Developer ???

[CChong]

Hi All,

I have Admin Studio v5.0. What I need to do is simply copy 2 folders and several files into C:\WINDOWS. How can I easily place these files/folders into an .MSI Package, so that I can send them out remotely ??? THANKS !!!!


----- BRIAN -----

[Pfeiffer]

Start a new MSI project.
-Use the Project Assistant to create a new project.
-Specify global properties of your installation project.
Set your INSTALLDIR to [WindowsFolder]
-Define features, components, and file links.
In Setup Design create a new Feature
Right click on "NewFeature1" and open the Component Wizard.
Next>Next. "Add Folder"
repeat

You should be good to go...

[CChong]

Thanks for replying Pfeiffer !!!

I did what you said in your eariler post. All ( 4 ) files were in the SETUP DESIGN and all had Gold Keys next to them. The problem I'm having is this:

I'm trying to get these ( 4 ) files ( 3 .DLL's and 1 .DRV ) into C:\WINDOWS directory on the target system. During the Build process in Developer v8.01, InstallShield created a folder called "WINDOWS" ( along with other files in the default location of "My Documents/MySetups ) in which it placed my ( 4 ) files that I need distributed ( These are the same ones that are listed under SETUP DESIGN ), If I copy over the newly created .MSI to another computer or location and try to execute it, the .MSI won't install because it wants the "WINDOWS" folder ( containing my 4 files ) that was placed in "My Documents/MySetups" when the .MSI was first built. If I copy that "WINDOWS" folder over with the .MSI, then the installation works fine. My question is, how do I get those ( 4 ) files included into the .MSI package instead of having to copy over the "WINDOWS" folder everywhere I place the .MSI ????

And is there any reason it placed the 4 files into a folder called "WINDOWS" in the first place, or does it just automatically place those files into a folder with the target destination name ???

Thanks again for your time !!!!!

[RobertDickau]

Yes, by default DevStudio/Developer creates a source-directory structure that mirrors the target directory structure.

To compress all your files into the MSI database, you might look at using DevStudio's Release Wizard, under the Build menu.

(If you have a copy of Administrator's Introduction to Application Repackaging and Software Deployment using Windows Installer---see www.installshield.com/ispress---this is discussed in Chapter 15, esp. pp. 450-1...)

[CChong]

Thanks for the reply Robert !!!

I'm glad to say that it worked !!!! The main keys were to select "Network Installation" and select "compress the files". This allowed me to add the ( 4 ) individual files that I had into the .MSI.

Today, I tried to repeat the same proceedure to add ( 2 ) FOLDERS ( which contain many other folders inside them ), but the ADD FILES button only allows me to Add FILES, not FOLDERS.

So My question is, how do I get those ( 2 ) FOLDERS added into my .MSI like the ( 4 ) files were ???

THANKS AGAIN !!!! 🙂

[RobertDickau]

If you haven't yet, you might look at the Files and Folders view; you can use that view to construct new directory structures and add files.

If the list of files changes, another alternative is to create a dynamic file link, again in the Files and Folders view or directly in a component...

[CChong]

Thanks again for the advice robert !!! Your ideas worked just fine !!! My ( Hopefully ) last question is.....


Is there an easy way to create an .MSI that calls 1 or 2 other .MSI installers from within itself ????

Thanks Again !!!! 🙂

----- BRIAN -----

[RobertDickau]

Windows Installer supports a type of custom action called a nested installation, which lets you launch an MSI package from another MSI package; please search the DevStudio/Developer help for "nested" to see some information, and perhaps also see this old InstallShield newsletter tip: http://www.installshield.com/news/newsletter/archives/0105-nestedinstall.asp.

You should be aware that there are some problems with nested installations, however: please see the MSI Help Library for some warnings...