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Cannot get updates to take in a patch, only new files.


3 replies to this topic

dalchri

dalchri
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Posted 03 March 2001 - 05:26

I have used Visual Studio Installer to convert a VB project into an uncompressed installation package.  After making modifications, I created a new installation package.  The only two changes were that the executable was updated from version 1.0.0.1 to 1.0.0.4 and a crystal report was changed.

I cannot get the patch to apply properly.  I have tried adding new files during the troubleshooting process and that works fine.  When viewing the target msi file in Orca, I can apply the patch and only adds appear in the patch table, file table, etc... but changes do not appear to be taking.  When viewing the target, locally cached msi file after applying the patch, no changes appear to be made at all to it (There is no patch table or additions to the AdminExec table).  During the patch creation process, the msimsp.exe log file indicates that it has found file differences for the two files I meantioned.  Using mspview reveals that the transform in the msp file has the correct key values for the files in the file table (These do not appear to be component key values though).

Unfortunately, I only seem to be able to learn from example so does anyone have a sample that they know works that I could work from?  I really need a target image msi, upgrade image msi, the pcp file, and msp file that work.  Perhaps I am applying the patch incorrectly?  I've heard things about not being able to add components to features or change them?  Since I don't know what 'feature' means maybe I'm missing a fundamental concept.  Even a simple deployment package with one file in it would be a great start.  Thank you for any help you can offer!


dalchri

dalchri
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Posted 03 March 2001 - 21:45

Yes, replying to my own message...

I didn't realize that the rest of you can't see my email address in my profile, it is dalchri@uplink.net


dalchri

dalchri
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Posted 07 March 2001 - 03:27

Might as well post the solution while I'm at it...

It turns out that VSI creates Keys in the File table that are really long.  They appear to be a concatenation of the Component Key and the directory key or something like that.  Either way, they are really long keys.  These keys are generated for the output exe from a VB project and the dependency files of that exe.  They must be replaced with a shorter key for the patch to be successful.  You can even replace them with the name of the file so long as there isn't more than one occurance of the file.  You also only have to replace these keys for files that have changed in the patch.

If you can, make certain that you replace these keys BEFORE any target msi files are deployed.  Otherwise, you cannot change the key and patch existing files because that key has already been established in a deployed msi file.  You can still change the keys in the upgrade msi, and have the patch be successful, its just that the original files will be replaced, not patched.