AdminStudio offers two methods of repackaging that can migrate a legacy setup in any format into MSI format. These two methods are the Installation Monitoring and Snapshot methods. Both methods are explained and compared in this article.
AdminStudio offers two methods of repackaging that can migrate a legacy setup in any format into MSI format. These two methods are the Installation Monitoring and Snapshot methods. Both methods are explained and compared in this article.
Installation Monitoring
The Installation Monitoring method of repackaging involves watching a system for any processes that are created during the installation. In this way, Repackager can identify changes being made to the target system. The Installation Monitoring method has advantages and disadvantages in comparison to the Snapshot method.
Installation Monitoring Advantages
Case 1: The setup calls CopyFile and overwrites a.dll with a.dll from the installation. Snapshot will not capture this because the net effect is the same. However, Installation Monitoring will because the CopyFile function is logged.
Case 2: The legacy installation uses a call to GetVersionEx to conditionally install the file only if the version to be installed is greater than the installed version of the file. If the function that copies the file is not called due to this conditional logic the install intent is not captured.
Installation Monitoring Disadvantages
Installation Monitoring Output Files
Snapshot
The Snapshot method of repackaging involves taking a snapshot of a system setup as a baseline configuration, running an installation, and then taking a second snapshot of the system after the installation. The information provided by comparing the two snapshots is stored in an .inc file and used to convert the installation into .msi format.
When using the Snapshot method, it is important to use a clean system for your initial baseline snapshot. If you do not do so, some system files may already be present initially and, therefore, will not be captured during repackaging. The Snapshot method has advantages and disadvantages in comparison to the Installation Monitoring method.
Snapshot Advantages
Snapshot Disadvantages
Snapshot Output Files
Output Files Created by Both Repackaging Methods
For more information on the files created by Repackager, see the Help Library topic Files Associated with Repackager.
Snapshot and Installation Monitoring are also documented in the Help Library topic Repackaging Methods.
on Dec 03, 2007 01:48 PM - edited on May 08, 2019 08:32 AM by KPBussey