I am a big fan of writing down procedures. If I have a certain way I create a custom action, or a release, or anything else in InstallShield, I usually write it down. That way I don’t have to reinvent the wheel the next time I do it.
Generally, I write the steps down in a Microsoft Word document. Sometimes, the info I write down is in the form of strings that have trailing and ending double quote marks. I run down the list of steps, and when I come to the string with the double quotes, I select and copy it from the Word document, and paste it into the InstallShield IDE. Big mistake.
For some reason, the double quote marks that are created within Word are not the same double quote marks that are created when you enter them manually into a field in the InstallShield IDE. So, when you paste the string into the IDE, it doesn’t work.
Sometimes, InstallShield will complain during the build. Sometimes it won’t, and your installation simply won’t work properly, leaving you wondering what is going on. You’ve entered everything correctly and it should work. But, it doesn’t.
Next time, manually enter those double quote marks into the InstallShield IDE. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble and aggravation.
Creating MSI Installations with InstallShield 2010 Is Released
Is this a smart quotes issue? I\’ve had problems where SQL single quotes get changed into curved apostrophes before.
No, I don’t think so. I am talking about selecting at random any view in the IDE, then selecting any of the property sheets in the view, and then selecting any of the properties you can edit. For that property, do not cut and paste strings with double quote marks. My specific problem dealt with copying and pasting strings from Microsoft Word documents. It may also apply to other word processors.
What is confusing is that you look at the info you put into the property and it’s correct. So, why isn’t it working? Because of the double quote marks.