Update Manager

[Marcel_NL]

I have enabled the Update Service in my InstallScript project using DevStudio 9 and it is working fine. However, the problem is that the installation also installs the Update Manager. But all checking for updates is handled by our application using the Update Service API functions. We don't want to install the Update Manager on our customer's systems showing confusing pop-ups. And if it already was installed on their system, we do not want to let our customers see the updates for our application since e.g. ignoring them can mess things up.

1) I have installed Update Service 4.5 SDK. How do I instruct DevStudio 9 to include the Update Service agent to our installation BUT NOT include the Update Manager ?

2) How can I disable my application for the Update Manager, so the Update Manager won't recognize it and our customers can't enable it to check for updates?

Thanks.

[Marcel_NL]

Ah, I found the solution to issue 2. Hiding an application in the Update Manager can be done by invoking the Update Manager with the -hide option. This was actually not an easy one to find, although it's mentioned in the release notes.

Still struggling with issue 1. Does somebody know how to exclude the Update Manager from the installer using DevStudio 9? I know there's a US SDK3 version available that doesn't include the Update Manager. Is there also a SDK4 version available which not included the Update Manager? Or is there an alternative method?

Thanks.

[rchand445]

Try entering a property DWUSMANAGER in the property manager and set it's value to 0.

[Marcel_NL]

Our projecttype is InstallScript, so we don't have the property manager. I tried however to enter the DWUSMANAGER property under the table "property" of the Direct Editor, but unfortunately this doesn't work.

[rchand445]

I am creating Basic MSI projects using Installshield 10. Setting DWUSMANAGER to 0 in the property table worked for me - the Update Manager did not install. Did you try setting the property to 0 using installscript?

[Marcel_NL]

I'm creating InstallScript projects using DevStudio 9. I tried setting the property to 0, but when I looked at the size of my installer, it remained the same size. So, the Update Manager is still included.

[rchand445]

The executable is still included, but the Update Manager should be disabled. The Update Manager's control applet should not show in the Control Panel, shortcuts to it should not appear in Start->Programs, and it won't be launched when your program (or installer) checks for updates.

[Marcel_NL]

Thanks for your reply.

I tested my installation to find out if it installs the Update Manager or not. But unfortenutely, regardless of the value I use for the DWUSMANAGER entry, the Update Manager is always installed. I also tried to leave the value blank.

I can't say that the Update Manager is launched when my program checks for updates. I only see a "Program Updates" icon in the Control Panel.

[rchand445]

Are you testing by installing to a clean machine? Once installed, the Update Manager is left behind on the machine, even if you uninstall your application.

I have an older copy of Installshield Developer (version 8), so I tested by creating a basic msi project and including the 4.5 version of the Update Service client. The Update Manager appeared in the control panel and under Start->Programs only if I added DWUSMANAGER to the property table and set it's default value to 1.

[Marcel_NL]

I tested it using the Uninstall Update Manager program from InstallShield. I did a double-check by searching for the file "isuspm.cpl". This is the file responsible for the Update Manager to appear in the control panel.

The file "isuspm.cpl" is always installed, no matter what value I choose for the DWUSMANAGER entry. So the icon always appears in the control panel. Fortunately, I don't get an icon under the Start menu item.

[rchand445]

Not sure what is going on then. In the past I was able to hide the Update Manager from appearing in the control panel by adding a registry value to the key HKCU\Control Panel\don't load

Value: ISUSPM.cpl
Data: No

[Marcel_NL]

I don't think that's a good approach for our situation, since it could be possible that our end users already have the Update Manager installed.

I made a workaround that checks if the Update Manager startup key exists in the registry (HKLM\...\Run). If the key doesn't exist before the installation, the installer deletes it upon end of installation so that the Update Manager doesn't automatically start when the computer is rebooted.

The Update Manager could be launched by the end-user from the control panel (no other shortcuts seem to be installed in our situation), but I already prevented our application to show up in the update list by invoking the "-hide" option during installation.

Thanks for your input,
Marcel