it with a launch app and wait... except, what happens to all of the dialog boxes that ask pertinent questions like:
where do you want to put these files
and
do you want to install the runtime or other version of the product.

and on and on.

Sorry about the dumb questions... any help/suggestions is very much appreciated!

[Stefan Krueger]

Merge Modules (.msm files) are part of the Windows Installer world. You need a tool like InstallShield DevStudio 9 to create them (plus some Windows Installer/MSI knowledge).
The counter part to merge modules in the InstallShield Professional world are "InstallShield Objects".
Note that IS Objects can only be used in non-MSI setups, while MSMs are required for Windows Installer based setups. If your task is to create a MSM then I guess someone needs it for a Windows Installer setup.

[smurf]

Thank you Stefan.

What you said made a lot of sense. The person who asked me to make a merge module knew as much as I did apparently. :>

So I have made an object, and want to send it to the person who requested it ... I sent all of the files in the media folder. Do you know if anything needs to be registered so that the person on the other side can see and use/include my object with his installer? If yes, how is that done?

Its amazing how useful mm's/objects are.

Thanks again.

[Stefan Krueger]

The easiest way would be to build a small setup, and add the InstallShield Object Installer object. This is an object that was created to help you distribute your own objects. See also help topioc "Distributing an Object"

[smurf]

Got it. Thanks again! I feel like a broken record :>