20% to 40% Discounts on Upgrades to InstallShield 2012

Posted on 29 November 2011 by Rod_Maupin

I just got this email from InstallShield and thought I would pass it along. If your company is considering upgrading to InstallShield 2012, you should do it before December 31, 2011.

Here’s the email:

Upgrade to InstallShield 2012 NOW & Save 20-40%!*
Offer ENDS December 31, 2011

The customer demand for upgrading to InstallShield 2012 has been unprecedented. Realizing that many more of our customers would still like the opportunity to upgrade — effective immediately we are re-opening the 20% off upgrade promotion when you upgrade from ANY older version of Express, Professional or Premier. This includes end-of-life versions.

We are also introducing a new offer available to all InstallShield Professional and Express customers – Save 40% when you upgrade your Express or Professional license to the Premier Edition. This offer is available to Professional and Express customers on ANY version – including end-of-life versions!

If you’re wondering, I do not make any commissions for telling you about this. I just want the people who want to upgrade to InstallShield 2012 to know about it.

 

Creating MSI Installations with InstallShield 2012 Just Released

Posted on 28 November 2011 by Rod_Maupin

I just finished Creating MSI Installations with InstallShield 2012. New instruction includes 32-Bit/64-Bit installations and Suite project installations.

You learn more about it here:

Creating MSI Installations with InstallShield 2012

The InstallScript 2012 course will come out in about a month.

 

Distinguishing Characteristics of Release Types

Posted on 06 November 2011 by Rod_Maupin

CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Single EXE, Single MSI, Internet, Web, One-Click, Network. These are all names of different release types in InstallShield. But, if you ask someone what the differences are, you may get different answers.

Here are the distinguishing characteristics of some common InstallShield release types:

Single EXE – all files are compressed into a single file, Setup.exe.

Single MSI – all files are compressed into a single file, which is a Windows Installer MSI database file (for example, wavepoint.msi).

CD-ROM/DVD-ROM – release targeted for a CD/DVD where all files are generally uncompressed. If you choose compressed, some of the files will be compressed into .cab files. The release may or may not include Setup.exe.

Internet/One-Click/Web – release that is optimized for Internet downloading. Users will launch it from an HTML page. It will include .cab files, but not Setup.exe.

Network – release that is optimized for a network installation, and may or may not include Setup.exe. The files can either be compressed or uncompressed.

As you can see, the only constants are Single EXE and Single MSI. The line is more blurred between all of the other release types.

 

A Common Problem That Occurs in IIS Installations

Posted on 31 October 2011 by Rod_Maupin

You are working on an installation for Internet Information Services (IIS). You’ve just finished the necessary changes to the Internet Information Services view in the InstallShield IDE. As far as you can tell, everything is perfect. Except for one thing. When you run the installation, your website isn’t being created in IIS.

No matter how much you stare at your work in the IIS view, you still can not determine what the problem is. Here is one thing that may be the problem.

Take a look at the screenshot below which shows the Internet Information Services view in a typical project.

A typical Internet Information Services installation in an InstallShield project

A typical Internet Information Services installation in an InstallShield project



This is a simple, but typical, installation for IIS. A website, web application, and virtual directory are all defined. Everything looks normal. However, take a look at the Content Source Path.

Click the ellipsis button to select the Content Source Path

Click the ellipsis button to select the Content Source Path



A lot of people can’t resist the urge to manually enter the Content Source Path. And that is where the problem comes in. Resist your urge to do that. Instead, click the ellipsis button.

Select the Contect Source Pathfor the list

Select the Contect Source Path from the list



When you click the button, a dialog will appear where you can select the Content Source Path from the list. This is what you want to do. Select it from the list. If the folder you need is not there, create it under one of the predefined folders. When you do that, you will have far fewer problems.

I noticed this when I first started working in this view. I always wanted to enter the path manually. Since that time, I have received emails from people who have done the very same thing.

Avoid this mistake and always select the path from the list.

Now, this does not just apply to websites. The Content Source Path also needs to be set for web applications and virtual directories. Same advice goes for them. Select the path from the list.

 

How to Validate a Release in InstallShield

Posted on 29 October 2011 by Rod_Maupin

If you want the Windows Logo on your product, you are going to have to know how to validate a release image. Even if you aren’t going for the Windows Logo, validating your releases is still a good idea.

I have noticed there is one problem people have the first time they try to do this is. Take a look at the screenshot below.

Here, you are in the Releases view for a Basic MSI project, and you are trying to validate a Single Exe release, but when you go to the Build, Validate menu, all of the selections are disabled.

What happens when you try to validate a Single Exe release

What happens when you try to validate a Single Exe release





The reason is simple. Take a look at the release folder for the Single Exe release.

The Single Exe release only has Setup.exe

The Single Exe release only has Setup.exe





The only file in the release is Setup.exe (I’ve renamed the file in my example, but you get the idea), where all installation files are compressed into a Single Exe file. And that is the problem.

To validate a release, InstallShield must have access to the MSI database file.

Here is the release folder for a CD-ROM release.

The CD-ROM release has an MSI file

The CD-ROM release has an MSI file





In contrast, there are several files, one being the MSI database file. Because of that, you will have no problems validating this release. Selecting the CD-ROM release, here is what you see when you go to the Build, Validate menu.

You can validate a CD-ROM release

You can validate a CD-ROM release





All of the validatation suites are enabled and ready to use.

Remember this when you are having problems validating your release.