2 replies to this topic

[Superfreak3]

Hi All,

This may take a while in describing, but I'm totally stumped with what I'm seeing.... OK, here goes.......

We have small PlugIn installs that we administer from a small widget that ships with our Server application. Now forget about patching, Major/Minor/Small updates, etc. Basically our PlugIn installs ship with a change to the Product Version and that is it. The Product Code is always the same.

What happens is that when a user choose to configure a PlugIn for install, the Product Code and the Version of the .msi are written to an .ini file on the server with a flag that indicates action to be taken (install, update, delete).

On the Client side, our update utility will look in the .ini file located in a shared directory on the Server. The Product Code and Version are then written to a local .ini file during the PlugIn install. If the update utility does not find any entry in the local .ini file, but the server .ini indicates the PlugIn should be installed, it is installed. If it finds a matching Product Code with different version and its configured to be updated, it is updated. The update consists of a removal by product code then an install of the new package. If configured on the Server to be deleted, it of course would be deleted during update.

Hopefully that is clear enough.

Now if I test with a particular PlugIn install and install, update and remove, all seems to work properly. Upon removal, its entry is removed as expected from the workstation's .ini file. Now, if I have several PlugIns installed at the same time, and I choose to remove one, all seems to work properly in that I no longer see the app in Add/Rem Pgms. However, for some reason, its local .ini setting is not removed. I can't for the life of me figure out what the problem is.

I should mention I guess that all PlugIns write to the same section [OurApp Update PlugIns] in the local .ini file.

I don't know if this is clear enough for anyone to guess at what is going on. Like I said, forget about the norms of Windows Installer updating as this is the mechanism that has been used for PlugIns for years. It may not be the best, but it works.

Again, I just don't know what is going on. Feel free to ask questions!

[Superfreak3]

Here's what I have found.... (clean machine)...

Two separate installations write information to the same .INI file in the same section...

[OurCo Update PlugIns]
[ProductCode]=[ProductVersion] (from the .wsi's INI Files view)

It doesn't matter in what order the PlugIns were installed, when the first is removed, two INI entries still remain. When the second is uninstalled, its INI entry IS REMOVED!. Only the first out entry remains.

Like I believe I said earlier, if each is installed/uninstalled separately (as the only PlugIn on the system), The INI entry is removed on uninstall as expected.

What the heck??? Stumped!

[Superfreak3]

I think I found the blunder...

Our template has the INI file as a component. If the Component GUID is changed, problem solved.

Should I also change the component name with each plugin or will the GUID suffice?