5 replies to this topic

[haroldxious]

This will be a totally different scenario of MSI update.
I have a basic msi installer and it has for example 2 features:
All components are installed in one directory
1. Feature1
-component1
*File1
-component2
*File2
2. Feature1update.
-component3
*File1


Feature1 and Feature1update has the same file in one of their components
on first time install feature1 is only installed.

when i run maintenance dialog, i have Update and Delete radio button,
Update Radio button when selected checks if the version in the registry that is set if the installer is latest or not if not it will install Feature1update and overwrite the file by Feature1 in the directory.

Then i build a new installer without changing the product code and package code, the only change is that the files are new, ive just overwrite the files but still having the samefilename, so the files are newer version.

then i run the new build MSI it goes to maintenance dialog, then select update.

My question is, how will i install Feature1update to overwrite the file in Feature1?
is it like reinstalling a feature? Ive tried REINSTALLMODE = amus but still not working, it doesnt overwrite files.

I need help on this pls...i know this is a very different scenario for basic msi

Thank you in advance

Edited by haroldxious, 25 May 2007 - 03:27.

[Glytzhkof]

This all has an easy answer, but you are not going to like it: don't use MSI for this. Use a legacy script based installer instead. The more you bend MSI, the more it bites back. MSI is an installation paradigm - if you follow it you get benefits for free. If you break the rules you get heaps of problems.

[haroldxious]

Thanx Glytzhkof, i appreciate it....

i had done the different scenario already and the only problem now is that,

when ever i run the new version of msi and it opens the maintenance dialog because it has the same product and package code, the installer cannot recognize all the modifications done on the code an dinstaller properties in the new msi, it still uses the unmodified code of the old property of msi

[Glytzhkof]

I can only re-iterate what I have already said: what you are trying to do WILL cause you problems down the line simply because you are using a "hammer as a screwdriver". MSI is not designed to work the way you have implemented this.

There are lots of crazy things you could try: setting REINSTALL=ALL and REINSTALLMODE to amus, you could try to remove the RegisterProduct standard action from the InstallExecute sequence to prevent the setup from being registered at all (but then there will be no uninstall), you could try setting the product code blank but specify a new package code (using the same package code again and again will not work - I guarantee it - the reason is that MSI treates two different MSI files as the same source file even if they are different as long as they have the same package code).

Etc... etc... the hacks go on. But seriously: don't try this.

[haroldxious]

Thank you Glytzhkof,

I already stoped what im doin. Im now just creating a minor upgrade. but im thinkin, having a minor upgrade requires a setup.exe launcher otherwise run it on the commandline. if i have aminor upgrade with setup.exe launceher then the old version of my installer is published through group policy, how will i publish the new upgrade if it needs the setup.exe. in group policy only msi can be published right?

[Stefan Krueger]

You could create the update as a patch (.msp)