How to retain source files location when converting InstallScript MSI project?

[Shuttledude]

As a complete newbie to AdminStudio (just now installed AdminStudio 9.0 today!), I have an important question about converting an InstallScript MSI application to a Basic MSI app.

Is it possible to force the converted InstallShield *.ism project to retain the knowledge of the source files location? What I mean is this: in the original InstallScript MSI project I would get files from a known specified location, e.g., C:\MySourceFiles\Project1 . But after using the repackager and opening the converted *.ism project, I see that the source files directory has been changed to C:\Packages\ProgramFilesFolder. The same thing happens with all the other original source file directories; they are redefined during the conversion process.

This would be OK if the app being repackaged was a fixed, frozen project that was not under current software development. But the developers change the source file EXE's, DLL's, etc. and I have a build process that places the compiled EXE's and DLL's into known locations where the *.ism project file finds them.

I suppose I could modify my build process, but doing that for a great many separate products is not an appealing thought. It's also not an option to modify Path Variables in the converted *.ism project either, because the project conversion process placed all source files in subdirectories below a single top-level path variable, rather than using several path variables for different groups of files, as was done in the original project.

So, is there an option I can select such as "retain original source files location" when converting the project with the repackager?

Thanks in advance.

[Ajay_Ladsaria]

Repackager can be used to convert the built InstallScript MSI install into a Basic MSI install. However, since the built IS MSI install has no knowledge of source file paths and other various setup project (.ism) settings, there is no way for Repackager to preserve them. (Repackager is not operating at the project level, but rather at the final built setup level.)

Unfortunately, there is no built-in, easy way to convert an InstallScript MSI project into a Basic MSI project. For example, there is no automatic way to convert any InstallScript code that you may be using for the UI experience into the Basic MSI project.

This will require an understanding of the differences between InstallScript MSI and Basic MSI projects and some manual steps to accomplish. It may be useful to start from the .ism project generated by Repackager and then alter source paths and other project settings, or it may be better to start with a brand new basic MSI project and add the files, registry, custom actions, etc. depending on the complexity and contents of your original project.

There are features like Project menu - Export Components Wizard that may be helpful.

-Ajay