we're using FLEXnet Connect 12.0 in combination with InstallShield 2009 Professional to update our customers applications. Applying patches works quite well and we can easily upgrade the local program versions via patches (MSP packages). But what about unisnatlling a patch? Is there any possibility to force the local msiexec to uninstall specific patches remotely? We need it because some of the customers a running testing trials and we want them to go back to a earlier version of the application. Might the command line switches (Tab 2 in the Update definition site on the FLEXnet Connect Publisher Site) be the holy grail to do it? And if yes, how?
Command-line switches should work fine for you. The first step in this process would be to re-distribute the source MSI package you want to use. The MSDN article here describes the MSIPATCHTOREMOVE property, which you should set as part of your FNC command-lines. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372104(v=vs.85).aspx
In this case, you might do like MSIPATCHTOREMOVE={Code}, which would result in: msiexec /i {YOURMSINAME} MSIPATCHTOREMOVE={Code}
Alternatively, consider authoring a small executable that you can deliver using the Windows Installer API, MsiRemovePatches, to remove the patch via code. This can make your patch removal process more agile and extensible if you use many different products and versions.
Unfortunately, there's not really an update type that delivers only a command-line to run on a target machine, so some type of deliverable would be required for the user to download and run.
